Conference Information

General Information

You are invited to join the nation’s top educational leaders and presenters in early childhood education at our 40th Annual Southern California Conference for Pre-K, TK, Kindergarten, and First Grade educators. This is an amazing professional learning experience for all early childhood educators, including both the experienced and the novice teacher. Nationally recognized presenters, such as Keri Brown, Angela Griffith, Melissa Leach, Marsha McGuire, Adam Peterson, Deedee Wills, LeAnna Wolkis, and more promise to bring you 2 days of motivating and exciting research-based, cutting-edge tips, tricks and strategies that you can implement in your classroom tomorrow! Click here for the conference brochure. Click here to register now! 
 

Who Should Attend?

The Annual Conference is intended for Pre-K, Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, First Grade, Early Childhood, ESL, Bilingual, Head Start, Child Care Teachers and Administrators interested in the education of young children.

Top Reasons to Attend

  • Get tips, tricks, and best practices from the nation’s top-notch educational leaders, presenters, and consultants.
  • Choose from over 60 content-rich sessions that focus on teaching the standards in all areas, including reading, writing, math, science, technology, and much more!
  • Learn strategies to teach with rigor, relevance, and relationships.
  • Discover ways to motivate, engage, and prompt students to learn and achieve.
  • Get the most current research-based and brain-based teaching methodologies.
  • Gather ideas to incorporate play, inquiry, critical thinking, collaboration, and foster all domains of development: physical, emotional, social, and intellectual.
  • Enjoy tons of fun and motivational ideas that will encourage you to return to the classroom with a multitude of ideas that you can implement immediately.  
  • Develop strategies to identify and differentiate instruction for your at-risk and struggling students.
  • Explore the exhibits for the most current teacher tools, manipulatives, professional books, children’s books, computer hardware and software, science products, music products, art supplies, literacy products, learning games, and more!
  • Leave the conference with a renewed sense of why you love teaching and working with children.

What is the Annual Conference?

Through lectures, workshops, discussions, demonstrations and exhibits, the conference aim is to present exemplary practices and materials to the early childhood education community while fostering a critical examination of a wide range of philosophical viewpoints. This conference is produced by the Southern California Kindergarten Conference, Inc.

The Annual Conference consists of a Pre-Conference Workshop and a multi-day conference with exhibitors.  Participants will enjoy tons of fun and motivation that will encourage you to return to the classroom with a multitude of ideas that you can implement immediately. Choose from over 60 sessions that focus on Common Core State Standards, Differentiated Instruction, Classroom Management, Music and Movement, Art, Assessment, ELD/Bilingual Education, Language Arts, Math, Science, Parent Education, Physical Education, Special Education/Inclusion, Technology, Social Studies, and Transitional Kindergarten. Shop in the exhibits for manipulatives, professional books, children’s books, computer hardware and software, science products, music products, art supplies, literacy products, learning games, and more! Stroll through the Children’s art exhibit to gather ideas for art in your classroom, including paintings, collages, drawings, prints, class quilts, and murals! Most importantly, you can expect to leave the conference with a renewed sense of why you love teaching and working with children. 

When and Where is the Conference?

The 40th Annual Conference will be on February 6-7, 2026 at the Pasadena Convention Center - 300 E. Green Street, Pasadena, CA. 91101.
 

Hotel and Travel Information

Come stay with us in Pasadena at our conference hotel. Please mention that you are attending the Southern California Kindergarten Conference 2026 to get the attendee discounted rate.

The Hotel Dena

$229 a night
Call (626) 469-8100 or reserve online here
303 East Cordova Street, Pasadena CA  91101

Conference Attendance Certificate

Participants who attend the Pre-Conference Seminar on Friday, February 6th from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. will receive a certificate for 5 hours and 30 minutes of Continuing Professional Education credit.  Participants who attend the Pre-Conference Seminar and Sessions A and B on Friday, February 6th will receive a certificate for 8 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit. Each Participant who attends the Annual Conference on Friday, February 6th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, February 7th from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. will receive a certificate for 10 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit.

 

Schedule of Events

Thursday, February 5, 2026

2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.- Early Registration
 
Friday, February 6, 2026

7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.- Registration for Pre-Conference
8:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.- Pre-Conference Morning Session
11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.- Lunch on your Own
12:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.- Pre-Conference Afternoon Session
10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.- Exhibits/Children’s Art
2:00 p.m.- Registration for the 40th Annual Conference
3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.- Host/Hostess Orientation
4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.- Workshop A
5:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.- Break/Exhibits/Door Prizes announced
5:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.- Workshop B

Saturday, February 7, 2026

8:00 a.m.- Registration and Exhibits open
8:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.- Workshop C
9:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.- Break/Exhibits/Door Prizes announced
10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.- Workshop D
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.- Lunch on your own/Exhibits
1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.- Workshop E
2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.- Break/Exhibits/Door Prizes announced
2:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.- Workshop F
4:00 p.m.- Exhibits Close

Pre-Conference Format


The Pre-Conference is held on Friday, February 6, 2026 from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with time for lunch. The Pre-Conference full day seminar is designed to give attendees a deep dive into research/ and or evidence- based content relevant to today’s classrooms. Pre-Conference registered participants will select from a variety of topics in a morning session (page 6) and an afternoon session (page 7). Participants in the pre-conference will be offered 5 hours and 30 minutes of professional growth for this event and will leave refreshed and energized! Attend the Pre-Conference Seminar as a stand-alone course, add on sessions A and B for a extended day of learning, or attend both the Pre-conference and the 40th Annual Conference for the full conference experience.
 

Conference Format

The 40th Annual Conference is held on Friday, February 6, 2026 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (A and B workshops) and Saturday, February 7, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (C, D, E, and F workshops) You will hear major speakers, visit exhibits, attend six workshop sessions, and have time for lunch (lunch is not provided).

Conference Attendance Certificate

Participants who attend the Pre-Conference Seminar on Friday, February 6th from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. will receive a certificate for 5 hours and 30 minutes of Continuing Professional Education credit.  Participants who attend the Pre-Conference Seminar and Sessions A and B on Friday, February 6th will receive a certificate for 8 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit. Each Participant who attends the Annual Conference on Friday, February 6th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, February 7th from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. will receive a certificate for 10 hours of Continuing Professional Education credit.


Confirmation Letters will be emailed.  Keep your confirmation as proof of registration.
 

Handouts

Each attendee will have exclusive online access to all of the handouts for every session at the conference—a great source of quality tools, resources, and lesson ideas for you and your classroom. Download your handouts prior to the conference onto the device (smart phone, tablet, laptop, etc.) that you'll be bringing to the conference. or print your handouts and bring them with you. Handouts will not be provided at the event.

Continuing Education Units

Earn Graduate-Level Professional Development Semester Units for your completion with Southern California Kindergarten Conference with Courses4Teachers/ University of the Pacific. Click here for more information.

Host/Hostess

Each year, Hosts and Hostesses are needed to greet attendees, collect session tickets, assist with attendee seating, and offer help and assistance to presenters. Hosts and Hostesses will have their total conference registration refunded; however, they must be willing to work both days of the conference (February 6-7, 2026). Hosts and Hostesses will be selected on a first come, first-serve basis. As a Host and Hostess, every attempt will be made to assign you your first-choice session. However, if selected, your session schedule may be altered to fit the needs of the conference. Please do not volunteer if this will become a problem. Note: Participants requesting to be a host or hostess must submit registration payment which will be refunded after host or hostess has completed the assigned duties. Check the appropriate box on the registration form if you are interested in being a Host/Hostess.
 

Convince Your Admin to Attend

Do you need help convincing your administrators to send you to the Southen California Conference for Pre-K, TK, Kindergarten, and First Grade Educators? We have created a letter that you can copy and paste for your school administrators. Click here for the letter! Be sure to edit it to meet your needs and add any additional compelling information. We also recommend adjusting the tone of the email (if needed) to sound more authentic to you.  

Payment Policies

Registrations must be sent with a credit card, check, wire transfer, or money order.  Purchase orders may be sent as a way to hold a conference registration. If you send a Purchase Order, we'll email an invoice to you within 72 hours. Payment is due within 30 days. (no exceptions to this due date). Registrations will not take place until we receive the actual PO and all registration forms. No unpaid registrations, invoices, or unpaid PO’s will be allowed to attend the conference.

Refund Policies


NO REFUNDS WILL BE MADE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. If your registration is accepted but you are unable to attend, you may send a friend or colleague in your place. There are no refunds for no-shows.
NOTE: In the event the Conference is cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control, registration fees will be refunded, minus a $20 administrative fee.

 The Southern California Kindergarten Conference Payment and Refund Policies Can be found here.
 
Annual Conference February 6-7, 2026 at the Pasadena Convention Center, CA