EarlyON | Waterloo Region operates within the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. We welcome families who live in and outside of Waterloo Region. All adults 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. You can also contact us at earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca or call 519-741-8585 x 3001 for KEyON account support. Please read the KEyON section at the bottom of this page for more information.

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 with opportunities to play, explore, discover and learn in a supportive environment, free of cost. Read through our program descriptions and review our KEyON calendars or visit our Locations Near Me page to learn more about in-person locations throughout our Region.

Child Protection and Adult Identification Policy

The YMCA of Three Rivers (Lead Agency for EarlyON | Waterloo Region) aims to uphold a high standard for child protection and child safety at all of our locations.

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.

All adults entering EarlyON Child and Family Centre locations who are not known to the EarlyON professional at the point of entry will be asked to provide government issue photo identification in order to attend EarlyON. All participants will also continue to be required to sign into KEyON.

Please note: Some EarlyON locations may choose to require Government-Issue Photo Identification for all adults entering as a consistent operational process.

Each adult entering EarlyON will be asked to have their own KEyON account or to create their own KEyON account onsite. KEyON accounts and KEyON fobs are not to be shared with other adults. Adults will be asked to provide photo identification when arriving prior to creating their account or prior to receiving a KEyON fob for accounts created offsite.

For questions about our new policy, please email earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca

EarlyON professionals also have a duty to report disclosures or suspicions of harm, neglect or abuse of children to Family and Children’s Services of Waterloo Region.

Permission from Parents to Attend

Parent Attestation

Please ensure that the child’s parent/legal guardian completes the Parent Attestation form if the child will be attending an EarlyON location with a caring adult who is not their parent/legal guardian. 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.

If the parent/legal guardian does not complete Parent Attestation prior to the child’s visit to the EarlyON, the child will not be able to attend the program that day. For more information, please call us at 519-741-8585 x 3001 or email us at earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca.

In 2023, Parent Attestations received will remain in effect until further notice and/or until guidance shifts. Click here for the 2023 Parent Attestation. All fields of the Parent Attestation must be completed accurately and in full for the Attestation to be approved. Parents/Legal Guardians are encouraged to complete the attestation online for time-sensitive review and approval.

If bringing a paper copy of the 2023 Parent Attestation to the EarlyON, caregivers will be required to wait at each visit for the paper copy to be approved in full prior to entry. Caregivers bringing a paper copy are also asked to bring the paper copy with them to each visit to an EarlyON location in 2023. As the Online 2023 Parent Attestation will be updated as guidance shifts, caregivers bringing a paper copy of the attestation assume responsibility to ensure that they are using the most recent paper copy of the 2023 Parent Attestation. The Caregiver and Parent/Legal Guardian are encouraged to visit this page prior to each EarlyON visit to ensure the paper copy of the 2023 Parent Attestation they are using is the correct version.

Supervision

We ask that you actively supervise your child and engage in their learning/play experiences while at the EarlyON to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit. Please keep your children with you at all times. Please speak to one of our EarlyON team members if you need any support.

Health and Well-being

Masking

We encourage everyone to follow Ministry of Education and Public Health messaging in regards to masking.

Complete a COVID-19 Screen Before You Come

Everyone entering an EarlyON Child and Family Centre location, program or service is encouraged to complete the Ministry of Education COVID-19 screening prior to coming to the EarlyON. You will be asked when you arrive about any symptoms you have. Please see illness policy below.

Illness

If you or your child feel sick or have any new or worsening symptoms of illness, whether or not they are COVID related, you should stay home until your symptoms are improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours for nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea) and contact your health care provider if needed.

EarlyON professionals may refuse entry and/or ask you to end your visit early if you have symptoms and/or symptoms of illness get worse during your visit.

For more information, click School and childcare screening or contact the EarlyON centre directly to learn more about their onsite health and safety policies and practices.

Children who are too ill to play, attend childcare, or attend school are too ill to come to the EarlyON Child and Family Centres.

Cleaning and Infection Control Guidelines

Our EarlyON Child and Family Centre team members follow rigorous cleaning and sanitizing guidelines 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/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/eating areas are only available at select locations at this time. Many of our sites also have food allergen restrictions. Please ensure that you are 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 by calling 519-741-8585 x 3001 or by emailing earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca at least one business day before your visit.

We continue to encourage families to breastfeed/chest feed anytime, anywhere, at EarlyON | Waterloo Region.

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.

Closures

Please login to your KEyON account and view our individual site calendars for information on what dates locations will be open and programs offered.

EarlyON close for all major holidays. We close for various Professional Development dates throughout the year. Please check our website or follow us on Facebook @EarlyONWR, Instagram @EarlyONWR, or Twitter @EarlyONWR for information on upcoming closures.

We share unexpected closures on our social media accounts.

Mobile programs close when school buses are cancelled. Online programs will continue as previously scheduled.

When we close, we will post it on our social media pages. (@EarlyONWR) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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 Waterloo Region. We promote both in print and on digital marketing. If you wish to consent, please fill out our release form for yourself and/or your child here: EarlyON Waterloo Region Photo Release Form

Please email earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca to remove your consent.

If you wish to update your photo consent by adding another child, please complete the form again with the information for the additional child.

Feedback

Speak to a staff member while you are on site
Email us!
Subscribe to our e-news which includes participant feedback surveys throughout the year

Updates

Sign up for our E-News today to stay in touch with us!
Get EarlyON | Waterloo Region updates, local events for families, and parenting news, directly to your inbox.

KEyON Registration

Step 1 : Create your KEyON Account

Go to KEyON and click Become a Member
Create your KEyON account by entering your account Information
Enter your child’s information
Repeat the last step for additional children in your household or under your care
NOTE: all adults must create their own account.
For support with creating your KEyON account, email earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca or call 519-741-8585 ext. 3001. You can also watch these videos on how to create or edit your account.

Step 2 : Pre-Register for Programs in KEyON

Go to KEyON and click Calendar
Choose the Regional Municipality of Waterloo from the first drop-down menu. Then chose the EarlyON location of your choice from the second drop-down menu
On the calendar, the legend at the top will tell you which programs are available (green checkmark) and which programs are full (red X). For questions around capacity, call us at 519-741-8585 ext. 3001 or by email us at earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca
Click an available program and agree to the disclaimer
Register the number of children you plan to attend the program with you and indicate their ages.

What if multiple adults are attending with one child? Each adult needs to complete the pre-registration. If your child is attending with multiple adults, please ensure the adult that is staying the longest pre-registers with the child. When the adult who has pre-registered with the child leaves the EarlyON program, the child must leave with that adult and will not be able to remain in the EarlyON program.

Is there a waiting lists for popular programs?

The KEyON system does not have wait lists at this time. Program Registration for programs does fill up quickly. Our registration deadlines are also firm.

You are able to register for up to 10 EarlyON programs at any one time. You can check your current pre-registration by clicking “View Pre-Registrations” in KEyON. Be the first to register! Sign up for our EarlyON Newsletter so you know when registration goes live!

Step 3: Registering for Speciality, Online or Outdoor Programs

The day before your EarlyON visit, an EarlyON team member will call you at the number listed in your KEyON account or email you to confirm the details of your visit. Please ensure that your contact information in your KEyON account is correct. Please watch this video series to learn more about updating your account information.
This contact marks the last chance to make any changes to your registration. Changes may include the addition of extra children to your registration and/or correcting the adult who will be bringing the children.

NOTE: View our Calendar and Programs page for pre-registration deadlines by program.

Viewing and Changing your Pre-Registered Programs

If you are no longer able to attend your pre-registered program or you would like to make an adjustment to the number of children you have registered, please make these changes in your KEyON account. To change or cancel your registration, please login to your KEyON account and follow the steps below. Please watch this video series to learn more about adjusting or cancelling your registration.

Login to your account at https://www.keyon.ca/ and go to Calendar
Choose the Regional Municipality of Waterloo from the first drop-down menu. Then choose the EarlyON location of your choice from the second drop-down menu
Click View Pre-Registered Programs
Click Edit to change the number of children registered for the program. Add any children you are bringing to your KEyON account.
Click Cancel to cancel your Registration for the program.

For support with the above, you can also call us at 519-741-8585 ext. 3001 or email earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca

How can I receive my KEyON key tag and QR Code?

Receiving a KEyON Key Tag in Person

For easy no-contact sign-in at EarlyON locations, bring your KEyON key tag with you! If you do not have a KEyON key tag, you can receive a key tag at your first visit to an in-person location. To do this, follow the steps below.

Create a KEyON account, and pre-register for in-person programming
When our team calls you the day before your visit, let them know that you do not have a KEyON key tag.
The location will ask you to provide government issue photo ID to receive a KEyON key tag (fob) for your account.

Participating in In-Person Programming

Ensure you have pre-registered for EarlyON programming using your KEyON account
Complete the Ministry of Education COVID-19 screening tool for all adults and children attending.
Get the parent to complete a Parent Attestation if you are a caregiver.
Once your programming time has ended, swipe your key tag on the scanner when leaving to sign yourself and your children out

If you have questions about your visit, either online or in-person, please email them to earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca or call us at 519-741-8585 ext. 3001.

KEyON Frequently Asked Questions Download

KEyON How-To Videos

Please Note: If you have questions about KEyON, please contact us at 519-741-8585 ext. 3001 or earlyyearsinfo@ytr.ymca.ca before contacting the main KEyON site directly. We can provide localized support that the main KEyON site is not able to do. To connect with EarlyON at Anishnabeg Outreach Indigenous Child and Family Centre, please email earlyon@aocan.org.