All About Quiet Time
- Laura Thompson | 21st January 2022 -
What is Quiet Time?
Quiet time is a period of time your child spends independently engaging in calm and relaxing play and activities. Often this is introduced when children stop napping but you can absolutely start practicing this before then!
Why Quiet Time?
For your child when they give up their last nap it can be tough for them to make it through a whole day of busy play and activity! It can be really beneficial to allow them some calm time to rest and recuperate in the middle of the day, especially just after the nap has been dropped. Not only this but it helps build independence and confidence in your children as they learn to spend some time occupying themselves.
It can also be a great help to parents! Nap time may have been the only time you got to take a break, have a cup of tea, get some work or household chores done. Once you say goodbye to the nap having a whole day to entertain your pre-schooler with no respite can feel daunting. Quiet time can allow you both some space to replenish and come back together to enjoy the rest of the day feeling energised.
My Child Already Plays Independently
That’s amazing and will most likely be really helpful to you if you choose to start implementing quiet time. Whilst your child may be very good at playing independently throughout the day the difference between this and quiet time is that the play may not always be quiet, calming play and they may still call on you to interact and engage with them. When we start introducing quiet play you will XX activities which will be special and conducive to a restful time for your child, you will also be teaching them that this is independent time and so they will only call on you for an urgent need.
What Kind of Activities Should I Offer?
It is helpful to choose activities and toys that are not too stimulating so steer clear of toys with lots of music and lights instead opting for simple toys that your child can be imaginative with.
A few books, some colouring, jigsaw puzzles or audio books are classic option for quiet time activities. You could also offer some small world play items such as little people or animals along with some ‘accessories’ that they can create their world with. A house, blocks, road etc …
Here are few example of set ups you could do;
When you are just starting out I recommend just a couple of activities so as not to overwhelm your child, once you start increasing the length of quiet time you can add a few more choices to the space so they can move between activities. It’s also a great idea to switch up the activities every so often to keep your child’s attention and consider what their current interests are. Just visited the farm? Put out the farm set and books! Your child saw a digger on their walk this morning? Pop out the diggers and few blocks!
With activities like threading or stencils that may require some skill and practice for your little one consider introducing it during adult led play for a few days or weeks first before you put it out for quiet time. This will save any ‘I need help’ or ‘I can’t do it!’ frustrations!
When you are first starting quiet time it is especially helpful to offer something your child hasn’t seen for a while so if you already do toy rotation, great – dig a few items out of rotation. If you don’t rotate your toys consider hiding a few things away for a month or so that you can bring out and it is like your child has brand new toys!
Some families will choose sensory activities such as play dough or kinetic sand for quiet play which is another great option for some children who find these activities relaxing!
Here are some quiet time activity ideas for you!
The activities you see marked* are from Karen at ‘It’s Playtime Tots’.
Karen is a play expert, passionate about making playtime easy for busy parents. Karen has a bank of easy, low prep and fun ideas and creates Tot’s Playtime Box - Preschool Subscription Box , fun-filled, easy and low prep activities straight out of the box every month so you don’t need to think about play.
Where Should I do Quiet Time?
This is entirely up to you! Decide where you would like quiet time to happen and create a comfy cosy space there. This could be a permanent or moveable feature. Maybe you can dedicate a whole area of a playroom to quiet play but a few cushions or floor mats in the corner of the lounge is fine too! You may wish to have your child close by in the next room or you may find that setting up their room for quiet play and having the baby monitor on works better for you. There is no size fits all here and you may need to experiment a little to find what works for you too!
How do I Start Quiet Time?
Often you need to start small! Your child’s age, temperament and how used to spending some time with just themselves will determine how long you start off with quiet time. You may start with as little as just 2 minutes and that’s OK!
Talk to your child about quiet time and show the activities and toys available to them during this time. Make it feel special and explain to them that this is a time for them to play while you do X, Y, Z. Set a timer for realistic start time and then go back to them, praise them for doing so well and then join them and engage fully with them for around 10-15 minutes to connect again and refill their love tanks!
Once your child gets comfortable with the time you have set you can start increasing the time incrementally, again this will look different for every child and family! You may increase by 1,2, 5 or even 10 minutes at a time. It may also be that you timer begins being set for check ins where you simply pop your head in the room to say
‘Are you OK, I’m just doing the washing/writing an email’ I’ll check on you again soon’
How long your quiet time becomes is really entirely up to you and your child, I have heard of some families managing 2 hours or more of quiet time!
Can Siblings do Quiet Time Together?
Maybe … Your children might be just the ages and temperaments to play quietly alongside each other for a set amount of time. You can absolutely try this! You may find however that separating children into their own rooms or areas of the house for quiet time means that everyone is able to have some space from each other and when they come back together after quiet time play is more harmonious.
Can I do Quiet Time Even if My Child Still Naps?
Yes! If your child has dropped their naps then straight after lunch is a great time to start your quiet time. However it is a great idea to practice some quiet time before your child stops napping so that they already know the deal when you really need to make it happen? Choose another time during our day to start practicing quiet time in a super relaxed way and be realistic about your expectations. You will likely need to start small with very short bursts of time because your child will be younger but every day you do this is great practice and your future self will be thankful!
If you would like any help creating a plan for quiet time my toddler troubleshoot call is perfect for you! Book a free 15 minute call and let’s see if this is the best option for you!
