50 Part One The Children and You
Today, many young children
attend early childhood programs. The
number of children in these programs
continues to grow. Parents place their
children in early childhood programs
for two main reasons.
First, many parents like the
rich learning environment of a
high-quality, developmentally
appropriate early childhood
program. Brain research shows
that children learn from the earliest
moments of life. Their learning is
most rapid in the first five fi years. fi
High-quality programs stimulate
learning in this period, 2-1. Studies
show that children from high-quality
programs did better in primary
grades than other children in
reading, math, and social skills. They
also get along with their peers better
and have fewer behavioral problems.
Second, parents who work
outside the home must provide for
their children’s needs during working
hours. For this reason, parents
may enroll their children in early
childhood programs. Parents pay to
provide safe and nurturing care in a
developmentally appropriate setting.
In high-quality programs, learning
needs will also be met.
Distinct differences exist among
the many types of early childhood
programs. These programs may
differ in their philosophies,
ownership, and program offerings.
Programs also vary in size, staff
qualifications, hours of operation, fi
facilities, and fees. Finally, programs
may differ greatly in terms of quality,
even when they are of the same type.
Some types of programs
are more common than others.
However, all of them serve a very
important purpose by meeting
the needs of young children. See
Figure 2-2 for child care options
parents most often choose.
Family Child Care
Homes
A popular form of child care
in the United States provided
other than by a relative or parent
is called family y child care homes.
In this type of program, child care
is provided in a private home with
a small number of children. Often
it is conveniently located in the
child’s own neighborhood. Some
states require licensing for family
A A A A challenging ch al le ng in g environment en vi ro nm en t can ca n help he lp c c hildren hi ld re n develop de ve lo p
cognitively, c emotionally, socially, and physically.
A A
c
2-1