本計畫以生態系統理論和生命歷程觀點為立論依據，主要目標在建置完整且具時代和本土文化意義的我國幼兒發展長期追蹤資料庫，以瞭解我國幼兒從出生至八歲健康、認知語言、社會情緒、身體動作發展的歷程和變化，幼兒所處家庭和教保環境的狀況，以及家庭和教保環境對幼兒發展的長遠影響。研究對象為3月齡及3歲兩組幼兒，以臺灣地區戶籍資料作為抽樣清冊，採分層兩階段抽樣法，第一抽出單位為鄉鎮市區，第二抽出單位為個人。3月齡組幼兒將蒐集11波資料，分別在幼兒3、6、12、18、24、36、48、60、72、84和96個月大時進行；3歲組則蒐集6波資料，分別在幼兒36、48、60、72、84和96個月大時進行。資料蒐集內容包括家長問卷、教保人員問卷、幼兒發展評估和經驗訪談、以及教保機構觀察。建置幼兒發展資料庫可作為擬定幼兒健康、福利和教保政策的實證依據，也可提供早期預防和早期介入服務的參考，具有重要的意義。

Based on the ecological system theory and life course perspective, Kids in Taiwan: National Longitudinal of Child Development & Care (KIT) aims (1) to examine the consistency and change in Taiwanese children's health and cognitive, language, social, emotional, and motor developmental trajectories, (2) to understand the home, child care, and school environments children are exposed to, and (3) to determine the long term impacts of family, child care, and school environments and experiences on children's development. Two representative samples, three-month-old children and three-year-old children, will be tracked over time until they are eight years old. Using census register as the sampling frame, this project adopts a stratified two-stage probability proportional to size sampling method, with county and person as the primary and secondary sampling units respectively. Eleven waves of data will be collected when the cohort of three-month-olds are at 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, and 96 months old. With respect to the cohort of three-year-olds, they will be visited at home every year for six years in total. Data such as questionnaires completed by parents and teachers, observations of child care environments, individual tests on children's cognitive, language and motor development, and children's interviews will be collected in this study. Reliable and valid tools to measure domains of development in children and to measure the children's home and school environments and experiences will also be developed. Establishing a databank on child development in Taiwan will provide evidence-based information for policy making in children's health, welfare, and child care and will also provide important implications for early prevention and early intervention programs for young children.