The history of preschool special children's education can be traced back to the "Children's Health Movement" in Europe and America at the end of 19. During this period, due to social changes such as the first industrial revolution, more and more factories, cities and slums appeared in European and American societies, which led to the serious deterioration of children's life and physical condition. Therefore, people's concern for children's physical and mental health has become a consensus.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe and America began to develop early treatment and education methods for special children to meet their better growth needs. 19 10 years ago, the construction of special education schools was carried out in Europe one after another as the main way for the government to implement compulsory education for disabled children.

Pre-school education for special children in China started late. After 1949, the new China government began a large-scale medical and rehabilitation education for disabled children, but it has not yet formed a systematic education system for special children. After the promulgation and implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Disabled Persons (1982), the China government began to increase investment and support for preschool special children's education. With the reform and opening up, preschool special children's education has gradually gained more extensive understanding and attention.

Blind children are the earliest group in the world who pay attention to the education of preschool special children. As early as 1800, the French educator Valletta began to pay attention to the education of blind children. 1845, the southern French city of Toulouse established the first school for blind children in Europe. 1872 In Maine, USA, Anne Voss founded the world's first kindergarten for blind children, and successively established kindergartens and schools for blind children in New Zealand, Australia and other places.

In terms of disabled children, Britain has proved that disabled children are mentally healthy. The earlier children receive education, the more they can improve their adaptability. The first step in providing education for disabled children is to popularize preschool education facilities, such as kindergartens for the disabled. At the beginning of the 20th century, Britain established special kindergartens for children with physical disabilities and hearing and vision impairment, and the first kindergarten for children with mental retardation was established in London on 1905. Later, the United States, Japan and other countries also established preschool institutions for disabled children.