Here we summarize the latest research on what children need to get a healthy start at life. The good news is, research now directs us to a critical strategy in narrowing the health gap and giving all children a strong chance at a healthy future: We can ensure that every child has access to high-quality early childhood education and development programs. We offer policy and practice recommendations aimed at increasing the impact of these programs on children's health and improving coordination and integration across systems that touch the lives of vulnerable young children and their families. (author abstract)