As preschools, schools and fall activities begin, one health requirement that we must keep in mind is that growing young children need to rest and sleep. As parents and teachers, we know firsthand the abundant amount of energy these children have!

Getting enough sleep allows the body to rest, relax, prevents a lot of illnesses and refuels our bodies for the next day.

What are the sleep needs of each age? Each child is different and has unique needs, but here are some general guidelines for infants, toddlers and older young children.

—Prepare your infant for bedtime by rocking your child, playing soft music, hugging your child, and keeping events low-key before bedtime. Make sure noise disturbances are kept at a minimum from families and friends.

—Follow the same schedule daily so your child knows bedtime is on its way.

—Develop a “going to bed” nightly tradition to set the sleep mood. Examples would be playing a mobile quietly, singing or playing soft music, lining up their toys, or even reading a good bedtime story in a quiet voice.

—Make sure the room temperature is comfortable.

—Make sure diapers have been changed and other physical needs met during the night.

Sweet dreams and good health for young children and their families!

Beth Pinyerd lives in Daphne and serves as director of younger children at Faith Family Fellowship in Spanish Fort.

Her column appears every other week in the Daphne Bulletin and Spanish Fort Sun.