Jan 26, 2014

Beds on the Floor

     So, as you may know from my prior posts my current classroom is ages 0-3. Have you wondered about "nap time" yet? Well, obviously since infants sleep on demand and usually twice a day, this classroom does not have one nap time where all of the children are resting (although on occasion we can get them all down for about a half hour of overlap sleeping!). Needless to say, nap times are tricky. With the babies we just try to rock them and then lay them on crib mattresses on the floor. For the toddlers we pull out small cots and group them in one area just in case the babies are awake and need a place to play.

      Before I came to this center I had never seen infant mattresses on the floor for babies. I was told that the concept is taken from Reggio- where the child has the freedom to lay down when they are tired, learning to independently care for their own needs. I do understand this concept, however in our American society I have yet to meet a baby who is able to independently put themselves to sleep. I also know what toddlers are like, so clearly they just want to go jump on the mattresses and make a game out of playing in their and being asked to come out. I also feel bad for the babies a bit, as they are not allowed any blankets or foreign items (other than a pacifier if used), and must sleep on their backs. So picture a little baby laying on the floor of a classroom while there are seven other children present. Cat naps take place and I'm okay with that, I understand why the babies can't sleep so well like that. Yes, yes, I know there are safety issues and I want to keep them safe, but there has to be another way to help babies sleep at school comfortably and more realistically, as I doubt any of them sleep like this at home. 

 *Please note that these pictures are shown only for discussion purposes. I am not agreeing or disagreeing with a particular styles or school beliefs and not describing a particular school by name, only sharing personal opinions that I have on the topic. 

Community Playthings Wall Panels

Must Have Opening to Support Independence
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1 comment:

  1. UnknownMay 10, 2015

    My son was raised with a Montessori style where he had a "futon" as they call it (mattress on the floor). This style worked well, especially when he woke up. He had the choice to stay in bed or get out and have access to his toys at his own will. No crying and complaining in a crib, no falling out of bed. A nice side note is that I was able to lay next to him and hum / sing him to sleep when he had a hard time going down. In fact I'd fall asleep with him laying on the floor next to him at times. I understand that at a child care center there may be a lot of background noise keeping the child up. Still, I hold my opinion that a mattress on the floor is a good set-up for young children vs a crib.

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