Photos courtesy of Nery Naya, M. Ed.
In Catholic education, we often speak about forming the whole child—mind, body, and spirit. Nowhere is this mission more important than in early childhood education. Research consistently shows that the years from birth to age five represent the most significant period of brain development in a person’s lifetime. During this window, children are forming neurological foundations that will shape their ability to learn, relate to others, regulate emotions, and understand the world around them.
For Catholic early learning centers, this developmental reality carries profound responsibility. If these years are when the brain is most receptive to growth, they are also the years when a child’s earliest understanding of God, love, and belonging begins to take shape. At our Early Learning Center, we believe that nurturing faith during these formative years is not simply part of our mission, it is at the heart of it.
In the early years, children learn through relationships and experiences long before they understand other concepts. This means that faith formation in early childhood looks different than it does in later grades. Rather than memorizing doctrine, our youngest learners encounter faith through daily experiences of love, prayer, kindness, and wonder.
Our classrooms intentionally integrate faith into everyday moments. Children learn simple prayers, hear stories from scripture, celebrate feast days, and see their teachers model Christ-like love in their interactions. Even our routines like sharing a meal, helping a friend, expressing gratitude, become opportunities to form the habits of faith.
By approaching early childhood education through this mission-driven lens, we recognize that we are helping lay the spiritual foundation upon which a child’s lifelong relationship with God may be built.
While our center plays an important role in a child’s early development, we never forget that parents are the primary educators of their children. Catholic schools and early learning centers exist to support and partner with families in their sacred vocation.
At our center, family partnership is not simply a philosophy, it is daily practice. We intentionally create opportunities for communication, collaboration, and community-building with our parents. Whether through classroom engagement, family events, or ongoing communication, we strive to ensure that families feel welcomed, informed, and supported.
Perhaps most importantly, we regularly express our gratitude to our parents. Entrusting someone with the care and formation of a young child is an act of tremendous trust. We often remind our families that we are honored to be part of their village, the extended community that helps raise and guide their children. This is a responsibility that we do not take lightly and is a big driving force behind a lot of what we do.
Strong family partnerships naturally lead to a deeper sense of belonging within the school community. For many families, an early learning center becomes one of the first communities they join as parents. These early experiences can shape how connected families feel to the broader parish and school community.
Because of this, we work intentionally to cultivate an environment where every family feels known, valued, and supported. Our goal is for parents to know that they are not walking the journey of raising children alone.
In joyful moments—such as celebrating milestones, achievements, and classroom events—we celebrate together. But equally important, in moments of challenge or uncertainty, our community seeks to surround families with compassion and support. Whether families are navigating transitions, hardships, or unexpected life circumstances, we want them to know that our community stands with them.
This culture of belonging transforms a school from simply being a place where children attend classes into a community where families find connection, encouragement, and faith-filled support.
When Catholic early childhood programs embrace a missiondriven approach, invest in authentic family partnerships, and cultivate a culture of belonging, something powerful happens. The early learning center becomes more than a childcare program or preschool—it becomes a place where faith is planted, families are strengthened, and communities are built.
The impact of this work extends far beyond the classroom walls. The children we nurture today will carry these early experiences of love, faith, and belonging with them for the rest of their lives. We are not simply teaching children letters, numbers, or routines. We are helping shape the hearts, minds, and souls of the next generation.
As we reflect on the sacred responsibility of early childhood education, we are reminded of Christ’s own words in Matthew 19:14: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” In our Catholic early learning centers, we live out this call each day—welcoming, nurturing, and forming our youngest learners with intention and love. The work happening in early childhood programs is not simply foundational; it is transformative. These first five years shape not only how a child learns, but how they love, believe, and belong. For this reason, early learning centers must be recognized and supported as essential ministries within Catholic education. When we invest in our youngest children, we are not only preparing them for school—we are helping guide them toward a lifetime rooted in faith, community, and the promise of who God is calling them to be.
Nery Naya, M. Ed.is the early learning director at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School in Altamonte Springs, FL, Diocese of Orlando.nnaya@smmschool.org