Psychological and educational studies and research have shown early childhood to be a critical stage for shaping character, behaviours, and beliefs. Thus, practitioners tend to pay special attention to children at this stage, especially because, due to increasing economic pressures, children are growing up in families where parents work for longer hours and have less time available for children.

In early childhood education, attention should not only focus on formal education, but informal and non-formal education are also important.

This theme focuses on the main pillars of Early Childhood Education: 1) Educators—those with significant responsibilities as role models to educate, influence, and nurture students' capabilities and enhance their engagement in communities on the school, family, and society levels. 2) Curricula—educational programmes and approaches needing regular revision to remain updated with recent studies and new learning methods. 3) Impact of technologies— technologies and their impact on early childhood education, focusing on challenges emerging from the increase in e-learning due to the global pandemic since early 2020. 4) Tools and materials—required to ensure the hands-on approach and create learning and artistic spaces, especially outdoor learning to formulate child's thoughts, widen their knowledge and enhance their skills.

Research and practice contributions, including but not limited to the following topics, are welcome to be presented:

• Environmental Awareness in Early Childhood: Role of Teachers & Educators
• Curriculum and approaches – to enhance Environmental Education in Early Childhood
• New tools and approaches towards enhancing Early Childhood Education.
• Experiences and best practices of EE in early childhood (formal and informal education).
• Learning mechanisms and engaging children with special needs and learning disabilities at Early Childhood Environmental Education.