Introduction. A family, despite numerous changes taking place in it and around it, is an important space in which the process of the intellectual upbringing of a child takes place. The way in which parents understand the essence of intellectual education and its role in this process determines its effectiveness in the context of challenges faced by every human being in the contemporary multidimensional and dynamic space of life. Aim. The aim of the article is to show, based on the conducted qualitative research, various ways of conceptualizing the concept of intellectual education by parents of children of early school age, and to present the actions declared by parents oriented towards their children in the field of intellectual education. Materials and methods. The article presents the results of the qualitative research embedded in the interpretative paradigm, carried out using the individual open interview method. Parents of early school-age children were subject to the research. Results. Based on the analysis of the research material, several categories of answers were distinguished, which, due to the scope and content, can be systematized in a continuum: from the transmission of knowledge and values by parents to introducing children to lifelong education, creating opportunities for cognitive activities, nurturing and strengthening the natural curiosity of children, encouraging them to present their own beliefs and to inspire them to dialogue. Conclusion. In the light of the research results obtained, it seems justified to evoke the parents’ interest in the issue of intellectual education of children by early education teachers by including it in the programs of broadly understood pedagogy.