Do You Enforce Nap Time for a 4 Year Old?

[NillaWafers]

I'm new at this obviously, haha. My 5 year old doesn't take naps and I'm fine with him staying up. But my 4yr old dck is now boycotting naps, and I'm not sure what to do with him. He will be going to TK in August so I won't be having him much longer. I do have two three year olds who still need naps and an infant.

Do you just have them lay down for an hour then do quiet activities when they won't nap? Or do you even bother trying. I think CAs nap time laws are only up to 4 anyhow. My major problem is he and my son are best buddies and naturally make a ton of noise if even allowed within sight of each other.

[Blackcat31]

I'm new at this obviously, haha. My 5 year old doesn't take naps and I'm fine with him staying up. But my 4yr old dck is now boycotting naps, and I'm not sure what to do with him. He will be going to TK in August so I won't be having him much longer. I do have two three year olds who still need naps and an infant.

Do you just have them lay down for an hour then do quiet activities when they won't nap? Or do you even bother trying. I think CAs nap time laws are only up to 4 anyhow. My major problem is he and my son are best buddies and naturally make a ton of noise if even allowed within sight of each other.

I can't make them sleep but I DO require a rest period for ALL daycare kids.

If your child (general you) no longer requires an afternoon rest time, they have outgrown my program.

I don't and won't keep kids that don't participate in rest time.

I don't offer "quiet time" activities because for some reason they never remember the "quiet" part.

I also do not do TV, movies or anything electronic. I DO play audio books on the CD player and the kids that don't want to sleep can listen to the stories but other than that, there are no options.

I buy audio books from Scholastic and put a dozen or more on a recordable CD. I've also had a DCM read stories outloud on CD. Her child enjoys hearing mom's voice read the stories.

[Play Care]

Yes, all day care kids nap. Period. World without end, Amen. ::
I allow them some books or quiet toys on their mats. But I have yet to have a non school aged kid be okay at nap time. They usually get bored and think I should entertain them, or they get too loud, etc. I don't have the issues with my SA kids.

When my own kids were in the day care, quiet time was our time. I always sent them to their room until after the dck's were down. Once everyone was settled, we would cuddle, read, watch a cartoon, etc. None of the dck's were ever the wiser and they were very close with one of the dcg's. I knew my time with my own kids in care was coming to an end and I wanted to savor every last minute.

[Thriftylady]

I will give them quiet activities on their mat IF they remain quiet. Once they forget the quiet part, the activities get taken away.

[kitykids3]

ALL my kiddos need to lay down for rest time. If they don't sleep, they can look at books. If they aren't quiet they go back to layind down. Here I believe up to 5 they have to rest for at least 30 mins. I don't give them a choice, really. If they are too old for naps they're too old for being here.

[e.j.]

I can't make them sleep but I DO require a rest period for ALL daycare kids.

I have allowed older kids to read books, listen to music using earphones or watch educational tv but they have to stay on their cots and be very quiet. If they break the rule, they lose the privilege.

[KSDC]

Up to age 5, everyone lies down for naptime. If they are able to lie quiet and still for 30 minutes without falling asleep, then I let them get up and play quietly in the play room.

Age 5 and up have a 30 minute silent reading time. Then they can play quietly.

It works well for me.

[Unregistered]

5's at least half hour quiet time with books laying down-then allowed to get up and go into my smaller dc room and do quiet activities...basically table toys, drawing, playdoh, etc.
4's at least one hour.
one, two and three's entire nap time 12:30-2:30

[finsup]

My oldest will be 5 in July and everyone has a "rest" from 12-2:30. You can sleep, or read books. I love the idea of audio books but haven't used them yet because everyone does great at rest time. I'm not messing with it .

[kendallina]

They must rest. After about an hour I allow those still awake to read a book if they can stay quiet. Books get put away if they can't stay quiet. It works well for me. No way would I want any of my preschoolers to not have a rest time. Their bodies and minds need it and everyone feels refreshed when it's time to get up.

[Blackcat31]

Age 5 and up have a 30 minute silent reading time. Then they can play quietly.

lovethis the required reading period!

[Meeko]

No nap means no more care.
All my kids are in a coma within a few minutes.

[childcaremom]

I used to have quiet time and let older ones stay up. Used to being the operative words. It was a constant reminder to stay quiet, play quietly, etc. If my house was laid out differently, perhaps. But right no, nope. Everyone has rest time.

I enforce rest time. Everyone lies on their cot or in their pack n play. Quietly. I call it 'rest' time so that the children (and their parents) understand that it is downtime for everyone and that a good rest will give them lots of energy to play in the afternoon. Sleep or not.

The only time I will bring in quiet time again is the summer before they start school. Otherwise they lie down with the group.

I do like the idea of books on cots and may bring that option in for my older ones once they start consistently staying up. As it is, my oldest is my best napper. He is out 5 mins into rest time. ::

[Unregistered]

I used to let older child stay up (mostly when I used to take school age during their breaks). Most of them weren't bad, but it started turning into no one wanting to nap because the older one didn't. Now everyone naps. I've found the children who are adamant about not sleeping usually sleep the longest. While not bad or loud, I often find the children who don't nap can't occupy themselves. I don't want to spend nap time tethered to one child. I also don't feel bad having them nap, because the big centers do that around here.

[Controlled Chaos]

Everyone naps my 6 year old is the only one up (the rest are 5 and under) but even the 6 year old rests for the first 30 min (looking at books) until the others are asleep.