SLEEP – Sleep Learning for Early Education Professionals
Reflective Activity 2

Koalas case example
Koalas is a kindergarten service catering for 19 children aged between 4.3 – 5.3 years. The service hours are from 9am to 2:30pm, with children attending a 5 day fortnight. The room has a scheduled rest time from 1pm to 2:15pm, although the teacher indicates that this varies throughout the week depending on the activities of the children. The educators report that they regularly talk to the children about “why we sleep” and “how we rest to recover and grow”. 
On the day of observation rest time started at 1:15. Children gradually move to their beds as they finish their afternoon tea. All children are on their bed by 1:30pm. The lights are turned off, there is music playing. The educators move around the room sitting by the children but not patting or regularly interacting with them. The teachers occasionally talk softly with individual children reminding them to lie down. Children are not provided with alternate activities during this time.. 
At 11:47 the assistant moves around the room giving books and pencils to children who are still awake. At 2:15 the music is turned off and children are asked to pack up their sheets and put away their books and pencils. At this point every child who is asleep is woken. At 2:26 all children are off their beds. During rest time 6 of the 19 children sleep 

Total rest time: 1hr 16 minutes

Questions for reflection
•	How does this scenario map onto the NQS Quality Areas and Elements?
•	How does this scenario align or not align with current research evidence on sleep for children aged 3 – 5 years?
•	What questions does it raise?
•	What could this service do to improve their current practice?

The SLEEP program is funded by the Queensland Government Department of Education
© Copyright The University of Queensland 2017 

Queensland Government
The University of Queensland Australia
ISSR Institute for Social Science Research
Sleep in Early Childhood Research Group
QUT