Early childhood development is crucial for future academic success in urban populations of Ghana. However, disparities in access to quality early education facilities remain a concern. A mixed-method approach was employed, including pre-post assessments and qualitative interviews to measure changes in cognitive skills, social-emotional development, and parental engagement levels. Children who participated in ECDs exhibited a statistically significant improvement of 20% in language comprehension scores compared to those not enrolled. Early childhood interventions have the potential to bridge educational gaps and enhance school readiness for urban children in Ghana. Policy makers should increase funding for accessible, high-quality ECDs to support child development and academic success. school readiness, early childhood education, urban populations, cognitive skills