Nap Time or No Nap? How Mid-Day Rest Impacts Your Child’s Mood, Learning, and Sleep

It’s natural to wonder if your child really still needs a nap. Maybe nap time feels like a daily battle, bedtime becomes harder after an afternoon rest, or naps just don’t seem to fit your family’s schedule anymore. If you’ve asked yourself whether it might be easier to skip naps altogether, you’re not alone. Many parents wrestle with the same questions, and we’re here to support you with information and guidance so you can feel confident about what’s best for your child when it comes to mid-day rest. Let’s dive in:

10 Benefits of Taking a Mid-Day Nap (Especially when your child attends child care!)

• Being Our Best Selves in the Afternoon -  When your child gets a mid-day nap at school it gives their bodies and minds time to rest and recharge so they can take on the afternoon and evening as their best selves.

• Mood Boost - More rest leads to a happier child. Parents know all too well that skipping naps often means more meltdowns. Research supports this too—one study showed that 2-year-olds who skipped their naps were less joyful, more anxious, and had a worse reaction to frustrating events.

• Harder to Fall Asleep when Overtired - If children get overtired, it’s actually harder for them to fall asleep easily at nighttime!

• Boosts Learning & Brain Growth - Naps help children process what they’ve learned, build memory, and support healthy brain development.

• Restores Energy & Supports Growth - Mid-day rest recharges children’s bodies, while growth hormone released during sleep supports healthy physical development.

• Improves Behavior & Emotional Regulation - Well-rested children are calmer, less irritable, and better able to manage big feelings and follow directions.

• Strengthens Health & Immune System - Regular naps help the body fight illness and keep children healthier (let’s keep this in mind during cold and flu season, am I right?!).

• Encourages Focus & Positive Social Interactions - After a nap, children have better attention for activities and more patience with peers.

• Provides Consistency & Routine - A predictable rest time creates security for children and helps the whole classroom run more smoothly.

As you can tell, there are countless benefits to keeping a mid-day nap in your child’s daily routine and, if you’re having struggles at bedtime, your first move doesn’t need to be to cut out their mid-day nap! Rather, we suggest that you take a closer look at your household’s bedtime routine and evening habits first and develop a system that supports good sleep hygiene for everyone in your home. 

Here are some tips to develop good sleep hygiene at home and create a bedtime routine that works for everyone: 

• Establish a Bedtime Routine - Establish a bedtime routine that sets you up for a restful sleep! Check out our Sample Bedtime Routine for a blueprint to follow.
  Tip: If your child is having trouble relaxing their body enough to fall asleep, try listening to the guided meditation called The Goodnight Caterpillar by Lori Lite from the Indigo Dreams album.

• Limit Blue Light Before Bed - Start to “unplug” from screens and electronic devices 2 hours before bed - Parents should also lead by example and limit the use of screens prior to bedtime. 
  Using devices that produce artificial blue light in the evening and nighttime disrupts our natural sleep-wake cycle by tricking the brain into not producing melatonin before bed. This causes us to feel less sleepy than we should at bedtime. 

• Calming Activities - Leading up to bedtime, try incorporating calming activities like reading, stretching, or coloring to help everyone slow down our bodies and minds. 
  Tip: Before you start blasting show tunes at 7PM (per your child’s request of course), think to yourself: is this activity going to help my child feel ready for bed? If not, suggest 2 relaxing alternatives for your child to pick from instead and set a reminder to play some show tunes on the car ride to school the next day.

• Set the Mood with Dimmed Lighting - Make an intentional effort to change the energy in your home around bedtime. Set the mood for bed by dimming overhead lights or use a few night lights like these here as your main source of light.

• Quiet Voices and Calming Music - As you start your bedtime routine, put on some calming instrumental music (try searching Yoga music on any streaming platform and you’re in the right place) and intentionally lower the volume of your voice to help set the tone and get everyone on board that it’s officially bedtime. 

• Quality Time Together - Each day strive for 10-15 minutes of one-on-one time with your child so they get that connection with you before going to bed. When it comes to spending time with your child, think QUALITY over QUANTITY. Setting aside even 10-15 minutes a day can not only improve your bond with your child, but it will also improve your child’s self esteem and confidence.

Think of naps as part of the bigger picture of your child’s well-being. When paired with a predictable bedtime routine, mid-day rest helps your child feel secure, recharged, and connected. With a little structure and consistency, you can transform sleep from a daily struggle into a peaceful rhythm for your whole family.