The Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America began 39 years ago when a small group of Waldorf early childhood colleagues came together to share experiences, develop resources, and deepen their work. WECAN is now an association of over 500 individual members, 205 organizational members and affiliates, 9 board members, 11 mostly part-time staff members, and 20 volunteer regional representatives, spread across the continent and the islands of Hawaii and Puerto Rico. On behalf of our members, we encourage and support research regarding Waldorf early childhood education and the development of the young child, provide resources and forums for the exchange of information, interact with other educational organizations representing a wide spectrum of ideas about early childhood education, support the development of early childhood programs through a path to membership involving self-study and peer review, and work together with other organizations that share similar goals and ideals, including AWSNA.

The mission of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America is to foster a new cultural impulse for the education and care of the young child from pre-birth to age seven. WECAN is committed to nurturing childhood as a foundation for renewing human culture.