Your child has been playing all morning they begin to get cranky.  They need a nap, you think to yourself, but they won’t fall asleep.  Even if a child just sits and looks at a book quietly or colors.  Any activity that requires them to sit quietly and rest is a healthy way to recharge for you and the child.  Children who are well rested will learn better and retain what they learn they will be more focused on their learning activities and will be able to remember the activity next time.

Physically well-rested children are able to self-regulate their emotions better.  This can cause them to be able to have a healthier immune system and overall better mental health.  Their attentiveness is better, response time and overall behavior are better.

While children need activities to learn and stay healthy they also need the balance of downtime and rest.  This allows their minds to focus and recharge on what they have actually just done.  Just like adults need time to process, kids, need this too!  Some good activities to do during quiet time are reading simple books, coloring, puzzles, storytelling baskets, and anything that will keep them still for a little while.  For more information visit livestrong.com or kidspot.com

Bravo Employee: Taimie Messer