Under-fives say they are happy with all-day care

The researchers found that most three-and four-year-olds were happy in all-day provision, and that they enjoyed the company of other children. Dr Christine Stephen, a member of the team, said that one of the recommendations that emerged from the research was that practitioners needed to be supportive of children's 'peer culture'.

She said, 'We were impressed that the children talked about their interaction with other children giving them cause for pleasure. Adults need to allow children time to giggle together, get learning opportunities from each other and learn to negotiate with each other.'

The children were also able to express a preference about their activities and tended to talk about free play activities rather than adult-led, group activities. A summary of the research, Interchange 68: All-day provision for three-and four-year-olds, recommends that prac-titioners give more consideration to children's choices in creating their own curriculum, and notes that there is sometimes tension between allowing children to follow their interests and practitioners' desire to 'balance' their activities across the areas set out in the curriculum.