2026 Infant Toddler Conference

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Join us for the 29th Annual Infant Toddler Conference: Follow Their Path: The Infant & Toddler Journey at Oakton College’s Des Plaines Campus on Saturday, March 7, 2026.

This year will look a little different. You will be able to pre-register for one workshop in Session A and one in Session B, which means you can visit different classrooms instead of staying in one room like previous years.

Be sure to stop by the resource area to meet our vendors, and see new materials and ideas for your work with infants and toddlers.

We will have lite snacks during the break, but please bring your own drink, as there will be no coffee or tea service this year so that we can keep registration costs low. We can’t wait to see you there.

Schedule: 4-hours of Gateways approved inservice hours

7:30am Check-in at table (no tickets needed, check in with last name)

8-10:00am Session A

10-10:30am Break (grab a snack or bring your own, visit resource area)

10:30am -12:30pm Session B

Cost:

Early Bird- $30 each, or groups of 5+ $25 each. Prices good until 2/13/26.

After 2/13/26 $35 each, or groups of 5+ $30 each.

Please note we do have a you may use, we suggest using the online as we anticipate workshops will fill and sell out quickly. If you wish to use the mail-in, printable registration form, please mail in ASAP, deadline for Mail-in registration ends Feb. 6, 2026, could be sooner if sold out. Don’t delay, register today!

Workshops:

Please open the to read the workshop descriptions. You will need to choose one to attend from each session. Your 4 hours of professional development will be documented with Gateways, please ensure your Gateways number is documented when you register. Certificates of attendance will also be shared at the conference.

Session A: 8:00am to 10:00 am

· Taking a Closer Look at Temperament Traits by Lynn Barts

· Little Explorers: Discovering Nature Together by Molly Babu

· Messy, Meaningful, and Magical: The Power of Play in the Early Years by Sabrina Robertson

· Why Do They Do That? Understanding Behavior and Development from Birth to 3 by Tracy Patton

· Desarrollando el Cerebro STEM en Bebes y Ninos Pequenos: Cultivando la Curiosidad, la Resolucion de Problemas y el Pensamiento Critico desde el Nacimiento hasta los Tres Anos by Allen Rosales

Session B: 10:30am to 12:30pm

· Tuneful Transitions: Songs for Routines, Relationships, and Readiness by Alyssa Stone

· Resilience in Early Childhood- What is it & How Do We Support It? By Lynn Barts

· Safe Beginnings: Foundation of Trauma-Informed Care for Infants and Toddlers by Sabrina Robertson

· The Mess We Make: STEM/STEAM learning with Infants and Toddlers by Tracy Patton

· Cuentos que Conectan: Libros Culturalmente Relevantes para Estudiantes Multilingues by Marcela Calderon Duran

For Workshop desctiptions, please .

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Host or Publisher Oakton College