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Kids' Daily Needs Chart by Age

Pick your child's age to see their daily targets for sleep, water, movement, and added sugar. Every figure is footnoted to the health body that publishes it, and the chart shows all ages 4 to 13 already, so you can print it for the fridge without creating an account. fruutium has free lessons on each of these topics if your kid wants to go deeper.

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Ages 4 to 13

Daily sleep, water, movement, and added sugar targets for kids ages 4 to 13, with a numbered footnote on each figure pointing to the health body that publishes it
Age	Sleep	Water	Movement	Added sugar
Age 4	10 to 13 hours¹	5 to 6 cups^4,6	180 min of varied activity, including 60+ min moderate-to-vigorous⁸	Under 25 g¹⁰
Age 5	10 to 13 hours¹	5 to 6 cups^4,6	180 min of varied activity, including 60+ min moderate-to-vigorous⁸	Under 25 g¹⁰
Age 6	9 to 12 hours²	5 to 6 cups^4,6	60 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity⁹	Under 25 g¹⁰
Age 7	9 to 12 hours²	5 to 6 cups^4,6	60 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity⁹	Under 25 g¹⁰
Age 8	9 to 12 hours²	5 to 6 cups^4,6	60 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity⁹	Under 25 g¹⁰
Age 9	9 to 12 hours²	7 to 8 cups^5,7	60 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity⁹	Under 25 g¹⁰
Age 10	9 to 12 hours²	7 to 8 cups^5,7	60 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity⁹	Under 25 g¹⁰
Age 11	9 to 12 hours²	7 to 8 cups^5,7	60 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity⁹	Under 25 g¹⁰
Age 12	9 to 12 hours²	7 to 8 cups^5,7	60 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity⁹	Under 25 g¹⁰
Age 13	8 to 10 hours³	7 to 8 cups^5,7	60 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity⁹	Under 25 g¹⁰

Sleep, water, and movement targets are published as ranges across an age band, not a single number for each birthday. Every age inside a band shows the same figure because that is what the cited guidance itself states.

Ages 4 through 10 also have a separate per-meal added-sugar limit published by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (HHS and USDA), a different measure from the daily total above. See source 11.

Quick answers for a 7 year old

How much sleep does a 7 year old need?

9 to 12 hours a night, per the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

How much water should a 7 year old drink?

5 to 6 cups a day from beverages, per the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

How much physical activity does a 7 year old need?

At least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity a day, per the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO).

How much added sugar should a 7 year old have?

Under 25 grams a day, the limit the American Heart Association (AHA) sets for kids and teens ages 2 to 18.

Sources

1. American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Preschoolers (ages 3-5) need 10 to 13 hours a night, including naps. Read the guide
2. American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. School-age kids (6-12) need 9 to 12 hours. Read the guide
3. American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). The AASM recommends 8 to 10 hours per 24-hour period for teenagers (ages 13-18). Read the guide
4. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). Children 4-8 years: 1.7 L (57 oz) total daily water; approximately 1.2-1.4 L (about 5-6 cups) from beverages. Read the guide
5. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). Boys 9-13 years: 2.4 L (81 oz) total, about 1.8-2.0 L (about 7-8 cups) from beverages. Girls 9-13 years: 2.1 L (71 oz) total, about 1.6-1.8 L (about 7 cups) from beverages. Read the guide
6. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Kids 4 to 8 need about 5 cups of fluids a day. Read the guide
7. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Kids 9 and up need about 7 to 8 cups of fluids a day. Read the guide
8. World Health Organization (WHO). For children ages 3 to 5, the WHO recommends at least 180 minutes (3 hours) of varied physical activity throughout the day, including at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity. Read the guide
9. CDC and World Health Organization (WHO). For children ages 6 to 17, both the CDC and the World Health Organization recommend at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day. Read the guide
10. American Heart Association (AHA). Recommended that children and teens ages 2 to 18 keep added sugar under about 25 grams, or roughly 6 teaspoons, a day, and that children under age 2 have no added sugar at all. Read the guide
11. HHS and USDA (Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030). Recommend that children avoid added sugars entirely through age 10, with a practical per-meal ceiling of about 10 grams, roughly two teaspoons, for any single meal where added sugar is unavoidable. Read the guide