The caregiver is most important in creating environments for infants and toddlers that "catch the rhythm of the child." Day care centers trying to meet the increasing demand for child care for infants and toddlers cannot have the same staffing patterns and programming for this age group as for older preschool children. Each caregiver should work closely with a given number of children (e.g., four or five children under 2 years of age) to make a day care "family." This arrangement creates a consistent environment in which the caregiver can communicate well with both children and parents. If the unit includes more than one age group, the caregiver can have a variety of relational roles and the toddlers can serve as role models for the infants. The caregiver needs to know the sequence of children's early physical and social development so that he or she can facilitate and support each child's growth. The caregiver must be respectful of children and responsive to their demands and needs. The relationship between caregiver and child should also be reciprocal; each brings something into the life of the other. Such a caregiver will naturally think of many activities to pursue with young children. (To illustrate, six handmade manipulative objects are described in detail). (CB)