Everyone loves to be cosy in bed and snooze their alarms and as we become adults every extra minute of shut eye we get to have is glorious and scarce. However, when it comes to children, nap time as a parent is a chance to get chores done around the house or catch up on some work or washing. Maybe it is one of your only chances to get a drink and a bite to eat without being interrupted. 

Also, nap time isn't just great for the parent but when a child needs to sleep but refuses and needs a nap, can lead to your child being agitated, upset and may struggle to make it to bedtime without falling asleep. 

At Scentered, we understand that sleep is so much more than just having time to switch off. It actively boosts brain development and is vital for children to get their much needed shut eye throughout the day for them to function at their best and optimum levels for their own wellbeing. 

Should Children Nap?

Short answer, yes. Napping is always beneficial for a child and helps with their brain development. Sleep affects every aspect of a person's life and wellbeing, without sleep it can be hard to perform normal daily tasks and regulate moods. 

Imagine the effect no sleep has on a full grown adult, the impact can be damaging. Therefore a child who is still growing up and developing will suffer a great deal if they do not get the recommended amount of sleep everyday.

Infants, toddlers and children of all ages need sleep to function, for their wellbeing and for the development of their brain.

If your child is struggling to sleep, aromatherapy can help to relax them and get them to drift off peacefully, without much hassle. Our balms are easy to use, just pop them on their pulse points and let them do their magic.

How Does Napping Help The Brain?

Sleeping is vital to your child's brain development, any amount of sleep they can get will help their development. As long as by the end of the day they are achieving their recommended amount between 9-12 hours then the naps don’t always need to be long.

Naps can help children maintain better attention, improve behaviour, and are able to learn better. Naps also help their overall mental and physical health, meaning that they really are able to be the best they can be.

Sleeping plays a huge part in the child's brain development when it comes to memory. It is vital for a child because this is how they learn everything about the world and in school. They rely on their memory to remember what they have learned so that they can apply it later.

As your child sleeps this is how memories are solidified and short-term memories get transferred to long-term memories. 

What Age Should You Stop Napping As A Child?

When it comes to when a child should stop napping, the answer is more like: they should always nap if they are feeling tired and need to catch up on sleep. There isn’t an age where napping is not allowed or not beneficial. However, regimented naps are usually only needed for infants and young toddlers, but many children will nap well beyond the age of 2. 

As a child gets older the amount of hours they need to sleep will start to decrease but like we said if they are tired, chances are they need to lay down for a little bit. Children even at ages 6 to 12 years old can benefit from a nap, sleep is a restorative time for the mind as well as the body.

For children between these ages it is recommended that they try to get between 9 and 12 hours of sleep and if they need help to achieve this then a nap can definitely help.