Planning a visit to EarlyON in-person or online? Our EarlyON Experience page is designed to provide you with the information that you need to plan for your visit.
The YMCA of Three Rivers is the Lead Agency of EarlyON | Waterloo Region within the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. In 2024, the YMCA of Three Rivers is the EarlyON Child and Family Centre operator in the City of Stratford.
Learn what to expect from your EarlyON experience in Waterloo Region here.
Learn what to expect from your EarlyON experience in the City of Stratford here.
EarlyON Experience: Using KEyON
EarlyON Programs are available for families pre-conception, prenatally, and beyond. We know that children need much more than just immediate families to grow up strong. Our programs and services provide your whole family. We provide opportunities to play, explore, discover and learn in a supportive environment, free of cost.
We use the KEyON system for registration and attendance at EarlyON locations. All adult participating in EarlyON Child and Family Centre programs or services must have their own KEyON account. Please create your KEyON account prior to attending, or ask for help in creating an account during your visit.
KEyON accounts and KEyON fobs are not to be shared with other adults.
Create or login to your KEyON Account
For a visual guide to using KEyON, watch our KEyON How-To Video Series
To view program calendars for sites operated by in Waterloo Region, set your KEyON calendar to “Regional Municipality of Waterloo”.
To view program calendars for sites operated in the City of Stratford, set your KEyON calendar to “Perth County”.
Need help with KEyON?
Email earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca
Call 519-741-8585 x 3001
Watch our KEyON How-To Video Series
EarlyON Experience: Supervision of Children at EarlyON
Please actively supervise your child and engage in their learning and play experiences while at the EarlyON. This helps to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit.
Please speak to one of our EarlyON professionals if you need short-term supervision support for your child. This may be while you use the washroom or tend to a another child’s needs. The child’s adult must remain in the EarlyON for EarlyON professionals to provide short or long term childminding support.
If after entering EarlyON, you need to go outside or leave the EarlyON building or program space, you will be required to take your children with you. You can also choose to arrange care for your children with another onsite adult participant. If another adult is responsible for the supervision of your child, please tell our EarlyON professionals. This helps to keep your child safe should an emergency occur while you are outside of EarlyON. Our EarlyON professionals are not permitted to supervise children if their parent or caring adult has to exit the EarlyON.
Parents of all ages are welcome. Caregivers must be a minimum of 16 years of age to supervise a child in their care at EarlyON.
Child Protection and Adult Identification Policy
The YMCA of Three Rivers aims to uphold a high standard for child protection and child safety. This includes verifying the identity of adults who are entering our spaces. This is especially important in our spaces like EarlyON, where children are present.
EarlyON professionals reserve the right to ask adults entering EarlyON for Government-Issue Photo Identification. Only adults attending without children, and without a KEyON account will be required to show ID.
We have a duty to report disclosures or suspicions child abuse or neglect. Reports will be made to the appropriate child protection authority. This may include Family and Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region, Huron Perth Children’s Aid Society or other authority.
EarlyON Experience: Permission from Parents to Attend
In 2023, the Parent Attestation form was in place as a formal approval from parents or legal guardians for their child to attend EarlyON with a specific caregiver in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2024, we continue to encourage caregivers to ask the child’s parent or legal guardian for permission to attend EarlyON. The formal Parent Attestation Form is no longer required.
For questions about this change, please email earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca
EarlyON Experience: Health and Well-being
Masking
We encourage everyone to follow Ministry of Education and Public Health messaging in regards to masking.
Illness
If you or your child feel sick or have any new or worsening symptoms of illness, please stay home. Please only visit EarlyON after your symptoms are improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours for nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea). Please contact your health care provider if needed.
Children who are too ill to play, attend childcare, or attend school are too ill to come to EarlyON.
Complete the Ministry of Education COVID-19 screening prior to coming to the EarlyON. On arrival, EarlyON professionals will complete a quick health and safety screening with you.
EarlyON professionals will refuse entry if you have symptoms of illness. EarlyON professionals may also ask you to end your visit early if your symptoms get worse during your visit.
Cleaning and Infection Control Guidelines
Our EarlyON Child and Family Centre team members follow rigorous cleaning and sanitizing guidelines. Cleaning occurs before, during, and after your visit to the EarlyON. If you have questions about our cleaning or sanitizing practices, please ask us by emailing earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca
Nutrition
Please label all drinks and bring them in cups with lids. Parents and Caring Adults are welcome to bring take out coffee cups with lids. We encourage parents/caring adults to supervise their hot drinks at all times. Snack and eating areas are only available at select locations at this time.
Many of our sites also have food allergen restrictions. Be aware of allergen restrictions prior to your visit.
Please ask if eating areas are available and if food allergen restrictions are in place prior to your visit. Please call 519-741-8585 x 3001 or by email earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca at least one business day before your visit.
We continue to encourage families to breastfeed or chest feed anytime, anywhere, at EarlyON.
Pets
Pets are not able to attend indoor and outdoor EarlyON programs. Service animals (or service dogs in training) are able to attend all EarlyON programs and locations.
EarlyON Experience: Closures
Our KEyON calendars indicate planned and unplanned closures.
EarlyON close for all major holidays. We close the Saturday of long weekends.
We close for various Professional Development dates throughout the year. Please check EarlyON Locations Page or follow us on social media for information on upcoming closures.
We close mobile programs when school buses are cancelled in the area of the EarlyON. Online programs will continue as previously scheduled.
EarlyON Experience: Providing Photo Consent
It is important to us that the photos and pictures in our environment reflect the families that attend. We take photos to promote EarlyON Child and Family Centre programs and services. By signing the photo consent, you are providing a general release for us to use your photo. If you wish to provide photo consent, please fill out our release form for yourself and/or your child here.
Parents and Legal Guardians can sign our photo consent on behalf of themselves and their children. Caring adults are only able to approve the Photo Consent for themselves.
Please email earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca to remove your consent.
If you wish to update your photo consent, please complete the form again with the new information.
Feedback
We welcome your feedback about our EarlyON locations, programs and services. To share your feedback, you can:
- Talk with an EarlyON professional during your visit
- Email us!
- Call us at 519-741-8585 x 3001
- Subscribe to our e-news which includes participant feedback surveys throughout the year
To connect with EarlyON at Anishnabeg Outreach’s Indigenous-Led EarlyON Child and Family Centre, please email earlyon@aocan.org
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