Enrichment Programming in Childcare Settings: Research Evidence on Implementation, Effectiveness, and Best Practices

Introduction

Enrichment programming is an increasingly common component of early childhood education, encompassing third-party curricula, targeted interventions, and professionally developed learning enhancements delivered within childcare settings. These initiatives often aim to supplement general caregiving with developmentally oriented content such as social-emotional learning, early literacy, school readiness, and responsive teaching practices. While early childhood programs vary widely in structure and quality, research suggests that when enrichment programs are implemented thoughtfully and supported by professional development, they can enhance teaching quality and improve children’s developmental outcomes (Hunter et al., 2022; Welsh et al., 2024). This paper synthesizes the current research on enrichment programming in childcare settings, with an emphasis on evidence about implementation, quality improvement, and measurable impacts on educators and children.

The Landscape of Enrichment Programming in Early Childhood

Childcare settings operate within broad and diverse contexts, frequently with limited structured curriculum and varying levels of educator preparation. In many community-based centers, educators develop curriculum ad hoc, which can lead to inconsistencies in instructional quality and engagement (Hunter et al., 2022). Enrichment programming attempts to address these gaps by introducing externally developed curricula, targeted skill interventions, and professional development models that scaffold educators’ practice (Welsh et al., 2024).

Definition and Scope

Enrichment programming in childcare can include:

• Targeted skill development curricula (e.g., social-emotional learning, language development)

• External or third-party delivered content or structured enhancements

• Professional development coaching models aligned with evidence-based practice

• Implementation models that embed curricula into daily routines rather than episodic offerings

These programs differ from “usual practice” by offering structured instructional frameworks and research-validated strategies that support educators and children.

Effects of Enrichment Programs on Child Outcomes

Targeted Social and Behavioral Skills

One well-designed enrichment intervention focused on social skills training demonstrated measurable impacts on children’s behavior when integrated into childcare routines. In a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted across multiple child care centers, a group-based social skills training program delivered by educators resulted in reductions in disruptive behaviors and increases in prosocial behaviors among preschoolers (BMC Psychology, 2020). This suggests that well-aligned enrichment programs can influence social behavior within mainstream childcare environments when educators are supported to implement them.

Implementation and Professional Development

Effective implementation of enrichment programming depends on both the quality of the curriculum or intervention itself and the capacity of centers and educators to adopt it with fidelity. Several studies illustrate the significance of implementation supports:

Predicting Implementation Outcomes

Hunter et al. (2022) examined predictors of implementation quality for a school readiness intervention adapted for childcare centers. Results revealed that both teacher characteristics and workplace supports influenced program uptake and fidelity, highlighting the importance of professional capacity and organizational context for successful enrichment program delivery.

Professional Development and Enrichment

A recent randomized intervention study examined the effects of an enriched curriculum combined with a professional development coaching model designed for childcare teachers. This intervention included a curriculum focused on social-emotional learning and early literacy, and trained center directors to serve as coaches. Centers randomized to the intervention condition demonstrated enhanced responsive teaching practices, improved emotion coaching strategies, enriched language use, and overall improvements in instructional quality compared to control centers (Welsh et al., 2024).

These findings align with broader evidence that professional development, when paired with structured curriculum supports, can elevate educator practice and enhance classroom interactions, contributing indirectly to positive child outcomes.

Evidence from Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Beyond individual program studies, meta-analytic evidence suggests that targeted interventions in childcare settings can improve the quality of caregiver-child interactions and classroom processes — key proximal predictors of children’s social, cognitive, and emotional development. Werner et al. (2015) conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of intervention programs in child care and reported moderate effect sizes for improvements in classroom quality, caregiver skills, and child outcomes following targeted interventions.

Although this review encompasses a range of intervention types rather than enrichment programming narrowly defined, it provides systematic evidence that structured, research-based interventions within childcare contexts can enhance the instructional environment and, by extension, children’s developmental trajectories.

Program Evaluation Methodologies

Rigorous evaluation of enrichment programs in childcare remains a challenge due to variability in context, fidelity, and outcome measurement. The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) has conducted extensive program evaluations to explore program quality and child outcomes across a variety of early educational contexts. While many NIEER projects focus on curriculum effectiveness more broadly (e.g., The Creative Curriculum™) and broader ECE programming impacts, they underscore the importance of experimental and quasi-experimental research designs, longitudinal assessment, and mixed methodologies in understanding program effects (NIEER Program Evaluations, 2025).

Challenges and Considerations

Despite promising findings, several challenges persist in the research on enrichment programming:

1. Variation in Implementation ContextsChildcare settings differ in resources, staff qualifications, and administrative supports, leading to variable program uptake—even when curricula are evidence-based (Hunter et al., 2022).

2. Limited Longitudinal EvidenceMany studies assess immediate or short-term outcomes; fewer have linked enrichment program participation to long-term developmental gains.

3. Measurement of Fidelity and ImpactAccurately capturing curriculum fidelity and distinguishing intervention effects from broader classroom influences remain methodological challenges.

Nonetheless, the available evidence converges on the conclusion that research-aligned enrichment and targeted interventions, when paired with professional development and implementation supports, can positively influence educator practices and child outcomes in childcare settings.

Implications for Practice and Policy

Research on enrichment programming in childcare settings suggests several actionable implications:

• Pair curriculum with professional learning: Effective enrichment implementation is enhanced when educators receive structured coaching and training.

• Support organizational readiness: Organizational conditions and teacher capacity predict successful uptake of enrichment programs.

• Integrate enrichment into daily routines: Embedding structured content within everyday classroom experiences improves implementation consistency.

• Research-based evaluations matter: Ongoing assessment and quality improvement help ensure that enrichment programming contributes to meaningful outcomes.

Conclusion

This paper synthesizes research on enrichment programming within childcare settings, demonstrating that structured learning programs — particularly those supported by professional development and implementation frameworks — can enhance teaching quality, classroom interactions, and, in some contexts, child developmental outcomes. While the evidence base continues to grow, these findings provide a solid foundation for administrators, educators, and policymakers to integrate research-aligned enrichment practices into childcare environments.

Selected References

BMC Psychology. (2020). Examining the impact of a social skills training program on preschoolers’ social behaviors: a cluster-randomized controlled trial in child care centers. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-020-00408-2 

Hunter, L. J., Bayly, B. L., Bierman, K. L., Welsh, J. A., & Gest, J. M. (2022). Predicting school readiness program implementation in community-based childcare centers. Frontiers in Psychology.

NIEER. (2025). Program evaluations and effectiveness in early childhood education. National Institute for Early Education Research.

Upshur, C., Wenz-Gross, M., & Reed, G. (2015). Do curriculum-based social and emotional learning programs in early childhood strengthen teacher outcomes? International evidence review.

Welsh, J. A., Bierman, K. L., Jacobson, L. N., Mincemoyer, C., Gest, J. M., Jones, D. E., Matt, L. H., & Bayly, B. L. (2024). Supporting SEL in childcare centers with curriculum enrichment and an adapted professional development model. Social and Emotional Learning: Research, Practice, and Policy.

Werner, C. D., Linting, M., Vermeer, H. J., & Van IJzendoorn, M. H. (2015). Do intervention programs in child care promote the quality of caregiver-child interactions? A meta-analysis.