Bachelor of Science in Christian Early Childhood Education Interdisciplinary Studies
Early childhood education refers to the formal teaching and care provided to young children by individuals outside of the family and home environment. Traditionally, “early childhood” is defined as the period before formal schooling begins, typically by the age of five in most countries. However, the U.S. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) extends this definition to include children up to eight years of age.
For programming purposes, the concept of early childhood has been extended to cover up to eight years of age. This approach views child development as a continuous process and encourages a seamless transition between pre-school and the early years of formal education. The broader framework of basic education emphasizes the importance of including early childhood education along with the foundational “survival” grades—typically the first two or three years of primary schooling.
