Call it what you want to, nap time is often a struggle for all children and child care professionals. When a group of children are trying to rest all at once there are numerous variables which can prevent or prolong this experience. Children need rest and they need the optimal environment to rest but ironically nap time can be stressful and challenging for them. In addition to this, there is typically one adult in the room during nap time (depending upon the size of your group for staffing ratios) with another adult available in the event of emergencies (per WAC 170-295-2090). This creates a challenge for child care professionals as well.
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Imagine this scenario:
Becky is 3-years-old and she is new to Shining Time Daycare Center. Her family has just moved from out of state and this is her second day care center. Today is her second day at Shining Time and she seems fairly comfortable and confident. She has made new friends and enjoys playing dolls with them. It’s nap time now and Becky is learning the routines, but she is so excited about playing with her new friends that she keeps getting up from her mat to go talk to them. This is disrupting several of the other children who are trying to nap.
What do you do? |
Your reaction to this scenario is largely influenced by several factors:
- Your experiences working with children, especially Becky.
- Licensing guidelines and center policies.
- Your experiences as a child.
- Best practices in relation to child development and care.
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What you do next in this situation can create a positive nap time experience or it can wreak havoc on Becky’s daily nap routine. It is important to combine the previously listed components to provide a successful nap time experience for Becky and her classmates.
This course will explain why nap time is so important and how you can make this time period more successful. |