Tricks for Getting a Child to Nap Every Day

Children are adorable, and to parents, they are the most beautiful creatures in the world. So, when it comes to caring for our children, there is nothing we want more. That includes understanding how to get your kid to nap when it is nap time.

Ensuring our children (especially during their earliest years) get enough sleep and rest is vital to their health and development. And if we are being completely honest, it can also be a welcome break for mom and dad, too.

Tips on how to get your kids to nap at the same time every day and with less fuss are good for everyone. Here is a look at a few of these tricks for helping your little ones get to sleep at nap time.

How to Get Your Kid to Nap 

It is good for them, it is good for you, and with a little time and patience, your child will be napping like clockwork. There are three primary steps to help your kid nap easier, better, and with less fuss.

Keep the Same Nap Time

From day one (and even before), the brain is like a computer that records, and as a result, we become creatures of habit. It is that familiarity that breeds comfort, and how our brain often associates places or times with events or activities. 

The same is true for nap time when it comes to our kids. So, if nap time is 1 p.m., nap time should always be 1 p.m. Keeping a regular nap time will help your child develop nap time habits more easily, especially if you develop a nap time routine.

Develop a Nap Time "Routine"

While driving around for a while is an old favorite for parents, it also isn’t practical or economical with today’s gas prices. And, it isn’t necessary in most cases. 

Developing a nap time routine can be as simple as a story before nap time, or even a short gentle massage of their soft round baby-smelling heads. Just be sure to do it every time, and before long your child will more easily slip into nap time mode, and off to sleep.

Create a Good Nap Time Environment

Yes, children can sleep virtually anywhere, but that doesn’t necessarily mean every environment is conducive to nap time. In other words, if the television or radio is playing in the living room or in the background, perhaps a more quiet location is better suited for nap time.

Bright sunlight, lights, or other distractions should be minimized or muted to help eliminate distractions from their young busy minds, which can prevent them from napping. Follow these steps, stick to them, and give your little one time to adjust, and don’t be surprised if nap time doesn’t soon become a favorite part of the day for you both.

Welcome to Assumption Academy, a preschool and kindergarten located in Wayne, PA. Our school is NAEYC-accredited and all classes are taught by master teachers. Full and half-day classes are available for all children between the ages of two and six years old. Contact us today for more information or if you would like to schedule a tour.