At Teepee Day Nursery we know that providing a healthy and nurturing environment for children is essential to their overall wellbeing. Now that spring is in the air, we’re reminding parents of the many benefits of letting their children take their naps outside.
Research shows that outdoor naps can have a positive impact on children’s sleep quality, immune system, mood, and behaviour. Exposure to natural light and fresh air can help regulate children’s body clocks, leading to a more restful sleep. Vitamin D from the sun is also essential for strong bones and a healthy immune system (of course, we always put children down to sleep in the shade).
In addition to the physical benefits, outdoor naps can also have a positive impact on children’s mood and behaviour. Spending time in nature can help reduce stress and anxiety, leading to a more relaxed and focused child.
The Benefits of Sleeping Outside:
- Better sleep quality: Sleeping outdoors, particularly in natural settings, can help regulate your body’s natural circadian rhythm, leading to better quality sleep.
- Exposure to fresh air: Outdoor sleeping allows you to breathe fresh air, which can improve your overall health and well-being.
- Reduced stress: Being surrounded by nature has been shown to reduce stress levels and promote relaxation.
- Improved immune system: Exposure to natural light and fresh air can boost your immune system, helping you fight off illnesses more effectively.
Outdoor naps, just like our indoor sleep times, are always supervised by qualified staff and children are provided with appropriate bedding and shade. For the babies we take the coracles outside onto the Baby Deck and for the older children we have specially designed children’s ‘camp beds’. We always follow strict safety guidelines to ensure that children are comfortable and secure while sleeping outside and we ask your permission to sleep outside. This permission can even change by the season.
We support outside sleeping throughout the year if that is your choice and have many years of success of this. This BBC archive article details the practice of sleeping outside in sub-zero degrees.
Overall, we believe that outdoor naps are an important part of our commitment to providing a healthy and nurturing environment for children. We’re proud to offer this option to parents and look forward to continuing to provide the best possible care for all of our children.
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