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Research Framework : This article is part of a historical and sociological research on the genesis of the French day nursery in the 19th century. Based on postdoctoral research on the history of the day nursery, the approach is to extend this sociohistory, to the present day. Objectives : The article aims to analyze the evolution of the discourse on practices, representations and policies of childcare, through a flagship institution, from which arises the diversity of childcare today : the day nursery. More specifically, the way to think about the political, social and educational body of children in the day nursery is at the centre of the analysis. Methodology : The results are based on an original corpus and a documentary analysis of diverse primary and secondary sources (books, reports, articles, etc.). Results : We believe we can say that the normalizing discourse in the French day nursery from their creation in the 19th century to the present day continues. Besides the renewal of practices, linked to technological and scientific advances, to the evolution of social, political and economic contexts, representations and policies always aim to guide practices for better adaptability of children and their parents. The debate on the aims of the day nursery is a renewed society debate, but one whose fundamental tensions persist, between emancipation and subjugation. Conclusions : To understand the political orientations and pedagogical practices, from today to the past, seems essential to the genealogical construction of this institution of early childhood, which is the day nursery. The evolution of the day nursery curriculum since the 1970s, briefly mentioned in the second part of this article, invites further socio-historical analysis of this institution created in the mid-19th century. Contribution : This article is an original contribution to sociology and history of childhood and childhood institutions in France.

This study aimed at knowing and describing the nutritional condition of 12 to 48-month-old infants,enrolled in a municipal day nursery at the outskirts of Ribeirão Preto-Sp in 2000. It is a descriptive and exploratoryresearch. The sample was composed of 58 children enrolled in the institution. The growth and development ofthem were assessed by the somatometric system and the families of children presenting a percentile below 10,considered unsatisfactory, were visited. Results obtained showed that 53.4% of the children were below P10,48.3% of those being 24 months old. On the other hand, 12% of the children were above P90, 71.4% of thosebeing 36 months old. The remnant 34.4% of them presented normal percentiles. All of them came from poorfamilies, with monthly wages from 2 to 3 minimum wages, schooling between incomplete primary and secondarylevels, most of them jobless. Data points out to the need of implementing a health educational program intended forboth the families and the day nursery team.