Early childhood education is newly emerging education theory which relates to the teaching of young children (formally and informally) up until the age of about eight. Infant / toddler education, a subset of early childhood education, denotes the education of children from birth to age two.

In recent years, early childhood education has become a prevalent public issue and people are becoming more aware about it.

While the first two years of a child's life are spent in the creation of a child's first "sense of self", most children are able to differentiate between themselves and others by their second year. This differentiation is crucial to the child's ability to determine how they should function in relation to other people.

Parents can be seen as a child's first teacher and therefore an integral part of the early learning process.

Learning Through Play

Early childhood education often focuses on learning through play, based on the research and philosophy of Jean Piaget, which posits that play meets the physical, intellectual, language, emotional and social needs (PILES) of children.

Children's natural curiosity and imagination naturally evoke learning when unfettered. Thus, children learn more efficiently and gain more knowledge through activities such as dramatic play, art, and social games.