ABSTRACT
A great deal of research has accumulated in the past three or four decades, enriching one's understanding of how infants and young children learn and pointing to the critical importance of the early years of life. It is important to remember at the start that child care is an environment where many children spend the majority of their day, every day, beginning in infancy. As such, it influences the development of children. Intelligence is one trait that is highly influenced by both the genes and the environment, but there are others, such as creativity, a talent for art or music, or athletic ability. Environmental factors and one's experiences enhance or impede development at all stages of life. However, the early years are especially open to positive influence. The quality of child care is important because it is "closely linked with children's social, cognitive, and language development".
