Learning and Growing Together in Mixed-Age Classrooms

Mixed-age pals: A five-year-old and a three-year-old hug

One unique aspect of our program at All Seasons Preschool is our use of mixed-age classrooms. Instead of separating children strictly by age, we group 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds together. This is an intentional choice grounded in research and experience.

Mixed-age groupings offer rich benefits for all children. In a class where the range of development and behavior is broader, there’s a natural acceptance of differing abilities and needs. As renowned early childhood educator Bev Bos writes in Together We’re Better, “No child is ever just three or four years old. Every child has some of the needs of a younger child or older child.” Children don’t develop uniformly. One may excel in early literacy but need support with self-regulation, while another may show strong motor skills but be still developing socially. A mixed-age environment honors these differences, creating more opportunities for growth, empathy, and challenge.

Older children in mixed-age settings develop leadership, nurturing, and empathy as they naturally take on the role of “experts” in the classroom. A child who might be domineering among same-age peers often becomes a gentle helper when surrounded by younger classmates. Competition fades, replaced by a sense of care and community.

Younger children, in turn, benefit from observing and learning alongside older peers. They gain exposure to advanced ideas, materials, and projects that might not be available in a classroom designed for younger students. This gentle stretching of abilities fosters confidence and curiosity.

Generations ago, children often played in neighborhood groups that spanned many ages. Today, those organic mixed-age interactions are rarer. Our classrooms help restore that natural dynamic, giving children the chance to learn with and from one another.

At All Seasons, community is at the heart of everything we do. Whether it’s 90-year-olds and 2-year-olds sharing stories, or 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds exploring side by side, we see daily how mixed-age groups build connection, compassion, and belonging.

A five-year-old helps a three-year-old get dressed for the outdoors