We have comparative studies for primary, secondary, and tertiary education – however, we do not have for preschool education. The present work constitutes one of the first comparative ventures in the field, aimed at understanding the long-term developments in preschool education and exploring their causal relationships, in countries of Europe and North America.

The authors of the volume note that preschool education is institutionalized at different times in each country, for reasons related to socio-political components and rivalries. A key point behind these developments is the competition between two central institutions, the Catholic Church and the secular authority, the State, which has given a significant push to the field.

The weight of the past, social contexts, the dissemination of pedagogical ideas and practices, as well as the role of educational policy regarding the forms and characteristics of preschool institutions, permeate the content of the chapters. The findings of the study represent an important step in the formation of a theory for the causes of the development of preschool education.