Sleep and bedtime routines

Sleep and rest are really important for babies and young children, and play an important role in physical, emotional and cognitive development! Not getting enough sleep can affect a child’s mood, memory and ability to concentrate, showing that sleep is also important for brain development.

Most children – and adults – have some form of sleep routine! These will be very different depending on the age of the child, and even between children of the same age. Take a look through the slider to learn more.

  • Age

    Very young babies need lots of sleep, as they grow very quickly. It’s likely that young babies will have lots of small naps during the day, and it’s important to talk with the parents of young children to work out when they like to sleep, and how long for. As children get older, and reach 4 – 5 years of age, they are likely to need fewer naps during the day, and will sleep for a longer time through the night. However, they may still require ‘rest’ activities, such as listening to a story, during the day so that they do not become overtired.

  • Parent and carer preference

    Parents may have different preferences for when their children sleep. For example, some parents may like their child to sleep in the late afternoon, so that they can spend some time with them after work, while others might feel that this means they can’t get them to sleep properly at night. In an early years setting, it’s very important to talk to parents about what their child’s sleep routines should be.

  • Established sleep routines

    There are lots of things you will need to know about a child’s sleep routine before they enter an early years setting. This includes: when they go to bed, or have naps, how long they tend to sleep for, if they use a light or usually sleep with the door open, and if they have a comforter such as a toy or blanket. Making sure a child’s sleep routine is as similar as possible to that at home will help children to sleep more comfortably, and stop them from being overtired.

  • Bedtime routines

    Different children are likely to have different bedtime routines. For example, while some children may be used to listening to a story, others may prefer a song. As you have learnt, it’s important to talk to parents about each child’s individual routine. When it comes to small babies, bedtime routines should follow a very specific pattern. Click to the next slider to learn more.

  • Baby bedtime routines

    Every year, a very small number of babies die suddenly in their sleep. This is called cot death, or SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). There are a number of things that parents and early years workers can do to help avoid this. This includes making sure that there are no pillows or duvets in bed with babies, and making sure they are not over hot with too many clothes or blankets. As well as this, babies should always be placed on their back, with their feet just touching the bottom of the cot. You should also never smoke in a room where a baby will sleep. Although the causes of SIDS are not fully understood, following these routines is very effective in reducing the risk.

As you can see, there are lots of different factors that affect a child’s sleep routine. Making sure you understand each individual child, and ensuring that their bedtime and nap routines are similar to those they have at home, can help a child to be well rested, and support their growth and development!

Think first

How do you recognise when a child is tired? It might help to think about some of the things you do when you are tired! Make some notes in the box below, and discuss your thoughts with a friend before you move on.

You’ve learnt a lot about sleep and bedtime routines on this page. Let’s move on to learn about food and drink routines.