Birth to Age 3

DOES YOUR CHILD'S CAREGIVER...

	Seem to enjoy cuddling your baby?
	Care for your baby's physical needs such as feeding and diapering? Wash own hands frequently?
	Holding, interact and talk to your baby?
	Provide dependable and consistent care so your baby can form an attachment and feel important?
	Cooperate with your efforts to toilet train your toddler?
	"Child-proof" the setting so your toddler can crawl or walk safely and freely?
	Assist with self-help skills like doing things for themselves, helping your child to learn to feed and dress him/herself, go to the bathroom and pick up his/her own toys?
	Promote literacy skills by talking with him/her, naming things, reading aloud, describing what he/she is doing and responding to your child's words/sounds?

DOES THE CHILD CARE HOME OR CENTER HAVE...

	Safe gates at tops and bottoms of stairs?
	A potty chair or special toilet seat in the bathroom?
	A clean and safe place to change diapers, which is sanitized after each use?
	Cribs with firm mattresses covered in heavy plastic?
	Separate crib sheets for each baby in care?
	Running water close by for handwashing?

ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES...

	To crawl and explore safely and freely?
	To play with objects and toys that help infants to develop their senses of touch, sight and hearing? (For example: mobiles, mirrors, cradle gyms, rattles, things to squeeze and roll, pots and pans, nesting cups, different sized boxes)
	To take part in a variety of activities that are suited to toddlers' short attention spans? (For example: puzzles, cars, books, outdoor play equipment for active play, modeling clay, clocks, boxes and containers for creative play)

Reprinted with permission from the National Network for Child Care - NNCC.
Labensohn, D. (1990). Parent checklist for day care (Pm-796h) (Choosing Care for Your Children series). Ames, IA: Iowa State University Extension.