Sleep Is Part of Your Child’s Education

We think carefully about what children need to learn: meaningful work, movement, a thoughtfully prepared environment, and caring adults. There is another essential ingredient that begins at home: sleep.

Sleep supports memory, attention, growth, and emotional regulation. While children sleep, their brains continue the work of learning, strengthening connections that help them remember and use new information. Protecting sleep is one of the most valuable ways we can support a child’s education.

Sleep supports language learning

At Waterfront Academy, children encounter Spanish and English throughout the day—in conversations, songs, stories, and lessons. Sleep helps consolidate memories, supporting the brain’s ability to retain and use what children have learned. That makes adequate rest an important partner in language learning.

Learning a language also requires attention: listening closely, noticing unfamiliar sounds, connecting words with meaning, and participating in conversation. When children are short on sleep, concentrating and managing frustration can become harder, making those learning opportunities more challenging.

For families supporting bilingual development, a story or gentle song in either language can become a lovely part of the bedtime routine. Keep it familiar and relaxed, without quizzing or pressure to perform. Then protect the sleep that helps children return ready to listen, connect, and learn again.

How much sleep do children need?

The American Academy of Pediatrics endorses the following recommendations from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. These amounts represent total sleep across a 24-hour period, including naps:

Age	Recommended daily sleep
Infants, 4–12 months	12–16 hours
Toddlers, 1–2 years	11–14 hours
Preschoolers, 3–5 years	10–13 hours
Elementary-age children, 6–12 years	9–12 hours
Adolescents, 13–18 years	8–10 hours

Babies and toddlers generally need the most sleep. Adolescents still need substantial sleep, although their recommended total is lower than that of younger children. During puberty, their body clocks shift later, which can make falling asleep early—and waking for school—more challenging.

For a preschooler, 11 hours overnight and a one-hour nap would provide 12 hours of daily sleep. A child who no longer naps needs enough nighttime sleep to meet their needs.

Before giving up on naps

I am seeing more families move away from naps during the preschool years. I understand why: helping a child settle can be challenging, especially when that child insists they are not tired.

But resisting a nap does not necessarily mean a child no longer needs one.

Children move away from naps at different times. Many make this transition during the preschool years, and most have stopped by age five. Four and a half is not a firm developmental deadline. The important question is how your child functions across the whole day and whether they are getting sufficient sleep overall.

An overtired child may not look sleepy. They may become unusually active, tearful, impulsive, or easily frustrated. Concentrating, managing disappointment, and getting along with others can become harder.

Before interpreting a difficult afternoon as a behavior problem, consider whether the child needs more rest.

Help children feel safe enough to rest

For some young children, settling to sleep involves separation anxiety. They may need reassurance that their caregiver is nearby and that they are safe.

Predictability helps. A familiar sequence gives children something concrete to understand: lunch, bathroom, a short story, and rest. At bedtime, that might mean washing, pajamas, brushing teeth, a book, and a prayer.

Keep the sequence simple and the timing reasonably consistent. A calm reminder—“After our story, it is time to rest. I will be nearby”—can make the transition feel more manageable. Regular routines support both a sense of security and healthy sleep habits.

Prepare for sleep during the day

Healthy sleep begins long before bedtime.

Children benefit from active play, outdoor time, fresh air, and daylight. Morning light helps signal that it is time to be awake, while a quieter, dimmer environment helps prepare the body for sleep later.

Screens deserve particular attention. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends turning them off at least one hour before bedtime and keeping them out of children’s bedrooms. For afternoon rest, choose a book or another calm transition instead of a screen.

Try an invitation to rest

Sometimes, a gentle invitation works better than repeated instructions to fall asleep:

“You do not have to make yourself sleep. Let’s lie comfortably and rest for a few minutes. You can close your eyes if that feels comfortable.”

There is a biological reason children become sleepy. A substance called adenosine builds up in the brain during waking hours and contributes to the pressure to sleep. During sleep, the body breaks it down. Our internal body clock also influences when sleep comes easily.

A peaceful pause may help a sleepy child settle, but it is not a guaranteed five-minute trick. A child who remains awake has not necessarily outgrown naps. Offer rest without turning sleep into a test or a struggle.

When a child no longer needs a nap, a quiet pause with books or another gentle activity can still have a place in the day. Protect enough nighttime sleep, and consider an earlier bedtime as daytime sleep decreases.

Protect sleep consistently

It is tempting to assume that a child can catch up later after several short nights. Recovery sleep can help, but research shows that it does not reliably reverse every effect of repeated sleep restriction. Consistent, sufficient sleep is a better foundation than regularly depending on catch-up sleep.

If your child regularly struggles to sleep, snores, or remains tired despite enough time in bed, discuss those concerns with their pediatrician.

At Waterfront Academy, our Montessori approach asks us to observe the child and respond to their developmental needs. Sleep deserves that same thoughtful attention.

When we protect a child’s rest, we help them arrive ready to explore, concentrate, connect, and learn.