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

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.