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. 2023 Aug 23;13(1):13751.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-38439-5.

Reading, singing, and storytelling: the impact of caregiver-child interaction and child access to books and preschool on early childhood development in Ghana

Shamsudeen Mohammed  1 , Agani Afaya  2   3 , Alhassan Sibdow Abukari  4
Affiliations

Reading, singing, and storytelling: the impact of caregiver-child interaction and child access to books and preschool on early childhood development in Ghana

Shamsudeen Mohammed et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Optimal early childhood development (ECD) is crucial in shaping future academic and economic accomplishments. Recognising its profound influence, the United Nations has included a specific target and indicator related to ECD in the Sustainable Development Goals to ensure universal access to high-quality ECD for all preschoolers by 2030. This study investigated whether caregiver-child engagements, early stimulation, and learning opportunities are associated with ECD among children aged 36-59 months. Data on 6752 children were pooled from the 2011 and 2017 Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. The ECD outcomes of interest were literacy-numeracy, social-emotional, learning-cognitive, and physical development, measured with UNICEF's Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI). Binary logistic regression assessed the effects of various caregiver-child engagements and early learning opportunities on the ECD outcomes. We found that most children were developmentally on track in the physical (95.0%) and learning-cognitive (86.4%) domains, but fewer were on track in the literacy-numeracy (36.7%) and social-emotional (68.6%) domains. Reading to or with a child (aOR 1.72; 95% CI 1.35-2.19), telling them stories (aOR 1.61; 95% CI 1.26-2.04), counting or drawing with them (aOR 1.63; 95% CI 1.30-2.04) and a child's attendance at preschool (aOR 4.62; 95% CI 3.34-6.38) were associated with a higher odds for on track literacy-numeracy development. Playing with a child was associated with higher odds of on-track social-emotional development (aOR 1.29; 95% CI 1.04-1.59), physical development (aOR 1.61; 95% CI 1.01-2.55), and learning-cognitive development (aOR 1.51; 95% CI 1.14-2.00). However, singing songs to or with a child (aOR 0.78; 95% CI 0.62-0.89) and taking a child outside the home (aOR 0.78; 95% CI 0.64-0.95) were associated with lower odds for on track social-emotional development. Access to children's books at home was associated with higher odds for on track literacy-numeracy and social-emotional development. In subgroup analysis, some observed associations varied depending on a child's residence (urban or rural). Our findings confirmed that caregiver-child interaction and early learning opportunities could increase a child's likelihood of achieving early developmental milestones.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Trends in the percent of children developmentally on track in literacy-numeracy, social-emotional, learning-cognition, and physical development domains between 2011 and 2017.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Adjusted association between access to books at home and early childhood development.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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