preschool schedule question
 

Hi,

I have a question for child care professionals.

Most preschools have a certain order in their schedule. Most schedules follow this order: outside play, lunch, naptime.
My question is: Is there a reason for this order of activities?

To me it seems more logical to first eat lunch, then let the new acquired energy out with outside play, and then settle for a story and nap.

So I want to know if there is any research backing the current schedule trend, where to find this research, and see if there is room for different scheduling.

Thanks!
Shulie

Originally Posted by shulieb:
Hi,

I have a question for child care professionals.

Most preschools have a certain order in their schedule. Most schedules follow this order: outside play, lunch, naptime.
My question is: Is there a reason for this order of activities?

To me it seems more logical to first eat lunch, then let the new acquired energy out with outside play, and then settle for a story and nap.

So I want to know if there is any research backing the current schedule trend, where to find this research, and see if there is room for different scheduling.

Thanks!
Shulie

Not a dietician, but the food one consumes needs to be digested before it becomes energy (unless the kids are eating Snickers bars and Mt Dew for lunch).

I know after a meal, I would LOVE to go flop down in my easy chair rather than go outside and run around.

That, and after kids have been outside and all rambunctious, getting them to settle down and nap or be quiet is much tougher than after eating. That whole outdoors->indoors transition is tough enough sometimes, but then throw a nap into it?:eek:

that makes sense,

thanks!

I'm not 100% on this, but I'm pretty sure that body temperature drops for most people around 1:00 in the afternoon. When this happens it's our body's way of telling us we are ready for some sleep, I guess a whole naturally occurring biorhythm thing. Don't a lot of other countries, Hispanic anyway, still practice siestas? Long lunch with a nap time.

I agree with Chickenhauler, I would not want to try and transition children from active outdoor play to laying down on their cots. Ick. Lunch, to washing up, to story, to cots works out just fine.
We have them outside playing right after breakfast, especially in the summer, so they can be more focused inside for organized circle and activity times.

I don't know about.....
 

other states but in TX, you are required to have a nap after the noon meal. Sometimes we would let the kids either play for a few mins while we cleaned up and then we went for a nap, or depending on weather we would play a movie. Regardless after lunch there was to be a rest period.

I think it may have something to do with the weather also. Its cooler in the mornings then the afternoon.

My toddlers are tired after lunch. It's a quieter time than outside play and then a quieter time yet for story, and then very quiet for nap.

We do a lot of morning things outside, weather permitting. Then after a gradual wakeup, it's back outside for us. We have to take full advantage of the good weather where we live while we can. Rainy Pacific NW. Regular school season we focus a little more on structured activities as we don't get long outside stretches due to weather.

Bridget