100 Advocates Visit Statehouse for Early Childhood Day
Abbie Clements | March 18, 2026
On February 25, more than 100 advocates gathered in the Statehouse to connect with lawmakers and educate about children’s earliest years of development for 2026 Early Childhood Day. The event brought together child care providers, early learning experts, and others passionate about caring for the littlest Kansans.
Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to speak directly with more than 60 lawmakers in the Statehouse. These conversations allowed advocates to share their expertise as early childhood professionals – and why it’s so critical that the state do more to support children in their first five years of life.
These early years are crucial to a child’s development and laying a foundation for success later in life. During the first year of a child’s life, the brain grows rapidly from 25% of its adult size to 75% of its adult size as babies develop critical crucial language and motor skills. Caregivers guide young kids through their earliest interactions with the world, teaching them how to talk, process emotions and be safe. A present and supportive caregiver is vital in supporting this development.
But it’s not just children who need support throughout the early development stages – caregivers need support as well. Kansas can do more to ensure parents and caregivers are set up to best guide children through formative milestones as they grow.
Children rely on the foundational relationships that surround them, which is why it’s critical to remove structural barriers parents and caregivers may face. Poverty, housing security, and access to affordable health care all shape their relationships and the broader environment around them. A caregiver burdened with high rent who has to work longer hours to make ends meet will have a harder time giving a child the full attention necessary for healthy development. A parent who is drowning in paperwork just to maintain essential food assistance may find it harder to provide their child a fully nutritious diet.
Kansas families face these struggles every day. Kansas kids deserve to grow up in a healthy environment, and their caregivers need support to do this. By supporting policies to reduce these barriers, lawmakers can play an important role in improving the lives of Kansas children. Conversations between advocates and lawmakers throughout the day shed light on important topics like these.
Participants also explored the Statehouse and saw the legislative process in action, attending committee meetings and watching House chamber proceedings to learn how they could lend their voices to create a state that works for all families.
We hope that as lawmakers wrap up the 2026 session, they’ll remember the powerful stories and experiences shared by the people who know what young children need to have a strong foundation for the rest of their lives.
To learn more about early childhood development and the environmental influences on childhood development, check out resources from Zero to Three and the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child.
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