Nap Time?

[Unregistered]

For ages 16months - 5 years do you think a policy like this would be reasonable.

Children are required to participate in a two hour rest period. If after a hour (should it be longer or shorter?) the child is awake they will be permitted to do a quiet activity that does not disturb the group.

Also what type of activities do you generally allow for children who do not sleep? Would it be mean to require them to lay down for two hours if they aren't sleeping? My regulations let me require naps/rest time for all except 5 year olds. I don't want parents to think naps are optional but two hours is a long period of time just to be lying there awake.

[Blackcat31]

For ages 16months - 5 years do you think a policy like this would be reasonable.

Children are required to participate in a two hour rest period. If after a hour (should it be longer or shorter?) the child is awake they will be permitted to do a quiet activity that does not disturb the group.

Also what type of activities do you generally allow for children who do not sleep? Would it be mean to require them to lay down for two hours if they aren't sleeping? My regulations let me require naps/rest time for all except 5 year olds. I don't want parents to think naps are optional but two hours is a long period of time just to be lying there awake.

I do not provide services to children that do not participate in rest time. NONE of them are required to sleep but they are ALL required to rest for the entire nap period. Here that is 90 minutes.

I play audio books so that those children that don't sleep have something to do while they are resting. Lying quietly and listening to a story is not hard for any age and meets the requirement of providing an activity when resting but not sleeping.

If a parent wants their child to skip rest time, they need to withdraw from my program as supervising or entertaining non-resting children is not a service I offer.

[daycare]

I copied BC on the audio books. all of my kids but one sleep the entire 2 hours. I feel bad, because I know I run them ragged.

I also adopted the policy of kids who don't nap have outgrown my program.

I personally use nap time as a breath of fresh air and so that I can catch up on all paperwork, clean, run errands and etc.

it would be impossible for me to work the 11 hours each day that I do if I didn't get that break and not only that, there is no way I could provide supervision for one or two children while the rest are napping. Parents would have to hire their own adult to come in and watch their non-napping child, but to stop them from even trying that, I would just go with the child not being a good fit for our program.

[KSDC]

This is my written policy:

"All children under the age of 5 who stay all day will lay down for a short rest or sleep period beginning at 1:00. Please try to explain this to your child. Please do not ask me to keep your child awake all day, both the children and I need this time to rest. If you like you may send your child’s favorite blanket or stuffed toy along for them to sleep with. Make sure your child's name is printed on them.
Naptime begins at 1:00 p.m.
If your child is still awake after 30 minutes of quiet
time, they will be allowed to get up and play quietly."

My quiet time activities include coloring, quiet play with dolls, puzzles, short turns with educational games on the computer(this is very limited and usually a reward), perler beads, etc.
In my state, I can let ages 5 and up play outside while I stay inside - as long and I can still hear them and check on them regularly. So, if I have older kids that I feel are mature enough to handle the privilege, then outside play is also an option.

[flying_babyb]

Popsicle sticks with velcro on! sticky on one end, flat on the other (for building)
matching and learning games that go with theme http://www.childcareland.com/free.html http://www.simplydaycare.com/free-pr...rintables.html http://www.daycareworksheets.com/
nomenclature cards http://www.montessoriforeveryone.com...s_ep_35-1.html

[flying_babyb]

Matching cards (we did the 3 part to make a picture ones. Punch a hole in the top and attach to pegboard for a flip chart activity)

Alot of those fun card matching sets from target. You know, the ones that connect like a puzzle? Targets "see spot save" area has lot of good nap basket stuff right now

[LVG]

I have 4 kids that typically don't nap (ages 4-5). I have quiet baskets that I prepare before each nap, and have something different in them each day. Coloring, puzzles, magnetic dress up dolls, magnetic shape board, dry erase board, etc. Melissa and Doug toys have tons of these types of activities. Also if you go on Amazon and search "quiet time toys" a ton of options pop up. It will be a small investment though, so if you don't have other kids utilizing these types of toys it may not be worth it. The kids look forward to seeing what their basket has each day.

[Lil_Diddle]

By state regulation here kids are required to rest 30 minutes here. I do require they rest 1 hour. I figure it might take 30 minutes to just get to sleep. My sleeping area is seperated by a blackout curtain so it does get pretty dark in there. After an hour (sometimes longer) I open the curtain. They know they can come out and do quiet activities but I do not wake them.

I have a new little girl that started yesterday. Mom asked about naps and I told her my policy at the interview, it's even in black and white in my handbook that she signed off on. So this morning she comes in complaining about how her daughter would not go to bed last night. I'm not sure what she expected me to do or say but I'm not making her daughter an exception to the rule. It honestly sounds like mom needs stricter rules at home. I can tell DCG rules the roost when mom shows up. And mom said, I just gave up last night and put her in my bed. So what is that teaching DCG?

[hwichlaz]

This is my written policy:



My quiet time activities include coloring, quiet play with dolls, puzzles, short turns with educational games on the computer(this is very limited and usually a reward), perler beads, etc.
In my state, I can let ages 5 and up play outside while I stay inside - as long and I can still hear them and check on them regularly. So, if I have older kids that I feel are mature enough to handle the privilege, then outside play is also an option.

I let the school aged kids play outside. I can see my entire play yard through the patio doors in my living room. Kids who can't handle the privilege lose it.