This paper establishes a link between children's development, appropriate teaching practices, and the use of computers in the early childhood classroom. The paper notes the growing body of research on young children and computers which educators can use to assist them when integrating technology into their programs. Current investigative studies include information about six aspects of children's development, each of which is discussed in this paper: social development, gender, emotional development, cognitive development, thinking skills, and physical development. Computers can be particularly useful tools for enhancing social, language and cognitive skills, and much of the bulk of technology research falls into these categories; the paper attempts to summarize some of this research about computer use and preschoolers. Of the many issues addressed in the research, the paper highlights the computer's effect on such areas as problem solving, reflective thinking and the cognitive development of young children. (Author/JPB)