2026 CCSS Conference: Imagine, Create, Thrive: The Power of the Arts in Early Childhood
Conference | Registration opens 8/17/2026 12:00 AM EDT
Imagine, Create, Thrive: The Power of the Arts in Early Childhood
Join Montgomery County Child Care Support Services for our annual conference in Silver Spring, Maryland!
This year’s Child Care Support Services 2026 Conference invites early childhood educators to explore how music, movement, and the creative arts can transform learning. Featuring keynote speaker Anne Watson from Sing Play Love, participants will discover engaging, developmentally supportive ways to integrate music, art, dance, and storytelling into everyday practice. Anne’s work emphasizes joy-filled, relationship-building approaches that support social-emotional growth, language development, and inclusive learning for young children.
Throughout the conference, attendees will participate in interactive sessions, hands-on workshops, and collaborative discussions designed to spark creativity and inspire practical strategies they can bring back to their classrooms and programs. Whether new to the arts or already passionate about creative teaching, educators will leave energized and equipped with tools to help children imagine, create, and thrive.
WHO: All Educators in the Early Childhood Education Community
WHEN: Saturday, October 10, 2026, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
SCHEDULE: to be revised with excellence awards
8:00 – 8:30 AM Registration & Breakfast (vendors/networking)
8:30 – 8:45 AM Opening Remarks (Child Care Support Services)
8:45 – 10:15 AM Morning Keynote (Junlei Li)
10:15 – 10:30 AM Break (vendors/networking)
10:30 – 12:00 PM Breakout Sessions
12:00 – 12:45 PM Lunch (vendors/networking/raffle)
12:45 – 1:45 PM Afternoon Keynote (Junlei Li)
1:45 – 2:00 PM Closing Remarks (Child Care Support Services)
MSDE Approval #: pending
Course ID: pending
COK Hours: 6 (pending areas)
- **Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
**Please bring a reusable water bottle for the day.
**Parking will be paid by CCSS (you will receive and need to print a parking pass to use on the day of the event).