Your toddler’s sleep and physical activity – recommendations and research

There are national and international guidelines about how much sleep we all need, including how those needs change as we develop. We have probably all seen recommendations for daily or weekly physical activity, whether that’s described as 10,000 steps or active minutes – and there are guidelines for how active our children should be too. So, what does the guidance and research say and how might this help you think about your toddler’s daily routine? 

How much should my toddler sleep? 

The NHS gives guidance about the number of hours’ sleep children should have each day, this includes naps and night-time sleep.  

The guidance suggests your toddler should sleep between 11 to 14 hours each day.^[1] 

It is important to remember that everyone has different sleep needs. But this might be a helpful guide, especially if you think your toddler might not be getting enough sleep or doesn’t have much energy.   

If you have concerns about your toddler’s sleep or energy levels, speak to your health visitor or doctor.  

How much physical activity does my toddler need? 

The four UK Chief Medical Officers published physical activity guidelines for under-fives, children and young people and adults in 2011, and these are still current advice. 

They recommended that once children can walk, they should be physically active for at least three hours every day.^[2] 

Physical activity for your toddler is not expected to be an organised sport or formal activities (although it might be), but comes as part of their play and consists of a mixture of being active inside and outside.  

It might include what are described as light activities, such as standing to play, paint or draw or moving around during play, but also things like running, jumping, riding a bike or playing on play equipment like climbing frames or slides.  

Really it is about a mixture of activities both inside and outside, and avoiding long periods of time sitting. It should include time doing more vigorous physical activity (for pre-schoolers the recommendation is that an hour each day is spent doing more vigorous activities).  

Research into sleep and physical activity 

It will probably come as no surprise to find out that researchers have found an association between physical activity and the amount of time toddlers sleep.  

One study used activity trackers and parental reports of sleep, and found a one-minute increase in daily moderate to vigorous physical activity corresponded to about two and a half minutes more sleep.^[3] Although it is important to note, this was quite a small study, and more research is needed to really understand this relationship. 

What these guidelines and research suggest is that when about it comes to your toddler’s sleep it might be useful to think about their entire day – not just bedtime.  

Three things to think about during the day that might help night-time sleep: 

Spending time outside^[1] 

Having access to natural light during the day regulates the hormones that help your toddler feel awake and sleepy at the right times.  

Plenty of stimulation during the day (including lots of time to move)^[1] 

What your toddler does during the day will help them to sleep well, so chatting, playing and having time to move each day all helps – although also think about having a bit less stimulation as it gets closer to time to sleep or rest.  

Mealtimes not too close to bedtime^[4] 

Food can have an impact on sleep and while some toddlers might sleep better if they have a snack before bedtime, a large meal close to bedtime might make it more difficult to get to sleep. 

Having sugar close to bedtime can give your toddler a burst of energy, so you might find it helps to avoid fruit as a bedtime snack. 

References: 

[1] Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust (no date). Sleep: A guide for parents. Available at: https://www.hct.nhs.uk/media/4734/sleep-booklet.pdf 

[2] NHS (no date). Physical activity guidelines for children (under 5 years). Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-guidelines/physical-activity-guidelines-children-under-five-years/ 

[3] Felzer-Kim, I. & Hauk, J.L. (2020). ‘Sleep duration associates with moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity and body fat in 1- to 3-year-old children’. Infant Behavior and Development, 58. Article 101392.  

[4] The Sleep Charity (2020). Diet and Sleep. Available at: https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/information-support/children/diet-sleep/