IMPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE): A CRITICAL REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Authors

  • Jimoh Mukhtar (PhD) Department of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Federal College of Education, Gidan-Madi, Sokoto State, Nigeria Author
  • Chika Madu Department of Educational Foundations, Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State Author
  • Raji Eneji David Department of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State Author

Keywords:

Early Childhood Education, Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Abstract

The research explores the implication of artificial intelligence (AI) in early childhood education (ECE): A critical review of literature. The advancement of AI technologies has introduced tools capable of automatically customizing learning experiences to fostering children cognitive, social and emotional development. AI has the potential to revolutionize early childhood education by facilitating personalized assistance and enhancing learning engagement prior to primary education. The study explores theoretical frameworks of digital native proposed that child are surrounded by electronic gadgets and information technology and always in contact with computers, video games, mobile phones, and other hi-tech devices. In addition, AI in early childhood education platforms such as PopBots Platform, talking toys, YouTube Kids etc. AI helps to improves children educational experiences, benefit educators in envisaging pupils' performance, endorsing educational materials and systematizing evaluation through intelligent systems. However, challenges such as Infrastructure facilities remain one of the most significant obstacles for implementation of AI in early childhood education were noted. Finding revealed that AI-based tools significantly improve early childhood education literacy and numeracy while offering tailored learning experiences. The study recommended that AI specialist educators or teachers need to be train and retrain to build capacity for effectively integrating AI tools into classrooms, ensuring that educators can maximize the benefits of AI in teaching and learning.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Akgun, S., & Greenhow, C. (2021). Artificial intelligence in education: Addressing ethical challenges in K-12 settings. AI and Ethics, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43681-021100

Baker, T., & Smith, L. (2019). Educ-AI-tion rebooted? Exploring the future of artificial intelligence in schools and colleges. Retrieved from Nesta Foundation website: https://media.nesta.org.uk/documents/FutureofAIandeducationv5WEB.pdf

Bell, S. (2021). AI for personalized learning potential and challenges. (Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/ai-for-personalized-learning-potential-. on 5th June 2026)

Bowman, B., Donovan, M. & Burns, M. (2001). Eager to Learn: Educating our preschoolers, committee on early childhood pedagogy, commission on behavioural and social sciences and education, National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington, DC.

Campbell, L. O., & Cox, T. D. (2024). Facilitating the Research Writing Process with Generative Artificial Intelligence. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 24(2), 104–109. https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v24i2.36580

Chen, J., Yuan, D., Dong, R., Cai, J., Ai, Z. & Zhou, S. (2024). Artificial intelligence significantly facilitates development in the mental health of college students: a biblio-metric analysis. Frontiers Psychology. (15), 1375294. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1375294

Collins, C., Dennehy, D., Conboy, K., & Mikalef, P. (2021). Artificial intelligence in information systems research: A systematic literature review and research agenda. International Journal of Information Management, (60), 102383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2021.102383

Das, S., Mutsuddi, I., & Ray, N. (2025). Artificial Intelligence in Adaptive Education: A Transformative Approach in advancing adaptive education: Technological Innovations for Disability Support. IGI Global Scientific Publishing: Hershey, PA, USA. 21–50.

Druga, S., & Ko, A. J. (2021). How do learner’s perceptions of machine intelligence change when training and coding innovative programs? In Interaction design and learners (49–61). https://doi.org/10.1145/3459990.3460712

Durrani, R., Iqbal, A., & Akram, H. (2024). Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Early Childhood Education, Exploring Challenges, Opportunities and Future Directions: A Scoping Review. Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 5(2), 411-423. https://doi.org/10.55737/qjss.135537445

Federal Republic of Nigeria (2012). National Policy on Education (4th Ed.) Lagos: NERCDC Press.

Gaube, S., Suresh, H., Raue, M., Merritt, A., Berkowitz, S. J., Lermer, E. & Ghassemi, M. (2021). Do as AI says: Susceptibility in the deployment of clinical decision-aids. NPJ Digital Medicine, 4(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-021-00385-9

Kewalramani, S., Palaiologou, I., Dardanou, M., Allen, K. A., & Phillipson, S. (2021). Using robotic toys in early childhood education to support children’s social and emotional competencies. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 46(4), 355-369. https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211056668

Liu, Y. L. E., & Huang, Y. M. (2025). Exploring the perceptions and continuance intention of AI-based text-to-image technology in supporting design ideation. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 41(1), 694–706. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2024.2311975

Lin, P., Van Brummelen, J., Lukin, G., Williams, R., & Breazeal, C. (2020). Zhorai: Designing a conversational agent for children to explore machine learning concepts. Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, 3(09), 13381–13388.

Long, D., &Magerko, B. (2020). What is AI Literacy? Competencies and Design Considerations. Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 1–16. USA. https://doi.org/10.1145/3313831.3376727

Matthew, N. O. S, Adebowale, E. S, & Sarhan, M. M. (2017). Digital Natives. International Journals of Advanced Research in Computer Science and Software Engineering 7(7), 125- 127. ISSN: 2277-128X.

Mondal, B. (2020). Artificial Intelligence: State of the Art. In: Balas, V., Kumar, R., Srivastava, R. (eds) Recent Trends and Advances in Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things. Intelligent Systems Reference Library, 172. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-

Ng., D. T. K., Leung., J. K. L., Chu., S. K. W., & Qiao, M. S. (2021). Conceptualizing AI literacy: An exploratory review. Computers and Education. Artificial Intelligence, 2, 100041. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2021.100041

Obiweluozor, N. (2014). Early Childhood Education in Nigeria, policy implementation: Critique and a way forward. African Journal of Teacher Education. (AJOTE) 4(4), 1-9.

Prensky, M. (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part 1 & 2. On the horizon 9(5), MCB UP Ltd

Resnick, M. (2017). Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play. MIT Press.

Sani, I. D., Nma, A. I. &John, S. (2017). Transformation of Early Childhood Education in Nigeria for National Development. Sokoto Educational Review, 17(1 & 2), 120-133. www.sokedureview.org

Shubham, W., Ankita, D., Indrajit, J. & Mohite, B. J. (2023). Study on Artificial Intelligence in Psychology: Future Trends. International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science, 5(1). 1441-1452. www.irjmets.com www.irjmets.com.

Sooter, T. (2013). Early childhood education in Nigeria: Issues and problems. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 3(5). 173-180. doi:10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n5p173

Steinbauer, G., Kandlhofer, M., Chklovski, T., Heintz, F., & Koenig, S. (2021). A differentiated discussion about AI education K-12. KI-Künstliche Intelligenz, 35(2), 131–137. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13218- 021-00724-8

Taguma, M., Ineke, L., & Kelly, M. (2012). Quality Matters in Early Childhood Education and Care. Slovak Republic: OECD.

Wang, Q. E. Myers, M. D. & Sundaram, D. (2023). “Digital natives and digital immigrants: Towards a model of digital fluency,” Business & Information Systems Engineering, 6, 409-419.

Williams, R., Park, H. W., & Breazeal, C. (2019). The Impact of Artificial Intelligence Activities on Young Children’s Perceptions of Robots. Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 1–11. Presented at the Glasgow, Scotland, UK. https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300677

Xiang, Y., Zhao, L., Liu, Z., Wu, X., Chen, J., & Long, E. (2020). Implementation of artificial intelligence in medicine: status analysis and development suggestions. Artificial Intelligent. Med. 102:101780. doi: 10.1016/j.artmed.2019.101780

Yang, K., & Dong, X. (2022). Current Status and Prospect of the Application of Artificial Intelligence Technology in Education. Journal of China Technology Innovation and Application, (12), 195-198.

Yisa, M. H., Fasasi, Y. A. & Kwashabawa, B. B. (2017). Appraising the level of participation in early childhood education by public and private schools in North Central Nigeria. Sokoto Educational Review, 17(1 & 2), 134- 144. www.sokedureview.org

Downloads

Published

2026-08-28

How to Cite

IMPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE): A CRITICAL REVIEW OF LITERATURE. (2026). Impact International Journals and Publications, 2(ISSUE 3), 1386-1396. https://impactinternationaljournals.com/publications/index.php/ojs/article/view/729

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Similar Articles

1-10 of 298

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.