Transition to Mats

[mimi]

I have a couple of 2.5 year olds who will turn 3 in the spring. Currently they each have their own playard to sleep in and each sleeps in a separate room.
I am worried that playards are probably not going to be practical once they turn 3 in a few months. I don't want to be heaving a 3 year old in and out of a playard. I also don't want to lose the 1.5-2 hours nap/quiet time to recharge my batteries, clean up from lunch and then prepare afternoon snack.

I am looking at getting some of the fold up rest mats from Wintergreen's website but I am worried how to transition these kids.

I have no sleep issues with child #1 but child #2 has major issues already as it is. Child#2 needs the room super dark, a sound machine to sleep, a special toy and half the time will just lay in the play yard talking to himself and the toy and not sleeping at all. I am worried that during nap on a mat child #2 will just start to play and climb things in the room. (It is my son's bedroom that I use for child #2s nap place so there is a dresser, some toys, etc in there too)
The parents have told me that they have Child #2 sleep on a mattress on the floor since he climbs out of his crib and knocks over the playpen at home. They said that most of the time child #2 plays during nap time and will not stay on the mattress until he poops himself out with playing. I am scared that happens here.

I do not want child #2 open dresser drawers in case they fall on his feet or playing and getting noisier and disturbing kids in the other rooms who are napping etc.
we have a 4 bedroom house but none of the 4 bedrooms is just an empty room without dressers or beds that child #2 might try to climb and fall from.

This morning I was thinking of getting one of those gated circles which is like a baby gate playpen and putting Child #2 in there to sleep on a rest mat but then i feel like I am caging him...lol

Leave child #2 in the playpen. It is the safest solution. My 3 year olds still sleep in theirs and they wouldn't have it any other way. They feel safe and secure. I put down thick comfortors on the bottom so it is very comfy for them

[jec]

I'm a little late replying but thought I would add my 2 cents
I also have all the kids sleeping in the playroom ~ with the exception of one right now who just joined me and that one is 12 months in a fold and play and still getting used to nap time.
I thought it would be hard getting the kids to transition to a asleep mat but it has just taken me a week to get them into the routine. They are already used to nap time and know the schedule. When they get up and roll over instead they sit up to look at the toys, I tell them it's nap time and lay them back down. I have been lucky that I don't have to give any of them a mean look but I don't transition them around the age of 2- or if they are good sleepers and I've had a few, I transition them sooner and I haven't had a problem.

[Inspired by Reggio]

Yup - I have never had an issue transitioning children to the cots ... most children see this as a right of passage and want to be seen as 'big enough' to get to do it like the other kids in care. If I have a child transitioning and they do not stay on the cot willingly and are disruptive to the others as a result the consequence is going BACK into the infant crib so they can be safe until they are 'big enough to try again and so that the others sleep can be respected as well which has always seemed motivation enough for anyone in my care.

I generally start to transition to a cot at 18-20 months because I only have the 2 pack and play cribs so when a child gets to be 18 months it means in about 4-6 months time another 'babe' could be joining the program and I want lots of time to work with the transition to a cot before the new baby needs it.

[apples and bananas]

Great time to add to this! Thanks everyone. I have a soon to be 2 year old that is no where near the maturity level to understand that he needs to stay on a mat during nap time, but he will soon have to. I'm trying to reconfigure my house so I can start napping the big kids in the play room and I can still chill out in froont of the tv without disturbing them. I have to have something in place by September as I have a 3 year old starting and I want to get the 2 year old conditioned for the sleep mat before the new one comes.

I'm heading to the states this summer on vacation and plan to look at cots. I have 2 mats that the kids us for sleep overs and movie nights, but I think laying on a cot might give them the same feeling as a bed or crib (being off the ground) and might encourage them to stay in it!