The planning of facilities for early childhood education should be a part of a larger, comprehensive plan for educational services in the community. Early childhood education should not be an uncoordinated appendage tacked on to the existing patterns of education in organization, programing, or staffing. A number of diverse persons and agencies can help in developing the program for early childhood educational services -- teachers, administrators, principals, parents, specialists in early childhood education, representatives of State educational services and institutions of higher learning, and other consultants. Parents should be involved when the program for early childhood education is being developed and formed, or even participate in the early stages of the processes for planning the facilities for early childhood centers. The basic nature and characteristics of young children constitute the prime criteria in planning facilities for early childhood education. The purpose and goal of this publication is to guide and stimulate school officials, architects, and engineers in providing and planning new or renovated facilities which are appropriate for early childhood education. (Photographs may reproduce poorly.) (Author)