The overarching interest of this study concerns how to outline learning opportunities and support in early childhood education (ECE) without losing its play-based character. More specifically, the study reports an empirical investigation into the evolving activity of a 6.5-year-old child and an adult conversing about the child's drawing of…

This document reports the results of a follow-up of a longitudinal, comparative study of Swedish children reared in center and home settings that are especially pertinent to the debate about the long-term effects of care on social development. The study began with a sample of 120 children from 12-18 months of age. Sixty infants were enrolled in…

A longitudinal, process-oriented study was conducted to compare the content and effects of day care attendance with care in the home. Collection of baseline data involved 120 children of 12 through 18 months of age. Sixty of these children spent their weekdays in 1 of 12 day care centers, while the other 60 were cared for in homes by their mothers…

This report represents the second phase of an ongoing longitudinal study of children in different child-rearing environments in Sweden: children's own homes, "day" homes and day care centers. One hundred and two of the 120 original families participated in the follow-up. The children had reached an age of 5 1/2 years. Four areas…