28 August 2026
Latest News
Across the country, early learning services are gearing up to celebrate Early Childhood Educators' Day, which takes place on Wednesday 2 September 2026.
Inspired by World Teachers’ Day – an annual event celebrated in more than 100 countries – Early Childhood Educators’ Day recognises and celebrates the important contribution Australia’s early childhood educators make to the wellbeing, learning and development of young children.
Since its debut in 2011, the day has grown significantly, with more than 8,300 early learning services registering their participation on the event website to date, alongside growing support from families, sector organisations and the wider community.
Now firmly established as an important date on the early learning sector calendar, the day brings together people from across the sector and beyond with one simple purpose - to recognise and thank Australia’s early childhood educators.
The Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) is immensely proud of the event’s continued growth and the increasing recognition it brings to the vital role educators play in the lives of young children, families and communities across Australia.
ACA President Paul Mondo says the day provides an important opportunity to pause and acknowledge the contribution educators make every day.
“Early Childhood Educators’ Day is such a great opportunity to say thank you to all of our educators who are making a difference, day in and day out,” Mr Mondo said.
“The simple act of taking a moment to acknowledge and show appreciation for our educators’ hard work and dedication can be incredibly meaningful. It reinforces just how much their contribution is valued.
“We also know that educators genuinely look forward to the opportunity to come together, share some special moments and celebrate their achievements as a team. It helps foster a sense of community and reminds everyone of the important role they play in shaping young lives.”
Mr Mondo said this year’s celebrations come after another significant period of change across the early learning sector.
“From the introduction of the National Early Childhood Worker Register and significant new child safety measures, through to the Worker Retention Payment and associated wage changes, there has certainly been a lot for educators and service providers to take on board.
“While these changes are important, we also shouldn’t lose sight of the people at the heart of early learning. Every day, educators create safe, nurturing and engaging environments where children can learn, develop and thrive.
“Early Childhood Educators’ Day gives us an opportunity to put the policy changes, paperwork and day-to-day pressures to one side for a moment and simply say thank you. We see what you do, we value it, and we appreciate the difference you make in the lives of children and families.”
“It’s also wonderful to see the various government departments getting behind Early Childhood Educators’ Day and finding their own ways to celebrate the incredible people who make up our early learning workforce,” Mr Mondo said.
For example this year, the Queensland Department of Education has added some extra fun to the celebrations with its Celebrate with dance initiative, inviting educators and early learning staff to learn one of two specially created dances, put their own spin on them and share their efforts on social media on Early Childhood Educators’ Day and throughout the week.
“Whether it’s dancing with your colleagues, sharing a morning tea or simply taking the time to tell an educator how much their work is appreciated, it all contributes to the spirit of the day.”
ACA will also continue its annual tradition of bringing together voices from across Australia for its Australia Says Thank You video, featuring messages of appreciation from government, sector and community representatives to educators across the country.
The 2026 video will be released on the morning of Early Childhood Educators’ Day across the Early Childhood Educators’ Day social media channels and website, and shared with ACA members and Early Childhood Educators’ Day eNewsletter subscribers.
Early learning services are encouraged to celebrate in whatever way works best for their teams. Popular activities over the years have included special morning teas, dress-ups, ‘thank you’ walls and trees, personalised cards and gifts, and messages of appreciation from children and families.
“However service providers, educators and their families choose to celebrate is entirely up to them,” Mr Mondo concluded.
“It doesn’t need to be elaborate. Whether it’s a homemade card, a morning tea, a dance with colleagues or a more formal celebration, at its heart the day is about the simple but powerful gesture of saying thank you.
“We’d love to see as many services and communities as possible getting involved and helping us celebrate the fantastic work Australia’s early childhood educators do every day.”
For more information about Early Childhood Educators’ Day, visit the event website at www.earlychildhoodeducatorsday.org.au.
For media enquiries, please contact ACA President Paul Mondo on 0411 587 170.
