Rest and sleep in the Nursery
The Nursery has three cots rooms and ten cots that can be utilised throughout the day. The Nursery caters for eight babies each day and each has a designated cot. This encourages each child to feel safe and secure with a sense of belonging. Each child’s individual sleep pattern is followed based on our intimate knowledge of the child’s routines, feedback from family and personal observations.
Through sensitive caring we are able to have soothing and calming rest and sleep times for the babies. Sheets are supplied and washed on a daily basis. Families are asked to provide bedding appropriate for the weather and in accordance with the SIDS and Kids recommendations for safe sleeping. Sleeping bags are often used for the children in the Nursery as it helps to provide an extra sense of security and comfort. Sleeping children are checked by educators every 15minutes which is recorded on our app. for parents to view. All educators in the under two years age groups have undertaken our Sleep Smart and Nourish Baby program and this program is also offered to families free of charge.
You can find more information about safe sleeping here:
https://rednose.com.au/section/safe-sleeping
Rest and sleep in the outdoors
At Woden Early Childhood Centre the children from the Toddler, Intro and the Pre-School Room all sleep outside under our beautiful verandah, we have been doing this since late 2014. We have sun blinds that shelter the space from the hot sun and winds. Soft music fills the air as children rest or drift off to sleep.
The Toddler and Intro children sleep or rest on stretcher beds, while the Pre-School children sleep or rest on mats. The Centre supplies sheets which are washed regularly and families are asked to provide bedding appropriate to the weather and age of their child.
Educators are mindful of the weather and will sometimes provide rest and sleep times indoors if it is too wet, too hot or extremely cold.
Educators have found that the children sleep better and wake more refreshed in the outdoor environment. Anecdotally we have seen better health in those children sleeping or resting outdoors. This has in turn reduced the amount of time away from the Centre.
The children get up from their rest or sleep and are able to play in their room, leaving the verandah a quite peaceful place for those who are sleeping longer.
There are several articles about the benefits of sleeping in the outdoors here are two you may be interested in.
https://sleepjunkies.com/tips/7-reasons-sleeping-outdoors-health/
http://jultika.oulu.fi/files/isbn9789514296673.pdf
Check out this article from ABC News about outdoor sleeping at our service!
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-04/kids-napping-outdoors-at-childcare-centres/9215670