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Parents and Guardians Forum>Appropriate Age Groups In Daycare Centers
Jessica 05:11 AM 09-12-2007
Hi everybody,

My son is now in daycare where he's in a "toddler" group. The owner defines toddler group this way: any infant that is able to walk through 3 yrs old.
My son is now 2.5 and he's the oldest in the group.
I don't feel that children with possibly over 2 years gap should be in the same classroom. How would a curriculum be designed to address motorskills development of young toddlers and social/interactive skills of older twos?

Are there any rules for daycare centers that regulate this?

I'm in PA.

Thank you for your replies!

Jess.
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Unregistered 03:20 AM 10-13-2007
At my center we have a Pretoddler room and a Toddler room. Pretods is anywhere from 13 months-2 and the toddler room is 2-3. Once a child is 3 they then move onto the preschool room. If your center age groups mixed like that, in my state it is ok, just as long as they use the ratio for the youngest age group. Ex: the youngest child in that room is 9months(which in my opinion should still be in an infant room, just beacuase they walk doesnt mean anything) and the oldest kid is 2.5, they must use the ratio that would fit a child of 9 months, because that is the lowest age.
**My son is 16 months and still doesnt walk, that means at the center you go to he would be in the baby room, but yet a 9 month old may walk and be in a room with 2.5 year olds...doesnt make sense to me. Good Luck.
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Unregistered 11:06 AM 01-02-2013
well in your situation you should think, your son will feel more of a want to walk being that the rest of his classmates are walking. i mean when your over a year old its time to take baby steps, literally.
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Crystal 07:42 AM 01-03-2013
18-36 months is a typical toddler classroom and is what the toddler licensing standard is in Ca.

You child has the opportunity, being older, to learn leadership skills and also learn empathy for younger children. Embrace it
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itlw8 11:05 AM 01-03-2013
In family childcare that is what we do mixed age groups. We adapt and plan for each childs needs and interests. Some how I doubt we are just that much smarter than people that work in a center. Even at the same age children are at different levels.

It just works... kinda like a large family. Some centers do mixed age groups also.
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