This paper presents an overview of the life and ideas of John Comenius (1592-1670) and compares practices advanced by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) with principles advocated by Comenius. Comenius' educational plans called for education to begin at birth and continue to adulthood. Education was divided into four levels: (1) birth to 6 years of age; (2) grammar school, from 6 to 12 years of age; (3) secondary school, from 12 to 18 years of age; and (4) university, from 18 to 24 years of age. Comenius proposed that the same subjects be taught in the different levels, but with varying degrees of difficulty adapted to learner development. He advocated universal education and saw education as a vehicle for social change and unity. He also provided mothers with guidance for teaching their children and applied the principle of using objects or pictures to teach. That the policies advocated by the NAEYC correspond closely with Comenius' principles is seen in NAEYC's early childhood education objectives and the organization's concepts of developmental appropriateness according to age and individual differences; sense training and learning by doing; learning through play; and a child-centered curriculum. (Author/SH)