No matter how old you are, feeling tired can have a negative effect on your performance. However, for your preschool student, a good night’s sleep is of the utmost value. If you’re wondering how shut-eye affects your toddler’s ability to learn and how they can have a more restful night, take a look at the following guide.

A Guide to Your Toddler’s Sleep Schedule

Why Is Sleep So Important for a Toddler in Preschool?

Sleep affects the way babies’ and toddlers’ brains develop. If your child doesn’t get enough rest each night, they may start showing signs of sleep deprivation. These include symptoms such as a short attention span, decreased alertness, and misdirected hyperactivity.

All these cognitive issues will prevent your child from staying focused on educational tasks during the day, as well as the amount of information they’re able to retain.

How Much Sleep Do They Need?

The perfect amount of shut-eye will change as your child grows. When they’re in between their first and second birthday, they need between 11 and 14 hours a day. Between the ages of three and five, they can get by with a bit less: around 10 to 13 hours.

How Can I Help My Toddler Get Enough Sleep?

If your toddler isn’t getting the recommended amount of sleep each night, lead by example and make bedtime a firm routine. Around sunset, your household should start to settle down. Send friends home, turn off loud music, and dim the lights.

About an hour before your child’s scheduled bedtime, turn off the TV and any computers or tablets they use, and draw them a warm bath. Once they get into bed, read a story or sing a lullaby, and then gently leave the room. If they get up and come to you in the middle of the night, take them immediately back to their room to avoid further interruptions to their sleep cycle.

Plan their weekend naptimes to occur around when they would take them at preschool to keep them in the habit.

If you’re looking for a positive learning environment for your toddler, consider The Preschool at Discovery in Gilbert, AZ. This Bible-based preschool offers a well-rounded education for their students, ensuring their physiological, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs are met. To learn more about their unique approach to early education, visit the website. You can also call (480) 999-4245 to ask questions about curriculum or enrollment.