Room for 1-2yr olds

[nightingale1]

Hello.

I would really appreciate some advice from settings that take 1yr olds. We currently take 2-5yr olds but would like to take on 1-2yr olds. I read in the EYFS that you need a separate room for younger children. Can you divide a larger room or does anyone have 1's and 2's mixing occasionally with a separate area for the 1's to play and sleep?

Thank you!

[Guest]

Hi,

Before we had our extension we had age ranges combined form 6 months- 5 years. It can work, and you have to take into account the amount of space that they take, staff have to be very very on the ball. i think its great for the little ones but impacts the bigger one. I would not go back to mixing them. Since splitting we have found that the well-being of our older children have gone through the roof. Before we used to have a 'crawlers corner' which we would use for non mobile, nervous or sleeping children. The biggest problem with mixing 1 year olds and 4 year olds is the social understanding. Our little ones would knock over/ snatch the older childrens play and our older children were expected to understand that 'they're only little/ they didn't mean to' we were unable to discipline/ manage that type of interactions due to the lack of understanding. This did resort in to a very near miss for a one year old and a wooden train track! That being said i think if you can keep them separated then i would consider 1-2.5 (ish) years and then 2.5-5 years. Ours still all mix in the garden

[nightingale1]

Thank you so much Lucy. I think the 1-2.5 idea is very interesting. I have a 1yr old and 3yr old at home, so can picture the stress if you had lots in a room together!!