For many parents it's a case of the early bird catches the worm, and they are willing to pay to ensure their kids to be the first on the lawn, as Fan Feifei reports.

Wang Yi, 33, a post-80 generation father working in the IT industry, sends his 2-year-old daughter to an early education center at a shopping mall each Sunday. "I want her to meet and communicate with other children," he said.

The price of lessons at the education center is relatively high, but Wang said the family could afford it. He purchased 100 lessons for more than 10,000 yuan ($1635) when he registered his daughter at the center half a year ago.