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Ask Hello logo NAEYC Community
Article
Educating Young Children
June 23, 2026

Ask Hello. Play That Encourages Health, Well-Being, and Expression

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.
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An educator playing the guitar and singing to students
Article
Educating Young Children
June 23, 2026

6X. Sing It, Chant It, Play It

Making music and singing together are powerful ways to connect to others and share cultural knowledge and practices.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Rebecca Anne Swartz, Kira Hamann
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Children's art projects
Article
Educating Young Children
June 23, 2026

Sparking Creative Expression Through Community Connections: The Trash Art Project

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: 
Jennalee Johnson
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Teacher working with students on a project
Article
Educating Young Children
June 23, 2026

Letter from the Editor

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: 
Annie Moses
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An educator and student eating lunch together
Article
Educating Young Children
June 23, 2026

Nurturing Healthy Habits Within the STEAM Curriculum: A Guide for Teacher Planning

Early childhood educators are responsible for ensuring children’s well-being. This includes teaching them about healthy habits, such as eating well and getting enough exercise.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Sydney Yance, Chelsea Pansé-Barone, Julie C. Parker, Lori Elmore-Staton
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A young child singing
Article
Educating Young Children
June 23, 2026

Message in a Backpack.™ Make Music Part of Your Family Routine

Children love to sing, dance, and listen to music. Besides providing joy and creativity, these activities allow children to express their ideas and emotions. They also can help to develop social, emotional, cognitive, and language skills.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Rebecca Anne Swartz, Kira Hamann
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the cover of the summer 2026 issue of EYC
Issue
Educating Young Children
Vol. 2, No. 2
June 23, 2026

Summer 2026

Teaching for Children's Well-Being and Expression
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.
Members Only
A young child playing with a guitar in a classroom
Article
Young Children
February 25, 2026

100 Years of Music in NAEYC

Music plays an important role in young children’s development and learning.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Holly Carrell Moore
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Weaving Wonders!
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 6, 2025

Weaving Wonders

Invite children to weave with a variety of materials, even challenging them to create their own looms.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Cate Heroman
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children painting tree branches in a classroom
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 6, 2025

Using Wood as a Medium

Children at a museum-based program use wood as a tool for exploration and creativity.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Natalie Williams, Erika Cantin
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a child observing a spider web
Article
Teaching Young Children
April 1, 2024

Beyond Itsy Bitsy: Spiders in the Early Childhood Classroom

Suggestions for spider-related activities that early childhood educators can integrate into a cross-curricular project or unit of study.

Authored by

Authored by: 
William Straits
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a group of children dancing
Article
Young Children
March 1, 2024

Integrating the Arts into Preschool Literacy Practices

Teachers can use the Stories Make Readers model to create arts activities that increase children’s literacy engagement.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Juli-Anna Aerila, Merja Kauppinen, Johanna Lähteelä, Mari Siipola
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The cover of the publication Teaching Young Children, volume 16 number 2.
Issue
Teaching Young Children
Vol. 16, No. 2
January 3, 2023

Winter 2023

Playful and Engaging Arts Integration
No matter your own skills in the arts, this issue of Teaching Young Children has ideas for you. You’ll learn about “process art”, ways to integrate art into other content areas, using music in your setting, and more!
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A child draws on a piece of paper.
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 3, 2023

A Scribble Is Never Just a Scribble: Art, Story, and Process

The following DAP snapshot and reflection touches on how one teacher responded to children’s marks on paper, encouraging creativity and integrated learning, particularly around drawing, writing, and storytelling.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Ron Grady
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a make believe veterinarian playset with stuffed animals
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 3, 2023

Beyond the Art Center: How Prop Making Merges Art and Make-Believe Play

In make-believe play, young children are actively engaged with peers and are in control: it is the children—not an adult—who make decisions during play.

Authored by

Authored by: 
Barbara Wilder-Smith,  Deborah J. Leong, Elena Bodrova
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a group of children being read to
Article
Teaching Young Children
January 3, 2023

What Do You See? Including Art Appreciation in Early Childhood

Art is important to the development of young children’s physical and cognitive skills and their aesthetic awareness. Examples of children’s creative expressions often fill early childhood settings. But what about appreciating visual art?

Authored by

Authored by: 
Mary Ellen Bardsley, Tracy Galuski
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