Press Release: Early Childhood Ireland’s National Pyjama Day takes place today!

60,000 children wear their PJs into preschool and creche to raise funds for children’s charities

Early Childhood Ireland’s National Pyjama Day takes place today, Friday 9 March!

60,000 children are wearing their pyjamas into 1,285 early childhood settings across Ireland today, with the funds raised by sponsorship helping to support charities working with children under the age of 6 who have additional needs.

Now in its 15th year, Early Childhood Ireland’s National Pyjama Day sees children and staff in early years settings sponsored to wear their PJs into creche and preschool on the day. It is the largest one-day fundraising event in the early childhood care and education sector and has, to date, raised over €2.75 million for charity.

Commenting, Teresa Heeney, CEO Early Childhood Ireland, said ‘All of us at Early Childhood Ireland are thrilled and excited to celebrate National Pyjama Day 2018. This is a very special day which celebrates children helping children and having fun, while raising vital funds for children’s charities. We have had a phenomenal response this year and would like to thank everyone who has signed up to participate.’

Early Childhood Ireland is encouraging settings to share photos and stories from their National Pyjama Day celebrations. These can be shared on Twitter using the hashtag #PJDay18, and on the official Facebook event page for National Pyjama Day.

Ms. Heeney concluded, ‘One of our favourite parts of PJ Day is seeing photos of the children and early years providers marking the day. In many settings, the group tells stories, builds dens, and sings nursery rhymes as part of the celebrations. It is this imagination, joy, and creativity that makes PJ Day such a wonderful experience every year.’

For more information on Early Childhood Ireland’s National Pyjama Day, please see the ECI website.

ENDS

For more information or media queries, please contact Grace Duffy on (01) 404 0644 or 086 1448768.

Note to editors
Early Childhood Ireland is the largest organisation in the early years sector. It represents 3,800 childcare members, who support over 100,000 children and their families through preschool, afterschool, and full day-care provision nationwide.

Early Childhood Ireland is supported by the Community Foundation for Ireland in the assessment and administration of the funds raised on National Pyjama Day. In 2017, National Pyjama Day raised almost €200,000. From this fund, grants were awarded to six charities: DeafHear.ie, Down Syndrome Ireland, AsIAm, The Irish Neonatal Health Alliance, Children in Hospital Ireland, and the National Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation.