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Welcome to our Blog! 

The NAEYC blog aims to increase general awareness and engage the public in thoughtful discussion around topics and themes related to early childhood education. We share NAEYC initiatives and explore what’s new, upcoming, timely, or topical in the early childhood field.

We have expanded the focus of the blog to also include content that families might find useful. Tip: to view blog posts intended for families only, use the “Refine” box to the right and click on the box  next to "NAEYC General" and then select “For Families Blog”.

Note: Blog posts do not necessarily reflect the views of NAEYC.

Teachers meeting with each other in the break room
Blog
May 28, 2026

Why Early Childhood Educator Compensation Matters

Early childhood educators do some of the most important work in our communities. Yet despite the skill and expertise the work requires, early childhood educators remain among the most underpaid professionals in the country.
Members Only
A teacher looking at a thank you card
Blog
May 4, 2026

Celebrating Teachers Means Recognizing Their True Value

Every May, we pause during Teacher Appreciation Week to say thank you to the educators who show up for children every single day. And every year, "thank you" feels both necessary and insufficient.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Nicole Lazarte
Members Only
Young children playing with toys and blocks on the floor in school
Blog
April 29, 2026

Some of the Most Important Work in the Room Is Happening on the Floor

There is a moment every early childhood educator knows. A child is deep in play, completely absorbed, doing something that looks, to an untrained eye, like nothing in particular.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Nicole Santa, Susan Friedman, Raven Keenan
Members Only
children smiling together in school
Blog
April 28, 2026

Celebrating #WOYC26 in a Milestone Year

Week of the Young Child® 2026 marked 55 years of celebrating young children, their families, and their educators alongside 100 years of NAEYC’s unwavering commitment to high-quality early learning.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Nicole Lazarte
Members Only
A child being introduced to a new class
Blog
April 14, 2026

They’re Ready, Because You Were First

The Spring 2026 issue of Educating Young Children is focused entirely on the preschool-to-kindergarten transition and reading it this week hit me differently than it might have at any other time.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Nicole Santa
Members Only
NAEYC's podcast, Small Talk: Big Ideas About Little Learners logo
Blog
March 17, 2026

Introducing Small Talk: Big Ideas About Little Learners

We’re launching a brand-new podcast — Small Talk: Big Ideas About Little Learners. This podcast lets us reach listeners inside and outside the field who care deeply about children's futures.
Members Only
Teacher high fiving student in a classroom
Blog
March 12, 2026

NAEYC’s DAP Resources as Guides to Navigate the False Dichotomies

NAEYC's Susan Friedman, Annie Moses, and Meghan Salas-Atwell emphasize the importance of choosing a high-quality preschool curriculum and how NAEYC's DAP resources guides help navigate the false dichotomies.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Susan Friedman, Annie Moses, Meghan Salas Atwell
Members Only
NAEYC's Public Policy Forum Attendees taking a group picture
Blog
March 2, 2026

2026 Public Policy Forum: Stronger Together

More than 400 early childhood advocates from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for this year’s Public Policy Forum—bringing their passion, expertise, and unwavering commitment to young children and educators to Capitol Hill.
Members Only
An image celebrating the 2026 Lunar New Year
Blog
February 17, 2026

New Beginnings, Shared Hopes: Celebrating Lunar New Year and the Traditions That Unite Us

As we welcome the Lunar New Year on February 17, 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse, we are reminded that across cultures, the turning of a new year carries universal meaning: hope, renewal, family, and the promise of fresh starts.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Sandy Baba, Debbie LeeKeenan, Iris Chin Ponte, Sim Loh, Nicol Russell
Members Only
Photo of Child
Blog
January 27, 2026

Fostering Preschool Children’s Spatial Thinking with Books and Movement

NAEYC promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Ashley Lewis Presser, Jillian Orr Daglilar, Borgna Brunner
Members Only
Children playing with blocks in the classroom
Blog
December 15, 2025

STEM Starts with Play

STEM learning begins with play; when children build, test ideas, move their bodies, explore materials, and make sense of the world through hands-on experiences.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Nicole Santa
Members Only
A mother introducing her child to their teacher
Blog
October 27, 2025

Investing in What Parents and Providers Value

Parents and providers alike want child care that is affordable, reliable, safe, and high-quality, led by qualified and respected educators, and supported by strong standards that protect children and the adults who care for them.
Members Only
A teacher helping a toddler learn to crawl
Blog
October 7, 2025

Engaging Minds with Joy: Practical Teaching Techniques

Intentional early childhood educators weave joy into daily routines and the learning environment and infuse it as they attend to each child’s unique needs and support all areas of development

Authored by

Authored by: 
Patricia Sinclair,  Melanie Brooks, Hayley McHugh
Members Only
Image of children observing nature
Blog
July 15, 2025

Lella Gandini: A Transformational Leader

NAEYC promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Jared Totsch
Members Only
Image of a clock with a woman sleeping in the background
Blog
July 1, 2025

Better Sleep: A Key to Educator Well-Being

It is recommended that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep per night, which can lead to higher productivity, better health, and an improved mood.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Charlotte Farewell, Carrie Clark, Diane Brogden, Brittany Carton
Members Only

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