What are the benefits of napping for children?

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Nateo CONCEPT

Nap time: an essential moment for your child

Napping for a child is a crucial moment that allows them not only to recharge their batteries for the rest of the day but also to assimilate their learning. It is therefore essential for a baby and a young child to benefit from one or several nap times during the day depending on age. Discover the benefits of napping, as well as good tips to put in place!

Why is napping important for a child?

The benefits of napping for children are multiple. It notably allows the brain to memorise the learning that has just been done. It also has a positive effect on mood and it's during the sleep phase that growth hormone is secreted. The latter also has the effect of stimulating the immune system. It is therefore essential for the child's well-being to offer naps at key moments of the day, with duration and frequency adapted according to age.

bébé dans son berceau

How many naps per day according to age?

The number of naps depends on age, but also on your child's needs. These recommendations should therefore be adapted as they develop. We can notably recommend:

  • 3 to 4 naps a day for a child between 4 and 6 months
  • 2 to 3 naps a day for a child between 6 and 9 months
  • 2 naps a day for a child between 9 and 15 months
  • 1 nap of about 2 hours in early afternoon between 15 and 18 months
  • 1 nap of about 1 to 1.5 hours in early afternoon between 18 months and 4 years
  • 1 occasional nap as needed between 4 and 6 years

Why continue napping in nursery school?

Napping remains at any age a beneficial complement to night sleep and that's why it is offered in nursery school. Indeed, between activities, interactions with classmates and professionals on site, noise, change of location, the child can very quickly become tired from a morning in nursery school. Napping is therefore the perfect time to rest, assimilate what has been taught and then fully enjoy the rest of the day. Napping at nursery school is therefore very beneficial!

enfant à la maternelle
Petite fille fatiguée sur ses cahiers

At what age should naps stop?

Napping no longer seems to be considered essential after the age of 4. However, if you feel your child needs this moment to better enjoy their day, you can continue to offer it. Gradually, nighttime sleep hours will be sufficient for the child and only an occasional nap will then be necessary (after a busy morning or a difficult night, for example). It is above all important to observe what works for your child to offer a nap if you judge this break necessary.

How to make falling asleep easier for nap time?

To facilitate falling asleep at nap time, there are several tips that can be implemented:

  • Dim the light by drawing the curtains (this helps the child distinguish between day and night)
  • Don't wake a child during their nap and especially if they are in REM sleep
  • Establish a small ritual that reassures the child
  • Choose comfortable clothing, preferably pyjamas
  • Ensure a temperature between 18° and 19° in the room

Thanks to this, you ensure that your child will have a good restful nap to then fully enjoy the rest of the day!

A good bed for a good nap!

For a child to have a good nap, it's important that they can do so in a good bed. Indeed, choosing the right sleeping arrangement for a child is of great importance to avoid any pain, for example. From birth, we therefore opt for a cradle or a co-sleeping bed with a mattress suitable for infants. The latter will provide appropriate support for baby's body. From 6 months onwards, baby can be placed in a cot. Here too, it is essential to use an adequate baby mattress.

When the child is ready to sleep in a big bed, we'll opt for a children's bed. There are many different models available such as the children's bed with storage (like the MANLY trundle bed for example), the convertible children's bed or even combination bed for example. The important thing is that this 2-year-old child's bed also has an adequate children's mattress.

Finally, even when children have outgrown napping, they still need to be placed in a bed suitable for their age. If you've opted for a 90x190 cm children's bed, it can be used for many years. However, if your child starts to feel cramped, a teen bed will certainly be more suitable. We therefore recommend a teen bed with storage. The teen bed with storage is a 90x190 cm bed equipped with several storage elements perfect for enjoying a well-organised room. This teen bed with storage will thus be perfectly suited to less spacious rooms and will help keep the room tidy.

Whether it's a cot or a teen bed with storage, we also recommend prioritising made in France, natural wood (more information on the subject here) PEFC certified, as well as materials with low formaldehyde content and with solvent-free paints to limit the presence of volatile organic compounds.

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