Early Childhood

BEE’s Early Childhood work centers children’s right to experience joy, play, belonging, safety, and connection during their earliest years.

Through Play as Prevention, we use culturally responsive play, nature, literacy, movement, and family-centered experiences to strengthen protective factors for young children and caregivers. Our work recognizes play not simply as recreation, but as an important part of healthy development, relationship-building, healing, and prevention.

Programs include Nurturing Freedom Saturday Academy, developmental play groups, nature-based family experiences, literacy and creative arts activities, and Returning to Water.

Returning to Water expands access to swimming, water safety, and water-based experiences for families who have historically experienced barriers to water access. This work includes Swimmerships for families with neurodivergent children, supported through the Coastal Community Foundation, helping families access developmentally supportive and inclusive opportunities for swimming and water play.

Our early childhood work also extends beyond direct programming. We have organized with families and early educators to address racial inequities in preschool discipline and pushout and to advocate for a child care system in which children, families, and educators can thrive.

Key areas include:

Mission

  • Address trauma, implicit bias, and racism in early care.
  • Promote resilience and joy through ancestral practices.
  • Provide safe spaces and mental health support for caregivers and children.
  • Offer professional development on trauma-informed care and emotional wellness.
  • Cultivate healthy environments for early educators of diverse backgrounds.