Kids seem to go crazy last 1hr and a half of day - any ideas?

[sunnydays]

I also take the kids outside for the last hour of the day after snacktime unless the temperature is extreme. If it is hot, we do some water play to cool off and I am lucky as I do have some shade at that time of the day. A sprinkler works great for hot days and they can burn off all the energy! I also agree that rest is important. My own 4 year old son rests at naptime in his room...sometimes he sleeps and sometimes not, but it is dark and the expectation is that he will sleep (I just turn a blind eye if he is quietly looking at books instead as that means he isn't that tired). TV is very stimulating and can cause some behaviour problems and ADHD type behaviour in children, so I would cut out the TV at quiet time and stick to quiet rest...books are fine if he can't sleep. I have one little girl who is 2 and has a hard time falling asleep sometimes, so I give her some books and she is allowed to look at them quietly until she is ready to sleep....it works well. Books are sleep inducing while TV is sleep inhibiting Good luck!

[Inspired by Reggio]

Yup ~ everyone here has a REST as well regardless of your age myself included .... IMO if they are not able to make it to the end of the day with 'dignity' than they still NEED a rest and or sleep so that their little brains have some down time and they can recoup their resiliency skills for the afternoon to cope with any little 'upsets' over toys without melting down and having a tearful fit ~ that is a sign of a OVERTIRED mind!

I also plan my routine to be outside at the end of the day for pick up ~ IME just easier for them to leave the program from outside and less 'drama' and so forth. However when the weather does not cooperate and we have to be inside for pick up we are at the kitchen table engaged with quiet activities ~ I either save 'circle time' for that time of the day if I know the weather is sucking or if we've done circle time than I set out the play doh or other sensory or art to explore. If you do not want to do that you get 'quiet' options of books on the carpet area ... end of the day is definitely 'wind down' time and preferably things that are easy to 'leave' when their parent arrives!

[godsgirl]

Just an AMAZING update!!!!!

Today I tried your guys' suggestions and I am the happiest lady in the whole wide world!!
Right now I am taking a few moments for myself as ALL 3 kids are sleeping and my 5 year old is quietly playing on the deck!! The 2 & 4 year old went to sleep at 1:15, and my 15 month old went to bed at 1:40 (Still working on moving his naps back as you guys recommended on a different post - so far so good. Has moved from a 10:30 nap to a 10:00 nap and a 2:30 nap to a 1:30 nap which I'm quite surprised how easy it was to do) so he sleeps at the same time as everyone else. I just got the 4 year old to lay down on the couch with a blanket and moved the 5 year old, my son, and myself to the kitchen/dining room and after a bit of tears he passed right out.

I am actually quite excited to see how his demeanor is at 4.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!

[crafty]

Good for your Godsgirl ! Keep us posted !!

My kids are all still sleeping as I write. It's the only break we get so enjoy it and the kids will too, I am sure of it !!

[Inspired by Reggio]

Yup ~ I love me my quiet time .... everyone has it here!

I will be honest even when my stepson was 'young' enough to be here during summer hours he too had to go lay down in his room for quiet time OR arrange not to be here at that time of day by going to a friends house. He did this until he was 12 and old enough to start babysitting his half brother at his other house for summers.

IMO it was not fair to the other daycare children to hear someone else up and doing things during that time frame and it was just easier for him to 'be in his room quiet' until they were asleep and then he got up and would play on the computer in the office quietly ... honestly at the start of nap time hear EVERYONE is resting including myself ~ this is when I read my book or catch up on here or what not so no one is 'moving around' for them to hear and they know they are not 'missing' anything that others are doing and go right off to sleep once they are asleep than I can move around and do the dishes up and so forth and get snack ready and so forth.

I bet your afternoon with well rested crew including yourself will be AWESOME!

[Momof4]

Oh, that's wonderful news godsgirl! Keep it going every day and the children will adjust and know that is the way every day runs and hopefully won't give you any trouble.

[skippy]

that's when I start making a game of clean up. I dis-assemble the play mats and make them into islands, then I swiffer vac around them and pretend I'm the shark. They had better jump to the next islands as i take each one away to clean that spot. Eventually there are no islands and they are on the couch so I can vinegar spray and mop and dry. I say things like "now you are walking through the jungle" and motion swimming arms and they do the swimming arms, "look out!" etc. They are excited, happy, squealing when the parents come and the house is clean so I can get on with my night and not have a mess to deal with when my day should be done.