Rolling Off Nap Cots?

[newtodaycare22]

I just ordered nap cots today because the nap mats were completely falling apart after 6 months of GENTLE use. I decided they weren't worth the hassle.

Anyway, I'm watching one of my 3 year olds right now, who should be sleeping, roll around on his mat. I'm also visualizing him doing this on the cot and knocking it over. Has anyone had the cots cause more of a problem than a solution?

I'm hoping the slight elevation off the ground will help contain his body movement::

[DCMom]

When I had cots, I never had that problem. The mesh has a bit of give to it and kind of 'cradles' them, kwim?

That being said, I suppose it depends on the kind of cots you have...

[CdnMumof4]

contemplating

I've been considering getting a few sleep cots but wondered about the whole, sleeping in the same area, situation. as it is right now I seperate the kids to sleep and that works perfectly but one of my dck can climb out of his playpen so I think it's time to switch to the floor and Im considering a group setting. I have the sleep mats , and I've got two cots- but they need to be recovered [I got the frames from my son's old preschool, and it looks as though now the'yve gotten rid of cots completely and are just using mats on the floor]

so- I am wondering, do you like your cots now? Also, how do you set the kids up to nap in the same room and what are their ages and how many do ou have in the same area?

[AnythingsPossible]

I recently purchased cots and a large majority of my kids had been rolling around on their mats before we got the cots as well. I have had the cots for going on 2 months now, and I LOVE them. Wish I would have bought them years ago! No issues with anyone rolling off, though I have had a random leg or arm fall off the side while they are sleeping.
I have 4 to 6 kids sleeping on the cots and 2 playpens everyday. They all sleep in the same room. I have never had an issue with it. It's funny I was going to take and post a picture yesterday of my floor at nap time with all the cots laid out. Guess I should have! I am not allowed to have kids sleeping in seperate areas, so I have always done group nap time. We play hard, we sleep hard for the most part. I have a 5 year old who is hit and miss with her naps, but she always rests quietly and I have never had an issue with her. We read a book, they all lay down, I pull the blind, cover them up, and then I sit in the room with them and read or do book work till the majority of them are asleep. My ages right now are 2-1 year olds, 1-2 year old, 1-3 year old, 2-4 year olds and 2-5 Year olds, they all nap at the same time.

[snbauser]

I have cots. I haven't really had anyone ever fall off. The cots kind of contain them. I have 12 of them sleeping in cots spread out throughout my two downstairs classrooms (I have an open floor plan). Each of our children has to be separated by a physical barrier or be 3 feet apart. It is something I have to always take into consideration whenever I rearrange the classrooms. They sleep in various centers and we have a few dividers we use for the others in the middle of the floor.

[PitterPatter]

I opted against cots for that worry as well. I also didn't think they looked very comfortable. Personally I wouldn't want to lay on 1.

I found a softer, cheaper, easier route. I bought those flip out couches for kids. I got them for $35 each at Walmart way cheaper than the cots I priced. They each have their own asigned. When not in use they sit lined around the corner of the room and are used for a soft reading space. At nap time we have a routine all the kids go potty or are changed then 1 by 1 run off line up their shoes and pull their couch out flipping it to a bed. They each have their own blanket of course. They are all lined up in a row on the beds. They all drift off together usually. I am SO blessed when it comes to nap time!

I also like them because they are easy to wash. The covers come off and I just toss them in the washer and put back on for the next week.

[Abigail]

We have 18 cots and they do "fade" in color slightly over time from cleaning. They have two downfalls I noticed so far, but I still LOVE them and will purchased new ones when I open my daycare. Downside #1 is they are off the ground a few inches so kids who try to play during nap time end up under-yes under-the cot to "hide". Easily fixed, but annoying. Downside #2 is when they sit on the very edge of the cot the opposite two legs can come up in the air (they know they're doing it) and in the end it can start to break or loosen the frame and material. All you need is a screw driver to tighten it, but kids who do this more than once in awhile will be given a mat to use for naptime so they learn to treat things with respect. I love the cots as I said and they do last a long time and look very nice. You don't need to cover them with a sheet because you can clean them very easily.