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We welcome you to ZERO TO THREE's website. ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit organization that informs, trains and supports professionals, policymakers and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. Neuroscientists have documented that our earliest days, weeks and months of life are a period of unparalleled growth when trillions of brain cell connections are made. Research and clinical experience also demonstrate that health and development are directly influenced by the quality of care and experiences a child has with his parents and other adults. That is why at ZERO TO THREE our mission is to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers. We know that as babies, the way we are held, talked to and cared for teaches us about who we are and how we are valued. This profoundly shapes who we will become. Early experiences set a course for a lifelong process of discovery about ourselves and the world around us. Simply put, early experiences matter. We encourage you to learn more about very young children, early development and the work of ZERO TO THREE by exploring our site.

This site contains information on California's concerted effort to attain high-quality care for infants and toddlers.

HighScope Educational Research Foundation is an independent nonprofit research, development, training, and public outreach organization with headquarters in Ypsilanti, Michigan. HighScope's mission is to lift lives through HighScope Headquarters - Hutchinson House January 2008education. We envision a world in which all educational settings use active participatory learning so everyone has a chance to succeed in life and contribute to society. HighScope activities include - Training preschool and elementary teachers and administrators Conducting research projects on the effectiveness of educational programs Developing curricula for infant/toddler, preschool, elementary, youth development, and movement and music programs Developing early literacy curricula and assessment materials and conducting related research Presenting an annual International HighScope Conference for teachers and teacher-trainers Publishing books, videos, curriculum materials, and assessment tools for educators and researchers Operating a Demonstration Preschool in Ypsilanti, Michigan, that serves children in the local community and provides a model of "HighScope in action" for visiting educators Operating the HighScope Retreat and Meeting Center in Clinton, Michigan

The schools of Reggio Emilia embody principles of The Reggio Emilia philosophy and approach to early childhood education has developed and continues to evolve as a result of over 40 years of experience within a system of municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Parents, who started the schools in the 1940s, continue to participate to ensure the schools reflect the values of the community. From the beginning, the late Loris Malaguzzi, leader, philosopher and innovator in education, who was then a young teacher, guided and directed the energies of those parents and several teachers. Through many years of work with them, he developed an education based on relationship, which has become widely known and valued. The Reggio Emilia approach is built upon a solid foundation of connected philosophical principles and extensive experience. Educators in Reggio Emilia have been inspired by many early childhood psychologists and philosophers, such as Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky, Gardner and Bruner.

Spaces for Children creates developmentally appropriate spaces that enhance a child's growth and that are convenient and a pleasure for teachers to use. Aesthetically pleasing, long lasting designs promote child development and attract and maintain high-caliber staff. Teachers who feel comfortable and effective in their classrooms provide the continuity essential to a child's sense of well being. The firm's hands-on approach includes time spent with teachers and administrators, observation of existing facilities if applicable, and, at the completion of construction, staff training and follow-up. The principals' expertise ranges from programming to building design, from classroom layout to furniture and outdoor play yard design, from the specifics of appropriate materials, fastenings, and finishes that assure optimum play value, child safety, and durability to the selection of low-toxic materials and optimization of indoor air quality. It is this knowledge, developed through working together as a team on a large number of projects, that sets Spaces for Children apart from other architecture firms designing childcare facilities.