A Celebration in Childcare: The Week of the Young Child
Posted by Danielle Terlonge on Sun, Apr 10, 2011
Well, this week in daycares and preschools around the country is a type of celebration for those of us in the field of childcare. This coming week is the Week of the Young Child, sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (or NAEYC for short). Every year, NAEYC picks a week to celebrate the children that we serve and the children and families in the community around us. In our centers we choose to make this week a celebration of family events, with a special activity every day of the week. In centers and even communities around the country, there are activities that you can participate in to celebrate the young child in your life.
This year's national theme is "The Early Years are The Learning Years", and that really sums up the general mission of quality childcare centers. A child learns and grows so quickly in their first few years of life, and they need to have as many experiences and opportunities as possible so that their brains can grow and process new information. So many of our perceptions and ideals in life are created early on in life, so as parents or educators of young children, it is vital to expose children to new things and allow them to form their own beliefs and opinions, and allow them the learn from their earliest experiences.
Here in Northeast Ohio, our theme specifically is "A Family is the Spice of Life." Think about your own family, and the various members and characters that are included. There are caretakers, jokers, comforters, pillars of strength, and so many other varied roles that family members play. All of these people help shape you and ultimately your child, into the person that they will be. This week long celebration allows us to focus on those family members who help children learn in their early years.
Look for Week of the Young Child events in your community by checking out your local Association for the Education of Young Children!
The National Association for the Education of Young Children's website
The Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children's website