61.   Blocks are the single most important toy a young child can have, and block play is the single most productive activity, say early childhood educators.

62.   Besides those physical benefits, early childhood experts say breast-feeding also provides the physical contact, warmth and closeness that help create a strong bond between mother and baby.

63.   Born in Chicago, he spent much of his early childhood with his grandparents after his mother and father divorced.

64.   Born in New Haven, Conn., Bush spent most of his early childhood in Midland.

65.   Both workers and early childhood experts say the program is not living up to its promise because the grants are too low and the application process too cumbersome.

66.   Bradford believes that the queen probably rarely thinks back to her early childhood, when her close-knit family lived in a house in Piccadilly.

67.   A daughter of a Protestant minister, Ms. Murphy spent her early childhood following her family on worldwide missions until they settled in Bellingham, Wash.

68.   A fascination with birds, mammals and other animals takes hold in early childhood and, in many of us, never abates.

69.   A new report reconfirms the long-term benefits of early childhood programs like Head Start that Congress is trying to cut.

70.   A theater fan from early childhood, Mitchell attended dance classes and subsequently spent several summers hoofing on the summer theater circuit.