How long should preschoolers nap

Cots should be stored in an accessible location with personal bedding separated to maintain sanitary conditions. References Berk, L. Infants and children, prenatal through middle childhood third edition. Illinois State University: Allyn and Bacon. Harms, T. By behavior! Most children, according to Parents. If, though, your child still falls asleep easily, at naptime and at night, he or she probably still needs a daytime nap. If your child gets fussy around naptime or shows tiredness through body language, those are additional signs naps still have value.

Or, your child might go into hyperdrive right around naptime, which indicates overtiredness. Still not sure if your preschooler still needs a nap? Replace the idea of napping with afternoon quiet time and let your child transition according to his or her unique needs. Privacy Policy. Explore our centers our programs Submenu1 find a location Rates about us Submenu1 More pay bill online careers read the blog Enrollment Packet Online Store.

More Info Call Infant Care 6 weeks - 18 months. Toddler Care Months. With the two and a half or three year old, you still need to be vigilant about daily naps. He can skip an occasional one, but put him to bed earlier that night.

You may have to nap coach. The Shuffle works for naps in this age group, or you can just put him in his room and check on him every ten to fifteen minutes. Every day, promise that you will come get him as soon as his nap is over.

Make him stay in his room for an hour, every day. He may protest, and you may have to put a gate on his door. Some parents sit outside the gate at naptime with a book; it helps the child stay calm and get to sleep. Got a 4-year-old and have a nap question?

My older daughter, napped daily until age five, and slept every other day after school for the first few months of kindergarten. My second daughter, in what was probably a more typical pattern, stopped napping at home when she was about three and a half but still napped at preschool. If your child is getting about eleven hours of unfragmented sleep at night and seems well rested during the day, it may be time to go from naps to quiet time.

Children who were good nappers but who now take a very long time to fall asleep in the afternoon may also be ready to phase out the nap and start quiet time.

Quiet time is exactly what it sounds like, about forty-five minutes of structured, solitary play, preferably at about the same time every afternoon. It helps pave the way for a peaceful dinner hour and easy bedtime. Good quiet time activities include looking at books, coloring, or playing in their room.