Developing a good bedtime routine for your child is very important for their learning, development and overall wellbeing. Sleep is a trending topic in the health and wellness space as people are realising the positive impact getting regular and good quality sleep can have on our lives. Young children definitely need the structure and guidance in order to develop healthy sleep routines. In this article we outline how many hours of sleep children require according to their age, useful techniques to help children sleep better and how we approach sleep routines at EBN.
How much sleep do children need?
According to The Sleep Council, it is more important to focus on the quality of sleep rather than the quantity. While it does vary according to the individual child, there is a general guide of how much sleep your child should be getting per night:
Toddlers: Approximately 12 hours
Children aged 3-6 years old: 10-12 hours
Children aged 7-12 years old: 10-11 hours
Teenagers: 8-9 hours.
Tips to help children sleep
We know that it can be easier said than done and that not all children are good sleepers. Even though these are not always guaranteed to work, here are a few ways that you can help develop a good sleep routine for your child.
- Wind down from the day with bath time at the same time every day before bedtime. This creates a routine and will begin to form the learned habit that bath time signals the start of getting ready for bed. The warm water also helps relax and soothe the child.
- Reading a story together in their warm and comfortable bed is a wonderful way to make your child feel settled and secure before they drift off to sleep.
- Structure is essential for developing a good sleep routine.Pick a bedtime and try stick to it as much as possible so that your child gets into a consistent bedtime routine. Learn more about Developing Healthy Routines for Young Children.
- keep the bedroom quiet, comfortable and free of electronic devices.
- Make sure children are active during the day so that they can fall asleep at night.
- Dim the lights before bedtime and turn them off for bedtime.
Sleep Routines at Nursery
We pride ourselves on the warm and welcoming environment we have created at all the Emirates British Nurseries. Part of this is accommodating the children’s sleep routines; we want children to get enough sleep so that they can participate in the fun daily activities. To cater to the individual child’s needs, we always ask the parents about their child’s daytime sleep routines so that we can offer nap times during the day at nursery.
Creating a positive sleep routine at home from a young age can set firm foundations for a good sleep routine for the future; we work with the parents as our partners to make sure that the children are always fully supported and nurtured.
