Ratio and group size
- Ratio: children per adult for one age, such as 1 to 4 for infants.
- Group size: the most children in one group or room at that age, whatever the number of adults.
A room can be inside its ratio and still over its group size, so states set both. Some set no group size by age at all; the table says so.
Mixed ages
When ages mix, many states apply the ratio of the youngest child in the group, and some have their own mixed-age tables. Peabody's calculator adds each age's share alone, which is a floor, not the answer: check your state's mixed-age rule.
Finding your state's rule
Each row in Peabody's ratio table names the rule it comes from and where we read it on 31 October 2026. Rules change: read the current rule on your state's licensing page (Childcare.gov's state resources link each one) and ask your licensing consultant. Family child care homes have their own rules, often counting the provider's own children.