Ontario Early Years Centres

Our centres provide an environment for parents and caregivers to visit, play and learn with their children (up to 6 years old) at no cost.

Working with a multitude of community agencies, we welcome families to attend any centre during our opening hours. In general, we offer:

Drop-in programs for free play or reading time
Scheduled programs and activities, such as daily Circle Time
Parent education programs and topical group discussions
Visits from community agencies (like the Well-Baby Clinic) by the local health nurse
School-readiness programming & literacy tips by an Early Literacy Specialist
Volunteer opportunities
Rural playgroups and toy & book lending through our Mobile Outreach service

Ontario Early Years Centres are government-funded, allowing the YMCA to maximize its continued commitment to families and child development. An integral member of the Northumberland Best Start Network, we invite you to review our complete guide to local programs, services, events and activities, by checking out the YMCA Children’s Centre Parenting Guide, which you can download from the Schedules page.

There are six Ontario Early Years Centres strategically located throughout Northumberland and the surrounding area, to better serve families in their local communities. Find the centre closest to you.

Early Years clients who wish to complete our online OEYC satisfaction survey can do so by clicking here.

Early Literacy

The Ontario Early Years Centres employ a dedicated Early Literacy Consultant to:

assist with school readiness
develop pre-reading skills for pre-schoolers
recognize the need for early intervention where required
provide referrals to professional services pertaining to early speech and language skills

The Early Literacy Consultant chairs the Northumberland Literacy Committee that leads the Great Literacy Race.