Children Sleep Time / Rest Time in Childcare

[Lorina]

Hey Everyone!

Some great tips on here...here's a hint that may be helpful...

I know how hard it can be to manage kids while transitioning from lunch to beds for rest time...(sometimes a nightmare)..Well what I have done, which seems to be working rather well is, after setting up the beds on the floor and putting each of the child's sheets on top of their bed (you shouldn't be making the children's beds, instead help child make bed), place a clipboard with a colouring stencil and a few coloured pencils on top of each child's bed.

When children are waiting for a staff member to help make their beds, they can patiently sit and colour and wait on top of their beds. Once they have completed making their beds and it is time for the children to all go to sleep, you can just go around and take the clipboards from the children.

This way the children are less likely to muck around and are being engaged in an activity. Instead of using clipboards and stencils you could ask the children to choose a book from the bookshelf that they would like to take and read on their beds. You can collect the books from the children when it's time for sleeping.

I hope this may be useful to you...

Let me know any suggestions or feedback you may have...

Thanks

[LindyT]

Great idea LA

I have quiet time boxes.
Each box is a different size/colour
In each box are things the children can 'do' without an adults help
e.g.
*some Brio train track an engine and some train and a few cars
* pencils and a variety of paper and some craft stickers
*a magnetic book with shapes/facial features etc for the child to read thru and quietly interact with
*one box is painted black inside and there is chalk in the box for the child to draw with and a cloth to wipe clean plus some animals or whatever is themed for the week/month
*finger puppets

My guys love to settle down with the quiet time boxes if they don't sleep.
They look after the boxes well and I have never had a box or its contents destroyed or misused.

[sandi28]

I was lucky enough to attend a workshop given by Caroline Fewster recently. During the workshop she gave us ideas similar to ones you both have mentioned, however the BEST idea she gave me was for young children who do need a daily nap. Instead of putting beds in a straight line, assemble childrens cots/beds in a circle so their heads are in the middle of the circle. This way the Carer can sit in the middle and be accessable to every child and give them a sense of security. I love Caroline Fewster!

[catchmeifucan]

Hi Sandi,

Great idea and I know how much easier it will be to settle the children in this way... However, aren't the children supposed to be sleeping top to toe to prevent the spread of germs etc??

[sue073]

is that right about the germs i always thought it was to stop kindy aged children from not talking.. wow i never really thought about the spread of germs
i love the idea about the circle. this is a good idea cause then both GL and assistant don't really need to be patting the chn to sleep. they could start the cleaning job and they could do this with taking turns each day.. Im a big believer that both assist and Gl share the cleaning jobs so they are done quicker and we both have more time to sit and do the paperwork and art work together.

[catchmeifucan]

LOL… I had a look at the sleep/rest time policy and the top to toe arrangement is in there. It refers to the Childcare Act & Regulation but I couldn’t find anything in there… Yeah, the circle arrangement is a good way to utilize staff…

[tiny_tots]

Hi guys,

Ive been working in childcare for 9 years now and I've always been aware of the head to toe rule to stop the spread of germs. Another thing to consider when placing your beds is that there should be a good 70cm between beds. You should be able to comfortably walk around each child's bed - also gives them some personal space!!

[grandma]

Just came across these posts and I often wonder about where some of the so called rules came from.Re head to toe: If we are to keep the kids that far apart to stop germs(children are suppposed to be well in care) then do we keep them apart at play time,lunch time and when they are working at tables. Rest time with the circle is a great way to settle kids quickly and quietly and there is no more likelihood of them catching anything in this situation then if they were playing. I used to work in a centre where the kids made their beds after lunch,went to the toilet etc and then had a group story before rest time, then onto beds with a book they had chosen and left on the beds prior to the story. this worked really well in this situation with 20 (3 to 5yr olds).A good choice of rest music makes a difference to the settling period as well.

[LindyT]

Totally agree with you Grandma.

[tiny_tots]

Just came across these posts and I often wonder about where some of the so called rules came from.Re head to toe: If we are to keep the kids that far apart to stop germs(children are suppposed to be well in care) then do we keep them apart at play time,lunch time and when they are working at tables. Rest time with the circle is a great way to settle kids quickly and quietly and there is no more likelihood of them catching anything in this situation then if they were playing. I used to work in a centre where the kids made their beds after lunch,went to the toilet etc and then had a group story before rest time, then onto beds with a book they had chosen and left on the beds prior to the story. this worked really well in this situation with 20 (3 to 5yr olds).A good choice of rest music makes a difference to the settling period as well.

Trust me, I definately would love to query some of the rules and regs that we do have and it makes it even harder now that there are no official regs you have guidelines but you pretty much do what you think is best. Perhaos all these little 'rules' were made up by a bunch of twits in suits sitting around a table sipping coffee for a living....who knows.....

[fchaudari76]

Perhaos all these little 'rules' were made up by a bunch of twits in suits sitting around a table sipping coffee for a living....who knows.....

Probably! sometimes I think laws and regs are made up by people who have never even worked in the industry and have not got a clue

[rooneyzeus]

Hi! I am working in pre nursery school from last 3 years and I have experience of how to plan a schedule of a child depending on his nature and health. I think children sleep time and rest times are important. Because child use to play games and then they do study for some hour there body now needs rest for some hours. We need to take care of our child activity from playing to sleep because as a child every activity is important and we have to make a balance between all of them.

[Suegclarke]

It also depends on space.Not all rooms are equipped to house so many beds that far apart. And germs, well what can you say they will always be there regardless.

But what do I know I only work on the frontline.......

[Lorina]

I agree, space plays an important part when it comes to arranging eds during rest time! Especially if you haven't got much room at the beginning... In the regs it states that beds have to be a certain distance apart from one another (can't think of how much at the top of my head) but sometimes it's impossible to do!

For children who don't Sleep at rest time some things you could give them, depending on age!

- pipe cleaners

- puzzles

- I spy books

- felt stories

- stencil tracing

- matching objects

It's a good idea to have quiet time activities seperate from the other activities. You could add them into a box, one for each day or a quiet time bag...

,
L.A

[LindyT]

I was under the impression that for beds it is end to end and side to side space of at least 70 cm between beds.

[hussy]

Childhood of any person is reallay habitbulding perid of life. So it is very important to give all the children a proper set of habits through some intersting activites. Give them good oppertunites all the time so that they can learn through personal experinces. Always let them to do the activities in wich they are inersted.

[Angel mist]

Hi All
Loving all these valuable tips for Rest Time.
Beds in a circle is brilliant and I shall be implementing this in my room on Monday, hopefully it will be accepted by the other workers in my room, organising how to fit it in is our next challenge, lol.
We now have a group story time for the transition after lunch and in between the toileting for each child.
But definitely putting Books onto each child's bed at the beginning of rest time.

Thinking of smaller groups to take turns if making their own beds too, rather than the process of all at the same time.
Have to mention that this site is superb with so many qualified and informative, knowledgeable people here with wonderful ideas and helpful advice.
Thank you all very much.
Kind regard.

[Lorina]

Beds in a circle is brilliant and I shall be implementing this in my room on Monday, hopefully it will be accepted by the other workers in my room, organising how to fit it in is our next challenge, lol.

If you can't arrange the beds into one big circle, if you have enough space make mini circles with the beds so each staff member in the room has a circle of bed to supervise.

But definitely putting Books onto each child's bed at the beginning of rest time.

The only problem that I have had with putting books on beds is that when the children finish reading it they want another book to read or begin swapping it with friends. So, a tip would be tell the children clearly that they are only allowed one book. When they have finished they can put it under their beds and then rest... Another idea is to have a CD story. Put it on at the beginning of rest time, all children lay on the beds listening to the story while staff pat children to sleep etc.

We now have a group story time for the transition after lunch and in between the toileting for each child.

Are beds made before or after lunch? You can split the group up into small groups depending on how many staff in your room. During the group story time 1 group reads story, while others make their beds then vice a versa. Just an idea I wanted to share...

Have to mention that this site is superb with so many qualified and informative, knowledgeable people here with wonderful ideas and helpful advice.

I'm very happy to hear that you find this site useful. We are glad to have you join us with your forum participation! Thanks for your support!

,
L.A

[Angel mist]

Dear LA,
Thank you for those wonderful suggestions, ideas.
Your wealth of information and knowledge is such a tremendous help for me and all of us all here.
Wow what inspiring advice.
I'm pleased that I am able to contribute to the Forum, being relatively new I will learn as I go along.
Thank you very much ..

[Lorina]

For older children how about doing some yoga/stretches before rest time to some calming music (only for like 10 minutes) then they get on their beds for a rest...

,
L.A