Join Missouri’s premier early childhood event to grow your skills, expand your network, and bring fresh ideas back to your classroom or program. At CYY, you can:

• Connect with 1,800+ Peers: Network, collaborate, and share experiences with early childhood professionals from across Missouri and beyond.
• Customize Your Learning: Choose from over 130 targeted sessions tailored to your specific age group, audience, and areas of interest.
• Learn from Industry Experts: Gain actionable insights from top national keynote speakers, Missouri-based leaders, and frontline practitioners.
• Discover Valuable Resources: Explore the exhibitor hall to find the latest products, services, and curriculum tools for early childhood education.
• Get Direct Support: Visit the DESE Learning Lounge to connect face-to-face with Office of Childhood staff and MOPD Navigators.

The Conference on the Young Years (CYY) brings together over 1,800 dedicated professionals serving children from birth through third grade.

• Who Attends: Teachers, child care providers, directors, administrators, home visitors, parent educators, early intervention specialists, and caregivers across public, private, Head Start, and community-based programs.
• Targeted Sessions: Breakout presentations are tailored by age group, interest area, and professional role so you can find content immediately applicable to your work.
• Planning Your Schedule: Be sure to reference the Session Key in the conference program to easily identify sessions designed for your specific age group and setting.

Interest Areas:

Child Development
Classroom Environment
Culture/Diversity
Early Childhood Programming
Expressive Art/Music
Home Visiting
Language Arts and Literacy
Leadership/Management
School, Home, and Community
Social Emotional Development/Mental Health/Behaviors
Special Education/OT/PT/Inclusion
STEAM/STEM/Mathematics/Science

Ages Addressed:

Prenatal
Infants (0-11 Months)
Toddlers (12-35 Months)
Preschool (36-47 Months)
Pre-K (48 Months-Kindergarten Entry)
Kindergarten
Elementary (1st, 2nd, Or 3rd Grade)

Target Audience:

Beginning/Emerging
Intermediate/Established
Advanced/Experienced
Across Levels

2027 Conference on the Young Years Schedule and Fees

Earn up to 15 total clock hours toward your professional development by attending CYY sessions.

Available Clock Hours:

• Day 1: Up to 6 hours
• Day 2: Up to 6 hours
• Day 3: Up to 3 hours

1. Registration Requirements (Missouri Residents) To receive clock hours, you must have an active Missouri Professional Development System (MOPD) account before registering. During conference registration, your MOPD ID, First/Last Name, and Email Address must match your MOPD profile exactly.

• Note: Paper certificates will not be provided. Attendance is uploaded directly to the MOPD system after the conference.

Out-of-State Attendees: If you live or work outside of Missouri and require documentation of attendance, please contact Custom Meeting Planners prior to registering.

2. Name Badge & QR Code Policy Your conference name badge serves as your official identification and attendance tracker. It must be worn at all times, including during general presentations and provided meals.

• Session Scanning: You must scan IN and OUT of every session (including keynotes) with a planning committee member using the QR code on your badge.
• Punctuality: You must arrive on time and stay for the entire duration of the session to receive clock hour credit.
• Meals: Badges must be scanned to access provided meals.
• If you do not need clock hours/proof of attendance, you do not need to scan OUT when exiting a session.

3. Substitutions & Discrepancies

• Attendee Substitutions: Custom Meeting Planners must be notified before the conference or upon arrival at registration to transfer clock hour tracking to the new attendee.
• Attendance Issues: Any attendance discrepancies must be submitted in writing within 30 days post-conference.

The conference will be held on-site at Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake of the Ozarks (formerly Tan-Tar-A Conference Center).

Venue Address

494 Tan Tar A Drive
Osage Beach, MO 65065

CYY Group Room Rates

Use discount code YNGY to access our special conference pricing (available through Tuesday, February 2, 2027, or until the room block sells out):

How to Reserve Your Room

• Online: Click here to book online— Click the lodging link, then click "Group Login" on the right side of the page, enter the discount code "YNGY", and then enter your reservation dates and click "Check Availability".
• By Phone: Call 800-826-8272 and request the CYY Conference rate using group code YNGY.

Key Information

• Check-in: 4:00 PM
• Check-out: 11:00 AM
• Cut-Off Date: Tuesday, February 2, 2027

Important Booking Notice

⚠️ Third-Party Booking Notice: Please ensure you book directly through Margaritaville Lake Resort using our link or official phone number. If you book lodging through third-party sites or outside rental providers, you will not receive full access to resort amenities—specifically, on-site shuttle transportation is not included.

Planning to join us? Keep these key dates in mind as you prepare to register:

1. Registration Opens: December 2026
2. Program Brochure Available: December 2026 (Launches alongside registration so you can plan your schedule)
3. Registration Deadline: February 12, 2027

Note: Be sure to check back in December to download the official conference brochure, view session descriptions, and secure your spot!

Children:
The Conference on the Young Years is specifically designed to meet the professional development needs of adults working in the field of Early Childhood. To ensure presenters have the full and undivided attention of participants, we ask that children not be brought into conference sessions.

Meals:
The conference fee includes lunch on Thursday and Friday, as well as breakfast on Saturday. All other meals are on your own. Complimentary coffee will be available in Paradise Ballrooms on Thursday and Friday morning before opening announcements. Please note that snack packs will no longer be included in swag bags due to venue rules.

Lactation Room:
A lactation room is available for individuals who need a private space. Please visit the CYY registration table, and staff will provide access to the room reserved for your needs.

For More Information Contact:

OOC Professional Development Team
Email: MOPD@DESE.MO.GOV
Phone: 573-526-8273

Or

Custom Meeting Planners
Email: Jamie@custommeetingplanners.com 
Phone: 573-445-2965

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