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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>At What Age do You Stop Using Pack n Play?
cherryhill 01:10 PM 10-01-2010
for naps? My daycare kids are 15- 20 months. Is that to young. I ordered two cots to try them out if anything I will use at a later time. They can rock themselves out of pack n plays, but man, the little boys are wild they will never fall asleep in a cot, and one little girl never naps longer than 20 minutes. What have you ladies done that is successful?

thanks
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DBug 01:46 PM 10-01-2010
Mine have each been around 18 months when I transitioned them. I did them one at a time, and sat beside them rubbing their backs, stroking their faces, etc., to help them stay in one place and fall asleep. I usually figure it'll be about a week, maybe two, for them to get the whole idea of staying on a cot, so I always prepare myself for the stress ahead of time .

I have found, though, that once they're used to sleeping on a cot, they sleep so much better!
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safechner 02:00 PM 10-01-2010
The daycare kids will be sleeping pack n play until ages of 2. I found they would not stay on the mat or couch for quiet/nap time until they understand what they are supposed to stay on the couch or mat. I dont have any problems with it.
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mac60 03:12 PM 10-01-2010
I have one that was 2 in July and is still in a pack in play. She will not stay on a mat and I refuse to sit and coddle her for nap time. When she understands the concept of staying in one spot, she will move to a mat. Each child is different, some transition well, others don't. My other 2 yr old switched very easily a little before age 2.
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newtodaycare22 03:19 PM 10-01-2010
Our licensing says that between birth and 2 you must provide pack and plays...but between 1 and 2, they parents can request a nap mat instead. So, I guess 1 year is the youngest we're allowed (I only have preschoolers though)
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momma2girls 03:43 PM 10-01-2010
Originally Posted by safechner:
The daycare kids will be sleeping pack n play until ages of 2. I found they would not stay on the mat or couch for quiet/nap time until they understand what they are supposed to stay on the couch or mat. I dont have any problems with it.
I don't even begin to start til after two!!
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tenderhearts 04:19 PM 10-01-2010
I think it depends on the child, most of mine have been around 2 but I did have a big and tall 18 mo old and so I put him on a mat at 16 mo and he did fine. I have a new boy who just turned 2 and I was worried about what to do with him because he is still in a crib at home but I decided from the get go I would just do the mat and he's been fine.
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momofsix 06:46 PM 10-01-2010
Usually by the time they're two, unless it's the type of child where i forsee a problem, then I would wait.
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DancingQueen 03:48 AM 10-02-2010
I am about to start this with someone I think might give me issues. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
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boysx5 05:04 AM 10-02-2010
I try at two some take longer than others to get use to staying there without having to say every three seconds stay on your mat.
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Lucy 02:43 PM 10-02-2010
Totally depends on the kid for me. I have a 26 month old who I tried to transition her, and no way was she ready. Yet a 20 month old was. Depends on how bold they are!
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nannyde 04:01 PM 10-02-2010
around 3.5 years old

I use JMason play pens which are deep and long

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

They are 26 inches deep, 28 inches wide, and 40 inches long

I keep the kids in these until they are too tall for them length wise.
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mac60 07:19 AM 10-03-2010
Originally Posted by nannyde:
around 3.5 years old

I use JMason play pens which are deep and long

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

They are 26 inches deep, 28 inches wide, and 40 inches long

I keep the kids in these until they are too tall for them length wise.
I have this one too, and love it, but it is more of a pain to take up and down.
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daysofelijah 08:55 AM 10-03-2010
18-22 months, I hate having pack and plays set up, they take up too much room in my already crowded house. So I move them out as soon as I can. I just moved my 18 mo dcg out this week and she is doing great. I do sit in the daycare nap room with my laptop until everyone is asleep though, usually only takes 20 minutes max.
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DanceMom 04:07 PM 10-03-2010
So far It has been 3 yrs old - if anything younger it is because they are over the weight restriction.
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Preschool/daycare teacher 07:42 PM 10-03-2010
We did 4 of our's at approximately 24 months, one was a little older and one was a little younger than that, but the other 2 were that age. We just tried it out 2 at a time, so we could sit between them and pat their back and lay them back down each time. It took longer at first, and one of them would NOT lay still for anything so we put him back in his pack n play (on the busiest days of the week when we had more of the toddlers to get to sleep) for a week or two until the others were getting used to the idea. It took us a few weeks to get them all used to it, but now it is so nice having all of them in one room, sleeping all at the same time, with no pack n plays taking up room. We got rid of the highchairs about the same time, also. Good luck with yours! It can be done fairly easily. But for us it required us sitting beside them and laying them back down each time they tried to get up until they finally fell asleep. Now they even stay on their cot when they wake up in the middle of nap as long as no one else is awake and they can't see us moving around. We fake them out a lot too. Sitting down and closing our eyes as if we were asleep too. I know it wouldn't work for some kids, though because they'd think "if they're asleep, I can get up and they'll never know". But ours have been on cots now for at least 6 months
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melissa ann 04:37 AM 10-04-2010
I switched a dcb just a few months ago. When he was like 15 months and had no problems. He kept climbing out the pack n play. I keep a blanket on the floor at his spot. He takes a quick nap in the morning and a longer one in the afternoon, and for the most part, stays on the blanket. Sometimes, I do have to "swaddle" him in a blanket to keep him still, but not too often.
My own son and another dcg, (they are the same age) were a little over 2 when I switched them. They didn't want to transistion to the blankets.
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countrymom 11:24 AM 10-04-2010
so far up to age 3, I find its safer in a playpen then on the ground, but right now, no one is ready to sleep on a mat.
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