| Early childhood educators, caregivers and community members are invited to gather Sept. 11-12 for the 2026 Hawaiʻi Island Early Childhood Education Conference at the Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.
The event is hosted by the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development’s Early Childhood Resource Program, in collaboration with Baby STEPS Hawaiʻi, Friends of the Future, State Department of Health, Kamehameha Schools, PATCH Hawaiʻi, and PACT-Head Start.
This year’s conference will explore Hawaiʻi Island as a living classroom, with workshops that connect the island’s unique resources, people and places with effective teaching strategies for early childhood education.
The conference opens Friday, Sept. 11, with an evening dinner, keynote presentation and pau hana networking event. Featured keynote speaker Dr. Kathleen Spencer Cooter, Professor Emerita of Education at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, will share insights on how keiki are “born to read” and the important role teachers and caregivers play in building the brain banks of young learners.
Saturday, Sept. 12, will feature a full day of workshops led by presenters from Hawaiʻi and other states. Sessions will explore topics including social-emotional development and behaviors, literacy and language development, and the many resources available on Hawaiʻi Island to support learning and development.
The Saturday program will also provide an opportunity for conference participants and members of the community to visit artisan and informational tables located in the hotel’s breezeway.
The Hawaiʻi Island Early Childhood Education Conference brings together educators, caregivers, early childhood professionals and community partners to share knowledge, strengthen connections and discover new approaches for supporting Hawaiʻi’s youngest learners.
To register for the conference, visit HIECC2026.eventbrite.com.
For conference updates, follow BabyStepsHawaii on Facebook.
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