Choosing Stackable Rest Mats for Children

Stackable rest mats are mattress type pads that are primarily used at daycares, preschools, and schools for children to rest or sleep on. They offer a cushion on top of a hard surface floor and the stackable option provides a neat method of storing. They are comfortably padded in a variety of thicknesses and usually covered in heavy duty vinyl for easy cleaning. Providing a comfortable location to rest is important for young children to fully take advantage of naptime. For hygiene purposes, these rest mats often come with different colored sides to indicate which side is for sleeping and which side touches the floor. Finally, these mats are designed in a variety of sizes and are available in flat and folded designs. They can be found at your school supply store.


There are many benefits to using stackable rest mats in a school environment, above and beyond the comfort and hygienic reasons. Using mats for nap time doesn’t just accommodate the comforts of naptime, but they assist in its process, such as directing children to rest with little effort. Nap times are always necessary for young children, but they are also difficult in some cases to enforce or organize. Preschool aged children often have a hard time settling down. But with rest mats children can be included in organizing the naptime process. Thus turning naptime into a fun experience rather than a time when tired children become whiney and uncooperative.


When children are directed to get their rest mat and blanket, they are coming to terms with the fact that it’s time to settle down. While resting they know to stay on their mats, which maintains a non-chaotic environment. When nap time is over, they can be directed to fold their blankets and help stack their mats. Again it offers a time of transition that children sometimes need to move from one task to another. Additionally, allowing children to set up and then tidy up their own stackable rest mats gives them a sense of responsibility.


When purchasing stackable rest mats, make sure they are flame retardant and comply with national standards. Such precautions should be a requirement in any school environment. As well as finding a safe location for storing stackable rest mats. Remember too that rest mats can be made more comfortable with rest mat sheets, and that you can also purchase rest mat storage racks to ensure the safety of storing larger quantities of mats.

Top Ten New Year’s Resoultions Modified for Early Childhood Teachers

10. Spend More Time with Family – The children in your classroom ARE family. Between school and home, teachers are with family all the time.

9. Fall In Love – Caregivers do that with every new child that enters their classroom.

8. Helping Others with Their Dreams – A real perk when teaching young children.

7. Quit Bad Habits – Who has time for bad habits between spending all day caring for children, then going home and raising a family, doing housework, homework, etc.?

6. Learn Something Exciting – Preschoolers teach you something new and exciting every day!

5. Stay Fit & Healthy – Running around with a roomful of children keeps teachers fit!

4. Enjoy Life to the Fullest – Aren’t I doing that already?

3. Spend Less, Save More – Teachers always seem to be spending their own money on preschool supplies for their classroom. Well, that probably won’t change!

2. Getting Organized – Lesson plans, writing documentation, doing assessment, making sure Olivia isn’t around peanuts, keeping Ronald inside because he as a cold, …

1. Lose Weight – Most teachers lose about 400 pounds a day when the children go home!