Bedtime calculator by age.
Choose your child's age, when they wake up and how long they nap, and see what time lights out should be. It works back from the hours of sleep recommended for each age, so you get a range and a sensible place to start.
Ages 1 to 12from AASM sleep recommendationsfree, nothing saved
Work out your child's bedtime
Lights out
7:30 pm
Anywhere from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm gives 10 to 13 hours of night sleep: the 10 to 13 hours recommended for ages 3 to 5. The middle is a good place to start, with the bedtime routine at about 7:00 pm.
Simple arithmetic, not medical advice. If you're worried about your child's sleep, talk to your pediatrician.
How it works
Count back from wake-up.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommends these hours of sleep in every 24 hours, naps included:
- Ages 1 to 2: 11 to 14 hours
- Ages 3 to 5: 10 to 13 hours
- Ages 6 to 12: 9 to 12 hours
The calculator takes any nap off that total, then counts back from the wake-up time to give the earliest and latest lights-out. The middle of the range is our suggested starting point. Then watch your child: if mornings are hard or late afternoons are cranky, the AAP suggests trying bedtime 15 to 20 minutes earlier.
At a glance
Bedtime by age and wake-up time.
Suggested lights-out for a child who no longer naps, with the full range below each time.
| Age | Wakes at 6:30 am | Wakes at 7:00 am | Wakes at 7:30 am |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 7:00 pm5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | 7:30 pm6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | 8:00 pm6:30 pm to 9:30 pm |
| 4 years | 7:00 pm5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | 7:30 pm6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | 8:00 pm6:30 pm to 9:30 pm |
| 5 years | 7:00 pm5:30 pm to 8:30 pm | 7:30 pm6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | 8:00 pm6:30 pm to 9:30 pm |
| 6 years | 8:00 pm6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | 8:30 pm7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | 9:00 pm7:30 pm to 10:30 pm |
| 7 years | 8:00 pm6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | 8:30 pm7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | 9:00 pm7:30 pm to 10:30 pm |
| 8 years | 8:00 pm6:30 pm to 9:30 pm | 8:30 pm7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | 9:00 pm7:30 pm to 10:30 pm |
Toddlers and many three-year-olds still nap, which moves bedtime later. Use the calculator above to include the nap.
Once you know the time
A bedtime sticks best with the same few steps in the same order every night: wind down, wash, pajamas, teeth, a story and goodnight. Our routine guide has an example to adapt and a free picture chart.
A simple bedtime routine, with a free chartQuestions parents ask.
What time should a 3-year-old go to bed?
Children aged 3 to 5 need 10 to 13 hours of sleep in 24 hours, including naps. A 3-year-old who wakes at 7:00 am and naps for about an hour needs lights out between 7:00 and 10:00 pm, so around 8:30 pm is a reasonable place to start. Without a nap, it's earlier: around 7:30 pm.
What time should a 5-year-old go to bed?
A 5-year-old who no longer naps and wakes at 7:00 am needs lights out between 6:00 and 9:00 pm for 10 to 13 hours of sleep. Around 7:30 pm is a good place to start, then adjust by watching how your child is in the mornings.
What time should a 7-year-old go to bed?
Children aged 6 to 12 need 9 to 12 hours of sleep. A 7-year-old who wakes at 7:00 am needs lights out between 7:00 and 10:00 pm, so around 8:30 pm is a reasonable start.
Why is the range so wide?
The recommendation covers a range of hours because children differ. Start in the middle, then watch your child: if mornings are hard or late afternoons are cranky, try moving bedtime 15 to 20 minutes earlier, as the AAP suggests.
Do naps count?
Yes. The recommended hours are per 24 hours, so daytime sleep counts towards the total. The calculator takes the nap off the night, which is why a child who naps can go to bed later.
Is this medical advice?
No. It's simple arithmetic from published sleep recommendations. If you're worried about your child's sleep, talk to your pediatrician.
About this calculator
Made by the Pimlo team, who make bedtime stories for children ages 3 to 8. The hours of sleep come from the sources below; the suggested starting point and routine timing are our own suggestions, not medical advice.
Tomorrow, the story continues
A story can be written anywhere. Pimlo remembers the world.
Pimlo is being made for the last part of the routine: personalized, narrated bedtime stories in your child's own world, where tonight's friends and places are there again tomorrow.
Parents set the age band and what to avoid, and stories are checked before playback.
For parents and caregivers. No child information needed.