New Here, Nap Question

[sahm2three]

Hello. I am new to this forum, and to daycare. I am in progress in the licensing process. I have begun to watch children, and am having a terrible time getting kids to nap. The parents say they want their kids to nap, but I am finding it almost impossible. I try to seperate them for nap times as much as possible, but I don't live in a hotel so it isn't always possible! I have the babies in one room and the toddlers in another. But I spend the entire nap time telling them to lie down. I have a mandatory quiet time, and that is what I have the older kids follow (ie, movie time). But it is the toddler to 4 year olds that I am struggling with. Any tips/tricks? Thanks!

[gkids09]

I also have had some trouble with keeping kids on their mats for nap. However, after LOTS of persistence, they got better...I turn on a lullaby cd every single day, have blackout curtains that make the room VERY dark, and I just stay in the room with the kids the whole time. If one is doing what they should be doing, be sure to REALLY brag on them: "OH, ____, I LOVE how you are being so still and quiet on your mat! I can't wait to tell your mommy how wonderful you are doing today!" A lot of times, that will get the others' attention too, because they all want their mommies/daddies to be proud. Also, if there are any who seem to be having MORE problems with being still and quiet, I try to lay them close enough to me that I can touch them, and rub their backs, eyes, faces, arms, whatever works. lol
Routine, routine, routine is all I have found to work. New parents come in and ask me how I get the kids to go to sleep at the same time every day, and I just give the credit to our routine. Good luck. It will get better when everyone gets used to it!!

[SunflowerMama]

I am just very lucky and have great nappers. I too have a lullaby CD that I play everyday and blackout blinds. I have my 3yr old twin toddlers in their own room and then 2 more 3 yr olds on mats and a 17 month and 22 month old in p&ps in another room and they all know after lunch is naptime and all are asleep within 10/15 minutes of laying down. I say just stay consistent with your routine and once a few start to fall in line the others will as well.

[sahm2three]

I had thought about staying in the room with the the whole time, but I have the 4 years and up kids in another room and I have a 6 year old with ADD and autism, and I have keep a close eye on him (we have had some major issues with him). I wish I had enough rooms to keep them seperated, because they just all feed off of eachother! LOL! I may try a lullabye cd. Thanks, I will just keep trying!

[Michael]

Originally Posted by sahm2three

I had thought about staying in the room with the the whole time, but I have the 4 years and up kids in another room and I have a 6 year old with ADD and autism, and I have keep a close eye on him (we have had some major issues with him). I wish I had enough rooms to keep them seperated, because they just all feed off of eachother! LOL! I may try a lullabye cd. Thanks, I will just keep trying!

FYI, I have a freind that owns Kindergarten.com and they have iPhone applications and iTunes for those Children with learning disabilities such as speech or language delays, hearing loss, ADD/ADHD, Auditory Processing Disorder, Autism, Down Syndrome, Dyspraxia or PDD.

I believe they are offering some of these programs for free during Autism month (April).

http://kindergarten.com/what-is-aba/

[Preschool/daycare teacher]

We also have trouble getting our's down for nap at times. Some days go better than others. Today was ROUGH But by nap time we usually have around 10-12 (after 3 of the preschoolers leave), and they're ALL grouped together in the same room (ages 21 months-4 yrs). So obviously we have to stay in the room with them until they're all asleep. We turn on soothing music and rub or pat their backs until we've eventually gotten them all to sleep. Sometimes that takes up to an hour to get all of them asleep because, like someone mentioned, they feed off of each other. Even if their eyes are drooping and they look and act really tired, some of them still fight that nap . Routine does seem to be the only thing to get these little ones to take their nap. Each day is the same: as soon as lunch is over they go straight to the nap room/preschool room. Of course they won't lay down until both of us are in there and all the little ones have been changed, etc