Starting early does not mean early education, yet in today’s competitive world many parents and educators feel increasing pressure to introduce academics far too soon. Terms such as early learning, school readiness, and advanced development are often misunderstood and misused, resulting in childhood being rushed before children are developmentally ready. In early childhood education, starting early is about supporting holistic development rather than accelerating academics through early reading, writing, worksheets, or assessments designed for older children. Research in early childhood development consistently shows that children under six learn best through play, relationships, sensory exploration, movement, interaction, and emotional security. When formal instruction is introduced too early, it can lead to stress, disengagement, and a loss of natural curiosity, whereas high-quality early years education focuses on developmentally appropriate, play-based learning that nurtures thinking, language, self-regulation, and social skills. The first six years of life are critical for building strong foundations through everyday experiences rather than textbooks, with emphasis on emotional safety, secure attachments, rich language through conversation and storytelling, physical development through movement and play, social skills such as empathy and cooperation, and curiosity-driven problem-solving. Play-based learning, often misunderstood as free time, is in fact the most powerful learning tool in early years, supporting early literacy and numeracy naturally while strengthening confidence, attention, and independence. This philosophy is strongly aligned with international frameworks such as EYFS, which recognises play as central to holistic child development and meaningful school readiness. True school readiness is not measured by how early a child can read or write, but by their ability to communicate, follow routines, build relationships, manage emotions, and cope with transitions. When these life skills are secure, academic learning follows naturally and sustainably. Educators and parents therefore share a responsibility to protect childhood by resisting pressure to rush learning and instead advocating for practices that respect each child’s pace of development. At Educate Me, this philosophy underpins all our early years training and educator development programmes, reinforcing the belief that starting early is about nurturing, not accelerating, and about building strong foundations rather than chasing milestones—because childhood done right lasts far beyond the early years.