Early Childhood Education Market Report 2026

The early childhood education market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $308.26 billion in 2025 to $337.4 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.5%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing awareness of early childhood development importance, expansion of preschool and daycare infrastructure, rising participation of working parents, government support for foundational education programs, growth of private early education institutions.

The early childhood education market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $482.07 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing adoption of technology-enabled learning, rising demand for inclusive and adaptive education models, expansion of online early learning offerings, growing investments in early education infrastructure, increasing focus on social and emotional learning. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of digital early learning platforms, rising integration of interactive and gamified learning tools, growing focus on personalized learning approaches, expansion of hybrid and distance learning models, enhanced emphasis on holistic child development.

The increasing number of working parents is expected to drive the growth of the early childhood education market in the coming years. The rise in working parents is fueled by economic pressures and the growing need for dual incomes to sustain a household’s standard of living. Early childhood education offers working parents dependable childcare, enabling them to maintain their careers while ensuring their children receive foundational learning and social development. It also supports cognitive growth and prepares children for future academic success. For example, in April 2024, the UK Department of Education reported that by September 2025, working parents will be eligible to claim 30 hours of government-funded childcare per week, across 38 weeks of the year, from nine months of age until their child starts school. Therefore, the growing number of working parents is contributing to the expansion of the early childhood education market.

Companies in the early childhood education sector are focusing on developing innovative solutions, such as artificial intelligence (AI)-driven platforms, to gain a market advantage. AI-driven platforms in early childhood education use technology to enhance and personalize learning experiences for young children. For instance, in July 2024, Vardhan Group, an India-based real estate firm, launched the Boost My Child (BMC) platform, an AI-driven initiative designed to improve early childhood education for children aged 0 to 8 years. This platform supports teachers and parents in fostering holistic development according to the National Education Policy (NEP) and National Curriculum Framework (NCF) guidelines. BMC includes a school assessment module (SAM) that allows teachers to evaluate students' development through an intuitive interface on various devices. Additionally, the platform offers a mobile app for parents, providing insights into their child's progress across six categories and 21 areas, along with personalized activities and parenting guidelines tailored to each child's needs.

In July 2024, Procare Solutions, a US-based child care management software provider, acquired Bertelsen Education for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition enables Procare Solutions to offer ongoing education and professional development training specifically for early childhood education (ECE) providers. Bertelsen Education, a US-based company, specializes in providing professional development resources and training for early childhood educators and childcare providers.

Major companies operating in the early childhood education market are Learning Care Group, La Petite Academy, The Goddard School, KinderCare Education, Bright Horizons Family Solutions, G8 Education LTD, Busy Bees, Childtime Learning Centers, KIPP Foundation, New Horizon Academy, The Learning Experience, Nobel Learning Communities, Knowledge Universe, Crème de la Crème, Little Sprouts, Kids R Kids International Inc., Safari Kid, Kidzee, Great Beginnings Preschool and Childcare, Primrose Schools, Bright Start Early Education, Smart Start Education, Creative Kids Learning Center, Montessori Schools, Mini-Skool Early Learning Centers, Discovery Kids

North America was the largest region in the early childhood education market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the early childhood education market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the early childhood education market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The early childhood education market includes revenues earned by entities by providing services such as daycare centers, family daycare, after-school programs, parenting education and support, and health and nutrition services. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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