You will get age-based sleep needs and a sample day schedule: naps, wake windows, bedtime.
A “wake window” is the time a child can comfortably stay awake between sleeps. Put them down at the end of their window and they fall asleep more easily and sleep better; push past it and they get overtired and harder to settle. Below are typical wake windows, nap counts and total daily sleep by age. These are guides, not strict rules — watch your own child’s tired signs.
Sleep schedule by age chart
| Age | Wake window | Naps/day | Total sleep | Night sleep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–6 weeks | 45–60 min | 4–6 | 14–17 h | 8–10 h |
| 6 wk – 3 mo | 1–1.5 h | 4–5 | 14–16 h | 9–10 h |
| 3–4 months | 1.25–2 h | 4 | 14–16 h | 10–11 h |
| 5–6 months | 2–2.5 h | 3 | 13–15 h | 10–11 h |
| 7–9 months | 2.5–3 h | 2–3 | 13–15 h | 11 h |
| 10–12 months | 3–4 h | 2 | 12–15 h | 11 h |
| 13–18 months | 4–6 h | 1–2 | 12–14 h | 11 h |
| 18–24 months | 5–6 h | 1 | 11–14 h | 11 h |
| 2–3 years | 5–6 h | 0–1 | 11–14 h | 11 h |
| 3–5 years | — | 0–1 | 10–13 h | 11 h |
| 6–12 years | — | 0 | 9–12 h | 10–11 h |
| 13+ years | — | 0 | 8–10 h | 8–10 h |
How to tell it’s time to sleep
The clock is a guide, but the best signal is the child. Early tired signs: rubbing eyes and ears, yawning, looking away, losing interest in play, going quiet or, conversely, getting overexcited. It’s best to settle them on the early signs — wait for crying and fussing and the child is already overtired, which makes falling asleep harder.
Baby sleep FAQ
What is a wake window?
It’s the stretch of time a child is awake between sleeps without getting overtired. Windows lengthen with age: under an hour for a newborn, 3–4 hours by age one.
How many naps does my child need?
It depends on age: 4–6 short naps for a newborn, usually 2 by age one, and a single nap after about 18 months. The number of naps drops as wake windows grow.
When do children drop the daytime nap?
Most children give up the daytime nap between 3 and 5 years. The transition is gradual — first the nap happens every other day, then disappears. If your child is overexcited by the evening without a nap, bring it back for a while.
My child sleeps less than the norm — is that bad?
The norms are ranges and sleep needs are individual. If the child is cheerful during the day, eats well and develops normally, a small deviation isn’t a problem. If they’re listless, fussy and hard to wake, discuss sleep with a paediatrician.