Week of the Young Child 2023
April 1-7 was Week of the Young Child, described by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) as an annual celebration that encourages the public to focus on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood services and programs that meet those needs. "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," says the NAEYC website.
Why does YWCA Minneapolis participate in Week of the Young Child?
All five of our Early Childhood Education centers are NAEYC-accredited and have worked hard to maintain accreditation. As an organization we recognize the importance of child care, and Week of the Young Child is a great way to share the importance of the work we do to serve the needs of young children and their families.Since its beginning in 1971, Week of the Young Child has celebrated a different theme for each day of that week, offering activities for groups to participate in. Our child care centers make it their own! The week starts with Kick-Off Saturday, with videos, virtual events or sharing your local proclamation. The school week consists of Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday and Family Friday as daily themes.
A Week of Fun
Every classroom in our centers celebrated in its own way. Monday was a day of noise, with children making, playing and exploring different musical instruments and the sounds they can make. Children really love making noise!
Tasty Tuesday included tacos for lunch. We are able to teach so much with tacos — trying new food items, teaching amounts, learning colors and textures, and practicing sharing. We even made pretend tacos as a craft project! 
On Work Together Wednesday and Artsy Thursday the children worked on projects in the classrooms to be seen in hallways for weeks after the event. The kids always have fun with it!
The last day of the week is Family Friday. Centers ended the week with a family event of some sort, whether that be at the center or something that is sent home for the families to do together.
How you can support!
The most important thing you can do is to share what you know with others. Early childhood education is such an important topic, and it needs to be talked about.
“Together with our members, community partners, and network of Affiliates across the country, we proudly ensure that the early childhood profession exemplifies excellence and is recognized as performing a vital role in society. Alongside you, NAEYC is the national voice of the early childhood community. Explore the work we do with you every day!” — NAEYC
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