The MPE Kids Program
Registration is open! Please visit our MPEKIDS website to register.
Join MPE Kids for 2023!
The children’s schedule is designed to fit around the general MPE schedule so parents won’t have to miss a single session. Friday and Saturday’s children’s schedule tentatively is as follows:
Friday, March 31
- 8 a.m. – Children’s Program opens for child drop off; late registration/payment area opens.
- 9 am. – Children’s program begins.
- Noon – LUNCH: Parents pick up children for lunch; Children’s Program closes.
- 12:45 p.m. – Children’s Program reopens for child drop off.
- 6:30 p.m. – Parents pick up children for the evening; Children’s Program closes.
Saturday, April 1
- 8 a.m. – Children’s Program opens for child drop off; late registration/payment area opens.
- 9 a.m. – Children’s program begins.
- Noon – LUNCH: Parents pick up children for lunch; Children’s Program closes.
- 12:45 p.m. – Children’s Program reopens for child drop off.
- 4 p.m. – Parents pick up children, Children’s Program closes.
The MPE Conference Policy on Children
Children are very important to MPE, since it is for their benefit that we exist to encourage and equip parents as educators. The MPE conference, however, is intended for parental enrichment. The general policy is that children under 13 not be in attendance at the conference workshop sessions (except nursing babies). This is due to seating limitations and to keep potential disruptions to a minimum during workshops. As always, parental discretion should be used throughout the conference to preserve the conference experience for other attendees. MPE reserves the right to dismiss unruly attendees.
MPE has made the following accommodations for children:
- All children accompanied by parents are welcome in the Vendor Hall.
- Nursing babies are welcome in the conference workshops. However, if your child is fussy or disruptive in any way, you should quietly exit the workshop so that the others will not be disturbed. A room will be available exclusively for mothers to nurse and diaper their babies.
- Parents with children under 5 are encouraged to pre-arrange for child care in order to attend conference workshops.
- Children between the ages of 5 and 12 (4 year old children accepted if they are attending with an older sibling) can be enrolled in MPE Kids – Children’s Program.
- Children age 13 and up are encouraged to attend the workshops and visit the Exhibitor Hall with their parents; they are admitted for free when accompanied by a parent at Registration.
- Strollers, wagons and other wheeled carriers are welcome in the Vendor Hall during the conference. However, strollers are not allowed in any of the workshop rooms, including the hallways. Please feel free to leave your stroller outside the Nursing Mother’s Room, which is near the Children’s Conference (MPEKIDS) Registration area. This area will not be monitored, so please do not leave any valuables with your stroller. We recommend baby carriers or backpacks to transport nursing babies.