ECIS Early Childhood Conference 2026 - Online
10 - 11 November 2026
Right Here, Right Now: Rethinking Early Childhood in a Changing World
The 2026 ECIS Early Childhood Conference invites educators, leaders, and researchers to come together and reimagine what it means to teach, learn, and grow in times of change. As technology, climate, and culture reshape our world, how can we honour children’s curiosity, creativity, and care for others, and prepare them to thrive in an uncertain future?
Join us as we explore perspectives, share inspiring practice, and build a hopeful vision for early learning, one rooted in connection, courage, and possibility.
In this event, we’ll engage with four guiding strands that spark deep reflection and dialogue:
- Digital Childhoods
- Earth Intelligence: Children, Climate, and the More-than-Digital World
- Human Connections: Rights, Relationships and Responsibility
- The Art of Curiosity: Literacies, Learning, and the Value of Being Bored
Speakers
Austeja Landsbergiene
Laure HENRY
Cheryl Swift
Katarina Miklavec
Iris Nentwig-Gesemann
Silke Werth
Suzi Haigh
Chelsea Wilson
Sarah May
Natalie Shaw
Aanchal Jain
Anthi Patrikios
Maryam Alsereidi
Ivonne Miranda
Caroline Dorne
Elizabeth Sutherland
Chelle Jones
Audrey Piccioli
Thomas Witten
Esther O'Connor
Beatrice Moccia
John O’Toole
Charlotte Rands
Pam Mundy
Fiona Carter
Karen Dolan
Jackie Becher
Taylor Williams
Suhasini Kanwar
Digital Childhoods
Earth Intelligence: Children, Climate, and the More-than-Digital World
Focus Points:
- Purposeful and developmentally appropriate integration of digital tools
- Reducing educator workload through ethical and effective use of AI
- Designing balanced learning environments where digital and non-digital experiences work together
Focus Points:
- Climate and sustainability education in early childhood
- Building ecological empathy, responsibility, and resilience
- Integrating environmental awareness into everyday classroom practice
Human Connections: Rights, Relationships and Responsibility
The Art of Curiosity: Literacies, Learning, and the Value of Being Bored
Focus Points:
- Embedding children’s rights and voice in daily practice
- Strengthening identity, belonging, and inclusive relationships
- Fostering social, emotional, and ethical development in connected communities
Focus Points:
- Nurturing curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking
- Balancing traditional literacies with emerging forms of communication
- Valuing assertiveness, sustained attention, and deep thinking as drivers of meaningful learning