Horizontal vs. vertical group structures in childcare: what's the difference?

When choosing a daycare center (kinderdagverblijf/KDV) or after-school care (BSO), most parents focus on practical considerations like location, opening hours, and costs. Yet there's another important factor that often gets overlooked — one that has a significant impact on your child's daily wellbeing and development: how children are grouped.

Childcare settings typically use either a horizontal or a vertical group structure. But what do these actually mean? And which one is the better fit for your child? In this blog, we explain the difference, weigh up the pros and cons, and help you make an informed choice.

What is group structure in childcare?

Group structure refers to how children are divided into groups at a childcare setting. This has a major influence on what a typical day looks like — it determines which children your child plays with, what activities are on offer, and how much calm and routine there is within the group.

It also shapes how children learn from and with each other, whether through playing together, observing one another, or offering a helping hand.

In childcare and after-school care (BSO), two main group structures are used: horizontal and vertical grouping. Both are rooted in different educational philosophies and each has its own strengths. The structure a setting chooses often reflects its broader approach to development, learning, and social interaction between children.

Horizontal group structure

In a horizontal group structure, children are grouped by age. You'll typically see groups like:

• 0–1 year
• 1–2 years
• 2–4 years
• 4–8 years
• 8+ years

All children in the group are at roughly the same stage of development. Activities, daily routines, and guidance are tailored accordingly.

Advantages of horizontal group structure

A horizontal structure offers a great deal of consistency and clarity. Key benefits include:

• Activities are well matched to children's developmental stage
• More calm and predictability within the group
• Childcare policies and approaches are easier to tailor to a single age group

Disadvantages of horizontal group structure

There are also some things to keep in mind:

• Less contact with younger or older children
• Children have fewer opportunities to learn from different age groups
• Moving up to the next group can be a big transition that takes time to adjust to
• Siblings are often placed in separate groups

Vertical group structure

In a vertical group structure, children of different ages are brought together in one group. This more closely resembles a family setting, where younger and older children interact with each other every day.

Advantages of vertical group structure

This approach has a strong social dimension:

• Siblings can be placed in the same group
• Younger children learn by watching and following older ones
• Older children develop nurturing qualities and a sense of responsibility
• More opportunity to build social skills such as cooperation and consideration for others

Disadvantages of vertical group structure

At the same time, this structure places greater demands on the organisation:

• Fewer age-specific activities are possible
• Greater variation in needs, energy levels, and pace within a single group
• Childcare staff need to constantly adapt to the different ages in the room

What does group structure mean for your child?

No two children are the same. While one child may thrive in a calm, structured group with peers their own age, another may feel most at home in a mixed-age group with a more varied dynamic.

Group structure can therefore have a significant impact on how safe, relaxed, and settled your child feels at their childcare setting.

Several factors come into play here — your child's age, of course, but also their personality. Some children are sensitive to stimulation and benefit from routine and predictability, while others are energised by variety and a lively atmosphere.

Your child's need for structure or flexibility, as well as whether they have siblings at the same setting, can also influence what works best.

That's why there's no right or wrong group structure. What matters most is finding the approach that fits your child's needs and your family's situation.

What should parents look for when choosing childcare?

The group structure tells you a lot about how a setting is organised and how your child will experience their day there. It's also worth reflecting on your own parenting style and which type of grouping aligns with it.

Children generally benefit from continuity and predictability. If a setting's approach mirrors the rhythm and routines of home life, that consistency can be a real advantage.

On the other hand, childcare can also be a place where children discover new things and learn that the world outside home works a little differently. This builds flexibility and resilience — and is excellent preparation for starting primary school.

So take a close look at your child and what they need. Are they ready for new challenges and variety, or do they need calm and routine? What stage are they at right now? And how does life at home look — what would complement that, or offer a healthy contrast?

It can help to find out which group structure a setting uses and how they handle the differences between age groups. It's also worth asking about the amount of individual attention children receive and how this is reflected in the setting's educational policy.

Bring these questions along on your tour, and you'll come away with a much clearer picture of what a setting can genuinely offer your child.

Horizontal or vertical grouping isn't a matter of better or worse. Both approaches have their own strengths and considerations.

By focusing on your child's needs and how a setting responds to them, you can make a thoughtful choice — one that helps your child feel safe, seen, and truly at home.

Want to find out which childcare options are available near you? Kiddie.nl is here to help. You can easily compare local childcare settings, including by group structure type.