Celebrating The Week of the Young Child 2024

Since 1971, the National Association for the Education of Young Children has sponsored an annual, week-long celebration in April known as The Week of the Young Child®. WOYC is meant to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

Here at Marguerite’s Place, we celebrate WOYC and our children with a week filled with fun activities and events, culminating in a program-wide celebration that includes pizza, puppets, and community!

This year, children will participate in Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday. Activities include tie-dyeing t-shirts, making our own pasta salad from scratch, participating in a group yoga session, exploring new musical instruments, and helping to prepare a heart-filled surprise for Friday’s family celebration. Throughout the week, families will also visit the classroom to read stories and spend time with the children.

Why Celebrating The Week of the Young Child
Is Important

While the experiences and enjoyment during WOYC are significant, it’s crucial to recognize the ongoing efforts we must make as a nation to celebrate and honor young children and the programs that support them throughout the year. The early childhood years, spanning from birth through age 8, consistently establish the groundwork for a child’s success in both school and life.

With an abundance of data and statistics highlighting the profound impact on children’s brain development, physical health, social skills, mental wellness, and access to vital services, we must remain committed to our support for quality early learning environments and family support to pave the way for future generations to achieve their full potential.

The Week of the Young Child® serves as a reminder that children’s well-being is a collective responsibility. Whether at home, in childcare settings, within schools, or at community events, all of us must help to create nurturing environments that foster early learning and healthy development.

Our actions and decisions – from the local to the national level – shape the experiences of young children, and as Nelson Mandela observed, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

Let us all commit to championing the well-being and future success of our youngest generation by providing the love, support, and resources necessary for every child to thrive.