Preschool · 3–6 years
Preschool & Big Kid Sleep (3–6 Years).
Certified child sleep consulting for ages 3–6. Won't stay in bed, nighttime fears, dropping the nap, and building a bedtime routine that lasts through elementary school.
Common challenges
What's happening at this age.
- Getting out of bed 4 times a night for water, one more hug, one more question.
- Nighttime fears, monsters, bad dreams, and refusing to sleep alone.
- Dropping the nap and the meltdowns that come with it.
- Ending up in your bed by 3 a.m. every single night.
- A bedtime routine that's ballooned to 90 minutes.
- New siblings, new bedrooms, and the sleep chaos that follows.
The approach
How Jenna works with this stage.
Preschoolers are old enough to be partners in the plan. That changes everything. We use language, visual tools, and simple rules that your child can understand and buy into — because at this age, cooperation beats coercion every time. The plans lean on connection, consistency, and clarity.
Every big-kid plan starts with the environment, the routine, and the boundaries around bedtime. Then we layer on age-appropriate tools: OK-to-wake clocks, sticker charts when useful, a specific bedtime script, and a clear plan for what happens when your child gets out of bed. The response has to be the same every night for the first two weeks. That's what makes it stick.
For fears and anxieties, we don't dismiss them or medicate them — we equip your child with real tools. A comfort item, a nightlight, a breathing technique, and a script for what to do when the scary feeling shows up. Kids feel powerful when they have a plan, and powerful kids sleep.
What the plan includes
Everything you get for this age.
Quick answers
Questions parents ask about this age.
How do I keep my kid in their own bed?
You need a clear rule, a consistent response every single time, and usually a visual tool like an OK-to-wake clock. Return your child to bed calmly and without conversation each time they get up. Most preschoolers test this hard for 3–5 nights and then stop when they realize the rule doesn't bend.
How do I handle nighttime fears?
Validate the fear, then set up the environment and the routine so the fear has less room to grow — a dim nightlight, a comfort item, a short predictable routine, and a specific script for when fears come up. Don't dismiss the feeling and don't lie about monsters; give them tools to handle it.
When do kids stop napping?
Most kids drop the nap between 3 and 5 years old. Signs it's time: the nap makes bedtime later than 8:30 p.m., your child fights the nap most days, or they don't nap but are still fine at bedtime. When you drop it, move bedtime 30–45 minutes earlier for a few weeks while they adjust.
How much sleep does a preschooler need?
3–5 year olds need 10–13 hours of total sleep per 24 hours, per American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations. Most preschoolers do best with an 11–12 hour night once the nap is gone. Aim for a consistent bedtime and wake time within 30 minutes, seven days a week.
What is a good bedtime for a 4-year-old?
Between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m. works for most 4-year-olds who need to be awake by 6:30–7:00 a.m. Earlier bedtimes are appropriate right after dropping the nap or during illness or growth spurts. Match bedtime to wake time, not to the clock.
How do I stop early morning wakings in preschoolers?
Use an OK-to-wake clock, set the rule ("stay in bed until the light turns green"), and hold the rule for 7–10 days without exception. Also check the environment — pitch dark and white noise — and confirm bedtime isn't so early that they've maxed out their sleep before morning.
Different age?
Sleep support for every stage.
Better sleep starts with
one call.
15 minutes. Free. No pitch. Virtual — U.S. and Canada.