Descriptive data on a wide range of family day care homes and on children's experiences within those homes were obtained in this study. Additionally investigated were the effects on caregiver and child behavior of six central family day care issues: (1) home regulatory status, (2) number and age mix of children, (3) regional differences, (4) caregiver training or education, (5) caregiver experience, and (6) caregiver ethnicity. Findings are summarized and discussed in this report in light of other family day care studies. Caregivers were observed to interact approximately 50 per cent of the time with children, primarily in some form of teaching. Caregivers displayed negative affects very rarely during observation periods; positive affects were displayed much more often. Children were observed to play frequently with exploratory materials, to spend considerable play time alone, to engage in fine-motor structured activities, to engage in language-related activities, and to increase peer involvement with age. Among other results were the findings that (1) regulatory status desirably influenced family day care environments and (2) positive experiences were provided more frequently by caregivers with less, rather than more, experience. (Author/DB)