Thursday, March 4, 2027
8:00 – 8:30 a.m. | Annual Conference Opening, Welcome, and Announcements
Special Guest: Michelle Kang, NAEYC
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. | Morning General Session: Agoo Amee: Engaging Young Children Through the Performing Arts
Kofi Dennis, Wolf Trap Master Teaching Artist
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Advocacy Lunchtime Presentation TBA
Make plans to pre-order a box lunch and join your VAAEYC community for this fabulous lunchtime presentation.
Friday, March 5, 2027
8:00 – 8:30 a.m. | Friday Morning Welcome, Awards Presentation and Announcements
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. | Morning General Session: A Dance of Distraction: Examining the Impact of Technology on Parent-Child Interactions
Joshua Metz, PhD, LCSW
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lunchtime Presentation: Inspiring Children on a Path to Playful, Purposeful Learning Through Relatable Stories: Lessons from a Military Children’s Author
Pearl Alimo, Author, Educator
What happens when a child opens a book and recognizes themselves, their lived experiences, feelings and their world within its pages? In this inspiring keynote, you will explore the powerful role relatable stories can play in helping young children feel seen, build confidence, navigate change, and develop a genuine love for reading and learning.
Learn how Early Childhood Educators and professionals can use relatable stories and books to spark curiosity, encourage playful exploration, foster a sense of belonging, and turn everyday reading moments into purposeful learning experiences in the classroom and at home. This Keynote will challenge educators to look beyond the pages of a book and discover the possibilities that unfold when children can connect what they read with who they are, what they experience, and who they are becoming.
Make plans to pre-order a box lunch and join your VAAEYC community for this fabulous lunchtime presentation.
Saturday, March 6, 2027
8:00 – 8:30 a.m. | Saturday Morning Welcome and Announcements
8:30 – 9:00 a.m. | Saturday Morning Session: TBA
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Lunchtime Presentation: ALL ABOARD! The Journey to Playful and Purposeful Learning with BOOKS
Joyce Jones, Retired Principal Woodlawn Learning Center – Hopewell City Public Schools
This presentation is an unforgettable journey of discovery of learning in classrooms with young children. Educators will be empowered and inspired with strategies and techniques to interactively use books throughout daily schedules. This journey will include ways to build confidence, help every child find their unique path to success, and create playful and purposeful experiences using BOOKS across the curriculum every day. Good Beginnings Never End with Books!
Make plans to pre-order a box lunch and join your VAAEYC community for this fabulous lunchtime presentation.
Conference Add-Ons
T-Shirt
Be sure to get your VAAEYC swag! Purchase the 2027 conference t-shirt when you register before the Early Bird Deadline for only $20. The price goes up to $25 after then, and a limited number will be available for sale onsite for $25.
Pre-Order Box Lunches
Food outlets will be available at the Kalahari Resort but lines may be long and will take away valuable conference time. Save time and money at the conference, by purchasing a box lunch in advance. VAAEYC is subsidizing a portion of these lunches as they cost over $40! These box lunches will be ready for you to pick up at the conference.
All lunch options are $27 and include the sandwich/salad, chips, cookie, whole fruit and a bottle of water.
To see the selections CLICK HERE.
You can order these when you register. REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE HERE
