Bedtime and naptime: Mommy’s best friends and your kids’ worst enemies.
Kids need sleep–kids who sleep well have better grades, concentration, and weight control–but that doesn’t mean they have to like it. Most American kids get about 30 minutes to an hour less sleep than experts recommend, and even though nationwide initiatives have been introduced to encourage better sleeping habits for adolescents, no significant changes have been made.
Maintaining a regular sleep routine and taking efforts to minimize screen time and sugar intake during the day can help kids get better rest, but it still takes the average child about 26 minutes to fall asleep at night. A 2009 children’s sleep study shows you can add 3 minutes to that time for every hour during the day kids are inactive.
Kids who get at least a full hour of exercise every day fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. For kids, exercise can include running, fast walking, climbing, and almost any other activity that keeps kids moving and their heart rates up.
One of our favorite things to hear from Coconut Cove fans is, “My kids get so tired they go right to bed afterwards!” So for a fast, easy bedtime, try taking the kids here to play.
Sources:
- https://www.webmd.com/parenting/raising-fit-kids/move/features/kid-brain-exercise#1
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/5887603/Exercise-helps-children-fall-asleep-faster-study-indicates.html
- http://www.sleepforkids.org/html/uskids.html
- https://fit.webmd.com/kids/move/article/exercise-types
About Coconut Cove
Coconut Cove is Utah’s best indoor playground, family amusement center, or family recreation center for young families with children under age 12. The playground has dozens of “play events” for young children, including trampolines, ball cannons, a ball fountain, spiral slides, giant racing wavy slides, crawl tunnels, mirrors, bridges, stepping stones, a toddler area, and birthday party rooms made out of large Lego blocks. At Coconut Cove we believe in getting kids off of screens or arcades and participating in Active Play. Coconut Cove prides itself on being safe, clean, sanitary, and affordable! It has plenty of seating for adults and fun entertainment for children. It is a great place for kids birthday parties, mommy play dates, or for families to just come and have fun! If you are looking for fun activities for kids in Utah, come to Coconut Cove!