Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

What time does your 4 year old go to bed?

74 replies

MonsteraCheese · 02/06/2021 21:10

We're having a hard time at the moment with just turned 4 yo DS. Bedtime routine is set in stone and has been for years, so routine is not a problem. In bed normally around 7 and asleep between 7:30/8. At the moment he just refuses to go to sleep, won't stay in bed, makes a nuisance of himself. Last night he didn't sleep until 8:30, tonight 9, a few nights ago 10. He's obviously tired but won't sleep.

I have wondered if 7 is too early for him and if I should start to push bedtime back a bit for him. What time does your 4 year old go to bed?

OP posts:
LuckyWookie · 02/06/2021 21:12

Mine is 3 and bedtime is about 8.30pm. He often doesn’t sleep till 10-11pm though! You’re lucky to have had such a long period of your child going to sleep early, I’ve never had that.

Siennabear · 02/06/2021 21:14

At that age about 7:30-8.

BeachWaves2 · 02/06/2021 21:14

Mine are 4 and 5.. Both always asleep by 7.30

MattyGroves · 02/06/2021 21:15

7pm. Sometimes 7:30

Siennabear · 02/06/2021 21:15

Does he still have a nap? If so definitely drop that.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 02/06/2021 21:17

7/7.30- exhausted at the end of the day as up at 6.30 and is extremely active (burns herself out)

HavelockVetinari · 02/06/2021 21:17

What time does he wake up?

Bimble14 · 02/06/2021 21:18

4yo 8pm bedtime here, up between 6-7am

glasshalfsomething · 02/06/2021 21:18

7pm.
Bedtime - bath, teeth, book begins about 6.30.

She’s allowed to sit with her boom and ‘read’ - often quite vocal but tends to be asleep within 15 minutes of us leaving.

It’s took some time of 101 questions and stalling for us to get to this!

IndecentCakes · 02/06/2021 21:19

About 8.30 - 9pm. We live in the Med where it's normal.

TerribleCustomerCervix · 02/06/2021 21:20

Mine is 3.5 and bedtime starts at about 8:15 every night, generally sleeping for 9.

We’re lucky though that DH is still WFH so she sleeps until about 8am and can take her time waking up for the day before nursery at 9.

Sanch1 · 02/06/2021 21:20

7pm with not a peep generally til next morning!

DinosaurOfFire · 02/06/2021 21:21

Between 6.30 and 7pm but he does wake up anytime between 5.30 and 6.30am. Whereas my older two wouldn't sleep before 9 and have always got up later in the morning! Generally my kids all needed around 12 hours sleep at that age, it's just where the sleep was in the evening that differed.

DinoHat · 02/06/2021 21:22

@LuckyWookie

Mine is 3 and bedtime is about 8.30pm. He often doesn’t sleep till 10-11pm though! You’re lucky to have had such a long period of your child going to sleep early, I’ve never had that.
Mine is 2 and it’s usually 8.30-9 too. He sleeps fine when he’s down, I’ve capped his nap (he just can’t drop it). I envy those who’s kids go to bed with a 7 on the clock!!
DeadButDelicious · 02/06/2021 21:22

She goes to bed at around 7pm, usually asleep by half past. When we've had a spate of not nodding off and messing about in her room, it's usually coincided with a bit of a leap, the last time, was when she started drawing actual pictures rather than mostly scribble, once that happened she settled back down and normal service resumed.

DoodleLovin · 02/06/2021 21:22

Upstairs at 6pm and he plays in his room until he puts himself to bed around 7pm. Up around 6am everyday.

MonsteraCheese · 02/06/2021 21:23

@Siennabear

Does he still have a nap? If so definitely drop that.
Nope, no naps, he dropped them at about 18 months
OP posts:
Smarshian · 02/06/2021 21:24

My 4 & 3 year old are asleep between 7&7.30, occasionally at the weekend we let them stay up until 8pm in the hope of a lie in!

MonsteraCheese · 02/06/2021 21:24

@HavelockVetinari

What time does he wake up?
Wakes consistently around 7am, pretty much like clockwork
OP posts:
MonsteraCheese · 02/06/2021 21:25

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

7/7.30- exhausted at the end of the day as up at 6.30 and is extremely active (burns herself out)
See, this makes me wonder if he's too sedentary, although he's been at preschool all day today so ran around like a looney!
OP posts:
CrabbyCat · 02/06/2021 21:25

We normally start bedtime routine at 7.30 and depending on how tired DD is, she's in bed by just before 8 and normally asleep within 5 minutes. She's up by 7 most days though.

Smarshian · 02/06/2021 21:25

@MonsteraCheese what time does your DC get up?

LBOCS2 · 02/06/2021 21:26

4 (now 5) yo in bed at 8, lights out at 8.30. She sleeps until 8.

LuckyWookie · 02/06/2021 21:28

10-12 hours sleep is the norm at that age. So if he’s up at 7am, bedtime should be 7-9pm.

MonsteraCheese · 02/06/2021 21:28

@glasshalfsomething

7pm. Bedtime - bath, teeth, book begins about 6.30.

She’s allowed to sit with her boom and ‘read’ - often quite vocal but tends to be asleep within 15 minutes of us leaving.

It’s took some time of 101 questions and stalling for us to get to this!

We've tried this, tell him he can stay in room and read, or play. He just repeatedly leaves! Comes downstairs and creeps, step by step into the lounge.
OP posts: