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.

Together, we’ll engage with four guiding strands that spark deep reflection and dialogue.

• How do we safeguard children’s rights, privacy, and wellbeing in an increasingly digital world?
• How can AI and digital tools meaningfully reduce educator workload while strengthening planning, observation, and assessment practices?
• What knowledge, skills, and dispositions do educators and families need to navigate digital childhoods with confidence and care?
• What practical strategies ensure digital experiences support children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development?
• How can educators balance concerns around screen time with rich, purposeful, and developmentally appropriate digital learning experiences?

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

• In what ways can digital tools deepen children’s understanding of environmental responsibility without disconnecting them from real-world experiences?
• How can early years settings nurture children’s sense of responsibility, empathy, and care for the natural world through everyday practice?
• What role do hands-on exploration and appropriate risk-taking experiences in strengthening resilience and ecological awareness?
• How can the Sustainable Development Goals be made meaningful and developmentally appropriate for young children?

Focus Points:

• Climate and sustainability education in early childhood
• Building ecological empathy, responsibility, and resilience
• Integrating environmental awareness into everyday classroom practice

• What practices support the development of empathy, conflict-resolution skills, and emotional intelligence in both physical and digital spaces?
• How can early years environments strengthen children’s sense of identity, belonging, and voice in a rapidly changing world?
• How can educators meaningfully embed children’s rights into daily routines, decision-making, and curriculum design?
• How can leaders cultivate school cultures that prioritise holistic development, wellbeing, ethical responsibility, and inclusive practice?

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

• In what ways can emerging technologies be thoughtfully integrated to enrich, rather than dominate, children’s literacy and inquiry experiences?
• How can educators nurture curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking by intentionally strengthening language development, imagination, and problem-solving skills?
• How can boredom be reframed as a valuable space for reflection, innovation, and resilience?
• What practical classroom approaches help children become confident communicators, collaborators, and independent thinkers?

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