EarlyON Child and Family Centres can be found throughout Ontario with 30 located in the Windsor-Essex County area. In Kingsville, KEYS EarlyON is operated by Access County Community Support Services (ACCESS).

KEYS is a reference to the program’s origins when it was called Kingsville Early Years Steps to Learning.

The KEYS program first began 19 years ago under the agency of the Kingsville Youth Association. Later, the agency was renamed the Youth and Family Resource Network, and most recently renamed ACCESS. Over the years, the program has remained relatively the same with a few name changes.

KEYS EarlyON Child and Family Centre is a free drop-in program for children ages 0-6 years and their parents/caregivers.

Currently, KEYS EarlyON is open on the following dates and times:

• Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 11:30am
• Tuesday from 1:00pm to 3:00pm for Baby & Me
• Wednesday from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
• Virtual Storytime is every Thursday at 9:30am

The goal of KEYS EarlyON is to support early learning and development, engage parents/caregivers and make connections for families. We seek to achieve this goal by providing toys, activities and learning opportunities that are right for the age and development of each and every child.

KEYS EarlyON seeks to build relationships between children, their parents/caregivers, staff and the community. The program also offers support and referrals for families to a number of different resources. These include health and development, mental health, speech and language, employment and housing.

KEYS EarlyON aims to be a safe, welcoming, and nurturing environment for families.

For the 2022 year, KEYS EarlyON has approximately 200 children and 160 adults participating from Kingsville and the surrounding communities. The average daily number who attend our program is 12 participants.

Participation at KEYS EarlyON is free. Families can come when they are able within our program hours. We register parents/caregivers and their children upon their first visit and assign them an individual key fob. This is their sign-in each time they come to the centre and it tracks attendance.

Pre-registration is required for some programs like weekly Virtual Storytime or special events and field trips.

KEYS EarlyON is for both the child and the parent/caregiver. Children come in to play with toys and make new friends. They enjoy creating artwork with markers, paint and other materials as well as baking and cooking in the kitchen. They squish and roll play dough and other sensory items, use their bodies on balance boards and more.

Adults come to connect with other parents/ caregivers who may be experiencing similar joys and challenges of life and parenting. Families are welcomed when they enter the program and are free to play and learn in different areas of the room. KEYS also has an infant area with soft floor mats and infant toys to encourage growth of the whole child.

Children are provided a free nutritious snack in the middle of the program time. To close the program, everyone gathers for circle time in which they sing songs and dance, read stories from books and with puppets, props and other engaging items.

Parents/caregivers are encouraged to play with their children and experience the ups and downs of childhood alongside them. Adults are also free to talk with other adults and staff to make connections, offer and receive support, and know they are not alone in their parenting.

Here is some feedback from parents about KEYS EarlyON:

“The program has been amazing as a drop in activity centre.  Both my 2 year old and 9 month old enjoy the different toys, activities and stories and songs.  I have also really enjoyed networking with other parents.  It has become a safe place to get support from other parents and staff.  I only wish that more health centres had information on location and programs of local centres to refer to parents.”

“We are so grateful we found EarlyON because it is a great program for us and our son.  We get to meet other kids and parents of different ages.  It’s a safe space where Miss Marla and Miss Becky are very caring, respectful and knowledgeable.  There are activities and resources to truly foster learning and community.  During these early years its not easy to find support, and this is definitely a space for that, which is not easy to find.  It was a lifesaver for us because we had just moved to Canada and didn’t know anyone.”

KEYS EarlyON is funded through Ontario’s Ministry of Education.  KEYS EarlyON also looks for grants to supplement the funding.

Donations of toys, materials, and monies are welcome and are used to enhance activities and events.  Donations of diapers and formula are also accepted and are made available to families who attend KEYS EarlyON and those in the Kingsville community.