Children are building important attachments and relationships to their caregivers during the first three years of life. These relationships are the basis for all that children learn to do including the development of social and emotional skills. It is important to think about how certain policies and cultural expectations influence a caregiver’s ability to spend quality time with their young child. Caregivers also play a role in how a child develops social and emotional skills. They are the first example of what social interaction looks like. Play is the main tool that children use to understand the world around them. They use play to observe, manipulate and act upon their environments. Play also helps children connect with others and build skills that strengthen cognitive and physical development. All of the skills a child learns during infancy and toddlerhood have long lasting effects well into adulthood.