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John Amos Comenius, known as the Father of Modern Education and was the first to recognize that the play of childhood was learning, produced the first children's picture book, "The World Illustrated".
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Philosopher Jean-Jacques Roussueau states that a child's mode of thinking is different than an adult and they learn through hands-on experience.
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Johann Pestalozzi established what is considered to the first school to teach preschool age children.
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Children's Garden (Kindergarten) started in Germany by Friedrich Froebel.
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The Nursery School for Children of Poor Women was opened in cooperation with Children's Hospital of New York City.
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First public school kindergarten started in St. Louis.
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Hull House, a settlement house for immigrants, establishes a day nursery.
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Maria Montesorri opens the Children's House in Rome.
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National Association for the Education of Young Children is founded. Now over 100,000 members and 400 affiliates.
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The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is created in 1965 to help low-income families to get educations. It benefits schools in buying new and better materials and updating facilities. It also created school lunch programs to help kids get a meal for the day.
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The first Kindercare center is opened.
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San Francisco becomes the first large city to require developers to set aside space of funds for child care space.
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Child Care and Development Grant is enacted.
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The Stand for Children Campaign begins, initiated by the Children's Defense Fund.
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Operation Military Child Care is started to support the child care needs of parents who are activated and deployed.
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President Obama called on Congress to expand access to high-quality preschool to every child in America, called The Preschool for All initiative.