National Association for the Education of Young Children - NAEYC Annual Conference 2026

The official pages do not publish a total attendee figure, but describe the audience as thousands of early learning professionals. The exhibit floor features over 200 exhibitors. The audience spans administrators (directors and principals), faculty, higher education students, teachers, and trainers.

Registration for the 2026 Annual Conference is open online via NAEYC's registration portal (a NAEYC account is required to register).

Full-conference fees by tier:

• Member: $410 early bird (ends Sept. 11), $440 regular (Sept. 12–Oct. 30), $510 after Oct. 30
• Nonmember: $615 / $645 / $720 (includes complimentary NAEYC membership)
• One-Day Member: $295 / $330 / $400
• One-Day Nonmember: $465 / $500 / $570

Groups receive a $10 discount per person, and groups of 10 or more receive $10 off each conference registration fee. Payment is accepted by credit card, check, or purchase order. Fees are nonrefundable after October 30, 2026, and cancellations submitted by October 30 incur a $100 processing charge. Name badges are not mailed in advance; credentials can be picked up onsite in the registration area starting Friday, December 4 at 1:00 PM.

NAEYC's Annual Conference is a long-running gathering of the early childhood education profession. The 2026 edition is a centennial celebration — NAEYC turned 100 in 2026, and the association is marking the milestone in Washington, DC, the city where its conference started. The organization has grown into a leading professional membership association for early childhood educators, and the conference has become one of the world's largest events of its kind, with a signature "Roaring '20s Party: Cheers to 100 years!" celebration anchoring the 2026 program.