Children attending school for 4 hours or more are required by EEC to sleep, rest, or engage in a quiet activity as appropriate to their needs. Please be respectful of the rest times of neighboring classrooms.
BEDDING
Parents must bring the following supplies labeled with their child’s name or initials:
Sleeping bag or standard crib sheet and blanket
Two pacifiers (if desired)
Small pillow (if desired)
Stuffed animal, doll or sleeping support (to be kept in cubby until nap time)
Parents must take home all bedding at the end of their scheduled week to be laundered.
Rest time routines
Infants and safe sleep policy
A baby is most at risk of SIDS between the ages of 2-4 months and during the first few weeks of a new childcare arrangement. Children younger than 6 months at the time of enrollment must be always under additional direct visual supervision, including while napping, during the first 6 weeks they are in our care.
All infants under 12 months of age must be placed to sleep on their back in a high-quality wooden, safety-rated crib free of pillows, comforters, stuffed animals, and other soft, padded materials.
Once placed on their backs to sleep, infants may be allowed to assume any comfortable sleep position when they can easily turn themselves over from the back position.
If an infant falls asleep in a bouncy seat, swing, or car seat, they must be moved to their crib and placed on their back.
Some families may have written permission from their health care provider authorizing the infant to sleep in a position other than on their back in a crib. In these cases, the Alternative Sleep Plan must be kept in the child’s file and in the classroom. All educators involved in the infant’s care must be notified and a notice posted by the crib.
Babies may have a sleep sack.
Infants over 12 months of age may use a blanket in the crib or on a mat.
Do not wake a sleeping infant unless it is for medical needs.
Toddlers and Preschoolers
Rest time occurs after lunch until about 2:30 p.m. Dim the lights, play restful music, and assist children as necessary to get to sleep. Children need less daytime sleep as they grow, so younger children may sleep for 2 or more hours during rest time, while older children may wake sooner or not nap at all.
Children should begin the rest period on their mats and be encouraged to rest there.
If a child that usually sleeps is not sleepy, rub their back, or provide other support so that they fall asleep.
You MUST respond to children who need support during rest time. It is unacceptable to continuously tell a child to “get on your mat” and offer no support for them.
If a child hasn’t fallen asleep after 45 minutes, they should not be required to keep trying.
Children who are awake after 45 minutes MUST be given alternate activities on their mats, at tables, or in another quiet area such as books, magnet boards, or puzzles.
Staff in classrooms with children who are awake should encourage a reasonable amount of quiet— avoid banging, jumping, or high energy activities, and use inside voices.
If a parent requests a limit to rest time, work with them to determine what is best for the child’s needs. Advise the parent that if they request the child does not sleep, you will not help the child get to sleep but will not keep them forcibly awake. One suggestion is to position the child’s mat in a high traffic area and allow them to have activities earlier than other children to help them stay awake.
PROHIBITED PRACTICES
Never put an infant to sleep in a car seat, swing, or bouncy seat, unless we have medical authorization for those alternate sleep positions.
For infants under 12 months, you must not have any toys, loose bedding, pillows, or stuffed animals in a crib.
Never speak harshly to children having a difficult time or ignore requests for activities—you are required to engage with children who need help.
Never restrain or force a child to lie down or stay on their mat or rest.