A fun-filled week celebrating early learning, young children, their teachers, families, and communities.
The Week Of The Young Child
The Week of the Young Child® is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world’s largest early childhood education association, with nearly 60,000 members and a network of 52 Affiliates.
The purpose of the Week of the Young Child® 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.
Today we know more than ever before about the importance of children’s earliest years in shaping their learning and development. Yet, never before have the needs of young children and their families been more pressing.
The Week of the Young Child® is a time to recognize that children’s opportunities are our responsibilities and to recommit ourselves to ensuring that each and every child experiences the type of early environment—at home, at child care, at school, and in the community—that will promote their early learning.
Photo credit: National Association for the Education of Young Children
Music Monday
Music Monday is more than singing and dancing, it’s a way to encourage children to be active while developing their early literacy skills and having fun with friends and family!
Shake and Dance!
Early learners will make their own shakers using paper plates, bottles and beans. Before the day is over our young scholars will engage in a variety of music and movement activities, shaking their shakers to the beat!
School Readiness Goals – Outcomes:
- Child investigates and demonstrates a growing understanding of the sounds of intonations of languages.
- Child coordinates a sequence of movements to perform tasks.
- Child responds to different musical styles through movement and play.
Tasty Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday isn’t just about eating your favorite snacks together. It’s also about cooking together and connecting math with literacy skills and science while introducing ways to incorporate healthy habits into children’s lifestyles. Use the tips, resources, and recipes below to get started.
Fruit Pizzas
Early learners will engage in a read-aloud before creating their own healthy snack. Teachers will assist students in making their own fruit pizzas using tortillas, cream cheese, and a variety of fresh fruit.
School Readiness Goals – Outcomes:
- Child shows understanding by following two-step oral directions and usually follows three-step directions.
- Child practices good habits of personal health and hygiene.
- Child identifies good habits of nutrition and exercise.
Work Together Wednesday
When children build together they experience teamwork and develop their social and early literacy skills. Grab some materials and create!
Work Together
As a team, teachers and early learners will work together through games and activities that require young scholars to work together.
School Readiness Goals – Outcomes:
- Child shows competence in initiating social interactions.
- Child remains focused on engaging group activities for about 20 minutes at a time.
Artsy Thursday
Children develop creativity, social skills, and fine muscles with open-ended art projects that let them make choices, use their imaginations, and create with their hands.
Paint Party
Teachers will read the book, I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont. Afterwards, early learners will start from a blank canvas to create their own masterpiece using paint and other art materials.
School Readiness Goals – Outcomes:
- Child shows control of tasks that require small muscle strength and control.
- Child uses a variety of art materials and activities for sensory experience and exploration.
- Child uses art as a form of self-expression and representation.
Family Friday
Parents and families are children’s first teachers. Family Friday focuses on engaging families to support our youngest learners.
We Are Family
Early learners will engage in a virtual read-aloud by parent volunteer and GCCSA HS/EHS Policy Council Vice Chair, Ms. Joanna Luciano. At the end of the day, teachers and young scholars will view the movie ENCANTO and share their thoughts about family.
School Readiness Goals – Outcomes:
- Child asks and answers appropriate questions about the book.
- Child identifies similarities and differences in characteristics of families.