A Dictionary / Glossary of early childhood professional jargon and concepts
The Definition of early childhood education and what ECE is.
Discussion of what early learning is.
Don’t be fooled into saying or using “early learning” to describe early childhood services or our sector. This article explains why early childhood education is a broader and more meaningful concept. If you want to understand the real difference between the two terms – and why it matters for children, parents and teachers – this is an essential read.
A glossary like this gives parents, teachers and students a simple way to understand the key terms and jargon used across early childhood education. It is an easy, go‑to reference that helps you quickly make sense of policy language, professional terminology and everyday ECE concepts.
Early childhood education (ECE) is more than child-minding. It involves the teaching and care of babies, toddlers, and young children from birth to age six in formal settings. In New Zealand, licensed and publicly funded early childhood services are the recognised providers of ECE. These include kindergartens, playcentres, kōhanga reo, education and care centres, and home‑based services.
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