Children in disadvantaged families living in poor areas face numerous challenges, from lack of access to quality health care to insufficient nutrition and stimulation. By the time these children are supposed to start primary school, they often are already behind in terms of cognitive, social-emotional, and language skills. Development organizations and governments are looking at preschool programs as a route for improving the skills and school readiness of children aged three to five in low-income countries. In Malawi, researchers supported by the strategic impact evaluation fund (SIEF) worked with the government to study the impact of a pilot program to improve the quality of the country’s community-based childcare centers, which serve children aged three to five years old in rural areas. The impact evaluation measured the effectiveness of different approaches for improving quality above and beyond providing centers with play and learning kits, including offering additional teacher training, paying teachers a small stipend, and holding classes for parents on child development. Researchers are now working with policymakers in Malawi to see how the lessons learned can be incorporated into planning for future early childhood development programs.