How rising temperatures affect learning in young children

Climate change affects children from the very beginning of life. Many parents focus on food, school, and safety. They now face rising temperatures that influence health and learning.

Researchers have found that a hot climate can affect learning long before school starts. These changes happen quietly over time.

Conducted across six countries, the study shows strong evidence of this risk. The findings push experts to call for wider action as the world warms.

Heat slows child development

The investigation reveals clear links between hotter surroundings and lagging early development.

Children exposed to average maximum temperatures above 32°C reached fewer core milestones linked to literacy and numeracy.

“Because early development lays the foundation for lifelong learning, physical and mental health, and overall well-being, these findings should alert researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to the urgent need to protect children’s development in a warming world,” noted Jorge Cuartas of New York University.

Children in regions with cooler maximum temperatures showed stronger progress in core skills.

Exposure above 30°C cut milestone attainment by several percentage points, with sharp declines among households facing economic hardship. 

Heat strains children’s bodies

Hot weather puts pressure on young bodies in many ways. Children struggle to cool down, lose water faster, and their stress systems work harder.

Long periods of high temperature can also disturb sleep and cause inflammation in the brain.

These changes can affect parts of the brain that support memory, emotions, and early learning. Research shows that heat can damage developing nerve cells.

Since the brain grows quickly in early childhood, ongoing exposure to high temperatures may disrupt important pathways needed for learning and thinking.

Losing too much water also makes it harder for children to focus and solve problems. Cities add extra strain because buildings hold heat and release it slowly, keeping temperatures high even at night.

Ecological pressures grow

Heat interacts with food systems, disease patterns, and household environments. Warmer periods increase crop stress and food contamination risks.

Poor nutrition during early childhood shapes cognitive growth, emotional stability, and immune strength.

Hot conditions favor pathogens that spread through unsafe water or inadequate sanitation. Children in households lacking clean water face heavier burdens as heat heightens infection risk.

Urban families often live in compact dwellings with limited ventilation, amplifying heat exposure.

Climate-driven shifts in air quality can influence mood and behavior in caregivers, narrowing emotional support for young children.

Longer warm spells also reduce outdoor play, cutting practice in motor skills and social engagement. 

Larger child development gaps

The study shows big differences in how heat affects children from different backgrounds. Children in wealthier families lost fewer skills when temperatures rose. On the other hand, kids in lower income families lost many more skills.

City children also showed stronger drops in development when temperatures went above 30°C. Families without safe water and good sanitation faced the hardest impact.

Clean water helps children stay cool and reduces infection risk, so these homes had fewer ways to protect children.

The results point to a clear link between rising temperatures and existing inequality. Heat stress adds pressure to families that already face challenges.

The study also raises concern about pregnancy. Some warm periods during pregnancy showed small increases in risk, especially when temperatures rose above 33°C.

The findings suggest that certain developmental stages before birth may be more sensitive to heat.

Urgent global outlook

Rising global temperatures could shape child development for entire generations. Recent climate projections warn of warming well above global targets.

Science now points to early childhood as a sensitive stage where rising heat can alter learning potential, cognitive function, and emotional development.

“We urgently need more research to identify the mechanisms that explain these effects and the factors that either protect children or heighten vulnerability,” said Cuartas.

Stronger social support, improved water systems, greener urban design, cooling access, and better caregiver resources can support young populations as warming accelerates.

The evidence warrants urgent action, since early skills form the foundation for learning, health, and long-term opportunity.

Protecting child development as heat rises

Communities can take practical steps to protect child development as temperatures rise.

Shaded outdoor areas give children safer places to play and learn. Clean water systems reduce dehydration and infection risks during warm periods.

Cooling options in homes, clinics, and childcare spaces help young bodies recover from daily heat. Greener neighborhoods lower local temperatures and improve air quality.

Support for caregivers, such as guidance on hydration and safe routines, strengthens family resilience.

When communities invest in these resources, children gain healthier environments that support learning, growth, and emotional wellbeing despite a warming climate.

The study is published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

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