Nurseries - small ones or big ones? With older babies or younger babies?

[Foop]

Hi all again,
We need to decide on whether to go for a nursery with bigger floor space and more room and the other which is smaller and cosier? Both have about the same number of babies. Our DS is 6 months old and we were wondering if he should be at one with slightly older babies in the same playroom so that he can learn and develop quickly hopefully, or at one with other younger babies so that he gets more similar attention? Help this is a headache! PS: We are only thinking of sending him there for 2-3 days a week!

What i would look at, is the feel of the nursery, how the staff interact with the babies? What the babies are doing? What's on the walls?

I don't think the older children will have much of an impact in your child's development, that usually kicks in after 1 year of age and then much more after they reach 2 and up. Now he probably doesn't pay much attention to any other children.

Personally i would prefer my child to mix with children the same age!

Thanks Walkingonhotcoals. We really like both places which is why we are torn. When we visited the larger operation, I did like how the youngest baby there had learnt to eat crumpets as she wanted to sit with the slightly older babies at snack time! At least that was what the staff told me! The babies there were about 7-12 months old, so all slightly older than my DS, whereas the smaller operation has more babies younger than my DS - was thinking babies any younger than my DS' age would probably not do too much with each other anyway!

What age do they move them to an older room?

At DD's nursery the baby room goes to 2 and it's been nice to see her develop from copying slightly older children and then as she's become the oldest, really helping the little ones.

Presumably other younger children will also start and the balance will change over time.

Hi Barbeasty, sorry for the late response. They move them at the age of 1. We decided on the larger one as we are keen to get him to develop! Fingers crossed! x

Good luck.

You'll find the baby room back-fills with younger ones as the other children go up at 1 anyway, and might find a few start at either 6 or 9 months as maternity pay stops!

DD has just gone up to the toddler room and has really liked being reunited with her slightly older friends.