https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 14 May 2026 10:01:52 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mixed-age-classrooms#post-1867518 Thu, 18 Sep 2014 08:43:04 +0000 nana87 1867518@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Eek sorry I never circled back to this! I read all the responses while nursing and only had one hand to type, figured if respond later and the forgot, oops! Thanks for sharing your stories, it sounds like mixed age groups are awesome, especially when lo is the youngest! I'm excited to watch my little girl start learning from the big kids! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mixed-age-classrooms#post-1864790 Tue, 16 Sep 2014 14:58:53 +0000 lizzywiz 1864790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love that she learns from what the big kids are doing but still has the chance to just be a baby/toddler and explore.<br /> For example, she is allowed to join in any big kid activity that she wants to (and she always does) but she doesn't have to. A little boy who is her age still isn't ready for some of the more academic tasks and he continues to play and explore and participate at his level with no pressure. I feel like they get truly differentiated instruction, rather than being in a one age fits all class. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mixed-age-classrooms#post-1864620 Tue, 16 Sep 2014 13:22:11 +0000 SugarplumsMom 1864620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD's preschool class has a mixture of kids from age 1 to 6. I think mixed ages are very common here in Sweden. I was told that the older kids help the younger ones, which not only helps the teachers, but it instills a sense of family. It also helps the older child learn responsibility and all the little ones learn by watching and following the older ones. I was pretty hesitant about all of this at first, but it really does seem to work. It's especially helpful to the teachers since the older kids like to do their own thing during free play and they can focus more on the little ones.</p> <p>They have a set schedule at her school, so when the younger ones are napping, the older kids get story time or another planned activity. I really like the dynamic! Now I actually prefer a mixed classroom over ones with kids the same age. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mixed-age-classrooms#post-1864564 Tue, 16 Sep 2014 12:57:26 +0000 tororojo 1864564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD has done mom's day out in a mixed age class and it was great when she was the youngest! She started at 6 months and I think seeing what the other kids could do made her more quick to crawl, walk and talk. Now she's the oldest and I think she needs more peer interection, meh...being the youngest is great, though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mixed-age-classrooms#post-1864234 Tue, 16 Sep 2014 10:01:55 +0000 Corduroy 1864234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO is in an in home daycare with kids aged 6 months - 6 years, although most leave at pre-school age. I was nervous about it when she was a baby but I really like it. The older are so sweet with her and love playing with her. She's also learned to stand up for herself since she plays with kids twice her size. I like that she gets exposure to bigger kid things like the alphabet, coloring, and counting. I wouldn't have started those things on my own yet. Now that there's another baby LO is learning to be gentle and play with babies. So sweet.</p> <p>I could see how if she was a mellow baby I would have been a little concerned about her getting the attention she needed. She is pretty high needs though so she was in the middle of the action from the start. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mixed-age-classrooms#post-1864217 Tue, 16 Sep 2014 09:54:57 +0000 nana87 1864217@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: learning from the bigger kids is one of the big perks I was thinking! We went in for about 30 mins last week as part of the regular schedule "phase in" period and lo was loving watching the other kids! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mixed-age-classrooms#post-1864146 Tue, 16 Sep 2014 09:18:50 +0000 blackbird 1864146@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>E's in-home takes children from 3 months-3 years old, then they go to preschool. It's worked great for E. She loves playing with older kids and is really good with babies. I don't have any negative things about her being in a mixed age environment. She's learned a TON by being one of the younger ones there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/mixed-age-classrooms#post-1864137 Tue, 16 Sep 2014 09:16:09 +0000 nana87 1864137@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is about to start going to a child care center in a couple weeks when she turns 6 months (sob, how did that happen????). I'm thrilled about her center, it has a fabulous reputation and everything about it feels right to me (except I still can't really wrap my head around leaving her...). It has a mixed-age classroom set up though which I think is pretty unusual and I'd love to hear about others' experiences! Her center has 2 mixed age classrooms with children ages 6 months-3 years, and 2 preschool classrooms. She is by far the youngest in her class-- the next youngest child is 11 months. </p> <p>Is your child in a mixed age setting? What do you love about it? Are there things you're less than thrilled about? </p>