What time should my child go to bed by age?

Most babies from a few months old do well with a bedtime between roughly 6:30 and 8:00pm, and most toddlers and young children between 7:00 and 8:00pm. An over-tired child actually fights sleep harder, so an earlier bedtime often works better than a later one. Watch your own child's tired cues and adjust — and see our guide to how much sleep children need by age for the full picture.

How do I survive a sleep regression?

Hold your routine steady and ride it out — regressions are driven by normal development and usually pass within a couple of weeks. Resist starting habits during the regression that you don't want to keep (like a new feed-to-sleep or rocking-to-sleep association). Consistency is what gets you through; a regression is not a sign you've done anything wrong.

When should I move my child from a cot to a bed?

Usually between 2 and 3 years, but readiness matters more than age. Make the move when your child can climb in and out safely (especially if they're trying to climb out of the cot, which is a safety reason to switch) and seems emotionally ready. Choosing a calm period, not during another big change, makes it easier. A supportive single mattress sized for a growing child helps the transition stick.

What's the difference between a night terror and a nightmare?

A nightmare is a bad dream the child wakes from, remembers and can be comforted about — it happens in the later, REM-heavy part of the night. A night terror happens earlier in the night during deep sleep: the child may scream, thrash or seem awake but is actually asleep, and won't remember it. With night terrors, don't try to wake them — just keep them safe and let it pass. Night terrors are most common between ages 3 and 8 and are usually harmless.

When should I talk to my public health nurse or GP about sleep?

Your public health nurse (PHN) is a great first port of call for everyday sleep worries in Ireland. Speak to your PHN or GP if sleep problems are severe or persistent, if your child snores loudly or seems to stop breathing in their sleep, if night terrors are very frequent or causing injury, or if you have any concern about their development or wellbeing.

Kids' Sleep Guide: Regressions, Bedtimes & Routines

Children's sleep changes constantly — just as you crack one stage, the next arrives. This age-by-age guide for Irish parents covers safe sleep, the routines that actually work, the regressions that blindside everyone, the cot-to-bed move, and the difference between a nightmare and a night terror — plus when to ask your public health nurse.

Written by Seán — Lead Reviewer, MattressReviews.ie

Testing team: Aoife (Side Sleeper Specialist), Ciarán (Back Sleeper Specialist), Siobhán (Combination Sleeper Specialist) & Oisín (Stomach Sleeper Specialist)

3+ years testing mattresses for Irish consumers. How we test · Meet the team

General guidance, not medical advice. Every child is different. For safe-sleep guidance and any concern about your child's sleep, health or development, follow the HSE's advice and talk to your public health nurse (PHN) or GP — they're there to help and have seen it all before.

Safe sleep comes first (babies)

For babies, safety outranks everything else. The HSE's advice for reducing the risk of cot death (SIDS) is the non-negotiable foundation:

Always put your baby on their back to sleep, for naps and at night, with their feet to the foot of the cot.
Your baby should sleep in their own cot in your room for at least the first 6 months.
Use a clean, firm, flat mattress that fits the cot snugly, with no gaps.
Keep the cot clear — no pillows, duvets, cot bumpers, soft toys or loose bedding.
Keep the room at a comfortable 16–20°C, and never let your baby get too hot.
Keep the home smoke-free — smoking greatly increases the risk.

This is a summary — read the full guidance on the HSE cot death page and talk to your PHN.

How much sleep children need

Sleep needs drop steeply through childhood — a newborn may sleep 14–17 hours across the day, a toddler 11–14, and a school-age child 9–12. Naps gradually disappear, with most children dropping their last daytime nap somewhere between ages 2 and 4.

For the full breakdown by age band, see our guide to how much sleep you need by age. The headline for parents: an over-tired child fights sleep harder, so when in doubt, an earlier bedtime usually beats a later one.

Bedtime routines that work

A predictable wind-down is the single most powerful sleep tool you have. You can start a gentle routine from around three months, and the same approach scales right through childhood. The golden rule: the same things, in the same order, every night — that predictability is what signals "sleep is coming" to your child's brain.

A simple routine (20–45 minutes)

1. Bath or a wash
2. Into pyjamas, brush teeth
3. A story or two in dim light
4. A short cuddle or song, then into bed awake

Keep the room dark and the mood calm — screens off well before bed, lights low. Most toddlers and young children settle best with a bedtime between 7:00 and 8:00pm. If bedtime is a battle, it's often a sign of over-tiredness, so try moving it earlier, not later.

Sleep regressions, decoded

A "regression" is when a previously good sleeper suddenly fights bedtime or wakes more — and it's almost always a sign of development, not a problem. They cluster around predictable ages:

Around 4 months

What's happening: Your baby's sleep matures from newborn patterns into adult-like cycles. This is a permanent change, not a phase — they now wake between cycles like we do.

What helps: Start a consistent bedtime routine and give them chances to settle themselves. It passes as they learn to link cycles.

8–10 months

What's happening: Crawling, pulling to stand and a wave of separation anxiety. Babies often practise new skills at 2am and protest when you leave.

What helps: Keep reassurance brief and boring, allow practice time by day, and hold the routine steady.

Around 18 months

What's happening: Growing independence, big feelings and a nap transition. Bedtime battles and testing limits are common.

What helps: Firm, kind boundaries and a predictable wind-down. Avoid dropping the nap too early.

Around 2 years

What's happening: Potty training, new fears of the dark, dropping the last nap, and sometimes a new sibling or a move to a bed.

What helps: Name and validate fears, keep the routine, and use a nightlight if it helps.

The thread running through all of them: hold your routine steady and ride it out. Most regressions pass within a couple of weeks. Try not to start habits during one that you don't want to keep.

The cot-to-bed transition

Most children make the move from cot to a bed between 2 and 3 years, but readiness matters more than the calendar. The clearest signal it's time is safety: if your child is climbing (or trying to climb) out of the cot, switch before they fall. Otherwise, wait until they can get in and out safely and seem emotionally ready, and pick a calm stretch rather than a week with other big changes.

Keep the routine identical through the change so only the bed is new. A toddler clock, a clear "stay in bed until it's light" rule, and returning them calmly and repeatedly if they get up all help it settle. A properly supportive single mattress, sized for a growing child, makes the new bed somewhere they actually want to be.

Choosing a bed for the move?

We've tested and ranked mattresses for children — from cot to single bed — for support, durability and waterproofing.

See the best kids' mattresses

Night terrors vs nightmares

They look alike to a frightened parent but are completely different — and the right response differs too.

Nightmares

Bad dreams in the later, REM part of the night
Your child wakes up, upset and aware
They remember it and can describe it
What to do: comfort and reassure them, and settle them back to sleep

Night terrors

Happen earlier in the night, in deep sleep
Child may scream or thrash but is still asleep
They won't remember it in the morning
What to do: don't wake them — keep them safe and let it pass; don't dwell on it next day

Night terrors are most common between ages 3 and 8 and, while alarming to watch, are usually harmless and grow out of. Over-tiredness can trigger them, so a slightly earlier bedtime sometimes helps.

When to ask your PHN or GP

In Ireland, your public health nurse is an excellent and free first port of call for everyday sleep worries — don't wait to be at the end of your tether. Reach out to your PHN or GP if:

•Sleep problems are severe, persistent, or affecting your child's daytime mood or development
•Your child snores loudly, gasps, or seems to stop breathing in their sleep (a sign to get checked for sleep apnoea)
•Night terrors are very frequent, or your child is hurting themselves during them
•You're worried about anything in your child's health, growth or wellbeing — or your own coping

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep reading

→ Best kids' mattresses in Ireland — cot to single bed, support and waterproofing.
→ How much sleep do you need by age? — the full chart, newborn to adult.
→ Bedroom temperature for better sleep — including the safe range for babies and children.

Sources

HSE — Cot death (sudden infant death syndrome): safe sleep guidance. View source
HSE — Bedtime routines for babies and young children. View source
HSE — Children's nightmares and night terrors. View source

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