Any tips for napping toddlers in the same room. I've always had individual nap room for my younger ones in the past, but now I'm using one room for 4-5 children ages 3 mo-3 years. Suggestions/routines appreciated.

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I nap my 4 older girls, all +2, in the same room. They do great. The room is darkened with curtains and I play soft instrumental music while they nap and keep the ceiling fan on until they fall asleep. After the holidays I am hoping to move my next oldest boy into the room with them. He will be 17 months after Christmas.

You can play music or audio books for them. Keep the routine the same and stick with it. The first few days you may have to sit in the room and give a stern “shhhh” if anyone tries to cause trouble with their friends.

Does this change have to be immediate? If not I would maybe try starting with the two oldest, or two best sleepers and slowly work in the other children. I personally wouldn’t nap a 3 month old in the same room with the older kids unless I absolutely had to but it can be done.

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All my 12 DCK sleep in the same room. They are 4 mo - 4.5yo.
our's routine:
-lunch
-toilet/changing diapers
-brushing teeth
-washing hands
-take shoes off
-go to sleep.
During all nap time music is on.

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I didn't clarify very well. The 3 mo old actually has a bassinet in another room, but I typically sit in the nap room to rock her while the others go to sleep & then move her to the bassinet so she's not in there the whole time. I just took a 3 month break from daycare (my main family was on maternity leave so it worked out fine) & this is my 3rd week back so I started them all in the nap room upon reopening 3 weeks ago. I just don't have a lot of experience with this as I had them in separate rooms when I did daycare previously. I've napped 4 year old together, but never toddlers. It's gone fairly well...I redirect a lot for one little fellow, but today was kind of disastrous. Took forever to get them to sleep & then one woke up yelling & they all woke up startled. Guess im just looking for some ways to make it work smoother.

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You both mentioned music. I like that idea!

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They will get t eventually. It is harder for some than others. My niece still struggles sometimes since moving her to the big kid room. She woke up today and woke everyone up. I put her back down, told her nap wasn’t over and they all fell back asleep. My 12 month old that is not in that room is another story today

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I do not have infants but my 2-4 year olds all nap in the same room.

Blackout curtains + audio books = peaceful naptime here.

For those who do not nap easily they can lay and hear the audio books. I do not play super fun exciting audio books (or books I would normally read to them) but calm classic chapter books. Charlotte's Web, Mr. Poppers Penguins, etc. often children can comprehend at a higher level than they can sit and be read to so audiobooks are great for that. Plus they are nicer for me to hear

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I nap everyone in the same room except my youngest infant who is still on his own schedule. For afternoon nap they are all in there (14mos - 4 years). I've tried audio books with mixed results, but mostly because the youngest in there didn't seem to settle down with them, they worked great for the others. So I've went back to music, its a relaxation tape with no words and plays on repeat. I also made a copy and that is what I play for my 7 month old even though he isn't napping with older ones yet. The 14 month old historically fusses herself to sleep, and all my older ones know to just ignore it. I'm often surprised at often they fall asleep even during her fussing, so I no longer stress about it.

FWIW it wasn't all that long ago I was on here asking very similar questions, because my lunch to nap time routine was killing me. The main thing I changed was to slow down the transition and I put a book shelf in the nap room. So now as they finish with potty and are waiting on the others they can sit on their bed and look at a book. Our current routine takes us around 30 minutes, when before I was trying to get everyone from lunch to nap in like 10 minutes.

Current routine:
-Lunch
-Clean-up lunch/ play in the playroom table toys
-One at a time back to the potty, from potty to nap room (on bed with books while waiting)
-Books away and I read one story to the group
-Everyone tucked in and music on/lights off
--I'm often toting the infant with me and have him playing on the floor during the story, then move him to play in the hallway so I can sit in the doorway until everyone settles

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Same routine every day. They all have their own nap mat, their own blanket, their own stuffed animal. Nothing else goes in the naproom at naptime.
Shoes off, get their pacifier and get tucked in. I sing the same lullaby every day. Then I turn on white noise until they sleep.
They are 13 months-2 years, so very young.

Accept that this may take a few weeks before everyone is used to it, and make it as confortable for yourself as possible. I have brought a book/my phone in the room and been on the couch with that while they slept around me. They saw I was there, but I was "boring".
I have been playing music, but one day the box didn't work and nobody cared, so I don't do that any more.
I have had my difficult child sleep in another room so as not to wake the others while they got used to the routine, then moved him back in the room and sat next to him while he fell asleep.

Stay confident and consistent - it WILL work

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When I transitioned to one room for naps I did a lot of these same things.Music -instrumental and not that softly.Everyone learned to stay on cots until light came on and music off.If I had a newbe that was having a hard time staying down the "magic " blanket came out. It was just a heavy comforter that was folded.I would lay it on the child .The heaviness seemed to calm them.I sat next to that child and when they fell asleep(usually 5 min)I would carefully lift it off.I did read in site of all children my kitchen was in the next room with wide door.Also sat in rocker and fed whatever infant was here. This worked like a charm.Good luck.

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Semi dark room, each have their own nap mats, and a fan for white noise. I have a cat that is very old and meows a lot so white noise is a MUST lol

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