Encouraging children to sleep during naptime and while in your daycare center can definitely be considered to be very much challenging. There’s no need for you to worry though since this can definitely be done even with very little experience and background. How it is even possible to get all these children is taking a nap at the same time, you’re probably wondering. Well, it’s definitely possible but you will need some pointers and advice that can help and guide you with. It’s not an easy task, but there’s no need to worry about since there’s nothing easy in life if you come to think of it, right? Not having a challenge would mean your life would be boring and you wouldn’t learn anything. Some how I don’t think that’s what God had in store of us.
The first important information you need to be armed with is consideration for the sleeping environment in your family daycare. Children must have an area that is quiet, serene, peaceful and comfortable to sleep in, and this area must be separate from other areas where there may be noise. Without this children will have distractions falling asleep. These distractions be may the phone that rings or the toys that are across the room. Children especially need to feel relaxed in order to fall asleep. Here are some of the things you might want to consider doing:
1. Make sure that all the children in your daycare actively participate to the various activities you have lined up for the day. If children have had an active morning they are more inclined to take a nice afternoon nap. Also try not to give children candy or other sugar related items. This only get’s them too excited and it’s just plan bad for children’s teeth.
2. Make sure you understand your children and find out who the good sleepers are and those who are not. Try to separate the children who fall asleep right away from those who do not and need assistance. The children who have problems falling asleep and relaxing will need their backs rubbed and will need to be directed to lying down and not leaving their sleeping area.
3. For children who wake up early make sure you have quite activities set aside for them so that they do not disrupt the rest of the sleeping children. Construct a special box for “early risers” that has all activities that can be done quietly. This way the children who are sleeping will have extra time to rest. Your earlier riser box can contain books, stickers, coloring, small game.
Getting all your daycare children to sleep at the same time is a task that will be achieved after several trials and errors. It takes time and experimentation for you to learn what works and what doesn’t. Every provider has a certain way of organizing their day and it’s up to you to decide just how you want things to be.
For more:
How to start a daycare business by StartADaycare.org
