Are you ready to join the celebration of our youngest learners? 👧
The Week of the Young Child has arrived, and it’s time to get excited! This special week is all about recognizing the amazing work that childcare staff, directors, and educators do every day to support our little one’s development.
During this week, we have the chance to come together and highlight the importance of early childhood education. There will be plenty of fun activities and events happening, so don’t miss out!
Let’s join forces and make this Week of the Young Child one to remember! 📚✨
What is the Week of the Young Child (WOYC)?
Let’s talk about the Week of the Young Child!
This awesome week-long event is all about celebrating young children, their families, and their amazing teachers. It happens every year in April and is organized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
During this special week, people all across the US come together to raise awareness about the importance of early childhood education and the incredible impact it has on our little ones. There are tons of fun activities and events happening, like community fairs, art displays, and parent-teacher conferences.
Join the party to celebrate the Week of the Young Child in style! To learn more, click the button below. 👇
WOYC 2024: Save the date
Week of the Young Child FAQs
We know you’re incredibly excited to celebrate the 2024 Week of the Young Child! To ensure you have all the insight you need – let’s cover some of the most frequently asked questions.
Subscribe to the blog to learn more about childcare trends, industry findings, and best practices.
1) When is the Week of the Young Child?
The Week of the Young Child typically happens during the first week of April. This year, the celebration extends from April 6th-April 12th, 2024.
2) What is the Week of the Young Child theme in 2024?
This year’s theme is ‘Step It Up (SIU).’ NAEYC decided to keep the same daily themes from last year; now they’re challenging YOU to expand those themes yourself! Each day of the week has a specific educational or developmental focus:
- Music Monday – April 8th
- Tasty Tuesday – April 9th
- Work Together Wednesday – April 10th
- Artsy Thursday – April 11th
- Family Friday – April 12th
3) Who should participate in Week of the Young Child?
Anyone passionate about promoting education – that’s who! Teachers, educators, staff, families, and relatives of young children should participate to encourage a love of learning.
How to celebrate Week of the Young Child: 23 ideas for educators.
Music Monday
- Sing-Along: Encourage children to sing and dance to their favorite songs. Provide a variety of musical instruments to help them create their own rhythms and melodies.
- Host a Concert: Organize a mini-concert or performance with children singing and playing musical instruments. Invite parents or other classes to watch and participate.
- Music Book Reading: Read books about music to the children. Books like “Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin!” by Lloyd Moss or “This Jazz Man” by Karen Ehrhardt are great options!
- Music-themed Snacks: Create music-themed snacks like musical note cookies, guitar-shaped sandwiches, or fruit skewers shaped like musical notes or instruments. Children can enjoy their snacks while listening to their favorite tunes.
- Music Games: Plan a variety of music games such as musical chairs, musical statues, or musical bingo. These games are a fun way to promote listening skills and encourage children to move to the rhythm of the music.
Tasty Tuesday
- Cooking Activities: Plan a cooking activity where children can help prepare a healthy snack or meal. It’s a great opportunity to teach them about healthy eating habits and basic cooking skills.
- Tasting Party: Host a tasting party where children can try a variety of healthy foods and snacks. This is a great way to introduce them to new flavors and textures.
- Gardening Activities: Plan a gardening activity where children can plant seeds, water plants, or harvest fruits and vegetables. This can help teach them about where food comes from and the importance of healthy eating habits.
- Community Food Drive: Organize a food drive where children can help collect and donate non-perishable food items to a local food bank or pantry. This activity can help teach them about the importance of giving back and helping those in need.
Work Together Wednesday
- Cooperative Games: Plan a variety of cooperative games like building block towers, a relay race, or a group scavenger hunt. These activities encourage children to work together, problem-solve, and develop social skills.
- Team Building Activities: Plan team building activities like creating a group vision board, developing a group mission statement, or working on a group project. These activities can help promote a sense of unity and purpose among the children!
- Classroom Jobs: Assign classroom jobs to children and rotate them periodically. This encourages responsibility, teamwork, and a sense of ownership of the classroom environment.
- Service Projects: Plan a service project where children can work together to help their community or environment. This could include activities like cleaning up a park or playground, planting a community garden, or making care packages for a local shelter or hospital. This activity promotes teamwork, empathy, and social responsibility.
Artsy Thursday
- Process Art Activities: Plan a variety of process art activities like splatter painting, marble painting, or creating art with unconventional materials like feathers or pasta. These activities encourage children to explore different art techniques and materials without worrying about the end result.
- Art-themed Storytime: Read children’s books about art and artists like “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds or “Ish” by Peter H. Reynolds. After reading the book, you can discuss the different art concepts with the children and encourage them to create their own art based on the story.
- Art Gallery Walk: Host an art gallery walk where children can display their artwork for others to see. This activity promotes self-confidence, creativity, and appreciation for others’ art.
- Community Art Project: Plan a community art project like creating a mural or sculpture for a public space. This activity promotes teamwork, collaboration, and community involvement.
- Art-themed Science Experiments: Conduct art-themed science experiments like making homemade paint or exploring color mixing with different materials. This activity promotes creativity, experimentation, and curiosity!
- Decorate T-Shirts: Invite families to purchase plain t-shirts for their child. Set out fabric markers and paints for the children to decorate their own shirts. After they dry, choose a special day for everyone to wear their custom t-shirts!
Family Friday
- Family Photos: Encourage families to send in family photos that can be displayed in the classroom or shared in a class slideshow. This activity helps children feel connected to their families and promotes family involvement in their education. If you have permission to share your photos on social media – don’t forget to use the hashtag #WOYC24!
- Family Story Time: Host a family story time where families can come in and read their favorite books to the class. This activity promotes a love of reading and literacy.
- Family Cultural Sharing: Encourage families to share their cultural traditions, food, or music with the class. This activity promotes diversity and cultural awareness!
- Family Game Day: Host a family game day where families can come in and play games with their children and other families. This activity promotes social skills, family bonding, and a love of play.
- Family Volunteer Day: Plan a family volunteer day where families can come in and volunteer their time to help with a classroom project or a community service project. This activity promotes teamwork, social responsibility, and community involvement.
WOYC 2024
LineLeader takes on Week of the Young Child.
At LineLeader by ChildcareCRM, we’re passionate about designing software specifically for childcare professionals like you. We care about giving you more time for what matters most – building relationships with the families at your center.
That’s why all week long – we’re visiting our customers at their centers to show our appreciation. Depending on the day, we provide themed toys and gifts to promote the education of early learners.
Curious about how we celebrated? Follow us on social media to stay up to date with us! 👇
Not a User Yet?
Subscribe to the blog to get expert childcare tips, proven industry advice, and free templates. 👈
