Purpose of “Week of the Young Child” Celebration:
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 90,000 members and a
network of over 300 local, state and regional 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.
NAEYC first
established the Week of the Young Child in 1971, recognizing that the early
childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children’s success in school
and later life. The Week of the Young
Child is a time to plan 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.