What's the BEST use of naptime?

[4KookieKids]

I'm sure there is a lot of variation among different families on this one, but I'm just thinking and wondering. I have kiddos who really do well with 1-on-1 school time and I'm considering rearranging from "core topics" in the morning (when everyone is under foot and more is done independently) to afternoons when littles are napping (though it means giving up my little bit of alone time). Just procession "out loud" here and would like to hear from others! :)

 

I've got two that nap still (1 and 3) and two that don't (5 and 7).

 

ETA: I only have around an hour, so I can't really do more than one of the options with any regularity.

Edited July 23, 2016 by deanna1ynne

[Hilltopmom]

I "should" do math with kid with dyscalculia during nap time.

 

But we often wind up enjoying the quiet time with a book, or doing chores/ cooking.

 

Or dd will get out art stuff that the littles can't get into.

 

Our problem is that the 2 littles nap at opposite times.

 

I'm toying with the idea of doing 1:1 math after baby bedtime. But I'm tired by then.

Edited July 23, 2016 by Hilltopmom

[TranquilMind]

Sleeping. 

Oh, I remember those days when sleep came easily.

[FriedClams]

Take a nap!

[lllll]

nm

Edited November 5, 2016 by cathey

[Dmmetler]

I hated it when DD stopped napping-it meant I had to give up MY nap!

[Momto6inIN]

My youngest is done napping. :(

 

I voted 1 on 1 with older kids. When she was still taking a nap daily, I *needed* that school time with my olders to get to some of the serious stuff that she made it a real pain to get to when she was awake. But when the olders were 7 and 5 and I had a toddler napping, I totally made it quiet time for everybody. TOTALLY.

[Cake and Pi]

I vote other: all of the above.  I do them all.  But, my littlest takes like 2-4hr naps every day, so we have time to do more than one.  We always start with 30-60 minutes of quiet-read-to-self time (aka Mama-plays-on-her-computer time), then if we have any activities or lessons that would be hard to accomplish with the littlest trying to participate, like science, a craft, or a board game, we do that then, and if not I do one-on-one time on a rotation with the older boys.

[regentrude]

when I had littles, I needed naptime to nap myself, so I would be able to cope with the interrupted nights. Lack of sleep was the worst thing about having little kids, and I would not have made it without naps.

[Kiara.I]

Math with manipulatives! Toddlers get into those...

 

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[eternallytired]

For me, an hour would still be long enough for more than one thing.  I'd get the older kids set with quiet reading before you put the littles down for nap.  That way once nap commences, your "me" time can start right away.  About 20-30 minutes of "me" time does wonders for me, so after that I would move into big kid activities--probably a couple days of one-on-one time and at least a day of fun stuff that doesn't work well with littles.  That leaves you either a 30-40 minute block for one activity or two 15-20 minute one-on-one blocks.

[LEK]

We do things that just cannot be done with toddlers underfoot. STEM construction projects, art, sewing etc. All this is assuming the kids are finished with their core subjects by that time though, if they still need to work on core work then they just continue with it until done, if we have time we will do other stuff once done

[Jess4879]

When my youngest was really little, I'd spend part of his nap time teaching with the older two and carve out a little bit for myself too.  Now that they are all older, we have daily quiet time.  We all go to separate rooms and read or do something quiet. 

[lanalouwho]

Phonics for my kinder. Everything else we can do with little brother around (on top of, or right smack in the middle) but he needs quiet and concentration for phonics and handwriting.

 

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[SnMomof7]

Lap school for my fine motor/low frustration 5-yo, and ironing out the reading kinks with 8-yo.