quiet time while baby naps

the baby naps at noon and to be honest, her room is adjacent to our living room. its very hard to keep the kids 'silent' while the baby naps.
can anyone tell me what you do with your kids other than put the tv on for two hours?

we paint, color, play outside, do play doh....
looking for some other ideas.

 

Quiet time in my house means one boy is in his room with classical music on, reading books, while the other boy is on the couch downstairs with classical playing, reading books. I wouldn't mind incorporating quiet board games in this routine, though. I had to remind them that quiet time is quiet for me as well; an opportunity to rest or sleep for everybody, not just them. Occasionally now I'll fall asleep and my son will play on the couch quietly. :woo:

 

We have white noise on in the baby's (well, toddler's now) room and that prevents him waking up because his sisters are being noisy. They have "quiet" time in their room right next to his which just means they have to stay in their room for an hour and a half. Usually they are pretty quiet - they'll color, read books, play with their dolls but other days they're bouncing off the walls, acting out scenes from movies/tv shows or practicing gymnastics. The white noise is magic.

 

When I have nannied for families with multi age these are some of the things I have done during naptime.

Quiet time: each child in their own space with something quite(toys, legos, books etc.) One set of kids I nannied for had a quiet time from 1-3 every day until they were quiet old. I think close to 13 years old. Sometimes they would beg for together quiet time and I would let them if they were quiet but they knew I was serious and if I heard them being loud I would separate them. I also rotated which room they were in.

Read aloud time: they all sit around and listen to me read Luara Ingals: Little House books, Ramona Quimby etc.) are they best ones chapter I have found that kids enjoy listening to. They usually do something like puzzles, crafts or coloring while I read. I like to make it go with the books we are reading but I don't always do this.

Audio books: we get tons from out local library

Cooking: make cookies or have them help you make supper.

of course some tv and computer/ipad preferable educational but I try to limit it.

 

What about reading aloud or listening to audio books? I like audio books which explain/narrate classical music for quiet time, so you get the story or explanations and then the whole movement of the music. That holds my children's attention better and engages them more than music on its own.