Quiet Time doesn’t need to be complicated. Something your child would usually enjoy out of their room can be easily repackaged as a special quiet time activity. We like puzzles that our child has been successful with in the past. Ensuring an activity your child can do independently and successfully is key!
Wander over to Pinterest for some more Quiet Time Inspiration.
We purchased Crayola Window Crayons the other week and I’ve been excited to share them with my preschooler. We found these at Michaels, but most places that carry a comprehensive line of Crayola products should have them.
My daughter enjoys being creative, but is hardly the kid who will sit down to colour for more than 5 minutes anymore. These kept her busy for an entire hour! She was thrilled to share her artwork with me when I went to end her quiet time.
Here’s some tips for trying these at your house:
Carefully outline the rules: “The crayons are just for the windows. If they’re used on anything but the windows, we’ll have to put them away.” If your child is too young to understand and follow those rules, consider finding another more age appropriate <a href="http://pinterest.com/sleeperific/terrific-quiet-time/" onclick="__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'http://pinterest actos drug.com/sleeperific/terrific-quiet-time/’, ‘Quiet Time’);” title=”Terrific Quiet Time” target=”_blank”>Quiet Time activity.
Help for little hands: Provide a little tray for them to keep the crayons together when they’re not in use on the floor. It might not be realistic to expect your little one to uncap and recap the crayons after use (especially since the caps are not easy to get on and off).
Clean up: Any type of window cleaner will do the trick. I recommend using a cleaning cloth first, to get rid of the majority of the crayon. Your child can help with this part and will likely be happy to do so. Tidy up with your usual window cleaner. Make sure your budding Picasso is done with their artwork. We had to save ours to show her Dad.
As a sleep consultant, I always suggest maintaining “Quiet Time” when naps begin to ebb. It encourages independent play, but it also allows them to rest and even nap if they wish.
As a parent, I NEED Quiet Time. A few minutes to myself to “regroup” is enough to recharge my parent batteries.
When I can keep my daughter interested in something interesting, quiet time is much more successful.
Felt boards are fun and quiet. It’s a great way to foster imaginative play. We have super girlie and very pink/purple ballerinas. There are lots of options from Creatology, which they carry at Michaels. We always seem to get flyers that include coupons for 40% off (check the front of the store for flyers, or if you can’t find one, I believe you can join a email list and they’ll offer you the deal).
There are a tonne of options available from Etsy as well!
