Research and our professional experience show that mixed age grouping can benefits all the children involved. This is especially true for children who spend a majority of their time in an extended-day setting. -Children develop sibling-like bonds that foster care and concern for one another. -Children are allowed to explore concepts and learn at a rate comfortable to them, and there is no pressure to conform to a group. -Promotes a good self-concept for every child, younger children enjoy receiving help from older children while older children gain leadership skills and gain confidence in their abilities. -Typically, each child is part of a group for at least two years. This way, they receive the benefits of taking on the dependent and leadership roles respectively. -The mixed age setting enhances the child's use of pro-social behaviors. Sharing, giving, turn taking and showing concerns are more widely demonstrated in this setting.