Bedtimes by age
What time should an 8-year-old go to bed on a school night?
An 8-year-old should go to bed between 7:30 PM and 8:30 PM on a school night. Eight-year-olds need 9–12 hours of sleep, so for a 7:00 AM wake-up, aim for lights-out by 8:00 PM.
School-age children (6–12) need 9 to 12 hours of sleep per night according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. For most 8-year-olds, that means a bedtime between 7:30 and 8:30 PM depending on wake-up time. Count back at least 10 hours from when your child must wake: a 6:30 AM start points to a 7:30–8:00 PM bedtime.
At this age, homework, activities, and screens can push bedtime later, so protect the wind-down. Turn screens off 30–60 minutes before bed and keep a short calming routine, which can still include reading — many 8-year-olds enjoy reading independently or being read a chapter. If mornings are hard or your child is irritable, move bedtime earlier before anything else.
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