*Examines the relevance of planning for children's long term needs in early childhood *Identifies the skills, attitudes and outlooks required to assist young children attending early childhood programmes in their long term growth and development *Explores the means through which these skills, attitudes and outlooks can be achieved in curriculum frameworks through specific goals and learning experiences, against the background of youth and young children's views of the future. Pre-school children have a fundamentally different attitude towards the future and attendant notions of time and change and, for his reason, early childhood professionals are optimally placed to lay important foundations for young children's long term development.