Thank you for celebrating 2022 Week of the Young Child, April 2-8, with us! VTAEYC + NAEYC celebrated our youngest learners with five fun-filled, themed days. Check out NAEYC’s resources and activity ideas for teachers and families that will make play meaningful and learning fun! Read the Governor’s proclamation here!
We loved seeing all the creative ways you found to engage young children and their families with hands-on, collaborative activities encouraging movement and healthy lifestyles through music, food, and art.
Look up @VTAEYC and #WOYC22 to see all the fun WOYC activities and celebrations that happened around the state.
And check out VTAEYC’s playlist of Week of the Young Child videos on Youtube and available to download. These were posted throughout WOYC! Share them with your program communities to celebrate how Vermont early childhood educators guide children’s development and learning through play.
VTAEYC has chosen the recipients of the mini grants that will assist with WOYC event planning around Vermont. For the list of winners and more information, click here.
Daily Themes
Kickoff Saturday – Share how you plan to celebrate WOYC and get ready for the week ahead. When sharing on Facebook and Instagram, don’t forget to tag @VTAEYC and use #WOYC22!
Music Monday – 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 and Instagram tagging @VTAEYC and using #WOYC22.
Tasty Tuesday – This fun, food-themed day is about more than just cheese and crackers. 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 and Instagram tagging @VTAEYC and using #WOYC22.
Work Together Wednesday – 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 and Instagram tagging @VTAEYC and using #WOYC22.
Artsy Thursday – 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. Use any materials—from crayons to paint, clay to crafts! Create and share photos of your children’s creations on Facebook and Instagram tagging @VTAEYC and using #WOYC22.
Family Friday – Engaging and celebrating families is at the heart of supporting our youngest learners. VTAEYC+NAEYC recognizes and applauds family members’ role as young children’s first and most important teachers. Share pictures and stories about your family on Facebook and Instagram tagging @VTAEYC and using #WOYC22.
Activities by Region
See what’s going on near you and participate in the fun festivities! If you or your program is hosting an event for WOYC, send us the details and we’ll add it to this list! Please include the date and time, a brief description, and a contact person for more information.
Central VT
Champlain Valley
Addison County Celebrates Young Children
Dates: April 2-9, 2022
Locations: Middlebury, Bristol, Vergennes, and at local centers around Addison County
Come celebrate the Week of the Young Child in Addison County! Visit local early childhood education programs around the county and businesses in Middlebury, Bristol, and Vergennes. Providers throughout Addison County will be creating a collaborative art project and local businesses will display the artwork in their main street windows.
Contact: Jaimie Stewart, jstewart@csac-vt.org
Growing Our Future, A Family Festival
Date: Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 10am-12:30pm EST
Location: Village Hardware (Agway) on 364 Essex Rd (Rt 2A) in Williston
Come celebrate the Week of the Young Child with Village Hardware and the Early Childhood Business Collaborative! Bring the family for lots of fun activities! Plant a seed, decorate a flower pot, have your face painted, and enjoy time with your neighbors!
Contact: Trish Scharf, trish@childrenunlimitedvt.com, 802-878-5899
Northeast Kingdom
Week of the Young Child Bucket of fun
Date: Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 10am-12pm EST
Location: Libraries in Barton, Newport, North Troy, and Derby, Vermont
- Jones Memorial Library: 1 Water St, Orleans, VT from (10am – 12pm)
- Barton Public Library: 100 Church St, Barton, VT from (10am – 12pm)
- The Dailey Memorial Library: 101 Junior High Dr, Derby, VT (10am – 12pm)
- Goodrich Memorial Library: 202 Main St, Newport, VT (10 am-12 pm)
NEKPA Early Childhood Network is giving out materials at your local libraries. Look for bags with masks and decorating materials and books. Get creative with the kids and share your creations on social media! Please note that bags will only be available while supplies last.
Contact: Theresa Forbes, four.bees@live.com or Jean Cota, jcota@jaypeakresort.com
NEKCA Parent Child Center Week of the Young Child
Date: All week long (April 4-8, 2022) from 9am-12pm EST
Location: NEKCA PCC, 371 Main St, Newport, Vermont
Celebrate our youngest learners by picking up fun-filled kits from NEKCA PCC! Pick up Monday-Friday from 9am-12pm EST. Click here to learn more.
Contact: NEKCA PCC Newport, 802-334-7316
Date: All week, starting Saturday (April 2 & 4-8, 2022)
- Saturday, April 2 from 9-11am EST
- Monday-Thursday, April 4-7 from 830-1130am EST
- Friday, April 8 from 12-3pm EST
Location: NEKCA PCC, 115 Lincoln St, St. Johnsbury, Vermont
Celebrate our youngest learners by picking up fun-filled kits from NEKCA PCC! Pick up days and times are listed above. Click here to learn more.
Contact: NEKCA PCC St. Johnsbury, 802-748-6040
Northwest VT & The Islands
Southern VT
Loving and learning!
Date: Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 1-3pm EST
Location: Campus Center at Castleton University, 49 University Dr, Castleton, VT
Promote your child’s learning and development alongside educators at Castleton University on April 2nd! Explore a range of social-emotional skills and motors skills with your child through an interactive scavenger hunt that ends with a link to literacy and a children’s book! We provide suggestions to accompany each book on how to expand language and learning at home so you can follow along with us throughout the week via social media.
Space is limited, so sign up now to reserve a spot for you and your young child!
Contact: Dr. Lauren Weiss, lauren.weiss@castleton.edu
Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development: Month of the Young Child Events
18th Annual Young Children’s Art Exhibit Opening Event
Date: Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 10am-12:30pm EST
Location: Living Memorial Park, 61 Guilford St, Brattleboro, VT
Come enjoy the work of our community’s youngest artists! Early childhood educators will be displaying their students’ artistic creations. Hands-on activities, refreshments, and information on resources in our community will be available. Event will include demonstration by Southern Vermont Natural History Museum, Sing & Dance performance by Robin Morgan, giveaways by Cheshire Children’s Museum, visit from Early Learning Express Bookmobile and FREE 10-minute chair massages for parents and caregivers by massage therapists Michele Meulendyk and Lynette Aura Pritchard.
Free Bowling for Families
Dates: April 3, 9, 16, 19, 21, 24 and 30, 2022 from 1-3pm EST
Location: Brattleboro Bowl, 865 Putney Rd, Brattleboro, VT
Hosted by Early Education Services. Shoes included. Pre-registration required. Contact Sandy Stark at sstark@wsesdvt.org for more info and to sign-up.
The Putney Food Co-op
Location: 8 Carol Brown Way, Putney, VT
The Putney Co-op is kicking off Month of the Young Child with a FREE chocolate chip cookie to children (8-and-under) all day Saturday, April 2nd! Cookies are located at the Deli register. More info: 387-5866
Everyone’s Books
Location: 25 Elliot St, Brattleboro, VT
15% off children’s books the whole month of April and 20% off for store members.
Cheshire Children’s Museum
Location: 149 Emerald St, Keene, NH
Free admission with voucher. Vouchers available at the Young Children’s Art Exhibit at Memorial Park in Brattleboro on April 2nd or by calling 802-257-7852.
18th Annual Young Children’s Art Exhibit
Location: Living Memorial Park, 61 Guilford St, Brattleboro, VT
Come enjoy the work of our community’s youngest artists. Early childhood educators will be displaying their students’ artistic creations along the playground fence all month long.
The BASICS RAFFLE for Families with 0-3 year olds
Sign up to receive FREE BASICS TEXT MESSAGES that share brain boosting activities for infants & toddlers. Your name will go into a raffle to win a basket filled with BASIC Brain Development Tools for both adults & children, including books, gift cards, toys and other fun treats! This service is supported by Early Education Services & Building Bright Futures Council of Southeastern Vermont. Sign-up at bit.ly/basicsvt.
Spring Activity Bags
Community Hope and Action will provide activity bags to all families who would like one during the month of April. These will be filled with outdoor and indoor springtime activities fun for all ages. Call 802-365-4700.
Story Book Walk
Location: Retreat Farm, 45 Farmhouse Square, Brattleboro, VT
Muddy puddles, bursting buds, and curious birds. What signs of spring have you noticed lately? Learn all about how nature wakes up from a long winter snooze in Retreat Farm’s April Storybook Walk: Busy Spring: Nature Wakes Up by Sean Taylor. The Storybook Walk is open for families to enjoy dusk-dawn, seven days a week.
Craft Bag Kits
Dates: Weekdays 10:30am-6pm and Saturdays 10am-3pm EST for the month of April
Location: Putney Public Library, 55 Main St, Putney, VT
Each kit includes instructions, multiple paper bags, and ribbon. You’ll need scissors, a hole punch, and paints, markers, or crayons. Be creative! Have fun!
Upper Valley
The Week of the Young Child Kindness Rocks
Date: Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 1-4pm EST
Location: Creative Spirit Children’s Center in West Fairlee, Vermont
Contact: Sheila Bedi, creativespirit@myfairpoint.net
Join Creative Spirit Children’s Center to celebrate your child and NAEYC sponsored Week of the Young Child. Bring your family and paint kindness rocks to hide and share during the week! Paints and rocks will be provided, along with labels asking the finders to post to Creative Spirit Children’s Center Facebook page. We will have snacks and door prizes too! VCCPA and Little Feet Children’s Center supports our event! Hope to see you there!
The Family Place
We invite our community to join The Family Place in a celebration of the 2022 Week of the Young Child (WOYC), April 2-8, 2022! We will celebrate early learning by sharing family activities (both virtual and in-person opportunities) on our website and @FamilyPlaceVT on our social media accounts.
Click here to learn more about the Family Festival on Saturday, April 9th!
