How many hours of sleep at this age
9 to 12 hours a night
These figures follow the Canadian Paediatric Society's guidance for children aged 6 to 12. Every child is different: if yours wakes up in a good mood and makes it to supper without falling apart, they are probably getting enough.
Typical struggles, and what to do
End-of-day tears
Around 6:30 pm, Léa is crying because her sock feels "wrong". It is not the sock: it is six hours of school, noise and effort to sit still. At this age, tiredness comes out through emotions. Instead of reasoning, shorten the evening: simple supper, warm bath, fewer steps. Keep your instructions short and your voice low. If the meltdowns come back every night for weeks and your child sleeps badly, mention it to your family doctor or pharmacist.
Homework that drags on
In first grade, homework is light: a few words to read, a sheet of sounds, sometimes a spelling list. The trap is doing it at 7:00 pm, when the tank is empty. Do it right after the after-school snack, ten or fifteen minutes, no more. If it stalls, stop and write a short note to the teacher. A 6-year-old crying over sound sheets is not learning anything anymore; what they need most is their bed.
School worries
Once the light is off, the questions come: "What if I line up in the wrong spot? What if Noah won't play with me?" The jump to elementary school is big for a small 6-year-old body. Take two minutes to listen without fixing: "You were scared of getting it wrong, I get it." Then name what is certain: you will be there tomorrow morning, the lunch box is packed. A small object from home in the school bag often helps more than a long talk.
A 20-minute routine that holds up
Here is a 20-minute template for a 6-year-old who gets up around 6:45 am. Shift the times to fit your schedule, but keep the order: the repetition is what soothes.
- 6:30 pm
Screens off
One hour before bed, the tablet and the TV go off for the night. Pin it to the same moment every day, like the end of supper, so it is never a negotiation. Blocks, drawing or a puzzle take over.
- 7:10 pm
Quick bath and pyjamas
A warm five-minute bath, not a play session. The pyjamas are already on the counter. Let them pick between two pairs, no more: at 6, a small choice gives a sense of control without opening the door to debate.
- 7:17 pm
Teeth and bathroom
Brush together: they start, you finish. Sing the same short song every night to last the two minutes. One last bathroom trip and a sip of water now, to head off the "I'm thirsty" at 7:40 pm.
- 7:22 pm
Bag by the door
Together, check the school folder, put the reading book in the bag and set it by the door. For a 6-year-old, seeing the bag ready removes one worry about tomorrow morning.
- 7:25 pm
Reading together, then lights out
In bed, soft light. You read a page, they read one line sounding out the words, you take over again. Five minutes, no more, then the same sentence every night: "Good night, see you in the morning." Lights out at 7:30 pm.
Reading together at 6
At 6, reading is still an effort: every word gets decoded syllable by syllable. In the evening, do not turn reading into homework. Alternating works well: you read a page with expression, your child reads one line or one sentence, then you take over. They practise a little, but you carry the story. Pick picture books with short sentences, repetition and big illustrations they can "read" on their own.
When they get stuck on a word, wait two seconds, then simply give it to them. No lessons in bed. If an evening is too heavy, read the whole thing yourself: what matters is that the bed stays linked to a gentle moment with you. Stories where the child is the hero, with their own name in them, often spark the urge to decode "just that one line".
Questions parents ask
What time should a 6-year-old go to bed?
Start from wake-up time. If Léa has to be up at 6:45 am for the bus, aim for lights out between 7:00 and 7:30 pm to give her 10 to 11 hours of sleep. It sounds early, but the first year of school is exhausting. On weekends, a 30-minute shift is reasonable; more than that, and Monday morning pays for it.
My 6-year-old cries every night at bedtime, is that normal?
Yes, it is common in first grade, especially from September to November. School tiredness and all the newness come out the moment everything slows down. Move bedtime 20 minutes earlier, shorten the routine and keep the reading moment, even a short one. If the crying has lasted more than a month or comes with frequent night wakings, talk to your family doctor.
Should first-grade homework be done in the evening?
As soon as possible after school, ideally before supper. At 6, evening concentration is close to zero. Ten to fifteen minutes is enough: one reading, a few words. If your work schedule makes that impossible, try the morning at breakfast, when your child is rested. In the evening, keep only the shared reading, which already counts as practice.
Contes de Lune
And where does the card fit in?
The Contes de Lune postcard slips nicely into this reading moment. It arrives by mail every week, in your child's name, with a new chapter of their own story. At 6, it is often the first thing they want to decode themselves: you read the chapter, they read two or three lines out loud, with their own name in them. A little pride before lights out.
The last step of the routine, by mail
At Contes de Lune, your child receives an illustrated card in their name every week, with a new chapter of a story where they're the hero, with their imaginary friend. Their first story is free, to read on screen.
Create their first story for freeNo credit card · then, if you love the adventure: the cards by mail for $14.99/month, delivery included in Canada.