It is now widely recognized that early childhood education has paramount significance for the well-being of societies. In this study, the current situation of early childhood education in Turkey is discussed mainly in terms of its perception by the government, the school enrollment rate and the quality of early childhood education programs. The study attempts to evaluate the case of Turkey compared to those of several other developed countries. It is believed that this brief snapshot considerably demonstrates that Turkey lags behind several countries not only in terms of quantity but also with respect to the quality in early childhood education; however, it has at least recognized the worth of early childhood education.