I often see early educators ask on different platforms how to handle non-sleepers at rest time. Most teachers seem to ask because it is very stressful time of day in a classroom. Responses often include quoting a state requirement for rest and also the range of answers from giving children “busy bags” or books to listening to audio stories to not requiring a rest time. All fine ideas that one would hope does not add to the stress that occurs for educators during “rest” time. 

Some people claim rest time to be for curriculum planning and breaks. In my opinion this is what creates a hardship. The teachers have an agenda for themselves so it gets SO frustrating if they can’t accomplish what they expect. The expectation that teachers plan or break during rest is doomed to failure. 

You need to know what your philosophy of rest time is. We should not see it as controlling children. There are schools that allow children to choose to rest where other children do not choose to rest. This is when you need to define your philosophy. We believe that everyone needs down time, a time to slow down, re-set and self regulate. We help our children to rest by setting the stage for rest. We cover the toys, dim the lights, and start with quiet music. We model our own rest time by quietly reading a book, writing notes, working on portfolios or messaging parents. We do not scurry about the room but rather sit quietly attending to our tasks. We use big pieces of flat cardboard to make partitions between children if needed.

We need to trust that children know their own bodies and we also need to help them to see that a resting period is healthy.