Floods, droughts, and extreme heat can disrupt nutrition and healthcare in early life, with consequences that may last for years. Children across Europe have returned to school after a summer of extreme heat. As the climate warms, a pressing question is emerging: how can students learn when classrooms become dangerously hot? Extreme weather is likely to disrupt schooling more often in the years ahead. However, climate change can influence a child’s education even before they enter a classroom. Research has shown that exposure to extreme weather during pregnancy and early childhood—such as floods, droughts, and unusually high temperatures—can be linked to lower birthweight, poorer childhood development, starting school later, lower enrollment, and completing fewer years of education. These effects are often more severe in low- and middle-income countries, where families may have fewer resources to cope with sudden losses of food, income, or access to healthcare. When crops fail or floods destroy livelihoods, families may have less money for food and medical care. Pregnant women may eat less, work longer hours, or struggle to reach health services. Young children may miss out on adequate nutrition or care while their bodies and brains are developing rapidly. These early disruptions can have long-term effects on a child's health and education. Research is beginning to show how these early shocks can reverberate years later. In Ecuador, researchers found that children whose mothers experienced severe flooding during pregnancy were more likely to have low birthweight and anaemia. They were also shorter for their age and performed less well on tests of thinking and language development. In rural Burkina Faso, children exposed to unusually low rainfall before birth scored lower on tests of thinking and learning ability. They were more likely to start school late, less likely to be enrolled, and more likely to work. Heat also poses risks: a study of 29 tropical countries linked higher temperatures during pregnancy and early childhood with lower educational attainment. These findings are part of a broader review of research on the effects of climate shocks on children. Researchers examined 254 studies, with 90 statistical studies forming the core analysis. The review found a consistent pattern: exposure during pregnancy and early childhood can affect health, learning, and the amount of education children eventually receive. The consequences of climate shocks depend on the timing and severity of the exposure, as well as a family’s circumstances. Climate change can therefore deepen existing inequalities. A failed harvest or flooded home may be devastating for any family, but those with savings, insurance, or reliable public services have more ways to recover. For families already struggling to afford food or healthcare, the same event can mean smaller meals, missed appointments, or children leaving school to work. Children at the greatest risk often live in countries that have contributed relatively little to the greenhouse gas emissions driving global warming. However, exposure to a climate shock early in life does not mean a child is destined to struggle. Some studies find that children can recover, particularly when families receive effective support. One form of support is social protection: government programs designed to help people avoid or cope with poverty. These include cash transfers, which provide families with money, sometimes with conditions such as children attending school or receiving healthcare. A review of interventions found that four out of six studies examining cash transfers during droughts, floods, or cyclones showed positive effects on education. The benefits varied depending on factors such as the child’s age, the size of the payment, and the severity of the shock. Research from rural Mexico offers an example. Children exposed to adverse rainfall around the year they were born went on to complete fewer school grades and were less likely to continue into education after secondary school. However, children whose families were assigned to receive payments through the Progresa cash-transfer program experienced smaller educational losses. While cash transfers cannot stop a drought, rebuild a flooded school, or replace the broader action needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate, they can help families maintain food, healthcare, and schooling when their income suddenly falls. This is particularly important as international development budgets come under pressure. In 2025, the UK government announced that official development assistance would fall from around 0.5% of national income to 0.3% by 2027. Protecting support for pregnant women and young children deserves particular attention. Climate shocks experienced in the earliest stages of life can have far-reaching effects, influencing how children learn, how long they remain in education, and the opportunities available to them long after the floodwaters have receded.