Ontario Early Years Centres provide free drop-in times and preregistered programs for parents and caregivers with children aged 0- 6 years. There’s a variety of toys, creative activities, circle time and snacks for children. Tel: (416) 630-8571 Website
Ages: 0- 6 years (accompanied by parents or caregivers)
Major Intersection: Sheppard Avenue West & Bathurst Street
Address: 4169 Bathurst St., Toronto, Ontario
Good to Know
- Children can participate in various activities e.g. art, music, sand, water play, storytelling, free play (programs may take place outside, weather-permitting). Drop-ins may be for specific age groups e.g. Love My Baby (0- 18 mos) and School Readiness (30 mos- 6 yrs). See their calendar for details.
- Earl Bales splash pad is beside the OEYC. A playground more suitable for preschoolers & up is beside the splash pad; Playground more suitable for toddlers is behind the Earl Bales Community Centre.
- Programs may take place in the Community Centre or historic house beside the Community Centre.
- Earl Bales OEYC is a satellite of York Centre OEYC.
If you make an inquiry, please mention that you saw this listing on the Melanie On-The-Go / Kids On-The-Go website. Thank you!
Want to give your two cents?
Share your thoughts below with other parents, caregivers and management. Only the rating and your child's age are mandatory, the rest is up to you!
Activities We Did:
OEYC program from 9:30 – 11:30 (Little Explorers)
Splash pad followed by some park fun!
Good to Go!:
The OEYC located in the white house was lot’s of fun! Most of the play and learn stations where set up outside. There was a play-doh table, painting table, puzzles table, easel with crayons, chalk for the paved entry way, lot’s of ride on toys & push toys, a caterpillar that you crawl trough, 2 play tents to play in. The white house was also open so we had access to the washrooms, the kitchen & the main playroom with some more quiet toys (puzzles, doll house). The washrooms has a change table and a mini-toilet for little ones! Snack is provided at this program, today; ice cream!
After the program we headed to the splash pad area in Earl Bales Park. It was lot’s of fun! Perfect for toddler and pre-schoolers. The sprays aren’t too high and all the kids that where there had lot’s and lot’s of fun running in the water. There is a frog that squirts water out of it’s mouth when you press the button next to it. You can also climb onto the frog – the kids all loved that!
Then we headed under a tree for a picnic. There is lot’s of shaded areas to spread out a blanket and there are lot’s of park benches and picnic tables too. We even saw some people doing a b-b-q towards the other end of the park.
Finally we played in the park on the equipment. There are some swings (2 for big kids, 1 for baby + one for children with special needs. There is a big climbing structure and a spider web too! The base of the play area is mulch, so don’t wear sandals because the pieces of wood will get stuck and may hurt you.
Not so Much/ Suggestions for Improvement:
Splash pad: there isn’t anywhere to the adults to sit – no benches, and no dry grassy area ether, so you have to stand, or sit on the pavement.
The swing for children with special needs was missing the safety belt.
Quick Tips for Others:
Free parking. Lot’s of it.
Close to Bathurst & Sheppard (bus accessible)
Washrooms (for the park & splash pad) are located inside the main building of the community centre.
They also have a vending machine for drinks and snacks inside.
Additional Ratings:
- Amenities: 5/5
- Value: 5/5
Activities We Did:
This time we played mostly with blocks, play-doh, the cornmeal basin (sand box), kitchenette, workbench table and puzzles.
Good to Go!:
We played with lot’s of fun toys; they have a new kitchenette and workbench table in one of the play areas (donated to the centre). Snack was provided (cantaloupe & Breton crackers). Then it was tidy up time and everyone got ready for circle time. There was a lag time before circle time started, but we kept busy reading books. Circle time was lot’s of fun, and they used a GIANT book when we sang Old McDonalds Farm.
Quick Tips for Others:
One room is “socks only” and has carpet so it’s warm, but the hallways, kitchen & bathroom, and one (out of 3) playroom is not, and the floor is quite cold. Bring some slippers or an extra pair of socks to keep your feet warm.
Additional Ratings:
- Amenities: 4/5
- Value: 5/5
Activities We Did:
- Educational toys (blocks, shape sorters, bead mazes, books)
- Scenery toys (play-doh, water basin, stand alone sand box)
- Gross motor skills toys (ride on toys, scooters, see-saws)
- Roll playing toys (dolls, plastic animals, puppets)
Good to Go!:
We visited in the summer when they have all the Gross Motor Skills toys outside on the lawn for the kids to play with. Most of the lawn is shaded so it was perfect on a sunny day. My daughter mainly likes to play inside where she goes straight for the educational toys – they have a wide variety, so the kids don’t easily get bored. Each room has it’s own section (kind of as described above). A nice big washroom with change table & a small toilet for the little ones. Also a step stool for washing hands.
Not so Much/ Suggestions for Improvement:
The inside of the building looks a bit worn down, but it’s clean and well maintained with freshly painted walls & mats or rugs on the floors. Also, when they have a program that serves a snack there isn’t one big enough spot for everyone to sit, everyone has to go in the different rooms, so the kids don’t get that “sit down at a table with my friends to have a snack” learning experience that they need for school readiness (that’s the name of the program after all).
Quick Tips for Others: Free Parking & very close to Bathurst & Sheppard Bus stop.
Additional Ratings:
- Amenities: 2.5/5
- Value: 3.5/5
Activities We Did:
My daughter played with toys while my son was on the baby mats playing with baby toys. There were only 2 watering cans and it was very busy so my daughter didn’t get to water the garden.
Good to Go!:
- The program was held outside and it was a nice day so the kids got some fresh air while they played (there are some trees to provide shade).
- The staff provided a snack towards the end which was nice.. although it was really busy so by the time we made our way over to the picnic table, all the food was gone!
- A fair assortment of baby toys (although you really can’t beat the Centre on Consumers Road- Don Valley East OEYC for baby toys!).
- They had a couple tables out with some arts and crafts materials although my daughter wasn’t interested in it.
- The small toilet in the washroom made it easier for my daughter to go potty since I had to hold my son at the same time.
Not so Much/ Suggestions for Improvement:
- Only a few baby mats so if there are more than 3 babies with their parents on the mats, no one can move around.
- No circle time and singing at this drop-in which I (and my kids) really enjoy!
- Very small water station with a few toys in it.
- It was pretty much free play which I was a little disappointed in because I thought there might be some structure to the program that my daughter could participate in… or at least a staff member showing my daughter the garden or something along those lines, given the drop-in theme was gardening and water play!
Quick Tips for Others:
- Don’t depend on snacks provided by the centre because there might not be enough to go around! Bring snacks for your kids.
Additional Ratings:
- Amenities: 2.5/5
- Value: 2/5