Celebrating Young Children
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. Its purpose is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize how we—as citizens of a community, of a state, and of a nation—will better meet the needs of all young children and their families.
Kohl Children’s Museum is honored to partner with NAEYC to promote the science of early brain development, and the benefits of investing in high-quality early learning experiences provided by skilled, and knowledgeable educators.
For this year’s Week of the Young Child (April 13-17), we will present 5 daily video activities that your family can do together to celebrate the importance of holistic education for our youngest citizens.
WOYC Music Monday
Let’s Have a Dance Party!
When children sing, dance, and listen to music, they develop their language and early literacy skills while being active and encouraging movement. Make up and record your own unique version of a song or write your own, and share it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the hashtag #WOYC20.
WOYC Tasty Tuesday
Let’s Make Yogurt Parfaits!
This fun, food-themed day is about more than just the ingredients. Cooking together connects math with literacy skills, science, and more. With the rise in childhood obesity, you can encourage healthy nutrition and fitness habits at home and in the classroom. Create your own healthy snacks and share the recipes and photos of your creations on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the hashtag #WOYC20.
WOYC Work Together Wednesday
Let’s work together!
Start with some scrap pieces of cardboard, tape, and scissors. Use a sheet or any materials that you have at home to build a pillow fort or pitch a tent together. What will you build or construct today?
When children build together they explore math and science concepts and develop their social and early literacy skills. Children can use any building material—from a fort of branches on the playground to a block city in the classroom, or a hideaway made from couch pillows at home. Build and share pictures of children’s creations on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the hashtag #WOYC20.
WOYC Artsy Thursday
Create sidewalk paint
Think, problem solve, create! Children develop creativity, social skills and fine motor skills with open-ended art projects where they can make choices, use their imaginations, and create with their hands. On Artsy Thursday celebrate the joy and learning children experience when engaged in creative art making.
Today we wanted to use our sidewalks as our canvas. We will mix cornstarch, water and food coloring to create sidewalk paint. What are your favorite colors? You can also explore creating different lines and patterns with other art materials you have at home —from crayons to paint, clay to crafts!
Create and share photos of your children’s creations on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the hashtag #WOYC20.
WOYC Family Friday
Send a Hug!
We miss our KCM friends, teachers and other family members. We would like to acknowledge the helpers in our daily lives. You can nominate someone in your family, a friend, teacher, or community worker who have been helpful to you or your family. NAEYC applauds family members’ role as young children’s first and most important teachers. Share pictures and stories about your family on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the hashtag #WOYC20.
For more about the Week of the Young Child, visit naeyc.org
WOYC Curated Collection
Monday Music
Abiyoyo read and sang by Author Pete Seeger on the Reading Rainbow:
Tasty Tuesday
Work Together Wednesday
Artsy Thursday
¡Mézclalo Bien! by Hervé Tullet
The Dot, by Peter H. Reynolds