What time should my child go to bed?
This kids bedtime calculator works backwards from the time your child has to wake up. Pick their age, enter the wake-up time and any daytime naps, and it shows the bedtime that gives the amount of sleep experts recommend for that age — plus the earliest and latest sensible times to be asleep, and when to start the bath-teeth-story routine.
The hours come from the consensus of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), which the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) endorses, with the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) figures alongside. It covers toddlers, school-age children and teenagers up to 18; for babies’ nap-by-nap plans, use the baby sleep schedule and wake window calculator.
How to use the bedtime calculator
- Choose your child’s age. The usual daytime nap for that age is filled in for you.
- Enter the time they wake up on school or nursery days.
- Change the naps if your child sleeps more or less in the day, and set how long they usually take to fall asleep.
- Read the bedtime (lights out), the window for being asleep and when to start the routine; the chart below shows the same wake-up time for every age group.
Kids Bedtime Calculator features
Birth to 18 years
Every year of age from toddlers to teens, plus babies with a note on why they have no fixed bedtime yet.
Naps counted
Recommended hours are per 24 hours, so naps are taken off the night before the bedtime is worked out.
Asleep window
Earliest and latest times to be asleep, from both ends of the AASM range.
Routine start time
Work back from lights-out to when the wind-down should begin.
Bedtime chart by age
One table for the whole family at your wake-up time.
How much sleep children need
| Age | AASM / AAP (per 24 h, incl. naps) | NSF |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 months | not given (wide normal range) | 14–17 h |
| 4–12 months | 12–16 h | 12–15 h (4–11 months) |
| 1–2 years | 11–14 h | 11–14 h |
| 3–5 years | 10–13 h | 10–13 h |
| 6–12 years | 9–12 h | 9–11 h (6–13 years) |
| 13–18 years | 8–10 h | 8–10 h (14–17 years) |
How the bedtime is worked out
Bedtime = wake-up time − (recommended sleep − daytime naps) − time to fall asleep. The middle of the AASM range is used for the suggested bedtime; the two ends give the window for being asleep.
Worked example: a 6-year-old who wakes at 7:00 am needs 9–12 hours. The middle, 10½ hours, means being asleep by 8:30 pm; allowing 20 minutes to drop off, lights out is 8:10 pm, and a 30-minute routine starts at 7:40 pm. Anywhere between being asleep at 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm stays within the range.
For a 2-year-old waking at 6:30 am with a 2-hour nap, the 11–14 hours become 9–12 hours at night, giving lights out at about 7:40 pm.
Tips for a bedtime that sticks
- Keep the same bedtime and wake time every day, within about an hour at weekends.
- Follow a short, predictable routine — bath, pyjamas, teeth, story — and keep the bedroom dark, quiet and cool. A picture routine chart helps younger children.
- Switch screens off 30–60 minutes before bed and keep devices out of the bedroom; the screen time calculator helps set limits.
- Teenagers’ body clocks run later. The AAP recommends middle and high schools start at 8:30 am or later; at home, protect a consistent bedtime and avoid caffeine in the afternoon.
Kids Bedtime Calculator FAQ
What time should a 5-year-old go to bed?
With a 7:00 am wake-up and no nap, 10–13 hours of sleep means being asleep between about 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm; the middle of the range gives lights out around 7:10 pm with 20 minutes to fall asleep.
How does the kids bedtime calculator handle naps?
Recommended hours are for 24 hours, so the calculator subtracts the naps you enter from the total before working out the night’s sleep and the bedtime.
How much sleep does a teenager need?
The AASM, endorsed by the AAP, recommends 8–10 hours a night for 13–18-year-olds.
Is a later bedtime fine at weekends?
A small shift is fine, but large swings make Monday mornings hard. Try to keep bedtimes and wake times within about an hour of school nights.
Does this work for babies?
Babies under 4 months sleep around the clock without a fixed bedtime. From about 4 months, the calculator works with their naps; for a full nap plan, use the baby sleep schedule.
Is this medical advice?
No. It is general information based on published sleep recommendations, as of October 2026. Speak to your doctor about snoring, breathing pauses, very poor sleep or daytime sleepiness.