Week of the Young Child (WOYC) April 1 to April 7, 2023
The Week of the Young Child® is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world's largest early childhood education association, with nearly 60,000 members and a network of 52 Affiliates.
The purpose of the Week of the Young Child® is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.
NAEYC first established the Week of the Young Child® in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children's success in school and later life. The Week of the Young Child® is a time to plan how we—as citizens of a community, of a state, and of a nation—will better meet the needs of all young children and their families.
NAEYC designates the week of the young child dates and themes, but events are planned and implemented by local programs and communities. Celebrations are organized and coordinated by individual early childhood programs and community organizations providing services to young children and families.
Local organizations are welcome to change and adapt the celebrations to their own needs.
The following are the suggested dates and themes from NAEYC.
Things you can do on Kick-off Saturday:
Post a video, blog or social media post sharing why you celebrate Week of the Young Child and what you do to prepare.
Plan a virtual event with your social media community.
Take some time for yourself, reorganize and re-energize so that you’re ready for the week ahead.
Create a dancing playlist for Music Monday.
Search your kitchen for ingredients for your Tasty Tuesday activity.
For Work Together Wednesday, work with other educators in your program to draft a group letter to your elected officials, emphasizing the need to #InvestinECE.
Gather your arts and crafts for Artsy Thursday.
Draft an email to parents explaining what they should expect during #WOYC23 and how they can prepare for your Family Friday activities.
MUSIC MONDAY
When children sing, dance, and listen to music, they develop their language and early literacy skills while being active and encouraging movement. Make up and record your own unique version of a song or write your own, and share it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the #WOYC23 hashtag.
TASTY TUESDAY
This fun, food-themed day is about more than just cheese and crackers. Cooking together connects math with literacy skills, science, and more. With the rise in childhood obesity, you can encourage healthy nutrition and fitness habits at home and in the classroom. Create your own healthy snacks and share the recipes and photos of your creations on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the #WOYC23 hashtag.
WORK TOGETHER WEDNESDAY
When children build together, they explore math and science concepts and develop their social and early literacy skills. Children can use any building material from a fort of branches on the playground to a block city in the classroom, or a hideaway made from couch pillows at home.
ARTSY THURSDAY
Think, problem solve, create! Children develop creativity, social skills and fine motor skills with open-ended art projects where children make choices, use their imaginations, and create with their hands. On Artsy Thursday celebrate the joy and learning children experience when engaged in creative art making. Use materials - from crayons to paint, clay to crafts!
FAMILY FRIDAY
Engaging and celebrating families is at the heart of supporting our youngest learners. NAEYC applauds family members’ role as young children’s first and most important teachers. Share pictures and stories about your family on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the #WOYC23 hashtag.