2 September 2026
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Today, Wednesday 2 September, early learning services, children, families and communities across Australia are coming together to celebrate Early Childhood Educators’ Day 2026.
It’s an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary contribution early childhood educators make each and every day – creating safe, nurturing and engaging environments where children can learn, develop and thrive, and supporting families during some of the most important years of their children’s lives.
ACA is incredibly proud of how far Early Childhood Educators’ Day has come since it was first launched by ACA Queensland in 2011. What began as an initiative to recognise and celebrate the important work of early childhood educators has grown into a truly national event, embraced by early learning services, children and families right across Australia.
This year, more than 8,800 early learning services across Australia have actively registered on the Early Childhood Educators’ Day map as participating services – an incredible milestone that demonstrates just how widely the day is now celebrated across the country.
We’re also enormously grateful for the strong support Early Childhood Educators’ Day receives from across the broader early learning sector, including sector stakeholders, government departments and other organisations that share our commitment to recognising the extraordinary contribution of Australia’s early childhood educators.
Seeing thousands of services and so many organisations, families and communities come together each year to say thank you is a wonderful reflection of just how highly our educators are valued – and we’re very proud to continue building on the legacy that began back in 2011.
The Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) is marking this special day in two very different ways – by sharing a heartfelt message of thanks from across Australia, and by opening up an important conversation about recognising and supporting the people at the heart of early learning.
Australia Says Thank You
To celebrate Early Childhood Educators’ Day, we invited some familiar faces from across Australia to help us deliver one simple but important message to our early childhood educators.
Our special Australia Says Thank You video recognises the care, skill, dedication and passion educators bring to their work every day and the enormous difference they make to children, families and communities.
Click here to watch Australia Says Thank You
A special Early Years Dialogue for Early Childhood Educators’ Day
Early Childhood Educators’ Day is also an important opportunity to think about what it means to genuinely value and support our educators – not just today, but throughout the year.
As part of ACA’s new Early Years Dialogue series, our special Early Childhood Educators’ Day discussion explores the importance of supporting educator wellbeing and recognising the vital role educators play within our services and communities.
It’s a timely conversation about the people at the heart of early learning and the importance of creating workplaces and a broader sector in which educators can continue to grow, contribute and thrive.
Click here to watch the Early Years Dialogue - Early Childhood Educators' Day discussion
Most importantly at the service level, whether today involves an appreciation tree, a special morning tea, handmade cards and flowers, messages from families or simply taking a few moments together as a team and watching the Australia Says Thank You video, we hope Early Childhood Educators’ Day 2026 provides an opportunity to celebrate the remarkable people who make early learning possible.
From all of us at ACA, we wish every early childhood educator across Australia a very happy Early Childhood Educators’ Day 2026!
