The article about eliminating naptime in prekindergarten programs (“Nap time for kids getting a rest,” News, March 16) perpetuated misinformation about early-childhood education. Concentrating purely on academics before kindergarten is counterproductive to creating school success. Before children can succeed academically in school, they need early-childhood experiences that help them develop socially and emotionally as well as intellectually through hands-on interaction with other people and materials.
A key element of healthy development in young children is getting enough rest to allow the brain to digest the wealth of information presented throughout the day.
Early-childhood professionals facilitate developmentally appropriate learning that creates the foundation for personal and academic success. Their curriculum includes free play and naps because those things are essential in the healthy development of the whole child.
