Philosophy

Mixed-Age Developmental Philosophy

Developmentally, no child is ever just three or five or ten years old. Every child has some of the needs of a younger and older child. A mixed-age setting provides the freedom for children to be with their peers and find companionship in whatever developmental stage they are at, in that moment in time. For instance, a child may be the leader of the pack one day and spend another day playing with dolls. Having the permission to progress and regress both emotionally and socially builds self-confidence, engenders empathy, and promotes a broad awareness of community values.

Children learn most of their socialization and world-view from their mixed-age peers. Younger children instinctually idolize and mimic older children. When younger children are able to take their social cues from older ones, many behavioral problems disappear. The sense of self-worth that older children get from being idolized naturally moves them to take on more responsibility and leadership roles within the group. In a mixed-age setting, children are exposed to a network of peers helping and caring for each other. By interacting with children of all ages, a child can see a clear pathway into adulthood and experience a deep sense of belonging when they know their place in the spectrum of human development.

In our society neighborhoods are disappearing, the one-room schoolhouse is a thing of the past, and families are having fewer children. There are fewer opportunities for children to develop the responsibility, empathy, cooperation, and leadership skills gained through mixed-age play. These are not skills that we need to "teach" to children. These skills develop naturally by allowing children to play in a way that they are evolutionarily hardwired to learn.

For more information about our mixed age philosophy please visit www.mixedage.net