Outside Time After Lunch?

[snbauser]

Does anyone go outside between lunch and quiet/nap time? I'm considering changing my daily schedule for this school year. I have mostly 3/4's (I have one that is 2 1/2) and they don't need as much quiet time as when I had youngers and several of them don't normally sleep more than once or twice a week. Right now we usually do breakfast at 8, outside time at about 10:30-11:30, come in so I can prepare lunch and then then lunch at noon and naptime after. The kids are getting down to their cots by 12:30 and are up at 2:30. For most that is too long, especially if they don't sleep. So I'm thinking of moving lunch to 11:30-12, then outside from 12-1 and then in for nap/quiet time. Not sure if it will work. Not sure if they will be too wound up or whether they will be more tired. Obviously that time of day will depend on the weather but once it starts to cool some it would actually give it time to warm up some. Just looking to hear from others who might do something similar before I actually do it.

[Cradle2crayons]

That may work for yu but now for me. It riles my group up too much and since I do afternoon kids, it wouldn't work with my schedule anyway.

But hopefully some will chime in that have tried it and give their experience.

[itlw8]

outdoors gives kids energy so you would then need a quiet activity to calm down enough to actually sleep. so maybe down to sleep at 1:30 or 1:45 but I would not let them sleep any later or it messes up bedtime. I started doing music and a book after lunch and my older ones rest better now.

[e.j.]

Lately, I've been bringing my kids outside after lunch and have found that it works really well. Older kids who don't usually nap seem to fall asleep more often and they sleep longer than they did when I was bringing them out before lunch. It may change as the kids I have now age out but for the group I have now, it's working great.

[Unregistered]

I used to DO lunch outside in good weather. It worked like a charm. The only drawback to that is that sometimes, I lost track of time and some babies may have not gotten their naps. HOWEVER, they slept like champs at home!

[blandino]

I was trying this out in the spring, and my usually good sleepers were napping horribly.

Now we go outside, come in and eat lunch, and then have quiet/nap time. It works much better for us.

[snbauser]

Now we go outside, come in and eat lunch, and then have quiet/nap time. It works much better for us.

This is what we do now. But several of them just aren't sleeping and if I let them up much earlier than they already are getting up, then the ones that do sleep are getting woken up and are cranky the rest of the afternoon. I can't really do lunch any later because we are already at the maximum time in between meals (4 hrs) with breakfast at 8:00. Wondering if we do try this if there is enough time in between cleaning up outside, coming in and taking shoes off, pottying and washing, and taking a book to their cot is enough time to wind down. Also thinking maybe we can end outside free time a little earlier and plan something like group reading when we come in while everyone is pottying. I might play with it and see how it works.

[MyAngels]

I do outside after lunch, and then a 15 minute quiet story/wind down time before nap. It works fine for my group (mostly older, except 1 16 month old).

[Memc2001]

The DCKids who are old enough to go out on their own get to go out after lunch while I clean up lunch and take cots out. Usually they only get 5-10 minutes before I call them back in to use the bathroom and get their blankets/pillows for nap. Since preschool kids aren't showing up till 11:20am, I can't serve lunch till then so we don't get to bed till almost 12:30 so far. This will be our 2nd week on this schedule, maybe I will get faster. It's not easy with the 4 toddler/babies aged 2 and under keeping my attention but I am figuring back to school time out. Once lunch is over and kids are in bed, I am pooped! Ready for a nice quiet break, hahahahaha! No rest for the weary.

[Unregistered]

We're always out after lunch, but it's a nature based (all weather) dayhome so we're out most of the day anyway. We eat outdoors most days (unless the weather is horrid) and after clean up the kids play in either the woods or on the grass for a half hour or so.

During that time I don't allow toys at all though so there's no stress of clean up and no fighting over things.

By the time quiet time roles around the kids are pooped, the littles (2 1/2 's) are out like a light within minutes and the olders (4's - and a 5!) are happy to curl up with their books on their cots inside . It's very rare that they don't doze off for at least 20 minutes or so.

Fresh air is awesome for sleep - OP, your plan sounds great, I'd go for it!

[LK5kids]

I used in my past life! Different house with a big beautiful, shady yard. I had all 3-5's. Now I have a MUCH younger group and a very sunny yard.

[TwinMama]

This is what I do every day. They actually ask to go to nap when we get inside. We go at noon or a bit before. Then we come in at 12:45, and get ready for nap.