Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children

Congratulations to these CDA candidates who just earned their CDA Credential and are well on their way to building brighter futures for the children in their care!

Congratulations to all of our May CDA recipients!

Pictured below: Nicole Frye, Sara Graves, and Jeri Kelly from Wee Care Inc. in Hawarden, Iowa.

Interested in going back to school for early childhood, but aren’t sure how to afford it? We have the program for you!

TEACH Early Childhood® Iowa is a scholarship program for the early care and education workforce that pays for a significant portion of your tuition and books, in addition to many other benefits. For eligibility requirements, just check our website!

The deadline for the fall term is July 15!
https://iowaaeyc.org/programs/teach/

So You Want an Outdoor Classroom? Hosted by Quality and Family Child Care PEGs🌿

Are you ready to take outdoor learning beyond the playground? Imagine creating a space where children can explore art, music, math, science, and more!

Join us to discuss:
✨ Creating engaging outdoor learning zones
✨ Setting short- and long-term goals for your space
✨ Finding free or low-cost materials
✨ Exploring potential funding opportunities

Come get inspired and discover practical ideas you can bring back to your own program. 🌱 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/so-you-want-an-outdoor-classroom-tickets-1989389723215?aff=oddtdtcreator

A HUGE “Congratulations” is in order!

We had numerous TEACH recipients graduate at the end of the Spring semester with either their Associate’s (7) or Bachelor’s degrees (8)!

TEACH recipients work full-time while attending school part-time and persist, over several years, to complete their degrees. We are so proud of every one of them for their accomplishment.

Congratulations, TEACH graduates!

Pictured below:
Stephanie Brown – Associate Degree
Danielle Clayton – Associate Degree
Amilia Robinson – Associate Degree
Shellby White – Associate Degree
JoAnn Meeks – Associate Degree
Brenda Loren – Bachelor Degree
Erin McCray – Bachelor Degree

Did you know that our CDA® Navigators, TEACH team, and WAGE$ team all work closely together so that you can get a degree without going into debt?! The foundation of our programs is working to increase education, compensation, and retention of the early childhood community.

If you have any questions about these programs, visit our website: https://iowaaeyc.org/programs/

Loose Parts and Process Art, Hosted by Developmentally Appropriate Practice PEG 🎨✨

Join us as we explore how these approaches connect to Developmentally Appropriate Practice, address common hesitations around implementation, and share practical ways teachers and administrators can bring them into classrooms and centers without feeling overwhelmed.

At the heart of it all? Keeping children at the center of the art process 💡🖌️

Join us virtually on June 13th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/loose-parts-and-process-art-tickets-1987060938758?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

We had 15 CDA® candidates earn their credentials in April, 13 of whom were supported by their fantastic CDA® Navigators! We’re so excited to see the positive impact they’ll continue to make for Iowa’s youngest learners. Congratulations! 👏

Pictured below: Izzy from Little Rascals Daycare in Le Mars.

Do you know any exceptional early care and education professionals and advocates? We would encourage you to nominate them for one of our Early Childhood Leader awards! We firmly believe that ECE professionals deserve to be recognized for their extraordinary work, so we offer these award nominations year-round every year.

To submit a nomination, you must be a member of Iowa AEYC. To nominate someone today, please visit https://iowaaeyc.org/membership/nominations-awards/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRu5NZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFmbGNsOEhmaFpoQWpPeUdCc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHoOQuMGwqNzElqSqFNhIgbuS5Dgj2UxxYmQgrUz3fsr8iml4YQq0g7RLHpvG_aem_5bS5wAxh60N1mm2nyW8omA

Great News!

We are excited to offer a limited number of full scholarships to attend our 2026 Early Learning Fall Institute!

Applications are due June 12, 2026 – visit the link below for more information and to apply!

https://iowaaeyc.org/events/fall-institute/scholarship/

📅Save the Date!

Join us for the Iowa AEYC Early Learning Fall Institute on October 2 &3 at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa.

This annual event brings early childhood professionals together from across the state to learn, connect, and grow. From engaging sessions to meaningful conversations, the Fall Institute is designed to support the important work you do every day.

✨Registration opens July 1

We hope to see you there!