Let the Children Come

How Quality Early Childhood Programs Weave Faith, Belonging, and Community Into Daily Practice

Written by Barbie Perdomo, Early Childhood Specialist, Archdiocese of Miami, [email protected]

Children learn best when their deepest needs for faith, belonging, and community are woven into the fabric of daily life. In Catholic education, the earliest years are a powerful opportunity to shape not only what children know, but also who they are becoming. Yet all too often, faith formation and early childhood education remain separate worlds. This blog makes the case for something different: truly integrated programs where faith is not an add-on, but a living presence in every moment, relationship, and routine. When faith and child development work together from the start, both are strengthened and so is the entire school community. 

Early childhood is when children gain knowledge, skills, and values; everything blends together at this age. 

​When faith is woven into daily classroom life, relationships, routines, and interactions, children experience, understand, and remember it. Prayer during circle time, blessings before meals, and songs or prayers during transitions all provide real opportunities for faith formation. Teachers can model gospel values like sharing, kindness, and forgiveness throughout the day.

​This strong connection shows that understanding early childhood development is not just helpful in Catholic education, it is essential. To see why, let’s explore how a deeper understanding of young children changes classroom practice. 

Understanding the Young Child Changes Everything 

Teaching children from birth to five years old requires an understanding of how they grow and develop.  
Research shows that the period from birth to age five is a key time for brain development (Karonen, 2026). These years shape social, emotional, thinking, and language skills, which are all closely connected (Early Attachment and the Development of Social Communication: A Neuropsychological Approach, 2020). 

Even small differences in age matter a lot. Research by Luo and others shows that even a six-month age gap among young children can have a big effect on their emotional, language, and social development. This means that what works for four-year-olds may not work for three-year-olds. Toddlers and preschoolers need different kinds of support. ​That is why early childhood education is not just a smaller version of elementary school. It is its own unique stage of development. 

School leaders should recognize this, especially when hiring for early childhood programs. Teachers with experience teaching older children bring many strengths, but teaching infants, toddlers, and preschoolers requires adapting both mindset and approach. Leaders can provide professional development on early childhood growth, faith integration, and effective classroom practices. Pairing new teachers with experienced mentors gives steady support. Encouraging collaborative planning, classroom observation, and reflection helps teachers develop and better meet young children’s needs. These strategies strengthen staff capacity to nurture faith formation. Without these changes, teaching practices may default to the traditional extended group lessons, worksheets, or the expectation that young children sit quietly even when these may not support optimal learning. 

Why This Matters for Faith Formation 

Understanding child development clearly shapes how faith is woven into early childhood settings in a meaningful way. If young children learn by moving, exploring, and interacting, then faith formation should use these same approaches. 

It should not be limited to isolated teaching moments. 
It should not rely on passive listening or abstract ideas. 
It should not depend on children sitting still, listening, and repeating. 

Instead, faith formation should look like this: 

• Relational: experienced through caring and responsive interactions 
• Experiential: lived out in daily routines and moments. 
• Integrated: present throughout the day, not just at one time 
• Developmentally appropriate: matched to how children grow and learn 

When teachers understand both the mission of Catholic education and how children develop, their teaching changes. You can see these changes in daily classroom life, often in ways that leaders and visitors notice. Leaders might see children joining in prayer not just at set times, but also on their own, like praying for a friend or giving thanks after something good happens. Teachers can connect gospel values to what children do during play, pointing out kindness or forgiveness as it happens. The classroom might show faith through special spaces, faith-related artwork made by the children, or prayer tables that children can reach. Everyday routines like snack time, transitions, and morning arrivals become chances for blessings, songs, or shared gratitude. When conflicts arise, teachers guide children with dignity, respect, and reconciliation, grounded in Catholic values. 

They start to notice that: 

• Guiding a child through conflict is a moment of formation. Supporting a child’s emotional expression is a moment of formation. 
• Creating a calm, predictable environment is a moment of formation. Helping a child feel seen, heard, and valued is also a moment of formation. 

This is how faith becomes real for children. 

Let the Children Come 

In the Gospel, Jesus says, “Let the children come to me” (Matthew 19:14). 
He does not say, “Have the children sit and listen.” 
He does not say, “Have them repeat and memorize.” 
He says, “Let them come.”

Coming is an active choice. It takes movement, curiosity, and trust. This invitation matches what we know about how young children learn. They understand by exploring, engaging, asking questions, and interacting with the world around them. When we let children move, wonder, explore, and engage, learning becomes meaningful, real, and memorable. 

In Catholic education, children understand love, forgiveness, and belonging because they experience them. This is how formation takes place. 

Environments That Reflect Mission 

The classroom environment shapes how a child experiences faith. 

Mission-driven classrooms foster dignity and welcome. Materials are accessible, spaces encourage exploration and collaboration, and faith is visible in meaningful ways. 

Predictable routines, gentle transitions, and time for play help children feel safe, joyful, and full of wonder. 

Through these daily experiences, children learn dignity, compassion, gratitude, and belonging. 

Families as Partners in Formation 

Catholic teaching reminds us that families are the primary educators of their children. 

Early childhood programs can build strong partnerships with families, creating real collaboration and a smooth connection between home and school. 

This partnership strengthens formation and community. 

Why This Matters for Catholic School Leaders 

Strong early childhood programs do more than prepare children for elementary school. 

They shape the school’s culture. 

When children feel they belong, families stay connected for years. Early childhood opens the door to a vibrant, mission-driven community. 

For leaders, this is about more than readiness or enrollment. 

It is about the school’s identity. 

The Beginning of a Lifelong Journey 

The earliest years of Catholic education offer something truly special. In these classrooms, children find the beginnings of faith not just in words, but in real experiences. They learn that they are known, loved, and belong. 

And through these experiences, the seeds of faith begin to grow. 

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References 

Karonen, A. (2026). Longitudinal profiles of executive functioning from infancy to 5 years of age—A FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. Child Development. https://doi.org/10.1093/chidev/aacaf053

(2020). Early Attachment and the Development of Social Communication: A Neuropsychological Approach. PMC9024310. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1150-0190 

Luo, H., Lai, J. & Zhao, J. (2025). Parental Mindset and SES: Mitigating Income–Vocabulary Gap in Early Childhood of Emergent Bilinguals. Educ. Sci. 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020239