Milestones: A Childcare History Timeline

The view that childhood is a precious and magical time is a relatively new concept. In many lands, for many years, children were often regarded as not much more then minature adults or property. In fact we are still learning how crucial early experiences are in a young child's development. And child care as a profession can still be considered to be in it's infancy. Follow along with some selected historical milestones in early childhood education and daycare.

• 1762 Philosopher Jean-Jacques Roussueau states that a child's mode of thinking is different than an adult and they learn though hands-on experience.
• 1801 Johann Pestalozzi established what is considered to the first school to teach preschool age children.
• 1837 Children's Garden (Kindergarten) started in Germany by Friedrich Froebel.
• 1854 The Nursery School for Children of Poor Women was opened in cooperation with Children's Hospital of New York City.
• 1873 First public school kindergarten started in St. Louis.
• 1898 Hull House, a settlement house for immigrants, establishes a day nursery.
• 1907 Maria Montesorri opens the Children's House in Rome.
• 1926 National Association for the Education of Young Children is founded. Now over 100,000 members and 400 affiliates.
• 1964 Head Start is funded by the Economic Opportunites Act.
• 1969 The first Kindercare center is opened.
• 1982 National Association for Family Day Care is founded.
• 1985 San Francisco becomes the first large city to require developers to set aside space of funds for child care space.
• 1985 National Academy of Early Childhood Programs is established by NAEYC for voluntary accreditation of center based programs.
• 1988 The U.S. Department of Education establishes Even Start, a parent education/literacy program.
• 1990 Child Care and Development Grant CCDBG {PL101-508}is enacted.
• 1990 T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship program enacted.
• 1996 The Stand for Children Campaign begins. Initated by the Children's Defense Fund.
• 1996 Provider Appreciation Day first celebrated.
• 1997 - Clinton reestablishes the White House Conference on Children.
• 2001 NAEYC 75th anniversary
• 2002 No Child Left Behind Act
• 2003 Campaign Launched to Avoid SIDS In Child Care Settings
• 2005 Operation Military Child care

Joni Levine