Week of the Young Child (WOYC) plans for April 10-16, 2021 are already underway!

NAEYC has announced the themes for each day of Week of the Young Child in 2021! 
The TXAEYC Week of the Young Child Committee is pleased to offer the following suggestions for you to celebrate with a creative week of activities and events:

Monday, April 12: Music Monday Celebrations

Make a guitar out of shoe boxes and rubber bands.
Make tambourines out of paper plates and beans.
Ask musical parents to play music for your class-- in person or online!
Make an online class playlist with your students' input and share the link with others.
Book Suggestions: Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin! by Lloyd Moss; Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! A Sonic Adventure by Wynton Marsalis; Alphabet Family Band by Sarah Jones
Step it Up: Explore the culture-specific music that your students may enjoy at home. Connect with families by engaging them in the history and tradition of music from their countries of origin.

Tuesday, April 13: Take Care Tuesday Celebrations

Make cards to mail to community helpers or senior citizens.
Create a local food, book, or toy drive to help those affected by COVID.
Go on a walk and collect any litter you see.
Set up a washing station to practice washing hands or toys.
Book Suggestions: Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora; Green Green: A Community Gardening Story by Marie Lamba and Baldey Lamba; What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scarry
Step it Up: Make sure your state and local elected officials are all taking care of child care! Join the growing community for change and work with your local chapters and advocates to ensure proclamations and statements are signed to honor and advance the early childhood education profession as part of the Week of the Young Child!

Wednesday, April 14: Work Together Wednesday

Work with classmates or family members to build a fort (blanket fort inside or used found materials outside).
Create an herb or butterfly garden and work together to keep it thriving. 
Participate in TXAEYC's Week of the Young Child contest and work together to create something truly wonderful to show how much early childhood means to our state.
Call your local radio station and see if they will interview you or your local association to help spread the word about the importance of early childhood.
Book Suggestions: Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth; Up the Creek by Nicholas Oland; Boxitects by Kim Smith
Step it Up: Students aren't the only ones who succeed when they work together! Take a moment today to join NAEYC in advancing our profession by signing up for Power to the Profession; supporting your peers by posting on HELLO; making a call to an elected official about the importance of investing in early childhood education, or inviting someone new to become a member. Working together makes us stronger together and that means the impact we make can be monumental! 

Thursday, April 15: Artsy Thursday Celebrations

Fashion is art! Dress up in a fancy costume or wear silly socks today.
Have families do an at-home activity together and share their final products on social media.

Do a virtual tour of an art museum in your community or around the world and make your version of your favorite art in their collection.
Use masking tape and sidewalk chalk to decorate the sidewalk, fence, or driveway with a mural or make a sign to hang in your window.
Book Suggestions: Mix it Up! by Herve Tullet; Maybe Something Beautiful by Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell; Pantone:Colors by Pantone
Step it Up: Take your classroom art into the community! Find ways to display your classroom's art projects for your community and while you have their attention, take that opportunity to educate them about the importance of high-quality early childhood education.

Friday, April 16: Family Friday Celebrations

Find where your family members live on a map and send a card to the one who lives the farthest away.
Have a family potluck day where every family shares a favorite dish!
Look through old family photo albums and share stories or fun facts about family members in the pictures.
Book Suggestions: Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer; My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero; Bee-bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
Step it Up: Extend your NAEYC family! The early childhood education community doesn't end outside the doors of your classroom. Connect with TXAEYC and your local chapter, encourage families to join NAEYC's Family level membership, learn how to engage with your local policymakers and more! There are endless opportunities to keep your entire community in-the-know about early childhood education.

For more suggested activities that incorporate each day's theme, visit NAEYC's WOYC Overview website.

Share your activities with TXAEYC and post on our Facebook page 
or use the hashtag #WOYCTEXAS so we can find your photos!

This Week of the Young Child Celebration is going to Rock!