Montessori is big on mixed age groups of kids. The idea is that the older kids get a chance to be a "role model" and show the younger kids the rhythm of the classroom and ways to be engaged. Everybody wins. Unity has been in mixed age classrooms her whole life, from preschool to her combined Kindergarten 1st grade classroom and this fall she'll start in a combined 1st 2nd 3rd grade classroom. And of course our household is a mixed age bunch all the time.
This summer she's really taken on being a helper for younger siblings of friends. She has enjoyed helping our 2 and 3 year old friends, and their parents often appreciate the help as well. It's fun to see her playing this new role and enjoying it, even if it does make her seem so old.
Yesterday afternoon, we did an art project from this book, which is my absolute favorite art book for kids. Since it was hot and very sunny, we picked some interesting shapes from the garden and then traced their shadows. It was a fun project and afterwards we colored the pictures any old way. It was lots of fun and super easy.
