Our eldest gave up naps at the ripe old age of 2 years, 10 months. What?! I wasn’t sure what to do when I learned our active two year old wouldn’t be joining her newborn brother for an afternoon nap. I first looked at this as an opportunity to spend some one on one time with my little lady. Her brother would rest and we would relish in the time to finish art projects and play games. A few weeks of this and I quickly realized I. NEEDED. QUIET. TIME. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy any extra individual time with my littles. And those art projects and games are regular activities in our house. But, spending my days with two little ones under three took a lot out of me, both physically and mentally. I needed a few minutes of quiet. I needed a few minutes to decompress and recharge. I needed a few minutes to ensure I’d make it through the rest of the day… Three years and a third baby later, and our family still has a daily mandatory quiet time.
3 Reasons We Do Quiet Time
Aside from the obvious benefits to my sanity, our family quiet times have been good for the whole family. We do quiet time…
Because everyone needs a few moments to themselves. Whether your alarm is set an hour early for a few quiet morning moments, or your alarm is those tiny footprints heading down the hall towards your bedroom, there seems to NEVER be enough time in the morning! Mornings are hectic. Most days I count making it into the car as a win. Throw in getting to school on time, a morning playdate and a couple of toddler tantrums and you’re in need of some serious meditation by lunchtime. As difficult as it is to survive our own schedules, our littles are also made to adhere to them. Quiet time does wonders for the mood of the entire house. Quiet time gives everyone an opportunity to recharge, refocus and gear up for the second half of the day.
Because it is so much fun to watch their imagination at play. I can count on two hands how many times my eldest has actually napped, but our mandatory forty minutes still stands. When we first started daily quiet times, I made sure my daughter had books and other quiet activities to keep her occupied. Fast forward years of this routine and half the time I walk in to hear her say, “It’s already over?!” Her bedroom may {and often is} be a complete disaster but it is so much fun to see what she’s been up to.
Because maybe, just maybe…they’ll fall asleep. And when that happens, there are no words…just enjoy 🙂
Quiet Activities to Get You Started
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Having trouble getting started? Try some of these fun {and quiet!} activities:
1) Melissa & Doug Abby & Emma Deluxe Magnet Dress-Up Set– This set boasts 2 dolls with stands and 56 pieces of magnetic pieces of clothing and accessories. My daughter LOVES this set and it has provided her with many hours of entertainment. Choosing and changing the “perfect” ensembles often leads to continued dramatic play.
2) Disney Princess Magic Clip Dolls– These familiar faces are sure to spark pretend play and conversation. Unlike Barbie dolls, it is very easy to dress these dolls. My daughter thinks it is so funny to swap the princesses’ dresses.
3) Thomas and Friends Me Reader– This electronic story reader is available in many different story library packs. It is extremely easy to use {our 2.5 year old had no trouble} and sounds are mild enough for quiet time use. *Side note- These are also perfect for car trips! And, as an added bonus, repeated readings help your child build vocabulary, reading fluency and expression.
4) Melissa & Doug Nesting and Sorting Barns and Animals– Another high quality Melissa & Doug set that provides opportunities for number practice, sorting by size, color and category, and pretend play. This set is next on our list for our animal loving two year old.
5) Melissa & Doug Habitats Reusable Sticker Pad– Who doesn’t love stickers?! Melissa & Doug strikes again and offers a large variety of reusable sticker books. Each book’s five scenes and 150+ easy to remove and reusable stickers are sure to engage your child’s creativity.
6) 30-minute Sand Timer– Give your child a visual reminder of remaining quiet time minutes with this sand timer. Need more than 30 minutes? Set this Apple Timer and place on a shelf. Allow your child to leave his/her room only when the timer goes off.
Are you among the lucky ones with nappers at home? If not, do you have any “quiet time” rules? How do you get your kids on board? Which of these quiet time activities sound most appealing to you?
More Resources for Quiet Time
A Year of Educational Quiet Bins
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