Uganda and Botswana, two East African nations, face distinct challenges and opportunities in early childhood education (ECE). Uganda, with a rapidly growing population and a history of political instability has limited access to early childhood education (ECE) despite Government targets and progress being made. Botswana, while experiencing economic growth, also faces challenges in ensuring equitable access and improving ECE quality. Both countries recognise the importance of ECE as a foundation for lifelong learning and development, but disparities persist in terms of infrastructure, resources, and trained personnel. Children on the Edge (COTE) and Learn to Play (LTP) are two organisations working to improve early childhood education (ECE) in Uganda and Botswana. COTE and LTP promote play-based learning approaches whilst addressing the critical need for ECE in communities where it is often overlooked. Playbased learning is increasingly recognised as a valuable approach to ECE. It fosters children's holistic development and encourages a lifelong love of learning. The play-based assessment tool, developed by Children on the Edge and Learn to Play in collaboration with the University of Chichester, aims to assess the quality of play-based ECE programmes to identify areas for development and secure improvement. The tool includes play-based activities that allow children to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and abilities across different developmental domains. Assessors score children against 48 developmental goals, providing insights into areas for improvement in individual settings. Additionally, the tool assesses the play provision, focusing on structural and process quality factors. Through a checklist, assessors evaluate the physical environment, group characteristics, caregiver variables, interactions, program characteristics, and overall quality of the ECE setting. This comprehensive assessment provides a holistic picture of the program and identifies areas for development.