"Te Whaariki," the "draft guidelines for developmentally appropriate practice in [New Zealand] early childhood services," constitutes a set of principles which can guide practice, rather than a structure for curriculum planning. The guidelines have the potential to provide a theoretical rationale for the application of the concept of "educare" to early childhood services in New Zealand and to contribute to the growth of a sense of professionalism in early childhood education. Despite these positive features, there is a theoretical tension inherent in the curriculum model adopted by Te Whaariki which could limit the effectiveness of its implementation. This internal constraint is likely to be exacerbated by weakness in the knowledge base and training of early childhood practitioners. Te Whaariki contains high ideals, but there is currently an enormous gap between practice and the achievement of those ideals. In turn, bridging this gap poses considerable challenges to policy makers and early childhood educators alike. (Author/WJC)