Individualizing Nap Schedules Creating a space for sleepy children can allow them to relax or nap when their body tells them they are tired. It can take some creativity to figure out how to let a young child nap or rest when they are tired. What do you do if a child won’t nap when others are? How does one child rest quietly in a busy classroom? Two-and-a-half-year-old Henry is new to your classroom. His mother has shared with you that he does not nap during the day with her. When nap time comes around you can tell that Henry does not seem very tired. What can you do for Henry, or other children like him, while the rest of the class sleeps?
Do you have a “cozy corner” that could also be a one child nap area?
Are there soft places to sit and relax with a book or stuffed animal?
Are books or other quiet activities provided if a child isn’t able to rest or settle when other children are?
Are children provided techniques and strategies for calming their bodies e.g. deep breathing, tensing and relaxing their bodies, feeling their heartbeat, etc?