Children and Family Resources

The YMCA offers programming for infants, children, youth through to seniors. From family swims to an overnight experiences as well as our after school program in Port Hawkesbury, our program build strong kids and strong families.

Charlotte Street, Sydney - Fall Fitness & Aquatics Schedule and Adult Program Descriptions & Schedule  - updated October 13, 2009.

Port Hawkesbury - Fall Fitness Schedule - updated October 13, 2009.

YMCA Preschool - Sydney, NS.

The YMCA Preschool Centre has been in operation for the past 25 years. The preschool opens in September and runs until mid June, following similar holidays as the public school system. The Centre is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am – 12:00pm. 

Children ages 3 to 5 can be registered in fun and educational programming that includes free play, daily gym sessions, fun with French, snacks, art and crafts, story time, music, outings, special guests, school readiness and more.

YMCA Playing to Learn

YMCA Playing to Learn is a child care curriculum that addresses the training and continuing education of early childhood educators employed by the YMCA and delivers on our promise to continuously improve the quality of programs and services provided to children.

We believe that YMCA Playing to Learn is the best approach to ensure a child's continued enthusiasm and capacity for life-long learning. It provides an understanding of how play offers the foundation for learning to read and write, and for learning mathematics, science and technology. It provides early childhood educators with the skills to prepare spaces that are more conducive to learning, and the best practices to encourage quality learning experiences. 

Preschool Sample Daily Schedule

8:30 Free Play - children choose area of interest.

9:30 Daily Gym - obstacle courses, relay games, sports, climbing apparatus, or combinations of these.

10:00 Fun with French - stories, fingerplays, puppets, flannel board - all in a second language.

10:15 Snack - some examples: juice, crackers, cheese, toast, fruit and vegetable slices, applesauce, banana bread.

10:30 Art - (free play continues as well), some examples of art: painting, cutting and pasting, drawing, group projects.

11:15 Circle Time - children are divided into 2 groups, a time for stories, music, ABC & 123, activities, school readiness tasks.

11:45 Preparation for home - children are encouraged to dress themselves as much as possible and gather their things together.

Click here to download a copy of the PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION FORM.