Decades of research about how young children learn have shown that good beginnings make a lifelong difference. Young children who spend time in homes and classrooms in which there is a great deal of conversation and daily exposure to books and writing are better prepared to become readers and writers when they enter kindergarten. School-aged children who are in classrooms with a well-balanced reading and writing program and who have support from home are more likely to become skilled readers and writers. This age-customized guide to child care settings and classrooms can help you get your child off to the best start possible.