Resources for Providers to Celebrate Month of the Young Child
ELRC Region 5’s quality partner, Trying Together, celebrates the Month of the Young Child (MOYC) every April in conjunction with the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) yearly observance of the Week of the Young Child.
This year, the Week of the Young Child will be observed April 11 through 17.
There are several events taking place in Southwestern Pennsylvania during both the Month of the Young Child and Week of the Young Child.
Month of the Young Child
On Thursday, April 9, Carlow University and Westmoreland County Community College will host the 2026 Early Childhood Educator Student Affiliate Dinner on WCCC’s campus. This year’s theme is “Every Person, Every Path, One Passion,” which celebrates the work of educators to build inclusive education spaces for all learners. Tickets for the event can be purchased online.
Trying Together will hold its annual event to honor the Month of the Young Child and the work of early childhood educators - Celebrating Together - on Thursday, April 30 at Rivers Casino. The event will include a VIP Reception and the 30th Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner. Those interested in attending can purchase tickets online.
NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child
To celebrate the Week of the Young Child, NAEYC has set themes for each day between April 11 and 17. The week’s themed days include Kick-Off Saturday, Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday. NAEYC has provided a number of suggested activities for providers during the Week of the Young Child. The full list is available on NAEYC’s website. Some of the activities include:
Kick-Off Saturday: Share a video, blog, or social media post about why you celebrate Week of the Young Child, host a virtual event to share your proclamation, and create a plan for the week (for example, a playlist for Music Monday or restocking art supplies for Artsy Thursday).
Music Monday: Join the chorus for change by working with state affiliates to secure proclamations honoring early childhood educators.
Tasty Tuesday: Engage families by exploring culturally meaningful foods, sharing stories or recipes, and creating a community recipe book illustrated by children.
Work Together Wednesday: Help promote teamwork among children to develop their social and early literacy skills, or connect with elected officials.
Artsy Thursday: Find ways to display your classroom’s art projects for the community to see - for example, set up a gallery at a local business or public library.
Family Friday: Connect families with NAEYC, your local affiliate, and advocacy opportunities. Share resources that help families support learning and engage with policymakers.
Two great resources to celebrate the Week of the Young Child are NAEYC’s page, which lists a number of activities and provides information on the week’s history, and Discovery Building Sets’ 80 Ways to Celebrate NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child.
The Homewood Early Learning Hub and Family Center’s Week of the Young Child
The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center, located at 7219 Kelly Street, has scheduled events each day of the Week of the Young Child that mostly correspond with NAEYC’s themes.
For Musical Monday, families are invited to an open house that features musical activities courtesy of Playnotes Pittsburgh, food, refreshments, and other activities. On Tasty Tuesday, visitors can listen to a dinosaur-themed Storytime at the Hub event that includes food, while the Hub will team up with the Holy Cross Homewood & Reading is Fundamental Storymobile for a joint storytime and activity on Work Together Wednesday.
Then, on Family Collage Thursday, the Hub staff will help visitors to create a special collage featuring artistic creations and family photos. Visitors should bring printed photos of their families for the activity. The finished collage will be displayed in the center.
Finally, on Family Fun Night Friday, visitors will be able to take part in an evening full of activities, food, and line dancing featuring special guest Attack Theatre. More information about the Hub’s Week of the Young Child events is available online.