Children need between 10 and 15 hours of sleep a day depending on age. This can be slept all at once through the night, but is best to be broken up between night and nap(s). We won't go into the specifics of napping today (age, time, and number of naps) but will focus on the nap routine instead.
Most children take naps to regain the energy lost during play. This means, if you have a child sitting down watching tv all day, they may not be as tired when nap rolls around. This doesn't mean they are not tired, or do not need the nap, but may take longer to fall asleep.
No matter the activity level of the child, or children, you can set up a simple nap time routine to get them to fall asleep quickly, and sleep soundly! Whether your child is sleeping one, or multiple naps, you can encorporate a proper nap routine. Currently, the children we have in care are on one nap a day, so this is what I will use for my example. The routine may need adjusted slightly to incorporate multiple naps, which I would be happy to discuss with anyone having questions.
Most mid-day nappers sleep following lunch. We have lunch at noon, and is usually done by 12:30pm. Our nap is from 1pm-3pm (sometimes a bit later)
The nap routine has 5 simple steps;
- Use up that energy! (15min)
After lunch, turn on some high energy music! You can dance, jump, run, spin, whatever you want to get that energy out. Incorporate games like freeze dance, or songs with interactive moments like "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes". You can also do exorcises with the children, like jumping jacks, touching your toes, or running in place. - Wind down. (5min)
You don't want to send the child to bed straight from this activity, or they will have an even harder time falling asleep because their adrenalin is still pumping! As you have the music on, be sure to let the child or children know how much time is left. Start letting them know at 5 min, and slow your dancing or games down a little. Tell them again at 2min, and again slow your games down. At 1min, let them know it's almost time to stop, and do some slow dancing, or hand movements, with slow breathing, to finish the transition into "winding down". - Potty break or Diaper Change. (5min)
Before nap, if you have a potty trained child, you should have them use the bathroom and wash hands. This will help with winding down, as well as keep the bedding dry! For children not yet potty trained, this is also a good time for diaper changing. When changing the child, make sure you're helping them calm down, and not getting them worked back up. - Story Time! (5min)
A story is a great way to help a child appreciate reading, as well as a good way to calm down and spend some very special time with you. Try to keep story time to 3-5min. Too short and your child will not have time to get relaxed, too long and they may get bored and ready to get back up. Some children have favorite books, and this is great, but remember to keep it mixed up a little. If your child is very attached to a favorite book, try only reading it every other day, instead of every time. - Time to sleep.
Children sleep best with background noises, but nothing too loud. Try using a white noise machine, some classical instrumentals, or nature sounds. You can also try audio stories, but I would only play one, then music, or the child may focus too much on the stories to fall asleep. Whatever you choose, put it on quietly in the nap area. These noises provide a calming feeling, as well as give the child something to focus on instead of wanting to get up and play. Having a quiet noise on in the nap area, also helps block out louder noises that may happen in the rest of the house. You can turn this down in about 20min, or turn it off. You can leave it on, but make sure it is not too loud that it may wake the child up half way through their nap.
Have a question you'd like answered? Or a problem you'd like addressed?
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