New York ? Nap time can be a battleground pitting parents against their groggy, defiant children.

But a little planning can help parents establish a nap routine, says Cynthia MacGregor, author of “The Naptime Book” (Conari Press, 2003, $12.95 paperback). MacGregor offers the following advice:

• Institute a regular nap time, whether that’s a specific hour of the day or an arrangement such as “right after lunch.”
• Have a “nap quilt” or other familiar covering on top of your children’s bed, to make them feel comfortable and secure and remind them that it’s time to nap.
• Introduce a quiet activity shortly before nap time. Withhold candies and other sugary treats right before nap time.
• Recite soothing poems to help the child relax. “The Naptime Book” contains dozens of relaxing games and poems like “Submarine Sam”: “When Submarine Sam goes under the sea/What kind of view do you think there’ll be?/What kind of sights will our sailor see/When Submarine Sam goes under the sea?”