No more naps......quiet time activity ideas please!!

From experience with my own daughter in daycare.... she has gone through phases where she will not sleep... at 27 months, she is hit or miss, more like every other day... however, keep in mind that babies and toddlers go through sleep regressions.
Sleep Regressions occur at 4, 8-10, 18 and 24 months.
Sleep regressions can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks to pass... The key to getting through a sleep regression is consistency... follow the same routine every day, at home and at daycare... always put them down and keep then in routine, when the regression passes the child will still be on schedule... If you change the routine because they are not sleeping, when the regression passes, the child will be off schedule...

Inthe case of the original poster though, I think the surce of the problem is the routine/consitecy at home...

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Originally Posted by Blackcat3168

I am going to be an odd man out here....I don't think ALL 2 year olds need naps. My own child stopped napping at 18 months. NOTHING I did could get him to nap.

However, with that said, whether the child needs a nap or not ALL the kids I have enrolled are required to participate in a 90 minute REST period. During that period, I play audio books (volume down low so they have to lay still to hear it) and ALL kids MUST lay down. I don't offer toys or books or movies.

I also make it very clear upon enrollment that if the child refuses or has trouble adjusting to the rest period requirement, then I may not be the right program for them.

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I totally agree with this. My 21/2 year old daughter has been having a really hard time with naps for the last six months. So I've had to choose between giving her a nap and her not falling asleep until 9 pm, or letting her stay up and not getting a break...most of the time I choose the nap.:)

Woodsy, excellent advice! I agree with you, in this child's situation it's the inconsistency at home.

I have asked all my parents to be here before 930 so we can start our day. Today she wasn't here and I texted asking when they would be. I got no answer. We continued on with our day and at 1045 the mom finally got back to me and said that her phone hasn't been going off (she uses it as an alarm) so I am assuming they have been sleeping in the past few days. She said she would be here by lunch. She knows we eat at 1145. She got here at 1215 as we were getting ready for nap and I told her that I would like her daughter be here at 930 whether she has slept the night before or not so that she can play all morning and be tired for nap time and then hopefully go to bed better for her. Mom has said she has been keeping her home to sleep because she didn't sleep at night and didn't want to bring her here cranky.

I put her daughter in her playpen for nap even though she likely wasn't tired. She cried for half an hour to 45 minutes and is now sleeping. I will just keep her to our routine here and hopefully mom gets her back on track at home.

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Originally Posted by 5 Little Monkeys

Woodsy, excellent advice! I agree with you, in this child's situation it's the inconsistency at home.

I have asked all my parents to be here before 930 so we can start our day. Today she wasn't here and I texted asking when they would be. I got no answer. We continued on with our day and at 1045 the mom finally got back to me and said that her phone hasn't been going off (she uses it as an alarm) so I am assuming they have been sleeping in the past few days. She said she would be here by lunch. She knows we eat at 1145. She got here at 1215 as we were getting ready for nap and I told her that I would like her daughter be here at 930 whether she has slept the night before or not so that she can play all morning and be tired for nap time and then hopefully go to bed better for her. Mom has said she has been keeping her home to sleep because she didn't sleep at night and didn't want to bring her here cranky.

I put her daughter in her playpen for nap even though she likely wasn't tired. She cried for half an hour to 45 minutes and is now sleeping. I will just keep her to our routine here and hopefully mom gets her back on track at home.

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Mom is making things worse by letting dcg sleep in. She should the up at a regular time so she can get back on schedule. My kids take forever to fall asleep at night too when they sleep in.

I agree. However I think mom is sleeping in too. She constantly tells me how she hates mornings. Mom doesn't work to my knowledge and goes to school sometimes but usually does the work from home. I don't think they really have a set routine. It's quite frustrating because it disrupts the other children as well when they just show up whenever. Her pick up are also not consistent and I never know how long she is here for.

I don't allow drop offs or pick up between 12-3. I also have in my policy book that if a child is going to be late for a meal please serve it at home. So if your lunch time is 11:45 and she arrived at 12:15 lunch would not be available. I would post a note on the door stating that "effective immediately all children must arrive by 9:30 am in order to receive care for the day. Any one arriving after 9:30 will not be admitted into care that day however full fees will still be required. This is to ensure all children remain on schedule and receive full benefit from the program. Thank you in advance for your cooperation"

That's a good idea Crayola. However, I have one child who goes home every other day at 1pm and on Tues/Thurs a girl gets picked up at 1230 for preschool. I want them to go home LOL. They are a set schedule though and I always know when they are getting picked up early. It is just this one mom who is driving me crazy with her inconsistent drop off and pick ups. I spoke to her today about how it's disrupting our day so she needs to be here by 930. I guess we will see what time she gets here tomorrow. I didn't give her child lunch today and I'm not sure if mom fed her at home as she didn't say. I don't like to do that though as it is the child who suffers and it's not the childs fault that mom can't get her crap together.

If she continues to do these late drop offs I may steal your idea and send home that memo as well as attach it to my door and lock my door at 930 every morning!!! hahaha.