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This is tough. My kid is 3 and definitely needs a nap (naps like 2-3 hours at home). But he definitely does not nap as well at his school (he probably naps like an hour). However, part of it is because the school's nap time is way earlier than we have at home. At home he naps at 1pm or 1:30pm and goes until 4pm, but at school, they put the kids down at noon. So often he's just not quite as tired as he would be. But there's not much I can do about that.

However, our school requires naps and laying quietly from 12-2pm all the way through Pre-K because philosophically, they believe its very important - and I'm a sleep nazi, so I agree. The 4 year old classrooms go down a wee bit later like probably 12:15pm or something, and they are more understanding if the children don't sleep and just lay quietly, but the younger kids are expected to nap and the teachers work hard at it. They don't allow the kids to get up and play, they will lay with the kids, pat and shush them, sing to them, whatever. Its definitely not a zone out time for them. My son hasn't been napping well about 2 days a week and those days the teachers get creative and either move him to a different classroom (sometimes a new teacher and classroom will get them to quiet down and fall asleep) or they move him to the 4 year old room so that he doesn't disturb the napping children in his class and so that he learns how to lay quietly instead of loudly singing to himself (which is what he usually wants to do).

So if my school wasn't working with me to get my kid the sleep it needs, it would piss me off. Could they move your child into a different classroom (with younger kids for instance) for nap time so that he can get the rest he needs?

The crib/cot thing I wouldn't worry so much about. It does take some getting used to, but my kids transitioned just fine after a few weeks.

Our preschool doesn't even nap (don't get me started). DD1 is almost 3 and she had a tough time for maybe 2 ish weeks and has since adjusted. She does get slightly cranky in the evenings, but will pass out by 8pm. Weekends she usually doesn't nap either unless it's a car nap.

@JoyfulKiwi: CA also requires a rest period for any children under 5. This includes a mat or cot and a quiet room without distractions.

I think you are over-reacting a little bit. Of course the teachers want the kids to nap - that is THEIR break time too, lol. It also sounds like they are enforcing a mandatory rest period - even if it is a short rest period. Check what is required by state law. Ultimately, I would just push bedtime way up and deal with the short nap. If the other kids are not sleeping and keeping your son awake, they cannot force the other kids to sleep.

My middle son is 2.10 and is still in the toddler room of 18-36m olds. They almost all nap. The upstairs pre-primary and pre-school class is 3-4 year olds. I see daily that they write the names of the kids who nap. It's around 20 kids per classroom and only a handful nap. So, I think it's pretty normal for naps to be short or even nonexistent when you get to that age. My older son also went to another preschool previously and it was similar. In fact, he was the one who stopped napping at pre-school at age 2.5. He literally did not nap a single day in pre-school room. Just my experience though!