Every year in April, the early childhood education community celebrates the Week of the Young Child (WOYC). This is a time to truly appreciate the magic of young children and advocate for their care and education. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) established the first WOTYC in 1971. Since then NAEYC has been promoting activities and advocacy every year during this special week.

We define “young child” as birth through 8 years. There are so many reasons to celebrate this incredible age! This is a period of tremendous growth, as everyday these little ones are discovering new ideas about the world around them. These first few years are an important time for cognitive, physical, and emotional development.