Bring Back Nap Time for Louisiana Kindergartners. For Their Health, Learning, and Teachers
Bring Back Nap Time for Louisiana Kindergartners. For Their Health, Learning, and Teachers
The Issue
Five year olds are being pushed through full school days with no rest time and it’s hurting their learning, emotional health, and teachers’ ability to teach. We’re asking Louisiana and parish school boards to bring back a daily nap or quiet time for kindergarteners.
To: Louisiana State Department of Education, Louisiana State Legislature, Parish School Boards, and Local Education Authorities
We, the undersigned parents, guardians, educators, and concerned citizens of Louisiana, urge our state and parish leaders to reinstate mandatory daily rest or nap periods for all kindergarten classrooms.
In recent years, nap time has been removed from many Louisiana kindergarten programs in favor of extended instructional periods. While academic growth is important, eliminating rest periods for 5 year olds ignores decades of research showing that adequate rest is critical to learning, emotional regulation, and healthy development.
Why Nap Time Matters:
Brain Development: Rest supports memory retention, emotional control, and cognitive growth.
Behavior & Emotional Well Being: Without a midday rest, many children experience fatigue, irritability, and difficulty focusing.
Teacher Strain: Teachers face increased behavioral challenges and stress when children are overtired.
Whole Child Education: Kindergarten should balance academics with developmental needs.
Our Request:
We call upon state and parish education leaders to:
Reinstate a minimum 45-60 minute daily nap or quiet rest period for all kindergarten programs.
Allow teachers flexibility to adapt rest time to classroom needs.
Provide adequate classroom resources (mats, bedding storage, quiet environment) to support safe, effective rest periods.
By signing this petition, you’re advocating for a balanced, developmentally appropriate education for Louisiana’s youngest learners and giving teachers the tools they need for a successful classroom.
📌 Please include your Parish name in the comments when signing so we can show leaders how widespread the support is across Louisiana.
2,990
The Issue
Five year olds are being pushed through full school days with no rest time and it’s hurting their learning, emotional health, and teachers’ ability to teach. We’re asking Louisiana and parish school boards to bring back a daily nap or quiet time for kindergarteners.
To: Louisiana State Department of Education, Louisiana State Legislature, Parish School Boards, and Local Education Authorities
We, the undersigned parents, guardians, educators, and concerned citizens of Louisiana, urge our state and parish leaders to reinstate mandatory daily rest or nap periods for all kindergarten classrooms.
In recent years, nap time has been removed from many Louisiana kindergarten programs in favor of extended instructional periods. While academic growth is important, eliminating rest periods for 5 year olds ignores decades of research showing that adequate rest is critical to learning, emotional regulation, and healthy development.
Why Nap Time Matters:
Brain Development: Rest supports memory retention, emotional control, and cognitive growth.
Behavior & Emotional Well Being: Without a midday rest, many children experience fatigue, irritability, and difficulty focusing.
Teacher Strain: Teachers face increased behavioral challenges and stress when children are overtired.
Whole Child Education: Kindergarten should balance academics with developmental needs.
Our Request:
We call upon state and parish education leaders to:
Reinstate a minimum 45-60 minute daily nap or quiet rest period for all kindergarten programs.
Allow teachers flexibility to adapt rest time to classroom needs.
Provide adequate classroom resources (mats, bedding storage, quiet environment) to support safe, effective rest periods.
By signing this petition, you’re advocating for a balanced, developmentally appropriate education for Louisiana’s youngest learners and giving teachers the tools they need for a successful classroom.
📌 Please include your Parish name in the comments when signing so we can show leaders how widespread the support is across Louisiana.
2,990
Supporter Voices
Petition created on August 13, 2025