The health of our community is a priority for us and we are strictly adhering to the Government of Ontario’s COVID health and safety measures for early years programs. We will update this page as needed to keep you updated on the most current COVID protocols.

Please do a health check with your child(ren) each morning before you come to one of our centres. Symptoms to check for include:

Fever Cough Shortness of breath Sore throat Runny nose

Nasal congestion Headache Diarrhea Generally feeling unwell

If you are uncertain about whether or not to bring your child to Growing Tykes you can also take the Government of Ontario’s online self-screening tool for children. Parents/guardians, children, and staff must stay home if they are sick, even if their symptoms are very mild.

Other COVID protocols include:

Daily screening upon entry:

• You will have a set arrival time each day
• Your child will have a daily screening for symptoms
• A teacher will be at the door to escort your child to their classroom

Please note: parents are not allowed into our centres to minimize the risk to the children and staff at Growing Tykes. A teacher will greet your child at the front door and you will be able to check-in with their teacher at that time with your questions and concerns. You can also call and check-in with your child’s teacher throughout the day. Our teachers will fill in a “daily chart” each day and send it home with your kids to give you information about your child’s day.

Cleaning measures:

• Frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected at least twice a day as they are most likely to become contaminated (i.e. doorknobs, light switches, toilets and faucet handles, electronic devices, chairs, and tables etc.).
• We will follow local public health advice regarding best practices for cleaning and disinfecting of all items.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and masks:

• Supervisors working at the screening area outside will be required to wear full PPE (masks, shields, gloves, and gowns). Staff will wear medical masks and shields all day inside the classroom and in the hallways. If physical distancing can be maintained, staff may remove their masks and shields when outside on the playground.
• In accordance with the Ontario Ministry of Education guidelines masks are not recommended for children under the age of two. If you require your older child to wear a mask, please inform the supervisor at your child’s centre and ensure you provide your child with a clean mask daily.
• If a child falls ill while at the centre and they are over two-years-old, they may be required to wear a mask until they are picked up.

If your child is sick:

• Children who fall sick will immediately be isolated with a staff member in our isolation room and both child and staff will wear the PPE required for isolation. A parent/guardian will be called to immediately pick up their child. All parents are expected to pick up their sick child within 30 minutes.
• At this time, children cannot return to the centre for 5 days if they have any symptoms of COVID-19.