Naps play an important role in a child’s physical and emotional development. Children who don’t nap well are often more irritable and fussy (and that’s putting it politely). They are prone to difficulty concentrating, poor attention spans, and tantrums.

There is evidence that “sleep begets sleep” in some young children. That is, the better rested they are, the more easily sleep comes. However, that is easier said than done. 

Each day your child goes to daycare, a lot is going on each day.  Your child is asked to listen, participate in brand-new activities, deal with peers, and be active in a variety of ways indoors and outdoors. Whew! That’s a lot for a little person, not to mention the stress of being away from home, possibly for the first time.  Though all of these things in your preschooler’s day are positive learning opportunities, to handle the new challenges they are faced with each day, enough sleep is essential.

Naptimes start around 9:00 am and between 12:30 - 1:00 pm

If you can get your child onto these times for their naps then this will help them in their transition to daycare.

For safety purposes, I prefer to use a sleep sack over the child's clothing for nap/quiet time. This helps to ensure your child is warm and comfortable.  I do not have time to change children into pyjamas, so they will be napping in the clothing they wore that day to care.

To ensure the safety of your child, large blankets, pillows, and any other bulky items are not used during nap or quiet time.  Please send your child's soother and/or special stuffy or small snuggle blanket to help comfort your child during nap time.

Transitioning into a new environment requires that some of their calming comforts remain consistent.  If you are planning on taking away your child's soother/special stuffy/blanket right before they start daycare, you should not do so.  Your child may experience extra stress when these items are removed and may not experience an easy adjustment period to daycare.   As soon as you are ready to wean your child off their soother after they have transitioned, I will be glad to help you. 

Getting a proper amount of sleep is especially important for preschoolers because they are learning proper behaviour with other children, and participating in new activities, and each day is filled with new challenges.  

There's no one rule about how much daytime sleep kids need. It depends on their age, the child, and the sleep total during a 24-hour period. For example, one toddler may sleep 13 hours at night with only some daytime catnapping, while another gets 10 hours at night but takes a solid 2-hour nap each afternoon.

While every child is different, experts recommend:

• infants (0–3 months): 14–17 hours, including naps
• infants (4–12 months: 12–16 hours, including naps
• toddlers (1–2 years): 11–14 hours, including naps
• preschool (3–5 years): 10–13 hours, including naps
• school-age (6–13 years): 9–12 hours
• teens (14–17 years): 8–10 hours

Toddlers:

Between the ages of 1 and 2, most kids need about 11–14 hours of sleep a day, including one or two daytime naps.

At around 18 months, or sometimes sooner, most toddlers condense their two naps into one afternoon nap. A toddler who fights the morning nap is probably ready for just an afternoon nap.

Preschoolers:

Preschoolers need about 10 to 13 hours of sleep each day, including naps. Set regular bedtimes, wake-up times, and nap times for your child. If your child no longer takes naps, schedule some quiet time during the day.  

Kids may need to nap if they are:

• not getting enough sleep at night
• rubbing their eyes or looking tired
• cranky, whiny, or moody
• hyperactive

Active Preschoolers need some time during the day to slow down. Even if your child doesn’t take a nap, setting aside some quiet time for relaxing is important.

• Go Dark: Aim for at least a 9/10 in terms of darkness.
• Be Quiet: Use low-level white noise (a constant and even sound) if needed. Ensure white noise is away from a child’s crib or bed and is not too loud.
• Stay Cool: Don’t overdress your child for sleep. Bedroom temperature should be on the “cool side of comfortable”.

• Make sleep a family priority: It is not just children who need sleep; adults generally need seven to nine hours of sleep a night to feel their best.
• Establish healthy sleep habits: This includes having a calming bedtime routine that is done in low-level lighting and a regular bedtime that is not too late.
• Create a ‘no screens before bed’ policy: Research shows that screen use in the 30–60 minute period before bed often delays bedtime and results in insufficient sleep and daytime drowsiness. Lights from screens interfere with the secretion of the sleep hormone melatonin. In response to light, the brain gets a message not to produce proper amounts of melatonin.

Dr. Nicky Cohen is a Registered Psychologist in private practice in Toronto.