Week of the Young Child is an annual event sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC, the world’s largest early childhood education association, has nearly 90,000 members and is committed to providing and promoting excellence in early childhood education. The primary goal of the Week of the Young Child is to celebrate and bring attention to the unique qualities and needs of young children and their families. Also, the Week of the Young Child is a time to honor the educators and other professionals who nurture and provide safe, loving educational environments that can greatly impact the lives of young children. This year’s theme is “Early Years Are Learning Years,” and celebrations will begin April 10th.
The Week of the Young Child was first established by NAEYC in 1971 and honors more than 35 million children nationwide, and the families, teachers, caregivers, and other adults who help children make the most of the opportunities of their early years. The event was created to focus on the fact that a child’s future academic and professional success has its’ foundations in the care the child is afforded during the formative years (birth through five). Popular literature illustrates that during these early years children develop essential social, physical, cognitive and communicative abilities and that the level of these abilities are greatly advanced in the presence of constant, responsive and consistent care. In today’s economic times, where many families have two working parents, the importance of high quality early childhood programs is critical. High quality interactions include, but are not limited to, sustained and engaged play, open-ended conversations, individualized learning experiences and recognition of the importance of family involvement.
Approximately 13 million infants, toddlers, and preschool children are regularly in non-parental care in the United States, including 45% of children younger than one year. Young children and their families depend on high-quality education and care, which help children get a great start and bring lasting benefits to New Jersey. The Week of the Young Child is also a time to recognize the importance of early learning and early literacy, and to celebrate the teachers and policies that bring early childhood education to young children.
