The state of the physical infrastructure at various early childhood development (ECD) centres in a
rural area in one Eastern Cape Education District is the focus of discussion in this paper. Data were collected
through photo-voice and observations during an introductory visit to the centres. The paper explores the status of
the physical environments of the ECD centres and raises doubts over their potential for enhancing child development
and early learning. Thematic analysis of the findings reveals that no evidence suggests that the communities visited
had benefitted from the vast attention and publicity ECD has gained in South Africa. An overwhelming infrastructural
neglect and/or decay were observed. There seems to be no evidence that ECD practitioners and architects of the
centres visited neither considered nor understood the most suitable design and reorganise spaces to augment desired
ECD learning outcomes. This paper concludes that poorly designed ECD physical environments not only present
the health and security hazards to little children learning in such amenities but also affect the learning and freedom
children should be enjoying. The paper recommends that particular care and attention should be given to the
settings in which children learn as early as the design phase of such settings. Other recommendations have been
highlighted in the paper.