Early childhood centers have become a common and necessary part of millions of Americans' lives. More women in the workforce, longer workweeks, and educational research supporting the importance of early education have all contributed to the rise of early childhood centers throughout the United States. Today, more than 30 percent of children under the age of three and almost 50 percent of children between the ages of three and five attend an early childhood center for some part of their day (Children's Defense Fund 1999). An early childhood center is considered a nonresidential facility that provides care for at least 13 children. This paper focuses on how design can improve the quality of such centers, where quality is seen as the health, safety, and appropriate development of the child.