Home > Encyclopedia of Children's Health > Early Childhood Education

Definition

Early childhood education consists of activities and/or experiences that are intended to effect developmental changes in children prior to their entry into elementary school.

Description

Early childhood education (ECE) programs include any type of educational program that serves children in the preschool years and is designed to improve later school performance. In the second half of the twentieth century, the early education system in the United States grew substantially. This trend allowed the majority of American children to have access to some form of early childhood education.

There are several types of programs that represent early childhood education. They are also known by a variety of...