Bedtimes by age
What time should a 4-year-old go to bed?
A 4-year-old should go to bed between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Four-year-olds need 10–13 hours of sleep per night (American Academy of Sleep Medicine), so for a 7:00 AM wake-up, aim for lights-out around 7:30 PM.
Most 4-year-olds do best with 11 to 11.5 hours of night sleep. Work backward from the time your child needs to wake up: for a 6:30 AM start, bedtime is closer to 7:00 PM; for a 7:30 AM start, 8:00 PM works well. Consistency matters more than the exact minute — the same bedtime every night trains your child's body clock.
If your 4-year-old still naps, they may need slightly less night sleep, so watch for signs of readiness: rubbing eyes, slowing down, or getting cranky. Overtired children actually fight sleep harder, so an earlier bedtime often means faster, calmer nights. A predictable wind-down — bath, pajamas, one story, lights out — signals the body that sleep is coming.
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