What time is lunch & nap?

[Spixie33]

Hi everyone
I usually have always been doing lunch at 11:35 and nap starting around 12:20...but I am starting to wonder if I do lunch too early.
I always thought I was doing the norm plus it works really well to have snack around 9:30 and then lunch two hours later and then a 2 hour nap and then snack in the afternoon
I am considering moving it around a bit but it made me wonder what others are doing
What time is your lunch and what time do you start nap??

[Daycare123]

At my dayhome we do breakfast at 8:45am- Lunch at 11:15 and Nap begins around 12pm

[Sandbox Sally]

I serve lunch between 12 and 12:15, then we do nap at around 12:30-12:45. It depends on what we're doing and if it's a good or bad day. I've been known to put them down at 12 if it's been a rough morning, and at 1pm if we are having a fun one!

[KingstonMom]

I try to have lunch at 11:30 but lately it hasnt been getting served until closer to 12 and naps are usually around 12:30-1pm They will sleep until 2:30-3pm.
I think you are right around the norm!

[playfelt]

Factors such as the age of the kids and the arrival time mean sometimes you need to change it up. All of mine are here by 8 starting at 6:30 so morning snack is 8:30-9:00. We used to do lunch from 12-1 and nap 1-3. I also had morning nappers who did 9-10:30 and then 1:30-3:00. (From 1-1:30 was baby circle where I could do things just for the little ones without the big kids horning in.)

Starting in Jan I took away the morning nap and also had another family ask for their child to be able to sleep longer so now snack is the same but scaled back to a simple breakfast top me up and lunch is 11-12. The two youngest go down at 12 and sleep till 3. The older ones now go outside 3 days a week (my daughter comes over after work and goes out with them) and the other two days of the week we will be working on prekindergarten skills like cutting, gluing , letter recognition - things the little ones aren't ready for anyways. They then go down for naps at 1:30 and sleep till 3:00. Snack is 3:30 which allows some to sleep more if they need and by the time they potty/diapers/shoes on it takes us the half hour. Pickups start at 4:00 - there is one advantage to early drop off and that is earlier pick up.

I have found unless snack is only a drink and cracker that a 3 hour gap meant they ate the best - hungry but not overlly starving so try to work towards that when I can.

[Play and Learn]

Morning snack is 9-9:30 ish, lunch is around noon, then nap is 1-3ish. I have some kids that are 3 hour nappers. Most of the parents pick up by 4, so don't usually have to serve afternoon snack!

[Lou]

I open at 7:30am, so morning snack is at 9am
11:30-lunch
12pm-circle/calendar/story
12:30- Nap time
Afternoon snack- 3:15

[dodge__driver11]

Hi there;

Am Snack is @ 9:30
Lunch is at 11:30
Story/Nap 12:30
PM Snack 3:30

[Momof4]

I open at 7:30 and serve a full breakfast at 8am, then we have super busy mornings. I try to get us organized for lunch by 11-11:30 then circle time after and nap by 12:30ish. My little ones sleep until 2:30-3 and we have snacktime then freeplay until pickup times. I'm lucky that all my clients pick up their children by 4:30.

I agree that it depends on the ages of the children in care and I have made changes over the past years and moved circle time around. When we are outside extra time in the summer sometimes I even do the songs, puppets, stories, etc. while the children eat their lunch and then settle them into bed after lunch. Do whatever works best for your group and your sanity so you get an afternoon break. It's important.

[mlc1982]

Playfelt - do you ever get a break if you're doing pre-k with some of the kids??

I've tried a few things but this is what works best for my group:

breakfast at 8:30 (for kids who arrive before that time)
lunch around 11:30
nap/quiet time 12:30 - 3ish
afternoon snack 3:30
kids picked up between 4 & 5