This book was originally published in 1980. At the time of publication the importance of the preschool years in a child's development and education had been recognised by educationalists, psychologists, and indeed parents, and there was a corresponding commitment to expand and improve nursery and playgroup facilities for preschool children. Yet, despite this recognition, there had been little sustained experimental work designed to examine the effects and importance of resources and their deployment in preschool institutions. The details of Peter Smith and Kevin Connolly's research are set out in full and its implications carefully drawn and related to other work in the field. The authors write with precision and clarity, and their research became required reading for developmental psychologists, educationalists, those interested in the effects of the environment upon behaviour and others involved in the administration and provision of nurseries and playgroups.