It is the 50th Anniversary of the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Week of the Young Child. The Week of the Young Child (WOTYC) is a celebration of young children and their families and educators. It was created to bring awareness to the importance of the early years as the foundation for all future development. This year, the Green County Child Care Network brought back their celebration, unfortunately, the snowy weather interfered with the planned celebration. President Andrea Priebe, stated, “We are bringing back the Week of the Young Child 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. Week of the Young Child is a fun-filled week celebrating early learning, young children, their teachers, families, and communities.”

However, the children that came were able to play games in a space provided by Monroe Park and Rec and still got to take a goody bag home with Culver’s Scoopie Token, a small toy donated from either the Kinderladen or Little Rascal’s Family Child Care. Each day of the Week follows a theme with Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday. 

WOTYC Co-chair Theresa Klemm is excited for next year “We have so many ideas and want to continue to grow this week every year.”

In addition, child care educators will also be inviting elected representatives from the local level to the Federal level to visit. We ask that you, as community members, contact elected representatives to ask them to solve child care by investing in our children and their educators so parents can have the ability to work and employers can recruit and retain high quality employees.  Green County needs an additional 700 slots and loses $21 million annually according to www.childcaregap.org.

— Child care matters is a series written by local childcare providers. Corrine Hendrickson of Corrine’s Little Explorers runs a child care center in New Glarus.