Early Childhood Development

Learning development starts long before a child begins kindergarten. A child’s development is strengthened through regular interaction and stimulation in both the home and in quality early learning settings.

Here are five things to know about child care and childhood development:

1. During the earliest years of life, the brain is most flexible and responsive to learning, forming over a million new neural connections every second.
2. Attending high-quality care can help kids build important skills, like learning to read, recognizing letters and the sounds they make, understanding and using math, and developing strong speaking and listening abilities.
3. A large review of studies (meta-analysis) found that kids who attended high-quality early learning programs were less likely to be held back a grade and more likely to graduate from high school.
4. High-quality early learning has positive long-term effects on children’s cognitive development, capacity to understand and manage emotions, ability to get along with others, and means to build relationships through kindergarten and beyond.
5. Attending early learning and care programs have been associated with significant reductions in special education placement.

Learn more: