Week of the Young Child is April 1-7, 2023. Join us in supporting local children and families to bolster early learning and school readiness!
This week – April 1-7, 2023 – marks the Week of the Young Child, which is a celebration of early childhood learning, young children, their teachers, families, and communities. Established in 1971 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the week is meant to focus public attention on the necessity of aligning early childhood programming and services with the needs of young children and families. Additionally, the week shines a light on the importance of the early childhood years (birth through age 8) as these years of education lay the foundation for later school and life success.
While Week of the Young Child is a nationwide movement, at United Way we are steadfast in our advocacy and work within the realm of early childhood education year-round. We believe when a child succeeds in school, everyone wins. That is why United Way of Franklin County supports programs working towards meeting and exceeding development benchmarks through experiences that enhance learning for young children.
To achieve this, we work with a variety of Program Partners who provide good role models, mentorship, education, inclusion, and healthy activities so our local children gain the confidence and skill to be future leaders in our community.
We also directly coordinate a variety of community-wide early learning initiatives:
Born Learning Academy is a FREE 6-week program held one day each week of the series. The Born Learning Academy brings families with young children (age 0 to pre-kindergarten) together to discover practical, fun ideas to turn everyday activities into learning moments.
United We Read is a new program connecting community volunteers with ongoing opportunities with early learning and youth programs (sign up to volunteer).
We administer Pre-K Scholarships by way of EITC dollars to help families enroll their children in high-quality pre-k programs that foster school readiness.
Annually, we host Learn & Play Day with United Way, a FREE family-fun event full of activities as well as community vendors sharing information about local resources and services for children and families.
Early childhood resources are available on our website year-round.
The next Born Learning Academy begins on Tuesday, April 11 and ends on Tuesday, May 17 and meets from 10-11:30am at Coyle Free Library. If you are interested in attending, register for the free course.
Learn & Play Day is coming up on Saturday, May 6 from 10am-2pm at LifePoint Church in Chambersburg. This free family event includes kids’ activities, games, crafts, story times, inflatables, door prizes, and SO much more. Learn more and save the date!
The Week of the Young Child is a great time to take action - find time to teach a young child in your life to learn through play or get involved with local organizations serving children and youth. Explore volunteer opportunities on our Volunteer Hub.
Raising a child truly does take a village. Let’s be the village for our neighbors.