Lehigh Valley Celebrates Week of the Young Child™

We were sitting around the dinner table when the conversation turned toward why each month has a holiday. This prompted my youngest son to ask, over the beef brisket and mashed potatoes, what I’m sure is a familiar question to legions of parents:  “Why is there a special day for moms and dads and even grandparents but not a special day for kids?”

 He was happy (ecstatic really) to learn that there’s not just a day set aside for kids ages birth to eight each April, but a whole week.   In fact, thanks to the largest early childhood association in the country, it happens to be this week, April 14-20.

 The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) started this week in 1971 with the intention of raising awareness that “early childhood years lay the foundation for children’s success in school and later life.”  

 The theme of this year’s Week of the Young Child™ is Early Years Are Learning Years®, and according to NAEYC’s website (www.naeyc.org), the purpose of this week is 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.”

 If you’re one of the lucky kids in Northampton County who attends Spring Garden Children’s Center in Easton during this week, you’ll enjoy an intergenerational gardening project, have your artwork exhibited in an art show, and attend a literacy to landscape workshop.  Your parents will be treated to breakfast and your classroom teachers will be feted at a staff appreciation luncheon.

 “Young children and their families depend on high-quality education and care, which help children get a great start and bring lasting benefits to Easton” said Patricia Hunter, Executive Director of Spring Garden Children’s Center, “Week of the Young Child™ is 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.”

 Over in Lehigh County, Lehigh Carbon Community College is celebrating by hosting magician and ventriloquist Linda Holliday, at 10am on April 17.  After her performance, which is free and open to the public, participants are invited to attend a tree-planting ceremony at the LCCC Early Learning Center playground.  You can call 610-799-1875 for more information.

The Lehigh and Northampton Counties Association for the Education of Young Children (LANAEYC) is one of the 300 affiliate chapters NAEYC has across the country.   We all know kids benefit from teachers’ knowing best practices in the classroom.  These teachers help to make every day “kids day,” not just for a week in April, by knowing how to make learning fun. 

The teachers in early childhood education classrooms, the ones who take care of children from birth to eight, are able to attend professional development days because of the annual conference LANAEYC holds each spring.  The all-day conference this year will be held on April 27 at The Eastonian Holiday Inn Express, 90 Kunkle Dr., Easton, and the theme is “Positive Behavior Instructional Support.”  If you’re an early childhood educator you can stay up-to-date on chapter events, which include the spring conference, by visiting the LANAEYC Facebook page (www.facebook.com/lanaeyc) or by visiting their website (www.lanaeyc.com).