Helping Your Little One Succeed at Preschool

It's time to take your child to preschool and you are wondering whether to put your child in mixed age programs for daycare. Or, should you go for a school where children are mixed according to age groups?

In mixed age preschools children with an age difference ranging from 1-2 years are put in the same classroom. Below are some pros and cons of mixed age preschools to help you make that decision.

Pros

Younger Children

Younger children seem to develop faster. Their problem solving and linguistic skills seem to grow faster in mixed age preschools.

This is because they learn by interacting with older children who have superior skills. They are also motivated by the older children to aspire to higher levels. They want to be like the older children so they copy their behavior.

Older Children

In this kind of arrangement, the older children get to exercise their leadership skills by taking care of the younger ones, teaching and protecting them. This gives them a sense of pride and achievement.

Overall Benefits

A mixed age preschool encourages the growth and development of individual children without worrying about a pre-set standard. The variety present in such preschools also eliminates competition with peers, creating a greater sense of security for the child.

Children with disabilities also feel more included as they can find people they relate to without fear of being judged. Proponents of mixed age preschool argue that this kind of arrangement is more natural than age segregated schools. This version of preschool is a replica of the real world where people interact with people who are different, and not just in age. In other words, variety is normal. However, even with its many benefits, this kind of arrangements needs to be closely monitored. It is important to know who's offering the example and restrict role-modeling to good behavior.

Cons

Older Children

There is a fear that older children in mixed age schools may not be getting much of a challenge and may end up behaving more like the younger ones. Some teachers have argued that it is difficult to organize age-appropriate activities in mixed age preschools.

For example, it may be challenging to preparing 4 year olds for kindergarten when they are mixed with 3 year olds. Other experts insist that curricular should always be adapted to individual needs, anyhow.

Mixed age programs for daycare offer many benefits. They allow your child to develop problem solving, leadership and linguistic skills. They appear especially beneficial to younger children. However, they require strict supervision of older children to avoid negative role-modeling. Contact a school, like Joyous Montessori, for more help.