Effects of the Type of Childcare on Toddlers’ Motor, Social, Cognitive, and Language Skills

Abstract

Abstract. This study investigated the relationship between type of childcare and toddlers’ skills in four important developmental domains: motor, cognitive, social, and language. A total of 637 children aged 18 and 24 months were either cared for exclusively at home by their parents or relatives ( home-care group) or attended a daycare center for a minimum of 2 days per week ( center-care group). We tested the children’s skills using standard assessment tools and compared the skills of the two care groups. The results suggest that, for the sample tested, childcare type is not related to toddler’s cognitive, motor, social, and language skills.