[Sydnee]

I do daycare in my home, and have 3 kids that don't nap. I would like to find something for them to do that is QUIET, while the others sleep. Usually they will pick out a movie and watch that, but I feel like they really don't need to watch The Little Mermaid for the 100th time, ya know? Remember, it has to be quiet.

And they do occassionally color, they are not really into puzzles, and they will sometimes go outside, but them I deal with them coming in and out, and slamming the door, and it makes me crazy.

:

Any ideas would be wonderful!!!!!!!!!!

 

[hipumpkins]

DD looks at books and pretends to be in the pictures While I put her brther down for anp. She has apile and just flips and flips.

 

[Stayathomemommy]

my 5 yr old does 2 hours of quiet time a day, she is in a different room as my nappers which is key, but she usually plays barbies, or draws on a big pad of paper that is all hers. she is all by herself and when she is with other children quiet time doesnt work.

since you have three it may not be possible but if you can separate them that might make it easier for them to relax and do a quiet activity?

 

[1growingsprout]

How old are the kids that dont nap? if they are little (say 5 and under) just make quiet/nap time mandatory... say from 1-3 everyone lays down and is quiet whether sleeping resting etc...
If they are older then they 'should' be able to quietly entertain themselves with the others sleeping...

Make it a rule.. no tv during nap/quiet time... etc

 

[MamaFern]

our quiet time activities..

reading books..drawing/colouring..lego play..movie/tv show

(im just being honest...) playdough play... gluing mixed beans to stuff

paper plates work great or just paper.. it makes lovely art

sweeping the floor (my DS loves doing this)

 

[maria423]

My 3-year-old and I sometimes do TV for quiet time while the little guy naps, but lately I've been trying to replace that with other activities.

We do quiet reading (we both get comfy on the couch and silently readh to ourselves).

We color together.

Other arts and crafts (usually ones that don't mean a lot of mess or assistance if I feel like having some downtime too).

 

[Roar]

Laying down looking at books.
Listening to books on tape - your library probably has a lot.
Listening to classical music while looking at books.

 

[majikfaerie]

I dont really agree with forcing kids to nap who dont want to. Not everyone needs the same amount of sleep, and theres no point in forcing a small person to lie still if theyre not sleepy. Why force boredom on them?

I do think its a good idea to encourage respect of the other kids' right to have quiet time and nap tho, and if you want an alternative to Tv, why not just read to them? Anyone who really doesnt want to listen to the story can colour or play with play-do or quiet toys.

 

[mommy68]

How old are they? My daughter is almost 5 and at her preschool they all have to lay in the same room with lights out and if they don't want to sleep then it's fine, but they have to have quiet time and do nothing else since it's not fair to the other children.

Quote:

Originally Posted by majikfaerie I dont really agree with forcing kids to nap who dont want to. Not everyone needs the same amount of sleep, and theres no point in forcing a small person to lie still if theyre not sleepy. Why force boredom on them?

You must not have had children in a preschool or kindergarten yet?

Do you have a room that they can go in to and lay alone on mats or a bed and just quietly chat with one another or possibly doze off if it's really quiet and they get bored? It doesn't matter if they need sleep as much as the next person, they need "down time" as all kids need down time.

According to their age, but if they are under 6 years old then in school or daycare they would be forced to have nap/quiet time so it's not a BAD thing to have a rule that they have to participate in the way you (the adult) tells them to.

Sadly enough, in life we ALL live by rules.

 

[Sydnee]

Thanks for all the replies, mamas!!!

They are 5,4 & 4. During quiet time is also my time to get things done that need to be done, cleaning up after lunch, etc. We read books before naptime, and they also will "read" books during freeplay time. We already have craft time in the morning, so I know I don't want to get out all the craft stuff again during quiet time.

I have done quiet time, where they have to lie down, but seriously, they are far from quiet! I really don't know how preschools do it. I do have 3 kids sleeping in the girls' room, and that's not a prob to get them down. But I think because it is not an everyday thing to have them lay down for awhile, that's why I have a hard time keeping them quiet.

 

[Meli65]

My ds (4) is not very crafty, but he really likes sticker books.

 

[Jessy1019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by majikfaerie I dont really agree with forcing kids to nap who dont want to. Not everyone needs the same amount of sleep, and theres no point in forcing a small person to lie still if theyre not sleepy. Why force boredom on them? I do think its a good idea to encourage respect of the other kids' right to have quiet time and nap tho, and if you want an alternative to Tv, why not just read to them? Anyone who really doesnt want to listen to the story can colour or play with play-do or quiet toys.

I agree with all of this. My dd stopped napping around 2.5 -- she didn't need the rest and was horridly grumpy when she woke up from a nap, so we cut them out altogether and had much happier evenings (and she was earlier to bed, too). Forcing a child to nap seems like a rotten idea.

I think having story time would be a good idea if you're able to sit with them for it. If you use nap time as your chance to regroup and relax a bit, coloring or simple crafts that they can do by themselves seems like the best way to go.

 

[Thalia the Muse]

Sydnee, my five-year-old would probably go for something like bead-stringing or Lite Brite or other non-messy craft activity.

If these kids are older than the nappers, maybe you could use that time for "big kid" activities that the little ones couldn't do? Like, I don't know, making puppets on Monday, and then doing puppet shows on the following days of the week? Or get out some plastic toy horses and let them have a toy horse show/rodeo? Or a scavenger hunt for pirate treasure?

I like the idea upthread about playing classical music during that time -- and it might help drown out any incidental kid noise.

I don't think it's realistic to expect that you'll have that time to get things done so much, because you still have three kids to supervise. But if what you're doing is cleaning up from lunch, etc., you can draft them as helpers and give them each their own job to do. My daughter would LOVE this.

 

[Sydnee]

GREAT ideas, mamas, thanks! I haven't bought the Lite Brite yet, but what a great thing to get! I remember how much fun it it.

And I always play Classical music during story time, but that's a great idea to do it for quiet time too!!