I observed and documented this learning by taking photographs and video footage of the children working. I included these artifacts in our classroom’ s documentation panels and sent them to families through our electronic communication system.
Early childhood educators are called to build reciprocal partnerships with multiple stakeholders as they plan rich, engaging activities for children. What began in our program as a longstanding interest in trash ended in a shared artistic experience with our community.
Reflection Questions
› What are the children in my setting interested in?
› How do their interests align with my curriculum’ s goals? How do they align with what’ s happening in the community, such as activities and resources from local groups, businesses, or community organizations?
› How might I partner with a local group to advance children’ s joy, learning, and creativity?
About the Author
Jennalee Johnson, MSEd, is a 4K educator with the school district of Fort Atkinson in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. She is dedicated to fostering play-based learning environments that support children’ s development and strengthen social and emotional literacy skills.
NAEYC Accreditation
This article supports the following NAEYC Early Learning Programs standards and topics.
Standard 2: Families and Community
Engaging in Reciprocal Partnerships with Families and Fostering Community Connections
Standard 4: Teaching
Teaching to Enhance Each Child’ s Development and Learning
Photographs: courtesy of author. Copyright © 2026 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. See permissions and reprints online at NAEYC. org / resources / permissions.
› How can I communicate about this partnership with my teaching team and program leaders?
› How can I engage with families around these activities?
26 Educating Young Children
Summer 2026