News

March 17, 2026

How Providers Can Celebrate the Month of the Young Child

Trying Together celebrates the Month of the Young Child (MOYC) every April in conjunction with the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) yearly observance of the Week of the Young Child.

This year, the Week of the Young Child will be observed April 11 through 17.

There are several events taking place in Southwestern Pennsylvania during both the Month of the Young Child and Week of the Young Child.

Month of the Young Child

On Thursday, April 9, Carlow University and Westmoreland County Community College will host the 2026 Early Childhood Educator Student Affiliate Dinner on WCCC’s campus. This year’s theme is “Every Person, Every Path, One Passion,” which celebrates the work of educators to build inclusive education spaces for all learners. Tickets for the event can be purchased online.

Trying Together will hold its annual event to honor the Month of the Young Child and the work of early childhood educators – Celebrating Together – on Thursday, April 30 at Rivers Casino. The event will include a VIP Reception and the 30th Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner. Those interested in attending can purchase tickets online.

NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child

To celebrate the Week of the Young Child, NAEYC has set themes for each day between April 11 and 17. The week’s themed days include Kick-Off Saturday, Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday. NAEYC has provided a number of suggested activities for providers during the Week of the Young Child. The full list is available on NAEYC’s website. Some of the activities include:

Kick-Off Saturday: Share a video, blog, or social media post about why you celebrate Week of the Young Child, host a virtual event to share your proclamation, and create a plan for the week (for example, a playlist for Music Monday or restocking art supplies for Artsy Thursday).
Music Monday: Join the chorus for change by working with state affiliates to secure proclamations honoring early childhood educators.
Tasty Tuesday: Engage families by exploring culturally meaningful foods, sharing stories or recipes, and creating a community recipe book illustrated by children.
Work Together Wednesday: Help promote teamwork among children to develop their social and early literacy skills, or connect with elected officials.
Artsy Thursday: Find ways to display your classroom’s art projects for the community to see – for example, set up a gallery at a local business or public library.
Family Friday: Connect families with NAEYC, your local affiliate, and advocacy opportunities. Share resources that help families support learning and engage with policymakers.

Two great resources to celebrate the Week of the Young Child are NAEYC’s page, which lists a number of activities and provides information on the week’s history, and Discovery Building Sets’ 80 Ways to Celebrate NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child.

The Homewood Early Learning Hub and Family Center’s Week of the Young Child

The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center, located at 7219 Kelly Street, has scheduled events each day of the Week of the Young Child that mostly correspond with NAEYC’s themes.

For Musical Monday, families are invited to an open house that features musical activities courtesy of Playnotes Pittsburgh, food, refreshments, and other activities. On Tasty Tuesday, visitors can listen to a dinosaur-themed Storytime at the Hub event that includes food, while the Hub will team up with the Holy Cross Homewood & Reading is Fundamental Storymobile for a joint storytime and activity on Work Together Wednesday.

Then, on Family Collage Thursday, the Hub staff will help visitors to create a special collage featuring artistic creations and family photos. Visitors should bring printed photos of their families for the activity. The finished collage will be displayed in the center.

Finally, on Family Fun Night Friday, visitors will be able to take part in an evening full of activities, food, and line dancing featuring special guest Attack Theatre. More information about the Hub’s Week of the Young Child events is available online.

Indiana County’s Week of the Young Child

The Week of the Young Child will kick off in Indiana County at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 11 with a proclamation at the Indiana County Courthouse. This will be followed by a walk to the Indiana Free Library.

Children’s activities at the library will include storytime at 10:30 a.m., crafts in the library’s Community Room from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and a STEAM Play Day from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information on the event, check out this flyer from the Children’s Advisory Commission of Indiana County.

News

Resources Focus on Identifying Early Signs of Developmental Disorders

Children are often diagnosed with mental health or learning challenges in middle and high school after having struggled for years without support.

Some of them could have been identified and gotten help earlier if adults in their lives had recognized the signs. The Child Mind Institute has put together resources on how to keep an eye out for early signs of developmental disorders.

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The institute’s resources on how to recognize signs cover a number of developmental disorders, including autism, ADHD, nonverbal learning disorder (NVLD), and dyslexia.

One article focuses on NVLD at various ages, from preschool to high school, and how in young children it can show up as a motor delay or difficulty drawing shapes, building with blocks, or doing puzzles.

Another discusses how some of the earliest signs of autism include delays in simple gestures such as pointing and sharing objects with others. One resource focuses on how learning disorders such as dyslexia and dyscalculia often aren’t caught until a child is struggling to keep up in school, but there may be early signs in preschoolers, such as trouble with rhymes or counting.

A resource on ADHD in preschool discusses how identifying it early can help children get behavioral support they need to succeed when they get to elementary school. Anxiety and depression are covered in two other resources.

The Child Mind Institute’s resources include:

News

March 16, 2026

Homewood Hub to Offer Week of the Young Child Events in April

The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center will offer an event each day between Monday, April 13 and Friday, April 17 to celebrate the Week of the Young Child.

Week of the Young Child

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Week of the Young Child. Each April, NAEYC invites educators, families, and communities to come together for a celebration of early learning, young children, and the adults who support them.

Trying Together celebrates the Month of the Young Child, culminating in Celebrating Together, an evening of formal events that includes a VIP reception and the 30th Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner.

Homewood Hub Events

The Hub will offer one themed event per day for young children and their caregivers during the Week of the Young Child.

On April 13’s Musical Monday, families are invited to an open house at the Hub that features musical activities courtesy of Playnotes Pittsburgh. The event will include food, refreshments, and fun for the whole family. Participants will be able to learn about the center during the open house, which runs from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

On April 14, known as Tasty Tuesday, visitors will be able to join a Storytime at the Hub event that has a dinosaur theme and includes food. The event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Then, on April 15’s Work Together Wednesday, the Hub will team up with the Holy Cross Homewood & Reading is Fundamental (RIF) Storymobile for a joint storytime and activity during drop-in play hours. After the activity, families are welcome to stay and play. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

On April 16, which is Family Collage Thursday, the Hub staff will help to create a special center collage featuring artistic creations and family photos. Visitors should feel free to bring printed photos of their families. The finished collage will be displayed inside the center. The event will run twice on Thursday, from 10 a.m. to noon and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Finally, on April 17’s Family Fun Night Friday, visitors will be able to take part in an evening full of fun, food, and line dancing featuring special guest Attack Theatre. Registration is required for the movement-based Family Fun Night. The event will run from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

More information about the Week of the Young Child events can be found online.

News

Caregivers Should Have These Items Ready for Kindergarten Registration Process

With kindergarten registration opening in some school districts around Allegheny County and its surrounding counties, there are several items that caregivers will want to start collecting to complete the process.

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Kindergarten registration is already open in sections of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Armstrong, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.

In Allegheny County, several school districts will soon open registration – Allegheny Valley in March, North Allegheny in April, and Northgate School District will hold a kindergarten registration event in May.

During registration, caregivers will want to make sure to bring the following documents when registering a child:

The child’s birth certificate
Proof of residency, such as a utility bill or copy of a lease
Vaccination records (the state’s Department of Health shares which ones your child needs)
Any forms required by the school district, such as an application or emergency contact list
There may be other documents required, so be sure to check with your school district.

Some schools or districts set aside specific dates to register for kindergarten, while others hold special events such as summer orientation for incoming students. To find your local school’s contact information or registration dates, visit Pennsylvania Promise for Children’s website.

For more information on registration, visit Trying Together’s Pre-K and Kindergarten Transition page.

News

March 12, 2026

OCDEL Funding Available for Free Pediatric First Aid/CPR Training

Funding has become available through the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) to support free pediatric First Aid/CPR certification training for the next few months.

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All staff working in state Department of Human Services (DHS) certified child care programs are required to maintain current pediatric First Aid/CPR certification. OCDEL funding is now available to support free training opportunities from March to June.

The organization is partnering with the Early Childhood Education Linkage System (ECELS) program at the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to coordinate the free training offerings as part of the Emergency Response Training (ERT) project.

Child care workers are eligible for free training if they are currently employed by a licensed early childhood education center in Pennsylvania and if they meet at least one of the following criteria:

Their pediatric First Aid/CPR certification has expired or is set to expire within the next year
They are a newly-hired employee who must complete their initial certification within 90 days of their employment start date
Their certification is out of compliance due to a program citation

Priority for class assignments will be based on certification expiration date. Waitlists will be created if requests exceed project capacity.

Classes from approved instructors using the HSI Pediatric First Aid/CPR AED curriculum will be scheduled through mid-June or until funds are exhausted. Training can be requested as either an early childhood education program (minimums apply, classes will take place on-site) or an individual participant (training locations to be determined).

Requests will be approved on a rolling basis and accepted applicants will be contacted directly regarding the next steps. However, follow-up communication may be delayed at the start of the project window.

To request training or to search the FAQs, visit the ERT page on the ECELS website. Additional questions can be sent to ecels@paaap.org.

Additionally, child care providers can continue to access PQAS-approved pediatric First Aid/CPR training outside of the ERT project offerings, but they may have a cost associated with them. OCDEL will not reimburse for any training taken outside of the ERT project.

News

March 11, 2026

Thriving Kids Podcast Focuses on How to Talk About Racism with Children

Talking to children about racism, discrimination, and other social justice topics can be challenging and, for some, intimidating.

Some caregivers might be afraid of saying the wrong thing, while others might wait to bring it up until something happens at school or in the news.

But in a new Thriving Kids podcast, its hosts discuss why children benefit most when caregivers talk to them about such topics directly and early, using clear language.

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In the podcast, Dave Anderson, PhD, senior psychologist and vice president of public engagement and education at the Child Mind Institute, is joined by Isha Metzger, PhD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Georgia State University, to discuss how racism can affect children emotionally and how caregivers can help them to respond.

The discussion involves teaching children how to respond either when they experience discrimination or witness it happening to someone else. Anderson and Metzger also talk about what to do if one’s child is the one who says something harmful – and how to handle the situation directly and calmly.

Other tips provided by Thriving Kids on how to talk with children about racism and discrimination include:

Start early and be proactive about celebrating diversity at home, while taking part in regular conversations about race and identity.
Have open and honest conversations with children about racism and discrimination by talking about both individual acts of discrimination and larger systems of inequality. Use books, documentaries, and other age-appropriate media for examples.
Give your child words and actions they can use in the moment and practice simple ways to speak up when it’s safe – such as calling out a racist joke or refusing to go along with discriminatory behavior.
If your child experiences racism, validate what they feel and provide comfort and support. Children can feel hurt, isolated, angry, or confused. Let them know that these reactions make sense and keep the door open for them to talk.
In some situations, you might encourage a child to report racism or discrimination they experience to a trusted school official or counselor. Provide the right amount of support throughout the process based on the level of distress that the child has experienced.

News

Trying Together Names Latrobe Kinder-Schull Site Director as Advocate of the Month

Trying Together has selected Erin Schellenberger, site director of Latrobe Kinder-Schull, as its advocate of the month for March.

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Schellenberger is a long-time early childhood education champion who has 15 years of teaching experience and two years as a site director. She has been actively involved with Trying Together’s SWPA ECE Leadership Council, demonstrating her commitment to growing as a leader and early childhood education advocate.

“She continues to seek opportunities to make meaningful connections and learn new ways to strengthen her advocacy for the field,” according to a statement from Trying Together’s Policy Team regarding Schellenberger’s selection as advocate of the month. “We deeply appreciate our partnership with Erin and how she consistently shows up as a voice for children, families, and educators. We consider her one of our strongest ECE champions and look forward to her continued engagement in leadership opportunities.”

Schellenberger, who is involved in the SWPA ECE Leadership Council, said that ECE advocacy has long been important to her.

“Advocacy in early childhood education means being a voice for young children who cannot always speak for themselves,” she said. “It is about standing up for their needs, supporting families, and ensuring that every child feels safe, valued, and understood.”

She added that advocacy also involves collaborating with colleagues, community partners, and policymakers to create learning environments and policies that honor each child’s background and provide them with the strongest possible start in life.

Schellenberger started her work with the Leadership Team following a recommendation from her organization’s executive director, Eva Wood. Through the role, she has traveled to Harrisburg to meet with legislators and advocates for issues affecting early childhood education.

“I am encouraged that our state has begun to recognize the child care crisis and has included child care employees in the state budget,” she said. “While this is an important first step, there is still significant work to be done to recruit and retain qualified early childhood professionals. Sustainable investment and continued policy reform are essential to strengthening the field.”

Schellenberger said she remains committed to using her voice to influence state policy, promoting access to high-quality learning and protecting the rights of children, families, and educators.

“Advocacy is not a one-time effort, but an ongoing responsibility, and I will continue to encourage those around me to speak up and take action in support of our profession and the children we serve,” she said.

News

March 10, 2026

Resource Helps Users to Explore Arts Education for Students in Southwestern PA

Caregivers can search for programs supporting arts learning for students in Southwestern Pennsylvania through the Arts Ed Collaborative’s artlook® SWPA map.

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The no-cost, open-access map and searchable directory helps caregivers to find people, places, and programs supporting arts learning for students. It is the only source of its kind in Pennsylvania that brings together arts education data from schools, arts organizations, and teaching artists in a single platform.

Caregivers can use the search and filter tools on the website to find arts programs that match their specific needs and interests. Profiles provide up-to-date information about participating schools and partners, including details about their student arts programs and how to connect with them.

Some examples of how caregivers can use the artlook® SWPA website include:

Find Schools to Partner With
Find Arts Programs for Students
Find Professional Learning for Educators
Make a Connection (with a teaching artist, arts organization, or school)

Those who use the website can also attend in-person events where they can network and share best practices to expand, deepen, and diversify school-based arts partnerships. Arts programs can publish information about their offerings as well as receive personalized reports that provide detailed analysis of data to help gain insights about their programs.

For more information, visit the artlook® SWPA website.

News

PA Promise for Children Releases List of March Books for Preschoolers

PA Promise for Children has released its list of March books for kindergarteners in its Kindergarten Here I Come newsletter.

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The list is broken down into four categories – Language and Literacy Skills, Social and Emotional Development, Social Studies Thinking, and Mathematical Thinking and Expression.

The eight books on the list include:

Language and Literacy Skills

The Three Little Pigs: An Architectural Tale (Steven Guarnaccia)
Iggy Peck, Architect (Andrea Beaty)

Social and Emotional Development

Bear’s New Friend (Karma Wilson)
Froggy Gets Dressed (Jonathan London)

Social Studies Thinking

One Watermelon Seed (Celia Lottridge)
Big and Little (Steve Jenkins)

Mathematical Thinking and Expression

So Many Circles, So Many Squares (Tana Hoban)
When a Line Bends… A Shape Begins (Rhonda Gowler Greene)

News

March 9, 2026

Application Process Open for LEAF Scholarships

The application process for LEAF Scholarships – which provide services to individuals with disabilities and their family members – is now open.

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The program provides scholarships of up to $750 per person – per year – to assist individuals with disabilities and their families in attending conferences, training sessions, and comparable activities directly related to skill development and self-advocacy, leadership, and education.

The application should be for attendance at activities that are scheduled through March 31. Those interested can apply for the scholarship online.

No more than 10 scholarships will be awarded per event and the total scholarship amount awarded for any single event will not exceed $7,500. Scholarships will be awarded until the allotted funds are used.

The scholarship’s eligibility instructions, pre-event questions, and LEAF application can all be found on the scholarship’s website.