No books in easy reach. No adult to talk to for more than a few seconds at a time. Just long days of playing with the same plastic toys over and over, getting in spats with other toddlers or staring at yet another Disney video. They are warehouses for children. Children generally are not at risk of getting physically hurt in such environments, but there are serious consequences.
Studies show that low-quality care can interfere with the intellectual development of children.
We're warehousing children,'' said Ellen Galinsky, director of the Families and Work Institute. She recently testified before Congress on the topic. Day-care facilities offering good care, by comparison, are safe, supportive and offer plenty of learning opportunities for children, she said. They are places where teachers are highly trained and have classes small enough to give children individual attention. A similar study, published in 1995, looked at 401 large day-care centers in four states.