Nap time, also know as one of my favorite times of the day, is a staple at our house. It is a time for me to catch up on my TV shows, eat lunch in peace and fold copious amounts of laundry. Many of my friends have asked how I get my two-year-old and my four-year-old to consistently nap two to three hours a day. Recently, a friend asked me to explain our nap time routine step-by-step and I thought it would make an excellent blog post for all those moms struggling to establish or keep a nap time for their little ones.
Here is our routine for nap time:
- The girls eat a good lunch.
- During lunch, I close all the blinds and curtains in the house so it is dark.
- While the girls are eating, we discuss all the fun things we are doing after taking good naps.
- I clean the kitchen and living room, so we aren’t leaving things a mess before sleeping.
- I turn off all the lights on the main level, as I think this prepares them for sleeping time.
- My potty trained daughter goes to the bathroom and the little one gets a fresh diaper.
- My little one gets her sleep sack on, a pile of books in her crib and I turn her fan on.
- I read my oldest 2-3 books, turn her light off and lay next to her for about five minutes.
- When I leave my older daughter’s room, I make sure to emphasize that her one hour of TV is contingent on taking a good nap.
- Finally, I go rock my younger daughter if she has not fallen asleep on her own (she often time does fall asleep on her own).
This is the routine we do everyday for nap time, so they know what to expect. After this, they both typically sleep between two to three hours every afternoon. One of the best tips I have for nap time is to pick quiet things to do while the kids sleep. I have noticed that they sleep less when I do loud chores. Sometimes my older daughter wakes up earlier than my other daughter. When this happens, I often let her have quiet time in her room where she can play with puzzles, read books, or play other quiet games. This allows me to get my to-do list finished before the girls come downstairs.
Nap time is a great break in my day that allows my kiddos to get rest and me to have some alone time. I’m hoping to continue good nap times until my oldest goes to preschool next year. Your nap time routine does not have to look just like this, but I think establishing a consistent routine does help make naps successful. I hope this helps if you have been looking for ways to improve nap times.
