Early childhood education, also known as ECE, involves the development and education of children during a time of rapid brain growth. This education typically focuses on learning through playing and builds the foundation for further learning in later years of life.

Early childhood education involves five areas of development that are often referred to as the SPICE of life. The first area is social development, which refers to a child's ability to form attachments to other people, to interact through play, to cooperate, to share and to create long lasting relationships. The second area is physical and involves the development of motor skills. The motor skills are classified as fine, or small, and gross, or large. The third area is intellectual, which is the way a child processes and understands the world around them. The fourth area is creative, which is how the child develops their special abilities and talents as they relate to music, art, reading, writing, singing and other creative traits. Finally, the fifth area is emotional development. This is how a child copes with and understands their feelings, as well as self awareness and confidence.

There are many benefits to early childhood education, which can make a significant impact in the way a child learns and develops. First, this early education decreases the level of students that eventually drop out of school, especially in areas of low income or with at-risk children. Additional benefits include IQ gains, a lower rate of students that need to repeat grades, increased attendance and graduation rates and decreased crime rates. In addition, one study found that children who participation in an early learning program are less likely to receive welfare and other forms of government aid.

There are a variety of different facilities that offer early childhood education programs, but the best results come from the classes that offer the highest quality of education. Factors that can be used to determine the level of education include the quality and training of the staff, the school environment, the methods used to group students, consistent scheduling and schooling and the involvement of parents. These programs should provide an environment that is safe for the children, as well as nurturing and stimulating. Teachers that supervise the program should be competent and caring individuals that develop an appropriate class schedule with adequate time set aside for children to learn without feeling rushed. A strong program should provide healthy meals and snacks for the students. It should also provide a strong foundation in a variety of areas, including language development, literacy and math.

In addition, a strong early childhood education program will engage children in purposeful activities for learning and play time. There should also be a strong balance between individual and group activities. Teachers should work from structured activity and lesson plans, and they should review each student's progress on a regular basis. Finally, each program should have a philosophy that promotes and addresses all areas of child development, and the school should provide the parents with a clear statement of goals and updates on the child's progress.