<p>Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly transforming educational contexts, yet its role in early childhood education (ECE) raises complex issues regarding developmental appropriateness, ethics, and equity. ECE deserves special attention because it represents a uniquely sensitive and formative stage of human development. This conceptual paper examines the promises and challenges of integrating GenAI into early learning environments, emphasizing both opportunities for innovation and the need for critical safeguards. The discussion highlights potential benefits, including personalized and adaptive learning, enhanced multimodal storytelling, support for play-based pedagogy, and teacher workload reduction. These opportunities, however, are moderated by challenges and risks such as overreliance on screen-based interactions, displacement of play and social relationships, inequitable access, algorithmic bias, and threats to children’s privacy and safety. To address these tensions, the paper situates GenAI within developmental psychology, sociocultural learning theory, educational technology frameworks, and ethical paradigms. Policy and practice implications are outlined, stressing the importance of regulation, equity-focused infrastructure, teacher professional development, and culturally responsive curriculum design. The paper concludes with recommendations for educators, policymakers, and researchers, and introduces a conceptual framework for “Child-Centered GenAI Integration,” arguing that developmental appropriateness, ethical safeguards, and sociocultural mediation must work together to ensure child-centered GenAI use in ECE.</p>