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Getting children ready to go outside can be challenging but getting children ready to go outside in the winter months can be laborious, especially if you are the only adult getting them ready. Working with a diverse group of peers teaches all students that skills can be developed with practice over time.
One of the benefits of multi-age childcare is both younger and older students have a chance to develop a growth mindset by observing multiple years of the learning process in one classroom.
The older children can model and assist with getting the younger children into their winter gear. The younger children look up to their older friends and look forward to reaching their level of ability. The older children watch the younger students progress in their skill level of getting their snow pants and boots on which teaches them the value of practice and hard work.
Children don’t always remember or understand that they have vastly different skills and capabilities than they did a year or even a few months ago—but the mixed-age classroom makes that developmental progression very apparent.
Watching the weather is part of a child care provider’s job. Planning for playtime, field trips, or weather safety is part of the daily routine. The changes in weather require the child care provider to monitor the health and safety of children. Read more the Child Care Weather Watch resource.
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