This paper examines mastery motivation in infants from birth to 3 years of age and outlines critical areas for parent and teacher involvement in the development of motivation, including recommended activities at each level. It asserts that from birth, children have an innate desire to learn about their world, quickly learning that they can control various elements within the environment and striving to maintain that control. With each new discovery, children's sense of competence strengthens. This competence intensifies mastery motivation and facilitates children's continued growth. Parents play an extremely important role in the developing child's life. In early infancy, they provide activities and arrange the environment to support emerging feelings of competence. During later infancy, parents allow children some freedom to explore, permitting them to become instigators of their own action rather than just reactors. As children approach age 3, toy selection should therefore reflect their developmental level. Caregivers need to use scaffolding in their interactions to allow children further control; encourage children to evaluate their own accomplishments; and remain flexible and respond to children's changing needs. Being responsive to children's developmental level and allowing them to function independently greatly supports the development of mastery motivation in infants and young children. Using these same techniques with preschool children can help them maintain their own intrinsic motivation for learning. (Contains 32 references.) (KDFB)