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ECEC educators often struggle with time constraints, limited digital skills, and uncertainty about how to adapt eTwinning projects to very young children. Language barriers and the need for strong parental involvement can also reduce participation.

Support should focus on simple, age-appropriate project models, mentoring, and ready-to-use examples that fit daily routines. Practical guidance on communication with families and safe digital practices is essential.

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ECEC educators may face several challenges when participating in eTwinning. Many teachers in early childhood education do not know eTwinning or its possibilities. I agree with other participants they may feel unsure about using technology or lack digital skills. They often have limited time and may think projects are too complicated, especially with very young children. Language can also be a barrier, and some are afraid of making mistakes, or they think you should be an English/Language teacher to participate in eTwinning.

To support ECEC teachers, it is important to offer simple and clear training, with step-by-step guidance and practical examples. You can organize both online and face-to-face dissemination activities. It is also helpful to motivate teachers to join beginner eTwinning courses. Encouragement, mentoring, and teamwork can help build confidence, especially when experienced teachers support beginners.

Useful resources include easy guides, short tutorials, ready-to-use project ideas, and simple digital tools. One effective way is to mentor or encourage a school to join a project with an experienced partner, helping them in their first steps so they feel more confident and supported.

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Shereen Salahat , Muqat Secondary Secondary 

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Shereen Salahat , Muqat Secondary Secondary 

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Early childhood educators face challenges in eTwinning such as limited digital skills, lack of time, and the need to adapt activities to young children’s abilities. Finding suitable partners and ensuring child safety are also concerns.

To support teachers, it is important to provide simple training, mentoring, and integrate projects into daily classroom activities.

Useful resources include ready-made project ideas, simple digital tools, and clear guidelines.

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ECEC educators may face challenges in eTwinning such as limited time, lack of confidence in using digital tools, and the perception that international collaboration is difficult with very young learners. In addition, adapting activities to the developmental stage of early childhood students can be challenging.

To support these teachers, I would provide simple, practical guidance and show that eTwinning projects can be flexible, playful, and integrated into daily routines. I would encourage small-scale activities focused on communication, creativity, and cultural exchange, using age-appropriate methods.

I could also offer ready-to-use resources such as simple project templates, examples of successful ECEC projects, and easy digital tools (like videos, photos, or collaborative boards). Continuous support, mentoring, and sharing good practices would help teachers feel more confident and motivated to participate.

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Challenges for ECEC teachers in eTwinning:

Limited digital skills

Lack of time to plan international projects

Adapting activities for young children

Limited access to devices or internet

Language barriers

How to support them:

Provide training workshops and guides

Share ready-to-use project ideas and lesson plans

Encourage peer support and mentoring

Offer simple activity templates for young learners

Helpful resources:

Lesson plans and project examples for early childhood

Tutorials on digital tools and safe online communication

Visual and interactive materials

Access to the eTwinning teacher community

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Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators face several significant challenges when participating in eTwinning projects. One of the main difficulties relates to the age and developmental stage of the children they work with. Since young children often have limited literacy skills and shorter attention spans, educators must design projects that are highly engaging, play-based, and developmentally appropriate. Creating meaningful international collaboration without relying on reading and writing requires additional creativity and careful planning.

Another challenge concerns digital competence and access to technology. Some ECEC educators may feel less confident using digital tools, and not all early childhood settings are well equipped with devices or reliable internet connections. At the same time, there can be pedagogical concerns about balancing screen time with the play-based, hands-on approach that characterizes early childhood education.

Time constraints and workload also present barriers. ECEC professionals typically have demanding daily routines that focus on care, supervision, and direct interaction with children. Coordinating an international project, communicating with partners, and managing online documentation require extra time and effort, which can feel overwhelming alongside existing responsibilities.

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Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators face several challenges when participating in eTwinning, mainly related to the young age of learners. Limited digital skills of children, the need for strong adult mediation, concerns about online safety, and lack of time or confidence in using digital tools are common barriers. In addition, some educators may feel that international projects are difficult to adapt to play-based learning and daily routines specific to early childhood education.

To support ECEC teachers, I would focus on providing simple, age-appropriate guidance and reassurance. eTwinning can be introduced through short, safe activities that emphasize creativity, play, and communication rather than technology itself. I can support teachers by offering ready-to-use activity ideas, templates for parental consent, examples of successful ECEC projects, and tutorials for basic digital tools. By promoting teamwork, mentoring, and gradual involvement, eTwinning can become an enjoyable and meaningful experience for both educators and young learners.

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ECEC educators face challenges related to age-appropriate activities, digital skills, and time constraints. As an ambassador, I can support them by providing mentorship, training, simplified project structures, digital tools, and networking opportunities, helping them confidently participate in eTwinning projects that engage young learners.

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ECEC educators can thrive in eTwinning when they understand that young children don’t need screens to collaborate, they need creativity, storytelling, exploration, and hands-on experiences. Your role is to make participation simple, light, and playful, offering templates, reassurance, and ready-made resources that fit naturally into the early childhood pedagogy.

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Early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers face challenges in engaging with eTwinning, particularly in terms of formal recognition of their participation in professional development (PD) activities and the quality certificates they have obtained, which do not always meet national requirements for continuous learning. As Ambassador, I would support them by advocating for this recognition and by offering targeted support that addresses their needs in new didactic methodologies (such as project-based learning) and facilitating children’s transition from kindergarten to primary school. Providing them with access to the TwinSpace for safe projects, Project Kits and peer learning through community groups and short online workshops is key to supporting them, reducing the time required and increasing the relevance of eTwinning to their work.

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We can support preschool education in the following ways:

– Practical demonstrations with very simple and visual projects.

– Examples of activities without requiring preschoolers to directly use technology.

– Step-by-step guidance for registering on the platform, starting a project and posting materials.

– Local/regional group of eTwinning educators where they can share ideas and resources.

– Linking projects to themes already foreseen in the annual planning (e.g. seasons, holidays, colors, friendship).

– Putting educators in contact with colleagues from other countries who work at the same level.

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As an eTwinning ambassador and with an activity carried out in preschool education, early education is extremely important because it constitutes the basis, the foundation of the entire education of the future student. Approaching innovative educational concepts such as STEM/STEAM, robotics, approaching science in an integrative manner, A.I in early education are the themes that I have addressed in the projects with preschoolers. Very many teachers in preschool education are interested in approaching educational collaboration through eTwinning projects and it is important that they are mentored for the implementation of qualitative projects with sustainability and impact in the medium and long term.

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Challenges ECEC Educators Face in eTwinning Participation

1. Limited Digital Skills and Confidence

Many ECEC educators may feel intimidated by digital tools or online platforms, especially if they perceive them as complex or not age-appropriate.

2. Young Children’s Developmental Stage

The students they work with (ages 0–6) often do not have the reading/writing skills necessary for direct participation, which can make teachers wonder how meaningful the involvement is for their pupils.

3. Time and Workload Pressure

Educators at this level already have packed schedules, and may see eTwinning as “additional work” rather than a tool that can be naturally integrated into their curriculum.

4. Language Barriers

Many ECEC educators may not feel comfortable using English or other foreign languages required in international communication.

How I Can Support ECEC Teachers

1. Offer Targeted, Hands-On Training

Organize workshops specifically for ECEC that focus on simple project ideas, visual communication tools, and short-term collaboration formats.

Use mother tongue/local language support wherever possible.

2. Promote Project-Based Examples with Visuals

Share successful mini-projects (e.g., seasons, colors, emotions, songs, storytelling) where children create artwork, videos, or class performances, and the teachers handle the platform interaction.

3. Mentoring and Peer Support

Pair new ECEC educators with experienced eTwinners or ambassadors for guidance.

Encourage participation in small, local projects as a first step before going international.

4. Focus on Process Over Product

Emphasize that the value lies in the intercultural exchange, teacher collaboration, and the process, rather than in polished digital outputs.

Useful Resources for ECEC in eTwinning

Ready-to-use project kits tailored for early learners, such as:

“My First eTwinning Project”

“Teddy Bear Adventures”

“Let’s Share a Song or a Rhyme”

Curated toolkits of simple digital tools (e.g., Padlet, BookCreator, Jigsaw Planet, Chatterpix) with step-by-step guides.

TwinSpace Templates with visual navigation for documenting children’s activities (photos, videos, audio recordings).

Translated guides or video tutorials for platform use in local languages.

A library of short, multilingual stories and songs that can be shared in international projects.

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Challenges Faced by ECEC Educators:

1. Age-Appropriate Activities:
Young children (3–6 years) have limited reading, writing, and digital skills, so teachers often struggle to find suitable eTwinning tasks.

2. Digital Safety & Limited Access:
Concerns about privacy, permissions for publishing student work, and lack of digital infrastructure in kindergartens.

3. Language & Communication Barriers:
Projects often require communication with partners abroad, which can feel intimidating for ECEC teachers who are less confident in English.

4. Lack of Time and Confidence:
ECEC educators may feel overwhelmed with daily care tasks and less confident with digital platforms like TwinSpace.

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Early childhood educators often face challenges with using technology and adapting eTwinning projects to suit the needs of young children.

Limited time and resources can also be obstacles.

To support them, I would provide simple, interactive, and age-appropriate resources such as visual materials, educational games, and examples of hands-on activities.

I would organize dedicated training sessions focused on collaboration methods and communication with parents. The goal is to help them integrate eTwinning in an accessible and enjoyable way for both teachers and children.

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Challenges and Support Strategies for ECEC Teachers in eTwinning

🔹 Main challenges ECEC educators face in participating in eTwinning:

1. Limited digital skills or confidence
Many early years teachers are less familiar with digital tools and may feel intimidated by platforms like TwinSpace or collaborative online tools.

2. Language barrier
Working in international projects may be overwhelming for educators who are not confident in English or another project language.

3. Perceived complexity of eTwinning
ECEC educators may believe that eTwinning projects require a high level of planning, reporting, or digital sophistication — which can be discouraging.

4. Age-specific constraints
Young children (3–6 years) cannot work online independently, so activities must be age-appropriate, visual, and sensory-focused, which some educators may find difficult to adapt to a project setting.

5. Lack of time or support
Educators may have limited time, especially in kindergartens with few staff members, and may not receive encouragement from school leadership.

🔹 How I can support ECEC teachers as an ambassador:

1. Offer hands-on, simplified training sessions
I would organize short, practical workshops specifically for ECEC educators, showing how to design simple, joyful projects with minimal digital stress.

2. Mentoring and peer support
Pair them with more experienced teachers or ambassadors for one-on-one guidance through their first project experience.

3. Showcase inspiring, age-appropriate projects
Share examples of successful ECEC eTwinning projects that are highly visual, artistic, and based on storytelling, play, and seasonal themes.

4. Help design mini-projects or 1-month activities
Support them in creating short-term, low-pressure projects that align with daily routines (colors, animals, emotions, cultural celebrations, etc.).

5. Reinforce confidence and celebrate small steps
Emphasize that it’s okay to start small, and that joy, creativity, and connection matter more than perfection.

🔹 What kind of resources can I provide to help them get started?

1. Templates for simple project plans (with clear objectives, age-appropriate tasks, and estimated timelines);

2. Visual and sensory-based activity guides, such as:

collaborative drawing/poster creation;

exchange of handmade greeting cards;

shared photo albums of classroom activities;

storybooks or puppet-show videos recorded by children;

3. Toolkits with easy digital tools for ECEC:

Canva for Kids;

Padlet (picture-based walls);

StoryJumper / BookCreator (to make collaborative e-books);

Flip (formerly Flipgrid) for video messages;

TwinSpace simplified navigation guide;

4. Multilingual resources or translated video tutorials (if available) to make content more accessible;

5. A shared “starter pack” for ECEC eTwinners – with examples, how-to guides, badge templates, and celebration ideas.

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I have had the opportunity to work on eTwinning projects with educators from Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and have noticed some specific challenges they face. Their work is very demanding, and time for extra activities is often limited. Also, adapting eTwinning projects to the needs of very young children requires creativity and patience, and sometimes access to technology can be limited.

To support them, I have tried to provide practical examples and age-appropriate resources such as simple activity plans, visual materials, and digital stories. I have also encouraged sharing experiences among educators, helping create a small support community.

I believe that with these kinds of resources and step-by-step guides for the eTwinning platform, ECEC educators can be motivated to engage in international projects, develop their digital skills, and offer children intercultural learning experiences from the earliest stages.

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Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators face several challenges when participating in eTwinning. Firstly, the very young age of their students means projects need to be carefully adapted to suit limited attention spans, developmental stages, and the need for hands-on, play-based learning rather than traditional academic tasks. Additionally, many ECEC educators may feel less confident using digital tools or managing online collaboration, especially since young children cannot independently use technology in the same way older students do. Time constraints and the perception that eTwinning projects are better suited to older students can also reduce motivation to get involved.

To support ECEC teachers, as an ambassador, I would focus on providing age-appropriate project ideas that emphasize creativity, storytelling, music, movement, and sensory activities, which can easily be adapted for young learners. Sharing simple digital tools that educators can use mainly for communication and sharing work (e.g., photos, drawings, short videos) is crucial. Offering training sessions and step-by-step guides tailored to the early childhood context can boost confidence. I would also create a resource bank with examples of successful ECEC eTwinning projects, templates for parental involvement, and guidelines for safe online collaboration suitable for this age group. Encouraging a community where ECEC educators can exchange ideas and support each other can further ease their participation in eTwinning.

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Monica Iuliana ONICA, Spiru Haret National College, Romania 

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Monica Iuliana ONICA, Spiru Haret National College, Romania 

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Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators face several challenges 🧸🎨 when it comes to participating in eTwinning. One of the biggest challenges is lack of time ⏰, as working with young children requires a lot of attention and careful planning 👶🧩. Technology and online platforms can sometimes seem complicated 💻😕 and hard to integrate into daily routines. Also, some educators may have little experience with international projects or online collaboration 🌍🤝.

As an eTwinning ambassador, I can support these teachers by organizing training sessions tailored to their needs 🧑‍🏫✨, focusing on simple, creative, and practical activities 🎨✂️ that are easy to include in their daily schedule. I can provide easy-to-use resources 📚🎥 like guides, activity examples, and eTwinning projects suitable for early childhood education 👩‍🎓👶.

Continuous support is key 💪💬, and encouraging the sharing of experiences and collaboration among colleagues can boost confidence and motivation 🙌🤗. This way, educators can actively participate in eTwinning projects, bringing joy and innovative educational methods to children 🌟🎉👧🧑.

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ECED educators face challenges in eTwinning projects:

preschoolers do not know how to write and count very well

do not know and cannot communicate in English

they cannot use various web 2.0 tools

There are many types of outdoor activities, paper craft and visual art, sports and dances, Montessori Maths and funny English plays, specific for this age.

Voice-based web tools, digital puzzles, and interactive video games are recommended.

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Challenges for ECEC educators in eTwinning:

Children are too young to use technology directly.

Lack of digital and international project experience.

Language barriers (English).

Limited time and resources.

Perception that eTwinning is not suitable for preschoolers.

How we can support them:

Practical training in using the eTwinning platform.

Simple model projects, adapted for young children.

Visual resources and translated materials.

Easy-to-start local/international partnerships.

Supportive communities between educators for the exchange of ideas.

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I frequently work with ECEC educators, as my projects are aimed at children aged 4 to 12. My advice to them is to adapt the activities according to the age of the children, the specifics of the group and the facilities of the institution. I strongly recommend that they do not give up on getting involved in eTwinning projects, as these projects are flexible enough to be adjusted to the needs of early education. I particularly appreciate ECEC educators who choose to participate in such projects – this demonstrates openness, professionalism and the desire to offer children valuable educational experiences, in a European spirit.

1.ECEC educators often face challenges such as lack of time, difficulty in adapting eTwinning activities to the needs and developmental level of young children, and limited digital skills.

2.They can support them by organising practical training sessions, personalised mentoring and providing examples of simple and engaging projects, adapted to their age. Teachers working with young students can be supported by providing age-appropriate educational resources, continuous training, integrating technology, and promoting the exchange of good practices.

3.I can provide them with step-by-step guides for starting an eTwinning project, examples of good practices, training materials, ideas for activities adapted to the age of the students and support in creating the profile and project page on the platform, tutorials.

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First, I am extremely happy and proud that the eTwinning project Small scientists across Europe is presented. I am founder of this eTwinning project that was part of an Erasmus+ project. We qualified at the European eTwinning Prizes 20 as Runner Up age category up to 6.

I am a kindergarten teacher, so my activity is in ECEC. Surely we have many limitations regarding the pupils' participation in projects (lack of resources, unable to speak a foreign language, unable to write, etc.), but we can implement many valuable and amazing projects, we can create our own materials and even conduct many activities without the use of technology. Surely, we can't compete in age categories with older pupils, but for our age level, we can proudly say that we have many, many examples of great projects that can be successfully implemented with even the youngest pupils.

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Small scientists across Europe - European eTwinning Prizes 20 / Runner Up

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Educators working in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) often face unique challenges when engaging in eTwinning projects:

Limited digital interaction: Young children learn best through play and physical activity, making digital-based projects difficult to apply directly.

Curriculum limitations: Early years curricula are often highly structured around local needs, leaving little time or flexibility for international projects.

Language barriers: Teachers may feel uncomfortable communicating in foreign languages, and young learners can’t engage with written content.

Lack of experience or confidence: Many ECEC teachers are unfamiliar with collaborative platforms and may not know where to start.

Technical barriers: Some early childhood institutions may lack sufficient technology or internet access.

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I work in the lower secondary school but in a comprehensive school with pre-primary and primary so I try to promote eTwinning in the lower grades giving support, kits or other projects examples . I also try to create a network with more experienced ECEC teachers.

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Some of the challenges that appear are the young Age of Learners which can make digital and international collaboration seem difficult. Also, the limited digital skills or confidence as many ECEC educators may be less familiar with digital tools or hesitant to use ICT with very young children.

In addition, some ECEC staff may not know that eTwinning is open to them or that it supports early learning principles.

How can eTwinning ambassadors support them? Well, we can offer mentorships based activities and encourage them constantly. We ca be part of their projects and initiatives. Another idea is to reassure them that most of the work can be non-digital: drawing, storytelling, singing, crafting—only documentation needs digital support. For this purpose, we can use eTwinning to share photos, drawings, and videos, rather than live or text-heavy activities.

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ECEC educators often face challenges like limited digital skills, concerns about young children's screen time, and difficulty adapting eTwinning projects to early childhood settings. To support them, I would offer simple, play-based project ideas, hands-on training, and age-appropriate tools that focus on creativity and communication rather than technology use. Providing templates, visual resources, and examples of successful ECEC projects can help build their confidence and participation.

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challenges of ECEC educators in participating in eTwinning

Young children's age, difficulties in actively integrating children in international digital projects, limited use of technology by young children, which requires indirect, educator-centered projects, lack of digital or language skills, some educators do not have enough confidence in their ICT or English communication skills.

Useful resources for involving ECEC educators in eTwinning

eTwinning guides for ECEC (available on the eTwinning Live platform or from national eTwinning Ambassadors), video tutorials on using the platform and collaborative tools (TwinSpace, Canva, Padlet, etc.), support from eTwinning Ambassadors – mentoring sessions or personalized advice.

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Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators face unique challenges when it comes to participating in eTwinning due to the developmental needs of young children, the specific pedagogical approaches involved, and the constraints of the early childhood education environment. I don't work with children, but if I would, as an eTwinning Ambassador, I would ask for support these educators in overcoming these challenges and provide them with appropriate resources and guidance to ensure that their participation in eTwinning is meaningful and impactful for both them and their young students.

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I teach lower primary grades and I can see that eTwinning is beneficial to young children and their education. Children come across many interesting topics, new methods, new technologies from the early stage. They learn to communicate with their peers, they learn about diversity and respect. There are a lot of challenges but working with young children and introducing eTwinning is of great importance.

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The challenges for ECEC educators can be to combine their curriculum and eTwinning projects for very young children learning their mother tongue. They discover that we all speak different languages and that we can communicate together if we learn to speak a common language among the multitude of languages that exist.

To help them find resources, I can use the sample videos available on eTwinning Europe's YouTube or on my country's eTwinning website.

Then I can find easy activities carried out by elementary school teachers that can be added to an eTwinning project, and examples of easy interactive and collaborative activities can also be given.

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ECEC educators often face challenges such as limited time, lack of familiarity with digital tools, and the need to adapt eTwinning projects to young children's developmental stages. To support them, I can offer tailored training sessions focused on simple, age-appropriate digital tools and project ideas that fit into their existing curriculum. Additionally, I would provide examples of successful eTwinning projects in early childhood education, along with practical resources like lesson plans, activity templates, and guides on how to involve young children in collaborative projects. My goal would be to make eTwinning accessible and manageable for ECEC educators, helping them integrate it smoothly into their daily practices.

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ECEC has a key role to play at schools. They are developing amazing projects via STEM, multicultural awareness and foreign language.

The most relevant challenge is pupil's age. So, it is important to encourage teachers to overcome this obstacle by offering the necessary resources and support.

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I teach in a secondary school so I do not have a direct experience with young children, but as an ambassador lot of collegueas hava asked suggestions and tip about how to face several specific challenges when engaging with eTwinning, a European platform for teachers to collaborate and develop projects. What I tell them is to follow steps gradually in order to involve young students . First af all many ECEC educators may lack the advanced digital skills required to effectively use eTwinning tools and platforms. The projects should be simple, interactive, and appealing to the developmental stages of preschoolers. There is the need to take into account that there is also a language barrier since eTwinning involves collaboration across different countries, which can pose language challenges, especially for teachers who may not be fluent in a common language. Limited access to technological resources like tablets, computers, and reliable internet connections in some early childhood settings can hinder participation. That 's why I always suggest to plan the project in team and be supportive each other in order to achieve better results.

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eTwinning offers numerous benefits for early childhood education, enhancing learning experiences and fostering important developmental skills in young children. By engaging with diverse cultures and languages, young learners develop cultural awareness and broaden their understanding of the world. The platform promotes collaboration and communication with peers from different countries, which enhances social and emotional development. Creative activities such as art, storytelling, and music make learning engaging and fun, while the introduction of basic digital skills in a safe environment prepares children for future technological use. Additionally, early childhood educators benefit from opportunities to share best practices, resources, and innovative teaching methods with their peers across Europe.

Challenges to participation in eTwinning for early childhood include limited technological resources, as many early childhood education centers may lack the necessary technology and internet access. Additionally, educators might need further training and support to effectively use eTwinning tools and integrate them into their curriculum. Language barriers can pose another challenge, with younger children and some educators facing difficulties due to language differences, requiring extra effort in communication and project collaboration. Moreover, time constraints are a significant issue, as early childhood educators often have busy schedules, making it challenging to find the time to plan and implement eTwinning projects.

To overcome these challenges, as an ambassador I can offer training and ongoing support to help educators feel confident using the eTwinning platform and collaboration and communication  tools. I can deliver a workshop to share examples of successful projects in early childhood education and support the set up of small, manageable projects that require minimal technology and can easily fit into the existing curriculum. Educators can use visual aids, translations, and multilingual resources to overcome language barriers.

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This eTwinning project involved a collective of approximately 35 professionals from the Netherlands, Finland, England, Sweden and Denmark, and engaged them in advancing professional training and experiential learning for children within their respective preschools through three 'learnathons'.

The inaugural learnathon, titled #First-meeting, unfolded a captivating narrative centred around the interaction between a child and a robot. This narrative also aims to illustrate the shared commitment to fostering communication and understanding between children and emerging technologies.

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eTwinning project: Co-Make - Computational thinking in early childhood education

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The eTwinning project for preschool children centred on learning in a digital world with the mindset of computational thinking, maker skills and creativity.

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As an eTwinning ambassador, helping ECEC educators involves addressing challenges such as digital skills, limited time, and communication barriers due to young children's development. To support them in using eTwinning in their teaching, it is important to provide training on suitable digital tools, gather resources that match early childhood curriculum goals, adjust project ideas that focus on sensory and play-based learning, build a helpful community, and engage parents in their children's eTwinning experiences. These efforts aim to increase global awareness and improve early childhood learning experiences.

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For early childhood education and care (ECEC) teachers, some of the challenges they may face in participating in eTwinning include:

1. Technical skills: Especially for more inexperienced teachers, they may experience difficulties in using the eTwinning platform and integrating digital tools. They may need more technical support and training.

2. Time constraints: ECEC teachers' busy schedules and classroom management responsibilities may prevent them from devoting enough time to eTwinning projects. More flexible working hours or project-oriented time arrangements may be required.

3. Language barriers: eTwinning projects that require international collaboration can lead to language barriers for teachers. Providing language support and translation resources may be helpful.

4. Support from school management: School administrators' failure to fully understand the importance and benefits of eTwinning may hinder teachers' participation. Efforts to inform and encourage managers may be required.

How can we support ECEC teachers?

1. Providing technical training and guidance: It is important to provide teachers with comprehensive training and support in the use of the eTwinning platform, integration of digital tools and management of projects.

2. Time management and flexibility: It may be useful to work with the school administration to develop more flexible working arrangements so that teachers can devote more time to eTwinning projects.

3. Providing language support: Providing teachers with translation tools, dictionaries and language education support that they can use in their project work will help them overcome language barriers.

4. Informing and encouraging school management: It is important to explain the educational benefits of eTwinning to school administrators and ensure their support. Thus, teachers' participation can be facilitated.

We can also provide ECEC teachers with the following resources to facilitate their participation in eTwinning:

- Getting started guides, training videos and information about eTwinning events.

- Providing project examples, sharing ideas and collaboration opportunities.

- Providing information about reward and recognition systems.

- Sharing experience and providing support by creating local teacher networks.

With these supports, it will be possible for ECEC teachers to integrate into eTwinning more easily and benefit more from the benefits it provides to their students.

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ECEB educators may face technological and pedagogical challenges in participating in eTwinning. eTwinning can support these teachers by offering online trainings and professional development opportunities. In addition, tools like eTwinning Desktop and eTwinning TwinSpace can help teachers establish connections and share resources

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As a preschool teacher myself, I can tell that Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators may face several challenges when it comes to their participation in eTwinning:

1. Lack of Training: Some educators may not be familiar with the eTwinning platform or how to use it effectively.

2. Age-Appropriate Content: Creating projects that are engaging and appropriate for young children can be difficult.

3. Technology Access: Not all educators or students may have access to the necessary technology or internet connectivity.

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ECEC educators often face challenges such as limited time, lack of familiarity with digital tools, and the need for age-appropriate activities. To support these teachers, I would provide hands-on workshops focusing on simple, engaging eTwinning projects that are easy to implement.

By offering a curated selection of resources, such as interactive storybooks, collaborative art projects, and virtual field trips, I can help make eTwinning accessible and exciting for young learners. Additionally, I would establish a support network for ECEC educators to share experiences and ideas, ensuring they feel confident and inspired to participate in eTwinning.

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I have seen excellent eTwinners from ECEC, so I guess there aren't any challenges that cannot be solved. Probably what is difficult for them is that their students are not independent. Both teachers and parents have to be engaged very much to help and support students. I could use wonderful eTwinning projects from other successful ECEC teacher (there are so many of them) to inspire other teachers when they see what their colleagues have done. If they can do it, then I can do it.

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Through previous experiences in cooperation with Early Childhood Education and Care educators encountered several challenges when participating in eTwinning, including limited access to technology and digital resources, time constraints due to demanding schedules, and the need for specialized guidance on adapting eTwinning projects to suit the developmental needs of young children. As an eTwinning Ambassador, I can offer support by providing tailored training workshops and resources specifically designed for ECEC educators, focusing on basic digital literacy skills, creative project ideas, and effective strategies for integrating eTwinning into early childhood curriculum.

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Maria Goreti Alves and Susana Rodrigues, Portugal

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Maria Goreti Alves and Susana Rodrigues, Portugal

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Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators may face several challenges when participating in eTwinning. We share some exemples:

Technical Skills - some ECEC educators may not be familiar with digital tools or platforms like eTwinning, so they may struggle with navigating the website, setting up profiles, or using communication tools.

Time Constraints - participating in eTwinning projects may require additional time for planning, communication with partner schools, and implementing collaborative activities.

Language Barriers - working with very young children language diferences can be a real constraint as young children have limited language proficiency themselves.

To support ECEC educators in overcoming these challenges and actively engaging in eTwinning, we can provide:

Training Workshops - offer workshops and training sessions specifically tailored to ECEC educators to enhance their digital skills and familiarize them with eTwinning tools and functionalities.

Online Tutorials and Guides - develop easy-to-follow tutorials and guides that provide step-by-step instructions on how to use eTwinning features, set up projects, and collaborate with partner schools.

eTwinning Kits - offer a repository of pre-designed project ideas and activities suitable for ECEC settings, along with guidance on how to adapt them to different cultural contexts and age groups.

Peer Support Networks - facilitate peer support networks where ECEC educators can connect with experienced eTwinning users, share best practices, and seek advice and guidance from their peers (e.g. through an eTwinning group).

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Melisa Husejnović, Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Melisa Husejnović, Bosnia and Herzegovina

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In a previous eTwinning project, I collaborated with Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators and gained valuable insights into their challenges. A primary obstacle they faced was incorporating web 2.0 tools into their teaching methods as they often worked in environments where technology integration was limited.

In projects involving ECEC educators, a strategic approach involves adapting activities to be more onsite-friendly. Recognizing their preference for non-digital methods, project activities can be designed to align with their teaching context, ensuring that educators can seamlessly integrate project components into their onsite teaching practices. This approach aims to make eTwinning projects more accessible and practical for ECEC educators, ultimately fostering greater engagement and collaboration within the educational community.

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Bertille Pitois France

I teach in second grade but I used to teach in kindergarten and I did some small projects . The kids loved it and we just learned a few words in English ( hello, good bye, merry Christmas, happy new year…) but the kids were really motivated ! There are so many things to do with young children, imagine a story and make the drawings, exchange Christmas cards, bookmarks…we can support the teachers by giving them some ideas of projects .

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I have helped Primary and Secondary school teachers and Teacher Trainees to develop eTwinning projects but I have never managed to involve my colleagues of Early Childhood schools.

I think that the Challenges for ECEC in eTwinning are:

Young age group: Limited digital literacy, attention spans, and online safety concerns.

Curriculum integration: Aligning projects with playful learning and developmental goals.

Time constraints: Managing workload and finding time for project planning and collaboration.

I could support ECEC Teachers by focusing on:

Age-appropriate activities: Suggesting fun, interactive tasks suited for young learners.

Curricular alignment: Helping tailor projects to specific early childhood goals and frameworks.

Time-saving resources: Providing ready-made materials, templates, and collaboration tools.

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ECEC educators participating in eTwinning can benefit enormously from a personalized approach. This approach can help educators gain confidence in using technology, develop digital skills and engage in meaningful eTwinning projects with children from diverse backgrounds, finding various ways to adapt activities to the children's age

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To support ECEC educators in eTwinning, I would offer guidance on adapting projects for young learners, providing age-appropriate resources and digital tools. Additionally, I would establish forums for educators to share best practices, discuss challenges, and access mentorship opportunities, fostering a supportive community for those working with early childhood students. This approach aims to enhance their confidence and active participation in eTwinning initiatives.

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Projects can be carried out even with young students, but the challenge will be the language

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Promotion of the successfull projects developed by motivating and skillful teachers it`s my way to support ECEC throught eTwinning. They demonstrate that common activities through pupils with these age can be done. Pupils (and parents) involved are developing many abilities, become more confident and critical thinking and communication are improved.

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ECEC is a priority for all European Member States. I can say that since 2010 when I started working with eTwinning I understand the importance of this platform and all topics can be used with all students. My colleagues who work with children in kindergarden proposed creative projects. As an ambassador I used sharing award- winning eTwinning projects as an example for other teachers. The kindergarden teachers need support to use digital tools for participate in that projects.

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I think that are some challenges for ECEC teachers but I think that the success of this type of projects is based on the high competences of the educator, the parents involvement and the interest in participate.

I think one of the challenge may be digital tools, also the language..

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ECEC educators face several challenges when participating in eTwinning, primarily due to the unique needs and characteristics of young students:

1. Technical Challenges

2. Age-Appropriate Activities

3. Parental Involvement and Permissions

ECEC educators might lack technical proficiency, making it difficult for them to navigate online platforms or utilize digital tools effectively.

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The report, that I have just read, recognises that the quality of ECEC provision is highly dependent on the professionalism, competence and commitment of staff working in the sector - and it is therefore increasingly important that there is continued support for staff training and development.I agree with this assertion. My school has got childen form 3 to 14 years old. In my experience teahcers that work in early age are more attarcyed to adopt new methodologies and It is easier to involve them in eTwinnign than teachers that work with students older.

The challenges that eTwinning project are various : the technologies, the languages but the teachers can do the difference .. They can choose Art, Music, Drama to engage pupils in various collaborative activities with foreing partner.

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I am a teacher first grade. Our school has titles School etwinning. We implement very successful eTwinning projects that win awards at the European level as well.

Important challenge is motivation. I try to encourage other teachers. I try to involve parents to project activities.

Challenge is technical side, becouse some educatorshas problem using digital tools.

It is not necessary to do complex projects, important is make it with fun, learn something new and enjoy time with collaborative work.

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I am one of the members of the "Small Scientists Across Europe" project team, a project that was runner up at the European Awards 2020, as you saw in the previous section. Indeed, the challenges are great, and the results are to measure. Success!

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I am a teacher in Kindergarten. Our school already has several titles School etwinning. We implement very successful eTwinning projects that win awards at the European level as well. I present these projects at training sessions for teachers in Kindergartens and motivate them to implement international cooperation projects. We are an example that beautiful projects can be done even with small children, of course it is a job mainly for the teacher, children are mainly actors. The teacher is the one who coordinates and documents it.

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I have read many aberrations here. ECEC (Early Childhood Education and Care) teachers do not face challenges when it comes to their participation in eTwinning, they quickly find suitable partners for collaborative projects, have access to technology and have digital skills. There are more early childhood education teachers involved in eTwinning projects, professional development activities or other actions, than mathematics or foreign language teachers.

Just need more resources for kindergartens.

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While my trainings and workshops with ECEC i explain the kindergarten teachers that you are doing this activies every day,just you dont share it anywhere and no one see your work. It would be better to create a project and post all your activities on the platform.

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There are some challnges in ECEC but along my long eT journey, I had several teachers at that stage as partners and we found ways to adapt the activities to that age.

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Due to research in early childhood education, various key components work together to provide a holistic learning experience for kids and young children. These components include:

1. Play-based Learning: Play is integral to early childhood education, promoting exploration, problem-solving, and creativity. Children engage with their environment, develop their imagination, and learn to interact with others through play.

2. Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum: Activities and materials are tailored to suit each age group's developmental needs and abilities. This ensures that children are challenged appropriately and can progress at their own pace.

3. Qualified and Dedicated Educators: Trained teachers who understand child development and effective teaching strategies play a crucial role in early childhood education. They create a nurturing and stimulating environment where children can thrive and reach their full potential.

4. Safe and Nurturing Environment: Physical and emotionally safe learning environments are essential for young children. When children feel secure and supported, they are more likely to engage in learning, take risks, and develop a positive attitude toward education.

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Early childhood education and care (ECEC) is the first step on the lifelong learning ladder. It provides young children with professional support to grow, learn, and flourish. While it benefits all children, it is even more crucial to children who may face additional needs or difficulties due to individual or family circumstances. All children must be able to benefit from high-quality ECEC, independently from their individual or family circumstances. It helps them develop to the best of their abilities and supports their well-being.

I have been involved in several etwinning and Erasmus projects with early childhood and I think we have been growing together. Young students of 3/6 years can give the older students a massive motivating input and teachers can have fruitful feedback as well.

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One of the most difficult aspects in the early childhood stage is the communication of the children themselves between schools, because they are very young, but you can think of some fun activity between them.

Don't forget that communication between teachers is also important. It is not necessary to do complex projects, just a compilation of common tasks carried out from time to time is enough. These types of things, even if they are simple, always enrich everyone and give prestige to the school.

As an ambassador, I must encourage these schoolmates to prepare them for this task, since I believe they have never thought to take it into account.

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The eTwinning Central Support Service organized a 3-day online seminar on "Media Literacy in Early Childhood and Care". The main purpose of the seminar was to develop media literacy and critical thinking in young learners, as well as to ensure the active participation of students in various projects. Teachers and experts from about 40 countries participated in the event.
Held trainings for Preschool educational institutions and tutor teachers within the framework of the eTwinning project Teachers were introduced to the possibilities of building a project-based lesson model on the platform and benefiting from online professional development opportunities. As a result of the 2-day training, common lesson models were created on the platform.

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I personally teach in an upper secondary school so I never worked in ECEC myself but as Pedagogical Coordinator for tuscany ITaly I talked to many ECEC teachers and I would say that probably the difficulty is that of using ICT and foreign language. Of course eTwinning breaks barriers, but you need to be brave and start.

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eTwinning opens a world to our students from their first years of schooling. Collaboration and communication with the rest of the partners participating in the projects is a challenge that is faced with enthusiasm.

Families play a fundamental role. Information is provided on the way of working and the protection of student data is taken into account. In turn, throughout the course, different workshops and activities are developed among families from partner countries to enrich the student's learning.

The game offers the possibility of creating a motivating environment in your teaching-learning process.

eTwinning projects are integrated into early childhood education programming and are a key tool for developing the curriculum. Activities such as anniversaries such as Halloween, Carnival, Peace or Christmas are usually the final products of eTwinning projects with young students.

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ECEC (Early Childhood Education and Care) educators encounter various challenges when participating in eTwinning, including limited access to technology, lack of digital skills training, and difficulties finding suitable project partners. To assist these educators, it's crucial to offer targeted training in technology integration, provide resources like guidebooks and templates, and create opportunities for professional development through workshops and webinars. This tailored approach helps ECEC educators gain confidence in using technology and engage in meaningful eTwinning projects with students from diverse backgrounds.

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Early childhood education ad care is one of the European priorities and I agree that children must be aware of differences and similarities since the first steps in education. That's why I would show ECEC teachers the best practices and award-winning projects made for ECEC. Manual activities mixed with online collaboration with schools in Europe is motivating for both children and teachers. Creativity is often a main skill among ECEC teachers and this is a great skill in eTwinning!

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I think that teachers who work in Early Childhood Education are dedicated and passionate people. Very strict curriculum and assessment in France, it is a challenge to lead projects in early childhood education. It is a priority for Europe.
As an Ambassador, I think that we have to show teachers projects that have been done using their daily activities and then show them the video of the project on digital storytelling lead to Robotics! Easy projects at first. The teachers needs to feel at ease with the planing and the collaboration.
For me, Etwinning Ambassador should also work with the local stakeholders to have a plan of trainman for volunteers teachers to master foreign languages and then to start project in the schools.
I think that teachers could first to do projects with other schools in France and then starts collaboration with other countries, the time to master the platform and to look for project that they would like to lead.
I think that it is very important that Ambassador communicate together and give contact of other ambassadors who work in the same level, although teacher teacher at another level could also do the training.
The mutualization of projects who received quality labels in each country is very important and very useful.

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Preschool teachers are the most active members of the eTwinning community in our country. They are very successful and doing good work. We get a lot of help from them and we help them when they need it

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I as eTwinning ambassador saw how a lot ineresting activities are done every casual day. So eTwinning helps to spread all activities and let go out from the box of thinking.
There are more and more kindergardens which are interested in etwinning iniciative activities. we help to involve in this cooperative surrouding.

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Using ICT and foreign language skills are challenges of ecec educators. Collaborative project is more difficult for that age. But motivation is the key. As an ambassador we encourage them to show their creativity on eTwinning.

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ECEC (Early Childhood Education and Care) educators face several challenges when it comes to their participation in eTwinning, such as limited access to technology, lack of training in digital skills, and difficulties in finding suitable partners for collaborative projects.

To support teachers working with this age of students, it is essential to provide them with relevant training on how to integrate technology into their teaching practices, use digital tools and platforms effectively, and develop the necessary skills to participate in eTwinning projects.

One way to provide this support is through professional development opportunities, such as workshops, webinars, and online courses, that are specifically designed to meet the needs of ECEC educators. These training opportunities can help educators to become familiar with the eTwinning platform and its features, as well as to explore innovative teaching practices that can enhance children's learning and development.

In addition to training, there are several resources that can be provided to ECEC educators to help them get involved in eTwinning. For example, a guidebook or handbook that outlines the steps to take to participate in an eTwinning project provides tips on finding suitable partners and offers suggestions for project topics and activities that can be helpful. Additionally, templates and examples of successful eTwinning projects that have been implemented with ECEC students can inspire and guide educators in developing their own projects.

Overall, supporting ECEC educators' participation in eTwinning requires a tailored approach that considers their specific needs and challenges. Providing them with relevant training, resources, and ongoing support can help to build their confidence in using technology and enable them to engage in meaningful collaborative projects with their students and peers from different countries.

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ECEC  has a key role to play in European Commission's vision to achieve a European Education Area by 2025- The children's first years are crucial for building up a positive learning path, but also for their social and personal health. That's why I would like  to inspire ECEC staff and organizations through:
1) presenting  easy projects related to the early childhood curricula and showing how to simplify languages, activities
2) giving example of timetables
2)  focusing on the benefits of of   collaborating with foreign schools
3) explaining what is e-Twinning about and the ESEP platform
4) offering resources, tools and support.
This year I have involved two kindergarteen teachers in an job shadowing in Spain and at end of activities they were very motivated to start an etwinning adventure.
But the keyword is "training" , because some difficulties are due to the lack of digital and linguistic competencies of the staff, that why I am planning to organize, or suggest specific course in that field. Of course also the lack of autonomy of this very young children or a big number of pupils in each class could be a problem.

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Here are some ways that an eTwinning ambassador can support teachers working with early age students:

1. Provide guidance on how to use technology in the classroom: eTwinning ambassadors can help teachers understand how to use technology effectively in the classroom. They can provide guidance on which tools and resources are best suited for early age students.

2. Share best practices: Ambassadors can share best practices from other teachers who have successfully used eTwinning projects with early age students. This can include tips on how to engage young learners and how to structure activities that are developmentally appropriate.

3. Offer training and professional development: Ambassadors can offer training sessions or workshops for teachers who want to learn more about eTwinning and how it can be used with early age students.

4. Connect teachers with other educators: Ambassadors can help connect teachers with other educators who are working with early age students through eTwinning projects. This can provide opportunities for collaboration and sharing of ideas.

5. Provide ongoing support: Ambassadors can offer ongoing support to teachers as they implement eTwinning projects in their classrooms. This can include answering questions, providing feedback, and offering suggestions for improvement.

I support them by visits with my students

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* inspire hope, open imagination for creative learning;
*show  the sucess projects stories who were awarded;
*present the importance of the ICT in teaching ( teahers)  and in learning ( pupils ) and the impacts of this program eTwinning on their pedagogical practises.

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Educators may be reluctant to embrace eTwinning projects because they are not in contact with successful experiences.

In my opinion, sharing practices between teachers and educators is the engine to encourage any teacher/educator to be part of this wonderful world that is eTwinning.

In Madeira there are already some successful projects in terms of pre-school education and I intend to promote moments in which it is possible to make known these successful experiences that have received eTwinning recognition.

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Early childhood education and care is really important because is the beginning of children development. I Work in an upper secondary school and part of my students are studying how to become an educator. Experiment eTwinning can be an advantage for them. Very young children are curious about digital tools and eTwinning can improve their skills and support their digital education.

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When other people do not pull their weight. This can be overcome by designing flexible activities that do not depend on deadlines.

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What do you think are the challenges that ECEC educators face when it comes to their participation in eTwinning? How can you support teachers working with this age of students? What kind of resources can you provide to them to help them to be involved in eTwinning?

ECEC (Early Childhood Education and Care) educators face several challenges such as

limited access to technology

lack of training in digital skills

difficulties in finding suitable partners for collaborative projects.

Teachers should be supported :

with relevant training on how to integrate technology into their teaching practices

in the use digital tools and platforms effectively

in the developping of the necessary skills to participate in eTwinning projects

through professional development opportunities, such as workshops, webinars, and online courses, that are specifically designed to meet the needs of ECEC educators

to explore innovative teaching practices that can enhance children's learning and development

to find suitable partners and offers suggestions for project topics and activities that can be helpful

linguistic support

to  tailor the approach in order to consider  specific needs and challenges.

to provide  relevant training, resources, and ongoing support in order to help the building of their confidence in using technology and

to enable them to engage in meaningful collaborative projects with their students and peers from different countries.

to create a community

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early childhood education is considered the official term for teaching young kids. More specifically, it refers to formal and informal educational programs that guide the growth and development of children throughout their preschool years (birth to age five).

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We must encourage the earlychildhood student and teachers to involve eTwinning projects.

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eTwinning projects and activities are perceived to promote international collaboration with other ECEC schools/services in other countries, improve relations between staff and children, and foster cooperation and collaboration among ECEC professionals. ETwinning increases staff awareness about the importance of using the internet safely and responsibly, increases other colleagues’ interest in eTwinning and builds a sense of inclusion within the ECEC school/service.

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As an ambassador, it's one of the great mission to promote Early Childhood Education and not the easiest.
Open up to other languages and other cultures is a challenge nowdays.
Wouldn't the challenge be to realize that we share cultures despite our differences ?
Start with simple activities; what games or songs do you know ? May be we play the same ?
Exchanging ideas through drawings, songs... And continue to support teachers in their project.

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Even though it is challenging, eTwinning projects in early childhood education are extraordinary. In my country, more and more educators are signing up on the platform and running successful projects. As an ambassador, I could involve the kindergartens in my locality to get involved by conducting information campaigns.

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The biggest challenges for ECEC teachers participating in eTwinning projects are represented by the language used or the lack of materials. All planned activities are implemented at the school with the presence and help of teachers. As an ambassador, I can support staff training in the use of the ESEP platform and eTwinning ICT tools. I can help the staff to choose the project to do and choose the tools needed for each activity I suggest informing families and the rest of the local community of the value of being part of the eTwinning network. We can even do events and invite parents to train them how to consult Twinspace and follow the stages of the project as guests Working on international early childhood projects would be important to encourage active and responsible citizenship.

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One of the most important challenges  would be motivation. I try to encourage teachers to involve parents to the activities: forums, theme days, dissemination of projects.
Another challenge could be technical side - some educators may not be good at using digital tools. The topic of time limitation is important too - educators may have limited time to use eTwinning dues to their busy schedules.

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I work in a school with students aged 6 to 10 years. when they come to school they are very small but eager for knowledge and willing to participate in all activities. I have been participating in eTwinning projects with them for many years, they love them especially when it comes to the use of technology and digital tools. The biggest challenge is to prepare the ground for their work, but that's why it's always a pleasure to watch them work on different tasks and activities, how they cooperate and help each other. It gives them the greatest satisfaction when they can show their activities to others via video conference and when they can cooperate with their peers from other schools (national or European) in this way.

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The challenges can be blending their syllabus and eTwinning projects for very young children who learn their mother tongue. They discover we all speak different languages and we can still communicate together if we learn how to speak one common language among the multitude of languages that exist.

To help them find resources, I can use the examples of videos available on eTwinning Europe Youtube or on my country’s eTwinning website.

Then I can find easy activities done by primary school teachers that can be added to an eTwinning project, examples of easy interactive and collaborative activities can be given as well.

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eTwinning projects connect and facilitate a meeting point between Early Childhood Education staff from different European countries interested in improving their digital and teaching skills.
As Ambassador it is necessary to show and underline how important is:
- to recognize the importance of the development of the digital competence of staff and children for the development of eTwinning projects.
- to identify different programmatic elements of school as the Digital Plans of Schools as a means to promote the improvement of the Digital Competence of the whole school community.
- to identify digital tools that facilitate the development of cooperative activities in eTwinning projects.
- to recognize the possible risks involved in the use of digital technologies from the Early Childhood Education stage.

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"Early childhood education and care has been identified as a priority area for cooperation under the European Education Area initiative for the period 2021-2030."
I can say that since I started working with eTwinning I really understood that every topic can be addressed with all ages of students. My school colleagues who work with very young children, have always participated with great creativity in the initiatives I have proposed in eTwinning. As an ambassador I want to take care of the training of kindergarten teachers by sharing award-winning eTwinning projects, such as for example the ones proposed in this section. Watching these videos is truly encouraging and motivating because it demonstrates children's competence when they are involved in motivating, engaging and certainly inclusive activities.

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ECEC is a challenge and teachers do need support and encouragement. Though, results and projects depict great success in this domain as well.

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The greatest challenges that I hear from our teachers are the young age of participants-students and the resources which teachers have for the implementation of eTwinning in their organizations.

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The greatest challenges for ECEC teachers, taking part in eTwinning projects, are represented by the language used for transnational interaction and by the young age of the pupils.

All the planned  activities are implemented at school with the presence and help of the teachers.

As an Ambassador I can provide support for staff training in the use of the ESEP platform and the eTwinning ICT tools. I can help the school staff finding the right topic

and new pedagogical strategies and methodologies.

I would suggest to inform the families and the rest of the local community about the value of being part of the eTwinning network. Some parents could be invited in the Twinspace as guests, giving their direct contribution to the project activities.

Starting eTwinning since early childhood would be important to encourage active and responsible citizenship. It could expose the young learners to new international contents and embed eTwinning in curricular activities.

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In this levels the difficult is higher because  language is a handicap but students are eager to do different things and work with handle and visual activities for them is great. An ambassador have to give support in the kind of tools, apps they can use in their projects. Where they can find information, where they can found contacts, ...

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ECEC educators may not have a lot of digital tool expertise, making it difficult for them to use the eTwinning platform effectively.
ECEP educators may not have time to devote to eTwinning projects as their teaching schedules are very busy.
Early childhood educators may need professional development training in their field. It is necessary to direct teachers to projects that can make their work easier when working with students of this age. ECEP educators may have difficulties in using a foreign language or ICT tools due to the age of their students.
Another important challenge is to involve students of that age in activities. It's really hard for a teacher.
As an ambassador, I assist and support them in using ICT tools and scheduling online meetings.
They use dramatization or short videos in which students express themselves.
In this way, children use different ways of communication, not only written or verbal, but also graphically and artistically.
It will be effective to use the "learning by doing" method on the basis of preschool children's learning.

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The challenges ECEC educators may face when participating to eTwinning can concern the language barrier and the young age of pupils that cannot autonomously. In fact, all the activities should be carried on at school with the constant help and guidance of teachers. As regards the ICT tools, an issue can be the inadequate school ICT equipment that may be an obstacle to the smooth running of the project.

AS ambassadors, we can  provide support for staff training in the use of ICT and new pedagogical strategies and methodologies; we can inform teachers about the value of being part of the eTwinning community, the ESEP platform, the best projects and practices, and the eTwinning role in fostering creativity, innovation, and digital and intercultural  competences even in young learners.

Moreover, it would be important to encourage the collaboration with other stakeholders, families and the municipality to promote active citizenship and embed eTwinning in curricular activities as a structured approach, a systemic way of teaching and learning.

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Teachers working as ECEC educators face more challenges than teachers working at other levels. They often have difficulties with educational technology. They also need more time to help their young students adjust to the school environment. These factors discourage their participation in programs that require consistency and time commitment. Also in Greece, most preschool teachers are alone in the classroom, without any help, as a result of which their time is very limited and their responsibilities are too many.
For all these reasons they need a lot of frequent guidance from us. We also schoold encurage them to networking with other teachers

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We can always organize etwinning webinars or onsite events with experienced ECEC educators to support newcomers.
The challenges might be:
- kindergarten timetable
- difficulty in using digital tools
- foreign language