In response to parent complaints about the curriculum at an urban child care center, a procedure was developed to provide parents and teachers with an understanding of developmentally appropriate practices for young children. A curriculum that was developmentally and culturally relevant to the children at the school was also developed. The entire population served by the center was African American, although many clients had a Caribbean or Bahamian background. The preschool department was licensed to serve 55 children. Parents had complained that the children spent too much time playing, and that academic learning was not taking place. The workshops held as part of the parent and faculty education procedure increased parents' awareness of developmentally appropriate practices and the importance of play, but this increased awareness did not change the expectations of parents regarding academic competence in preschoolers, and their academic expectations remained higher than was appropriate for preschool children. The social studies curriculum that was implemented addressed the cultural awareness of the students in a developmentally appropriate way. Parents and staff members endorsed the program's strategies. The 17 appendixes include sample surveys and discussions of developmentally appropriate behavior and practice. (Contains 16 references.) (SLD)