Is nap-time for young students “baby-stuff” that takes away time from learning, or do they need it to help them achieve? On a recent Bam! Radio broadcast, Early Stories joined a discussion with Rae Pica and three experts on early childhood, who reached the unanimous conclusion that naps in preschool and kindergarten aren’t superfluous. They’re a key part of helping the youngest students learn.
Karen Stephens, director of the Child Care Center at Illinois State University, said naptime is a biological necessity for young kids that helps with cognitive development, while pediatrician Meg Meeker said children may need even more sleep during kindergarten than they do at younger ages. Kathleen Hayes, the editor of Highlights High Five, said naptime is important for young children because they are just learning to adapt to life in a classroom, and that “some are overwhelmed by it.”
To learn more, click here and listen to the show.
–Sarah Garland