Mix It up!

Do the children in your center or class ever spend time in mixed age groups? Many states and programs must follow strict guidelines about how young children must be cared for in mixed age settings. When children have siblings, have neighborhood play dates or visit the park regularly they share time with younger and older children naturally. But those who have no siblings and/or spend "all day-everyday" in center-based childcare may have little or no opportunities to interact with various aged children.

Children learn and practice very different cognitive and social skills with various people. Here are just a few of the reasons research shows children need to associate with younger and older children.

• Three and four year old children will try to comfort a crying baby in a very different way from a peer.
• Three and four year old children will adapt the complexity of their language, length of sentences, and tone of voice when they speak to younger children.
• Learning to "read" non-verbal cues as a way to understand the feelings of others takes practice, this is often easier - and simpler for young children to do by watching children of various ages who may not yet have the same "filters" adults use to mask their emotions.

Please share your thoughts, any research and ways or suggestions you've found to to help "mix it up" without breaking regulations.

To read more about the great benefits of "mixing" it up see:

Katz, L. 2005. The Benefit of the Mix. Available online: www.childcareexchange.com.

Adapted from: ExchangeEveryDay. 2005. Benefits of Mixed Age Grouping. Available online: www.childcareexchange.com