Quote Originally Posted by Judy Trickett View Post
....This is why I like to be full with 5 kids who are all about 6 mths apart. So, I like to have a 12mth old, 18 mth old, 2 yr old, 2.5 yr old and a 3 yr old in care. That way there are always two friends within six months of their age to play with.
This is me as well - I only like to have one 'infant' and than have the other four be matched up in closer ages / stages to play together ... this allows me to set up activities and options where they can play together.

When we are doing 'creative art work' the older ones are at the table and the infant is in the high chair with us ... they are exploring an art medium and so is the baby just geared to his development - so they might be painting with water colors and a brush and the babe is finger painting with homemade paint or something totally different. If someone is not feeling like doing 'art' at that time then there option is to play quietly within eye sight of me with something else. Than when we are all done we clean up and move on to something else.

In the playroom I teach the baby that if someone is playing on a carpet square or inside the hula hoop HANDS OFF you do not 'bother' them or touch their toys ... this allows older children a space and place to play without having their block structure toppled or their puzzle broken and so forth ... it is amazing how quickly a child as young as 1 can master this concept with just a consistent reminder 'hands off please' and redirection to where they can play.

I would also be working to sleep train your crew .... children 5 and under NEED to nap/rest still ... their growing brains need 12-14 hours of sleep/rest a day for their synapses and so forth to 'recharge' .... YOU also need downtime in the afternoon to recharge YOUR brain, soul and passion