Which age group to enrol a very timid DD in?

[BadmintonBadass]

DD 23 months currently attends a Toddler Sensory class, I’m about to sign her up for another term and I’m unsure which age group to enrol her with - 1-2yrs or 2-4yrs?
She’s very bright, and I would be keen for her to learn from slightly older children, but also very timid so I’m very conscious of throwing her into an environment where she’s the youngest and she feels intimidated (she shows signs of intimidation with toddlers her own age, such as flinching when they run near her and not wanting to go near equipment they are using, so I can imagine she would find older, bigger kids leaping about even more scary!)
Any suggestions gratefully received! Thanks!

Younger

At her age it’s all about feel safe and secure and gaining confidence.
It’s not about her learning from older kids if she doesnt thrive in an environment with older children. She will just feel unsure and end up not wanting to go.

That is what I’m leaning towards too, thanks a lot for your suggestion, makes sense!

My son is a teen now and suffers anxiety. He controls it now but had to have CBT through Camhs.

They said the worse thing to do with anxious and timid children is to force them into situations where they'll feel anxious. They don't learn and actually if something goes wrong or they feel anxious it reinforces those feelings.

So I'm totally with the idea of keeping her in the younger group. Allow her to explore freely and become comfortable in the environment and around her peers.
When she's developed that she'll learn from children naturally if she's bright and inquisitive by nature.

Thankyou for your reply, that’s really helpful. I hope CBT is working well for your son. thanks again for sharing x