Research on how much sleep is ideal for children has been undertaken hundreds of times, and always verifies that preschool children need to get enough sleep on a regular basis to maintain their academic and physical activity levels. The sleep can be divided between nighttime sleep and one or two daytime naps to provide the best effect, so long as there is ample opportunity to get enough. To better illustrate the importance of sleep for small children, here are 3 major ways that a good sleep routine leads to a better student.
Improved Behavior
Everything from attentiveness to good manners are affected by a preschool child’s sleep routines. To be even more specific, smaller children-- under 4 years of age-- require more sleep than older kids, and much more than grown adults. For infants and toddlers, a good sleep routine includes anywhere from 11 to 14 hours per day.
Better Academic Performance
Well-rested children have better memory retention, and that leads to improved academic performance in everything from math and language to science and reading. Taking on more intellectual subjects after quiet time has been shown to promote higher achievements. This is why learning experts agree that a regular sleep routine should include an afternoon nap to reinforce their nighttime routine.
More Energy For Activities
Because sleep reenergizes muscles, a healthy sleep pattern leads to better physical performance. For preschool children, this extra energy can be a critical aspect of developing fine motor skills such as the ability to hold small objects and gross motor skills like running and jumping.
Today’s hectic lifestyles often leave parents wanting for rest, but it should be emphasized that lack of sleep can be detrimental for preschool children. For this reason, parents should take care to provide plenty of restful opportunities for their kids-- and writing some hard breaks into their own routines would be beneficial as well.