According to the report “Staff-to-Child Ratios in Center-Based Programs,” the recommended 
maximum group size for the toddlers (ages 15 months to 2.9 years) in a professional childcare facility is 9 children to 1 staff member. The same 9-to-1 maximum ratio is recommended for older toddlers and preschoolers ages 2.9 to 7 years.
The benefits of small staff-to-child ratios show themselves in the way toddler skills are taught and reinforced. You can extrapolate, then, that a lower staff-to-child ration – such as the 7-to-1 offered by Horizon Education Centers – helps ensure more individual attention for each child.
Developing toddler skills
The skills each child needs to help him achieve academic success later include:
- Basic physical health skills, like hand-washing and potty training;
- Motor-development and fine-motor skills that enhance artistic expression and other activities;
- Cognitive skills such as problem-solving, memory and attention development;
- Social skills that encompass cooperation, negotiation, sharing and self-control;
- Language skills that contribute to reading readiness
The smaller the staff-to-child ratio, the more one-on-one teaching and supervision can take place. In a smaller group setting, the teacher is better able to identify each child’s strengths and weaknesses, and act accordingly.
Children in a smaller class are less likely to “fall into the cracks” of a larger group. They can find friends. A small group of children means less noise and fewer distractions – so children interacting in a group may still have time to work on their own as they develop the attention spans and problem-solving toddler skills that will help them handle their school curriculum later.
Learn more
Find out how a 7-to-1 ratio can provide educational and social benefits for your child. Contact Horizon Education Centers to learn about its mission to engage educate and enrich children throughout northern Ohio.
