What Do Your Kids Nap On?

[KEG123]

Just curious, do you have cots, sleeping bags or something else? I was thinking of buying some cheap mats, but then found a pattern I can make something similar to a sleeping bag. Do you think something like this would be sufficient? http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=221179.0

[SilverSabre25]

watching this for answers. I need to get my dcks out of pack n plays but haven't settled on a mat. The cots I find online are fricking expensive and I'm not sure I want to go there.

[Abigail]

Our daycare uses the Angeles sleeping cots. They come in a variety of styles, but all are up their in price. The nice thing though is you don't hear the squishy mats, they don't have any fold creases, and they're up off the ground. Each child has their own from age 12 months and up (whenever they get out of a pack n play successfully). They stack easily, but take up lots of floor space when they're stacked since it's not safe to lean them against a wall. I am going to spend the extra money when I open my own because I just love these. They're easy to clean.

As for the original post with the link. It' s cute, but not as practical because it adds extra laundry. If you want to get by with spending less, you can always find the 1 inch thick red and blue folding mats at Walmart for under $9 each. They usually are carried at back to school time and go on clearance after.

[nannyde]

http://www.fantasytoyland.com/elfacplayyar.html

JMson play yards. A full 40" x 28" and a whoppin 26 inches deep

[Greenshadow]

I went into Kmart, of all places, and found that they sell napmats. They are the ones that fold into thirds and store away neatly. You can put a sheet on them easily. They are great for kids to nap on. And affordable. Check Kmart. My kids are still in pnp but I'll have to change them out soon too.

[boysx5]

I use nap mats they are easy to store and not that expensive

[BentleysBands]

i got pnp's from yard sales/craigslist/thrift stores for CHEAP ,dirt cheap and just pulled out the bottoms. i made sure to get all the same style pnp bottoms so they fold togrther when not used. for a sheet i just use crib sheets and tuck around/under.....much easier for me to move a kid out of the pnp too. its what they have always slept on but now w/o the jail mesh LOL


i use to use nap mats but the kids picked those to death and were worthless.

[mac60]

Originally Posted by nannyde

http://www.fantasytoyland.com/elfacplayyar.html

JMson play yards. A full 40" x 28" and a whoppin 26 inches deep

I have one of these, and love it, but not the easiest to take up and down....but deep and they won't escape out of it.

[mac60]

I have made napmats using the eggcrate mattress pads from Walmart, you can get approx 4 mats for $12.

[Luna]

I have some in pnp's (btw, am I the only one who still calls them play pens?) and some on cots that slide right under my bed when not in use.

[My Daycare]

Originally Posted by Luna

I have some in pnp's (btw, am I the only one who still calls them play pens?) and some on cots that slide right under my bed when not in use.

I still call them playpens. I had a parent ask to see it once. After they did, they told me they thought I meant something really old and metal.

Here we have to use cots here, no mats allowed, but the play yards nannyde suggested sound great.

[QualiTcare]

what happened to the old play pens? is there a reason they stopped making the old, huge ones? i loved those things - i'd get in there with my little cousins when i was a KID. they were huge.

[Luna]

Does anyone ask parents to supply such things? I do private child daycare and also daycare through an agency and the agency supplies what I need for those kids. I don't have any private kids right now, but when I did the parents supplied the playpen.

[laundrymom]

Why not put them against the wall? I invested in angel rest cots in97 have used them daily, and they are stacked against the wall. I will be buying new ones next spring (2012) I can't begin to say enough good things about them. But why not against a wall.

Originally Posted by Abigail

Our daycare uses the Angeles sleeping cots. They come in a variety of styles, but all are up their in price. The nice thing though is you don't hear the squishy mats, they don't have any fold creases, and they're up off the ground. Each child has their own from age 12 months and up (whenever they get out of a pack n play successfully). They stack easily, but take up lots of floor space when they're stacked since it's not safe to lean them against a wall. I am going to spend the extra money when I open my own because I just love these. They're easy to clean.

As for the original post with the link. It' s cute, but not as practical because it adds extra laundry. If you want to get by with spending less, you can always find the 1 inch thick red and blue folding mats at Walmart for under $9 each. They usually are carried at back to school time and go on clearance after.

[daysofelijah]

Just the trifold mats with a flannel sheet on it and a blankey. Cots would be nice, but they take up too much room. I have one left in a pack and play and can't wait to get rid of that.

[QualiTcare]

i've seen these mats and used them in centers - and they were just fine against the wall.

[DCMomOf3]

I use mats right now but I want to move to cots. As an option similar to the Angeles, has anyone ever seen these? i am considering them.

http://www.schoolsin.com/ecr_stackab.../ELR-0232.html

[E Daycare]

I use standard pack-n-plays for the babies and have a few sizes for when they get bigger but still need to be contained. For bigger children who need a cot or mat I bought a portable cot from one step ahead:

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/...mSource=Search

This folds up easily and has a bag which I like for traveling as I'll use this when we go back home to visit family and my son will need something to nap on. So far I can give comfort feedback as all Ive watched is younger children who still need a pack-n-play.

[DCMom]

I use the hanging mats from Discount School Supply. I've had them for about 10 years and they are still in great shape.

http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/...&Brand=&Price=

Over the years I've used the sleeping bag style as the OP posted, stacking cots and the trifold mats. The sleeping bags were difficult to wash and disinfect (I had 10 of them); the stacking cots took up alot of room and the kids were forever climbing on them, cracking the corners; with the trifold mats, they tear at the seams and the sheets don't stay on them. Though they were easier to store than the other choices.

With the hanging mats, they are up an out of the way, the sheets tie on, they are easy to label and disinfect. Not a perfect solution for everyone, but they are as close I have been able to get.

[MyAngels]

Originally Posted by DCMomOf3

I use mats right now but I want to move to cots. As an option similar to the Angeles, has anyone ever seen these? i am considering them.

http://www.schoolsin.com/ecr_stackab.../ELR-0232.html

These are the type I use. I've had them for 15 years, and bought them from a provider who closed down, so they are very durable.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by DCMomOf3

I use mats right now but I want to move to cots. As an option similar to the Angeles, has anyone ever seen these? i am considering them.

http://www.schoolsin.com/ecr_stackab.../ELR-0232.html

I have these....I was lucky enough to buy them years ago at a going out of business sale. They are nice and I like that even though they are only raised slightly they do keep the kids off the floor. I've had them for like 12 years and none are broken or ripped so I think I can say they are durable.

[SandeeAR]

I am fortunate to have a separate room for the kids to sleep in (unlicensed here, so I don't have to be in the room at all times). I have 2 toddler beds, CL for $30 with matteress and sheets. A baby bed and two PNP for the babies.

I'm currently in an older home with wood floors and on a crawl space, so my floor are always cold. I didn't want to put them sleeping on a cold floor.

[KEG123]

Thanks for all the links everyone! Definitely something to be looking into!

[SunflowerMama]

All but one of mine are on their own napmat or sleeping bag. I ask parents provide those. I have a pack n play that my youngest sleeps in. I clean the mats/bags weekly, unless of course there is an accident.

[Missani]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

I have these....I was lucky enough to buy them years ago at a going out of business sale. They are nice and I like that even though they are only raised slightly they do keep the kids off the floor. I've had them for like 12 years and none are broken or ripped so I think I can say they are durable.

I have these, too. I like them a lot. Mine are new as of August, so I'm glad to hear they hold up well.

[kidkair]

I have these mats from Discount School Supply. I made pillow case type sheets for them and little matching pillows. I fold and stack them on a shelf when not in use. One thing you should keep in mind is that you may be required to provide a certain number of inches when using mats. In MN you are suppose to have 2" mats.

[DCMomOf3]

Originally Posted by kidkair

I have these mats from Discount School Supply. I made pillow case type sheets for them and little matching pillows. I fold and stack them on a shelf when not in use. One thing you should keep in mind is that you may be required to provide a certain number of inches when using mats. In MN you are suppose to have 2" mats.

WI too, although sleeping bags are just fine. That is just one of my reasons for wanting to switch to cots.

I am glad so many have and good luck with the ones I am looking at.

[misol]

Originally Posted by DCMomOf3

I use mats right now but I want to move to cots. As an option similar to the Angeles, has anyone ever seen these? i am considering them.

http://www.schoolsin.com/ecr_stackab.../ELR-0232.html

These are the ones that I have too. I got mine in like new condition from a provider who was going out of business so they were cheap cheap cheap. I have 10 of them but there is no way I would have been able to afford to purchase them new.

[Abigail]

Originally Posted by laundrymom

Why not put them against the wall? I invested in angel rest cots in97 have used them daily, and they are stacked against the wall. I will be buying new ones next spring (2012) I can't begin to say enough good things about them. But why not against a wall.

I could stack them against a wall, but I want to keep all my daycare things in one area and don't want the cots available to the kids unless it's nap time. I'm wondering if I end up having a skinny closet if I could possibly lean them against the wall in there. I think I will order five or six cots and they should fit into a closet. If not, then against the wall in another room will work. At least then I can claim the space for tax time, ha ha.

Originally Posted by DCMomOf3

I use mats right now but I want to move to cots. As an option similar to the Angeles, has anyone ever seen these? i am considering them.

http://www.schoolsin.com/ecr_stackab.../ELR-0232.html

WOW, I think four others said they have these too?! They're MUCH cheaper than many other brands of cots out there. Now my question is for those who have them do you all have the Toddler Size like the link shows? Does the 40 inches really provide enough room for the four and five year olds? This might change my mind to purchasing these in the toddler size vs. purchasing the standard size that is either 49 or 52 inches long.

[SilverSabre25]

Originally Posted by Abigail

WOW, I think four others said they have these too?! They're MUCH cheaper than many other brands of cots out there. Now my question is for those who have them do you all have the Toddler Size like the link shows? Does the 40 inches really provide enough room for the four and five year olds? This might change my mind to purchasing these in the toddler size vs. purchasing the standard size that is either 49 or 52 inches long.

They have a standard size that's only $21 (unassembled) or $25 (assembled) apiece (http://www.schoolsin.com/Cots/ELR-0596.html)

I'm strongly considering these now! (The toddler size, anyway)

The sheets come in lots of 12 for $6. I can't see ever needing more than 6 cots total, so that's actually really affordable. I bet shipping is a b**ch though for the cots.

[misol]

Originally Posted by SilverSabre25

The sheets come in lots of 12 for $6. I can't see ever needing more than 6 cots total, so that's actually really affordable. I bet shipping is a b**ch though for the cots.

The sheets are $5.95 per sheet, not $5.95 for the entire lot of 12.

[SilverSabre25]

Originally Posted by misol

The sheets are $5.95 per sheet, not $5.95 for the entire lot of 12.

ooohhh, see, that was confusing, lol. THanks for clearing it up! Still decent though.

[Abigail]

You should let the parents provide the sheet and send their sheet home on Fridays to get washed. Why do the extra laundry? The nice thing about cots is that they don't require a sheet to be put on them. Even if you use a sheet you will have to sanitize the cot itself and we do that weekly at daycare even though everyone has their own.

[MyAngels]

Originally Posted by SilverSabre25

They have a standard size that's only $21 (unassembled) or $25 (assembled) apiece (http://www.schoolsin.com/Cots/ELR-0596.html)

I'm strongly considering these now! (The toddler size, anyway)

The sheets come in lots of 12 for $6. I can't see ever needing more than 6 cots total, so that's actually really affordable. I bet shipping is a b**ch though for the cots.

I make my own sheets for these. I cut a large sheet into the appropriate size leaving enough room to finish each edge, then sew a small piece of elastic around each corner so that they loop around the legs to hold them in place. It's much cheaper than buying the ready-made sheets.

[misol]

Originally Posted by SilverSabre25

ooohhh, see, that was confusing, lol. THanks for clearing it up! Still decent though.

I know! I was licking my chops when I put 24 in my cart. I went to check out and almost choked when i saw the total. I should have know it was too goos to be true.

I would like to try to make my own like MyAngels mentioned. I don't know the first thing about sewing though. My grandmother would cringe if she heard me say that. LOL.

[MyAngels]

Originally Posted by misol

I know! I was licking my chops when I put 24 in my cart. I went to check out and almost choked when i saw the total. I should have know it was too goos to be true.

I would like to try to make my own like MyAngels mentioned. I don't know the first thing about sewing though. My grandmother would cringe if she heard me say that. LOL.

If you can sew a straight line with a sewing machine, you can make these, they're so easy. I just fold each edge under twice (to eliminate an unfinished edge) and run a line of stitching along the edge, then sew a piece of elastic on each corner so that it crosses the corner to hold the sheet in place on the cot. It takes me literally 5 to 10 minutes to make each one.

[misol]

Originally Posted by MyAngels

If you can sew a straight line with a sewing machine, you can make these, they're so easy. I just fold each edge under twice (to eliminate an unfinished edge) and run a line of stitching along the edge, then sew a piece of elastic on each corner so that it crosses the corner to hold the sheet in place on the cot. It takes me literally 5 to 10 minutes to make each one.

I'll give it a shot.

[SilverSabre25]

I have to come up with the money to get cots first, though! I will probably only get 4 because it will be a good long time before my own kid(s) don't count to my numbers.