Rest Periods

Rest Periods 1. For preschool children, rest periods shall be scheduled for a minimum period of one hour, and shall not exceed two and one-half (2½) hours. Infant and toddler nap times shall be individualized to meet each child’s needs as sleeping patterns can vary greatly. Half-day programs must provide for rest periods as is appropriate when the children/child indicates or is observed to require some rest time. 2. Physical force shall not be used in requiring children to lie down or go to sleep during rest periods. 3. Rest periods are not required for children in attendance for less than six hours. 4. Rest periods are not required for school age children. 5. A safe sleep environment for infants to lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is required as follows: a. An infant shall be placed on his/her back for sleeping unless written physician orders to the contrary are in the child's record. Sleeping infants shall be within the view of the staff and visually checked regularly when sleeping. Nothing shall obstruct the view of the staff or prevent the staff from clearly seeing infants or children. b. Infants shall be dressed in clothing appropriate for sleeping that is designed to keep the infant warm without the possible hazard of head covering or entrapment. The room shall be kept at a draft-free seasonally appropriate temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. If a child is already asleep and not dressed in clothing appropriate for sleeping, the caregiver does not need to awaken the infant to change his or her clothes. c. Facilities shall use a firm mattress covered by a fitted sheet. . d. Items such as but not limited to pillows, blanket, sheepskins, bumpers, soft objects, stuffed toys, loose bedding, etc., shall not be in the crib.