We all know how important it is for us to get a goodnight’s sleep. Without it, many of us are irritable and unable to function throughout the day. This same principle applies to our preschoolers as well! Did you know that preschool-age children require between 10-13 hours of sleep per day? We understand how important nap time is for growing children at Heritage Learning Center, so we want to share with you the reasons why it is important for not only their growth but their learning abilities as well.
Naptime is Important for Physical Growth
Children are constantly growing both physically and mentally. Because of this, they require much more sleep than adults do. It is difficult to get children 13 hours of sleep every night, which is why naptime is so important. Since children are CONSTANTLY growing, they need more sleep. Most of that growth even takes place while children are asleep.
Naptime is Important for Mental Growth & Retention
Children who get consistent during the day are much more likely to remember what they were taught that day at school. Research has shown that children demonstrate higher levels of learning and retention if that nap right before the lesson is taught. Napping can also be looked at as a learning opportunity. It can teach children relaxation techniques and can help them develop self-control.
Napping also impacts the behavior of children. All of that growth makes children tired, and cranky if they are not able to get enough sleep. Research done by the University of Colorado actually backs this statement up. Their research shows that children who did not take a 90-minute nap prior to attempting a difficult puzzle experienced a 31% increase in negative emotions. Whereas, children who took a nap and then completed a puzzle 34% increase in positive emotions. This is further evidence that tired children are not able to cope with negative emotions as well. We also understand sending extra tired children home to parents is not typically a way that parents want to start their evening.
Naptime Helps Form Habits
By napping at school, children develop healthier sleeping habits. One common misconception is that napping keeps children from sleeping through the night. While this might be true for some adults, it actually makes it more difficult to get young children to bed at night. By letting children become overtired, they can actually become irritable, hyper, or even more stressed before bedtime. Obviously, this only applies to daytime naps. If a child takes a nap at 5 PM, getting them to bed 3 hours later will be difficult. The ideal time for napping is around mid-day. However, the key is definitely to keep the time consistent, in order for the child to develop some sort of habit.
Naptime, like all other aspects of early childhood education, is an important part of a child’s development in preschool. At Heritage Learning Center we always make sure that every child has everything they need to develop and be prepared for elementary school. We have been offering our award-winning McKinney, TX child care services since 1987. For more information on our programs and what makes them different, please visit us, or contact us TODAY.