Week of the Young Child | April 6-12

Week of the Young Child (WOYC) returns with even more exciting ways to celebrate the young children in our lives while raising awareness about the need for early childhood programs and services in Cabarrus County!

The purpose of WOYC 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.

Continue reading to access ideas to help you celebrate and to view the Proclamation for WOYC by the Cabarrus Board of County Commissioners!

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) established the WOYC in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years lay the foundation for children's success in school and later life. WOYC 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.

Children learn so much as they enjoy music, explore food and cooking, build together, create art, and celebrate with their families!

Below, you will find this year's WOYC theme days, proclamations from the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners, and lots of activity ideas for you to explore. We invite you to celebrate and shine a spotlight on your classroom, advocacy, and family engagement activities all week long via our social media channels (Facebook / Instagram)!

themes / activities

Below is a list of ways to celebrate WOYC in Cabarrus County or you can get creative and come up with ideas of your own!

Kick-off Saturday | April 6

• » Read and Share Cabarrus County's Proclamation for WOYC | Help raise awareness about WOYC so that everyone in our community knows about the importance of the campaign and how they can participate too.
• » Download the Daily Activities Sheet by Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC) to see ideas for activities to explore during WOYC!

Music Monday | April 8

• Music Monday is more than singing and dancing, it’s a way to encourage children to be active while developing their early literacy skills and having fun with friends and family!
• » See activity resources for every day this week on the NAEYC website!
• Shake Your Shakers! | » RCCC Daily Activities Sheet

Tasty Tuesday | April 9

• Tasty Tuesday isn’t just about eating your favorite snacks together. It’s also about cooking together and connecting math with literacy skills and science while introducing ways to incorporate healthy habits into children’s lifestyles.
• No Bake Animal or Insect Cookies | » RCCC Daily Activities Sheet
• Tips for Families: Supporting Healthy Eating Habits (NAEYC)
• Learning Through Everyday Activities (NAEYC)
• El Aprendizaje en Actividades Cotidianas (NAEYC)

Work Together Wednesday | April 10

• When children build together they experience teamwork and develop their social and early literacy skills. Grab some materials and create!
• Playing Around with Number Composition: Games, Stories, and Everyday Problem Solving in the Preschool Classroom (NAEYC)
• How to Support Children’s Approaches to Learning? Play with Them! (NAEYC)
• Explicando STEAM a los Niños en Edad Escolar (NAEYC)
• Mini Clothes Pin Structures | » RCCC Daily Activities Sheet

Artsy Thursday | April 11

• Children develop creativity, social skills, and fine muscles with open-ended art projects that let them make choices, use their imaginations, and create with their hands.
• Watercolor Flowers | » RCCC Daily Activities Sheet
• What Will We Make? Using Process Art to Spark Preschoolers’ Development (NAEYC)
• Meaningful Art Projects Parents Can Fit Into a Busy Day (NAEYC)

• Centros de aprendizaje: Arte (NAEYC)

Family Friday | April 12

• Parents and families are children’s first teachers. Family Friday focuses on engaging families to support our youngest learners.
• Classroom Inspiration: Five Rs for Promoting Positive Family Engagement (NAEYC)
• For Parents: Am I Really My Child's First Teacher? (NAEYC)
• All Familes Are Alike and Different | » RCCC Daily Activities Sheet

By directly submitting or tagging the Cabarrus County Partnership for Children (CCPC) in your videos and/or photos, you are representing that you have written permission from each person in the video and/or photos, and if a child, written permission from the child's parent or legal guardian, to post the video and/or photos and use the likeness of such person therein. You also grant CPCC the right to use the video and/or photo and/or any portion thereof in any manner it so chooses, including, without limitation, posting or sharing the video on CCPC's website and social media accounts.

proclamations

In March 2024, the Cabarrus Board of County Commissioners proclaimed April 6-12, 2024 as Week of the Young Child and the entire month of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Cabarrus County. View the proclamations below.

resources

• RCCC Daily Activities (PDF): English | Español
• NAEYC Activity Resources

» Click here to see how you can support local programs for young children.