Nichole Baumgart is an educator at Bing Nursery School at Stanford University and a professor at Pacific Oaks College. She is a consultant in the early childhood field and is a mentor for student teachers in their practice. She has over 14 years of experience educating children in early intervention and transitional kindergarten and in multiple laboratories and early childhood classroom settings across the nation.

Linda R. Kroll is the Holland professor of early childhood education in the School of Education at Mills College.  Her expertise is in human development, children's learning of literacy and mathematics, teacher research and teacher inquiry, and self-study of teacher education practices.

Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Making a Difference in the Lives of Toddlers Chapter 2: Preparing the Environment for Play Chapter 3: Boosting Learning through Guided Play Chapter 4: Setting Positive Routines and Expectations Chapter 5: Strengthening Social Skills Chapter 6: Guiding Toddler Behavior Chapter 7: Boosting Language and Early Literacy Chapter 8: Fostering Partnerships with Families Chapter 9: Building Your Strengths