The Week of the Young Child is celebrated nationally to celebrate early learning, young children, their teachers, and families.
It’s also a time to highlight the importance of early childhood education. Children who have early childhood education are more likely to graduate from high school. Early childhood education is crucial because it lays the foundation for lifelong learning, fostering cognitive, social, and emotional development, and preparing children for school and future success.
To celebrate, YWCA’s Early Learning Academy participated in the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Week of the Young Child (April 7th – April 11th).
Each day had a different theme.
Monday was Music Monday. Students and staff wore their favorite band, group, or singer shirt. Local singing duo P.S. performed for our childcare students.
Tuesday was Tasty Tuesday. Students had fun with food activities in their classrooms. That night, we hosted a Family Night. Families participated in fun activities, our book fair, and enjoyed some food.
We were also presented with a special proclamation! Mayor Anthony Heddlesten of Riverdale, IA, is also a parent of one of our students enrolled in our childcare program. Mayor Heddlesten proclaimed April 5th – April 11th, 2025, as The Week of the Young Child!
The proclamation states, “Organizations such as National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children, YWCA Quad Cities, and many others provide critical support and services to young children and their families in our Quad City communities.”
Wednesday’s theme was Work Together. Students participated in cooperative games and activities in their classrooms. We also had some special visitors! Firefighters from the Rock Island Fire Department stopped by to talk to students about their jobs, fire safety, and students got to check out a couple of fire engines and firefighting equipment.
Thursday was Artsy Thursday. Students participated in arts and crafts and worked together on one large masterpiece. Using chalk, students worked together to make the entrance of the building beautiful.
To end the week, Family Fun Friday. Each family was sent home with a family fun pack filled with fun activities they can do at home as a family.
It was a great week, filled with fun, learning, and highlighting the importance of early childhood education.
For more information about our childcare programs, click here.
