To make it through the Indian school system, children need to be resilient and feel at ease in learning--qualities that children from poorer backgrounds often lack. As a result, one in four children does not complete primary school. One way to address this issue is by preparing children for school through early childhood education, which can have a lasting positive effect on a child's later success in school and in life--and can even mitigate the significant disadvantages, such as poverty, discrimination, or illness, some children experience. This article describes how a holistic and appealing approaches that engage children, their families, and their communities are needed to ensure children in disadvantaged circumstances can make the most of opportunities to access education. [The article was written by the Swiss Academy for Development.]