Writing for Young Children

Group photo of preschool teacher and class

Writing for Young Children

Young Children is a peer-reviewed journal from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Published four times a year, each issue offers practical, research-based articles on timely topics of interest. Our readers work with or on behalf of young children from birth through age 8. Readers include teachers, family child care providers, child development program administrators, resource and referral counselors, early intervention specialists, elementary school principals, teacher educators, students, researchers, policy makers, and others.

The editorial team and consulting editors use the following criteria when reviewing the content of articles submitted to Young Children. We look for articles that

reflect the current knowledge base in early childhood education
describe real life examples of developmentally appropriate practice
provide practical strategies for practitioners
cite relevant research findings, when appropriate
suggest ways to involve families, when appropriate
consider the roles of culture, ethnicity, and home language when relevant to the content
support inclusion of children with a range of abilities
show respect for gender, culture, and home language
reflect NAEYC's recent initiatives on developmentally appropriate practice and advancing equity

Articles selected for publication in Young Children are considered a contribution to the profession; authors do not receive fees or royalties. Articles published in Young Children are peer reviewed and vetted by the Young Children editorial team.

Types of articles

Young Children articles vary in content, length, and writing style. The best way to determine what types of manuscripts we are seeking is to read recently published articles. Many authors write about a particular classroom, school, or teacher they have observed. If your article describes another educator’s practice in detail, please acknowledge this contribution or consider including him or her as coauthor.

Young Children does not publish term papers, literature reviews without clear connections to practitioners, content or promotional pieces that focus on and promote one organization's products or services as editorial content, or reports that emphasize research methodology or the findings of an individual study. The journal does not accept articles already published elsewhere in print or electronic format. We expect that articles have not been simultaneously submitted to other publications.

Young Children articles are written in an informal, conversational style. They use active voice (e.g., “The teacher planned…” rather than “Plans were made by the teacher…”) and clear language. This makes the text easier and more enjoyable to read.

Cluster-topic articles

Each issue features a group of articles that address different aspects of a topic. Although cluster topics are decided on many months in advance (see below), in order to respond to topical issues and trends, the editors may change the publication date of a cluster from time to time.

General articles

These articles address important early childhood topics and have a variety of styles. General articles typically include

innovative, research-based teaching strategies
early childhood theories and research, along with recommended practices
specific issues affecting young children
professional stories and observations, often intended to enhance understanding of research-based practices

Viewpoints

These are research-informed opinion pieces, similar to op-eds, that address specific questions, issues, or challenges of practices. A Viewpoint piece takes a particular stance or presents a specific perspective and offers supporting sources and examples. It should answer the question of why this viewpoint is important and impactful for early childhood teaching and learning as well as what it looks like in practice.

Young Children cluster topics

Young Children, NAEYC's award-winning, peer-reviewed journal, publishes four times a year, in Spring, Fall, Summer, and Winter.

We are excited to announce the cluster topics and associated due dates, which you will find in the table below, and we look forward to continuing to support educational excellence and focus on meeting the needs of all children, birth through third grade, through high-quality content in Young Children.

The table below provides the cluster topics for upcoming issues of Young Children, along with the due dates for submitting articles to be considered for each cluster.

Issue Date	Cluster Topic	Article Due Date
Summer 2025	An Effective Curriculum: Play, Content, and DAP A high-quality curriculum is a fundamental component of early childhood education. What does it take to implement a curriculum that • is research-based and follows a scope and sequence • embraces play and promotes positive interactions between children and teachers • promotes learning and development both within specific content areas and across content areas (as makes sense) • integrates and affirms children’s assets, agency, home languages, and social and cultural contexts • entails both intentional and flexible planning, teaching, and assessment, guided by clear and meaningful goals • is guided by current understandings of how children develop in their thinking, knowledge, and skills over time and across domains? Inspired by the latest editions of the DAP position statement and book and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, A New Vision for High-Quality Preschool Curriculum (2024), this issue of Young Children will focus on how early childhood leaders and educators determine what, when, and how children learn in programs and schools. We are seeking specific examples and illustrations of high-quality curricula in action in preschool through grade 2. This could include program- or school-wide efforts, or it could include classroom-level efforts. A manuscript could delve into one aspect of a program/school curriculum, or it could explore how various elements are addressed in a comprehensive way. Especially important will be the voices and experiences of those involved with carrying out a high-quality curriculum, including challenges faced, solutions identified and applied, and lessons learned. As indicated in the DAP position statement, “Implementing a curriculum always yields outcomes of some kind—but which outcomes those are and how a program achieves them are critical” (NAEYC 2020, 25). Therefore, it will be important to share about the impacts of these efforts, capturing how a high-quality curriculum cultivates positive, equitable growth and learning for all.	July 1, 2024
Fall 2025	Leadership in Early Learning Programs and Schools Leadership can take many forms, and early childhood educators hold great potential to lead. Early childhood leaders must attend to many elements and stakeholders. Some leaders step into a role without formal preparation or mentoring in leadership, leaving them to figure out much on their own. Others have not stepped into a leadership role, although they have the qualities and/or interest to impact the policies, practices, and supports that will positively affect children, families, and staff. Therefore, this issue of Young Children will focus on the following elements: • what it means to be an early childhood leader • how leaders identify and support high-quality curricula, including being informed by the sciences of early learning as well as children’s assets and providing professional supports for high-quality implementation • the journey to becoming an early childhood leader and the local, state, and/or federal supports and structures needed to develop early childhood leaders, particularly professionals from historically marginalized communities • how leaders develop positive program cultures and reciprocal partnerships with various stakeholders (e.g., staff, children and families, boards) in ways that lead to equitable, joyful learning for children as well as educators We encourage authors to focus on one or two key elements, ensuring that relevant theory/research is provided as well as real-life examples and practical suggestions. We are also interested in intersections between leadership and equity, including how early childhood leaders advance equity in relation to the elements of focus.	September 16, 2024
Winter 2025	Teaching Children in a Changing Climate: Impacts on Our Practice Climate change is already impacting programs. Educators are increasingly faced with curricular and operational challenges, such as extreme weather events, poor air quality, and flooding. Children, families, and educators from historically marginalized communities often bear a greater burden of these climate change impacts with fewer resources to address and mitigate them. Recently, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners in the US and internationally have been examining what climate change means for our field. This issue of Young Children focuses on clarifying how educators and programs can think about the impacts including: • how climate change impacts children’s development and learning, relationships between educators and children, and operating a high-quality setting. What are the lived experiences and realities of educators and leaders, children, and families in relation to climate change? • how can early learning programs and schools address climate change in their curriculum, teaching, policies, and/or partnerships? How have these steps impacted children’s development (physical, social, emotional, etc.) and content learning (literacy, social studies, science, etc.)? How can educators integrate strategies, activities, and materials related to the environment and climate change in developmentally appropriate ways? • how can local, state, or national initiatives support and sustain healthy environments for effective, equitable early childhood education to occur? We are seeking details and examples of addressing climate change in early childhood educational settings, in alignment with the overarching framework of DAP. A manuscript could delve into one aspect of climate change—in terms of issues and solutions—or it could explore how various elements are addressed in a comprehensive way. It could also explore what programs are doing now—in conjunction with local, state, or federal supports—to serve families who are displaced due to impacts of climate change. Or, how they are planning to be responsive to migration that may occur from areas most likely to experience impacts of climate change.	December 2, 2024
Spring 2026	From the Pages of YC: Reflections on NAEYC’s 100th Anniversary NAEYC is turning 100! In 2026, the organization will celebrate 100 years of its commitment to young children and the professionals who educate and care for them. Part of NAEYC’s legacy is its journals. In 1945, NAEYC published its first journal, which has evolved into Young Children, NAEYC’s flagship journal. YC's archive is vast with some ideas and practices still relevant today while many others have been challenged and changed over the years. The Spring 2026 issue will focus on revisiting the past, examining the present, and looking to the future—to remind and reflect as well as to stimulate and inspire readers and the field. We are seeking articles that • identify a key idea, practice, movement, or figure presented in the YC archive • analyze how that idea, practice, movement, or figure connects with early childhood education today • describe how it can inform the future of early childhood education An article could be presented as a narrative essay; for example, how a YC article impacted one’s own practice or transformed others’ thinking and teaching. A submission could offer a profile of an early learning program or educator who exemplifies an idea from the YC archives. Or it could present a commentary that debunks a concept or practice presented in the archive. An article could offer an analysis of how an idea or practice has evolved over time in the pages of YC or how much a concept or issue has stayed the same. For the issue, submission length can vary (from 2,000-3,000 words, not including references and graphic elements). While there is more flexibility in format/style for this issue, it will be important for all submissions to be grounded in current research/theory and real-life stories and examples. Note: The YC archive is accessible, via JSTOR, to NAEYC members at NAEYC.org/resources/pubs/yc/archive. (Select the link for the digital archive.) It is also available through other digital library databases, including EBSCO and ProQuest.	March 3, 2025
Summer 2026	Toward Intentional Teaching: The Need for Educator Agency “Intentional teachers have a purpose for each of their actions, and they can explain that purpose to others, whether in the context of a carefully planned learning experience or a spontaneous response to an unexpected event.” This statement, which comes from NAEYC’s fourth edition of the Developmentally Appropriate Practice book, succinctly summarizes a foundation of DAP: so much of DAP depends on intentionality.   To make intentional decisions, educators need to be recognized for their expertise and professional judgment, and they need to have the agency to plan and teach in ways that align with a vision of high-quality curriculum and practice. While they aren’t necessarily acting alone, educators with agency have a sense of control and the ability to influence and shape what is done—and how it is done—in their classrooms or programs. But this isn’t always the case. For this issue of Young Children, we are focusing on educator agency, exploring questions such as • When and how do educators have the ability to make intentional decisions to learn about, select, and implement high-quality curriculum and practice? When and how are they being challenged in the ability to make those intentional decisions (e.g., mandates about topics that must or must not be covered; domains or content areas that must or must not be addressed; policies about books that must or must not be used in instruction)? • Do educators have less agency in some curricular or instructional areas than they had in the past? Does this represent a lack of trust in educators’ decisions, and how is this impacting their desire to stay in the field of early education? For this issue, we are seeking submissions that not only identify challenges to educator agency but also effective solutions or next steps toward equitable, joyful teaching and learning. These may be occurring at a program/school level or a broader one. Submissions should reflect current theory/research and integrate real-life voices and stories of early childhood educators and positive changes they are experiencing in agency for teaching and learning. Submissions should also consider equity and the specific contexts in which educators are experiencing challenges as well as high levels of agency. Finally, submissions could highlight a district or state that has worked to maintain educator agency within the context of district/state policies.	June 2, 2025

Please note: We are no longer asking authors to submit proposals for cluster articles. Authors should submit complete articles (along with figures and photos, if possible).

Formatting requirements

When submitting an article to Young Children, please adhere to the following formatting and submission guidelines.

Length

All manuscripts must meet page-length requirements.
General, cluster, and viewpoint articles: 3,000 - 3,500 words (not including the reference list or graphics)

Format

If manuscripts are not formatted correctly, they will be unsubmitted until the appropriate changes are made.

All manuscripts are subject to blind review. Make sure the name(s) of author(s) as well as specific workplaces/schools/program names do not appear on any pages of the article. This includes the reference list.
Use pseudonyms in place of children's real names.
Use in-text citations as outlined in The Chicago Manual of Style. Do not include footnotes.
Include subheadings throughout the article.
Use Times New Roman font, 12-point type, double space lines, and allow for at least 1-inch margins.
Number the pages.

Cover letter

Prepare the cover letter as a separate document.
List the title of the article.
Indicate the type of article (cluster topic, general, viewpoint).
List the name, affiliation, title, and e-mail for each author.
Designate one author as the primary contact.
Provide a brief summary of how the submission offers useful and relevant information for teachers and other practitioners.
Provide a brief abstract of 50 words or less.

Style guides

Authors should provide accurate and complete information for references and resources. Young Children expects authors to focus on references published within the last 10 years (unless they are seminal sources) in order to reflect the most recent research and data. Use primary references when available and avoid online resources such as Wikipedia. Authors should also use the number of resources appropriate for the length of their manuscript.

Young Children follows Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition, for spelling and The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, for style and reference formatting.

Photos and visuals

We encourage authors to include informative, interesting visuals (e.g., high-resolution photographs, children's work samples, charts, and graphs) that enhance the content of the article and promote understanding. This is not a requirement.

The author must confirm completed model release forms for any recognizable person appearing in the author's photos (signed by any adult who appears in the photo and by the legal guardian of any child who appears in the photo). If the author did not take the photos but submits them with the article, the author must confirm that she or he has the right to publish the photos and that the photographer possesses the necessary model releases. The editorial team will reach out to the author upon acceptance to process the forms. NAEYC-approved model release forms are available from the editorial team if needed. Forms must be confirmed and provided to the editorial team before publication. Failure to do so will result in the visuals being excluded from publication.

The visuals themselves can be uploaded as separate files in Editorial Manager as part of the manuscript submission. Do not include them in the body of the article. Young Children does not pay authors for their own photos when they are integral to the content of the article.

Permissions

Authors are responsible for seeking and maintaining written permission from parents or legal guardians to include photos of children or children's work samples, and for seeking and maintaining written permission to include photos of adults. These permissions must be provided to NAEYC for review prior to publication.

For quoted material longer than 100 words, as well as figures and tables (or the content therein), authors must seek and submit to Young Children written permission from the copyright holder prior to publication.

How to submit an article

Young Children receives all submissions electronically through Editorial Manager. After creating an account, authors will find instructions for manuscript submission. Be sure to submit the cover letter, article, and photographs as separate files. Authors can view tutorials on the Editorial Manager website for assistance or e-mail the Young Children editorial staff at [email protected].

With the exception of cluster-topic articles, submissions are generally published 16 to 24 months after acceptance. Authors may check the status of their submissions by logging into their Editorial Manager account.

Please note: Individuals may submit only one article within a six-month period. Young Children's preferred practice is to publish a particular author only once per 12-month period. On rare occasions we make exceptions to best meet the needs of our readers.

Authors may submit only one article at a time. This holds true whether they are the only author, or one of several. If authors have written several articles for submission, they must decide which one to submit first.

After the article has been reviewed, the authors will be notified of its status. After receipt of this notification, the author may submit another article. Thus, only one article per author can be under initial consideration and review at a time.

Review and editing process

The Young Children review process generally takes 6–8 months from receipt of manuscript. The process is compressed for cluster articles. The schedule may vary according to the schedule of our reviewers, many of whom are on the academic calendar.

Steps in the Review and Editing Process

Steps	Time frame
1. Initial reading. Given the volume of articles we receive, not all articles can be sent out for review, nor can we provide individual feedback on articles that are not reviewed. The editor in chief determines whether articles will go out for review. There are a number of reasons why articles are not sent out for review. Sometimes articles do not meet basic guidelines for content, writing style, length, or format. At times, the journal has a backlog of articles or has recently published an article on the same topic. In some cases, we receive a number of articles for a cluster that address the same topic and age group. The editor in chief might recommend revising an article before it is reviewed by consulting editors.	1 to 16 weeks after receipt
2. Peer review. Articles that meet basic guidelines undergo peer review by NAEYC’s consulting editors. The reviewers provide comments and suggestions. NAEYC senior staff may also review articles.	16 to 26 weeks after receipt
3. Decision. Using all reviews as a guide, the editorial team determines one of the following as the next step. Accept the article. Ask the author to make revisions and resubmit it for further review (most articles require some revisions) and possible acceptance. Advise the author that the article is not accepted. The editor in chief notifies the author of the decision via e-mail. When necessary, this correspondence includes the reviewers' feedback and suggestions for enhancing the manuscript.	26 to 32 weeks after receipt
4. Revision. When authors submit revised articles, they must include a summary of what the author did to address the reviewers’ feedback, through Editorial Manager.	Within 6 months of authors' receipt of decision e-mail

From acceptance to print

It is not possible to determine in advance the exact publication dates of accepted articles (unless for a particular cluster). When planning issues, the editorial team considers the content, style, intended audience, and length of articles, as well as articles’ submission dates.

Authors are notified when their articles are scheduled for publication. They are asked to make updates—sometimes significant—and to complete biography, copyright transfer, and photograph submission and credit forms.

Editing involves substantive editing and copyediting by members of the editorial team. The lead editor returns the edited article to the author via email for final approval before the manuscript enters production. On occasion, last-minute changes in an issue’s content may cause publication of an article to be postponed.

Authors receive a protected PDF copy of their article and have the option to receive two print copies of the issue in which their article appears.

Contact information

Annie Moses, PhD, Editor in Chief, Young Children

Susan Donsky, Managing Editor, Young Children

Email: [email protected]

Interested in writing for other NAEYC publications?

Check out our author guidelines for

Age: Early Primary, Infant/Toddler, Kindergarten, Preschool

Topics: YC

Writing for Young Children

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