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YMCA OF GREATER TORONTO

"You Are Appreciated!"

Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day, October 21, 2026

The messages below were shared by families, coworkers, and community partners to celebrate and thank the incredible people who care for and inspire children.

Those who provide both care and programs for children bring light to every day—they ignite curiosity, confidence, and joy in the lives they touch. We’re deeply grateful for all that you do.

Dear Educators,
I would like to sincerely thank you for all the care, patience, and kindness you have shown toward Hadi. We truly appreciate the time and effort you put into making each day a positive and enjoyable experience for our child.
It gives us great peace of mind knowing that Hadi is in such caring and supportive hands. Your encouragement, understanding, and dedication mean a lot to our family.
Thank you for helping Hadi learn, grow, and feel comfortable and happy at daycare. We are very grateful for everything you do.
From Imran kara
The YMCA Child Care Educators who provide JK before- and after-school care at St. Christopher’s are truly wonderful! They create a warm, welcoming, and supportive environment where children feel safe, cared for, and excited to be part of the program. Their patience, kindness, and dedication shine through in the way they connect with each child and make them feel valued. My daughter literally never wants to leave because she is having so much fun!
We are so grateful for the care, energy, and enthusiasm they bring each day. Knowing our child is in such caring and capable hands before and after school gives us peace of mind and makes such a positive difference. Thank you to YMCA child educators for all that you do to make the program such a special part of child's day!
From Prodenzino Family
Leaving our little ones behind to go to work is one of the hardest things we have to do as parents, and it often breaks our hearts. But walking away becomes so much easier knowing they are safe, protected, and in the gentlest hands.
To the incredible daycare staff and educators at St. Rose of Lima YMCA, thank you from the very bottom of our hearts. Your endless patience, warmth, and kindness make you feel less like teachers and more like a second family to our children. It brings us so much peace and joy to see how much they are learning, growing, and thriving under your care. Thank you for loving our babies as your own—you mean the world to us! 🧸❤️
From Alliah’s mama and dada
To the outstanding team at the YMCA Ridgeway Centre,
Today, we celebrate you! I want to share my deepest appreciation for the incredible environment you create. Being able to step into my full-time career while remaining completely worry-free about my child's well-being is an absolute privilege. Your patience, energy, and dedication do not go unnoticed. You are why my daughter is happy. Thanks for taking care of every child like yours.
Happy Child Care Worker & Early Childhood Educator Day to all the staff out there. You all do an amazing job.
From Dhanya and Gupta (Shravya’s parents)
We are so grateful to all the amazing staff at John English YMCA! Thank you for your kindness, patience, and care. You make the YMCA such a welcoming and positive place for the children. We truly appreciate everything you do! ❤️
Tenzin
From Tsundue
Thank you for all the love, care, and patience you give our children every day. Knowing that Lena is surrounded by such caring educators gives us so much peace of mind. We truly appreciate everything you do and the positive impact you have on her life. We are very grateful to have you! ❤️
From Lena&Family
Dear YMCA Teachers,
Thank you so much for your kindness, patience, and dedication. We truly appreciate all the care, encouragement, and support you give every day. Your positive attitude and commitment make such a wonderful difference.
Thank you for creating a welcoming and caring environment and for helping our children learn, grow, and feel confident. My son Kalden loves and enjoys at Y because of all the amazing teachers .We are very grateful for everything you do!
From Tashi Dewatsang & family
Thank you for everything you do every day! Your dedication, energy, and support means everything to us! You are all amazing humans!!!
From McPherson Family
Dear Infant & Toddler Room Teachers,
As Umaiza makes the big move from the infant room to the toddler room, we wanted to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to all of you!
To her infant room teachers: Thank you for providing such a safe, gentle, and loving space for Umaiza during her first major milestones. Knowing she was in such warm hands gave us so much peace of mind every single day.
To her toddler room teachers: Thank you for welcoming Umaiza with open arms and guiding her through this fun new stage of exploration, learning, and big adventures!
We are so grateful for the dedication and heart every single one of you puts into caring for her.
From Umaiza's family
Thank you to all the YMCA Brownridge educators, especially Jenny and Victoria, who have been helping our daughter through her transition into daycare. Starting daycare for the first time has been a big adjustment for her (and for us!), and we’re so grateful for the patience, warmth, and reassurance you’ve shown her along the way.
Seeing how you comfort her when she’s upset, celebrate her little moments of progress, and help her slowly become more comfortable in a new environment means so much to our family. We truly appreciate everything you do to make her feel safe, cared for, and loved while she’s away from us. ❤️
From Stella’s parents
Thank you to all the educators at YMCA North Etobicoke for the care, patience, and love you show our children every day. As a parent, I was initially worried about leaving her in someone else’s care, but you made the transition so easy and reassuring. Now that she is in the toddler room, she absolutely loves daycare and that means so much to us. We truly appreciate everything you do!
From Anaiah’s Parents
The YMCA child care educators that care for our daughter are amazing in every way. Endless patience, kindness, creativity.
We are so incredibly grateful for their dedication and care day in and day out ❤️❤️❤️
From Heather Woischwill
A huge thank you to all the amazing educators at Rouge Park YMCA Daycare!
From Owen's very first day, when he cried almost the entire day, to now seeing him laughing, playing, and having so much fun with his friends, it has been wonderful to see how much he has grown over the past one year.
Thank you for all the patience, kindness, and care you have shown Owen. It means so much to us knowing that he is in such good hands every day. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of Owen’s journey. Thank you for taking such good care of our little guy!
From Owen's Family
The staff at our location, Adrian and Emma, are simply wonderful. My daughter always talks about how much fun she has and all the special crafts she gets to make. The staff are also super easy to talk to and are wonderful communicators both in person and via email. We are so thrilled to be part of the YMCA in our community and I feel such a sense of relief that my child is so well cared for.
From Emily
Thank you to all my wonderful Rouge Park preschool and toddler educators! I’ve learned and grown so much throughout my journey here. You’ve taught me so much and helped me become who I am today. Thank you for pouring your hearts into caring for me, guiding me, and helping me grow.
From Silly Con Con
A big thank you to all the amazing educators for everything you do! ❤️ Your patience, kindness, and care never go unnoticed. We truly appreciate all the love and effort you put into making daycare such a happy and welcoming place for our little ones! 🥰
From Alessia
Thank you for everything you do Michelle; Megan and Maryam!! The hours we spend together helps me grow to be a kind and considerate person.
From Diya
It warms my heart to know how well taken care of Riley and Caleb are each day. We are truly thankful that you take such good care of the boys and we appreciate you very very much.
From Gramma (the boys call me Gigi)
We are so very thankful for our wonderful educators at Derry Woods YMCA, who enrich our sons life and teach him so much. You are part of our village and we couldn't be more blessed. Thank you for all your love, patience and kindness.
From Joel and Joanna
To Ridgeway YMCA Mississauga,
Thanks you for nurturing the children with so much love and patience every single day. Knowing they are in such caring hands gives us complete peace of mind while at work. We have seen them grow and flourish so much under your guidance. Thank you for everything you do. Your endless energy, gentle heart, and creative activities make them excited to come to daycare every morning. We are so grateful for the positive impact you are having on their early years
From Moksha, Satish and Abhi
Teachers are the backbone of this daycare centre. The teachers across all age groups, whether in the infant, toddler, or preschool room, are just amazing. The best quality all the teachers share is the warmth and care they provide to all the children. We are blessed to have the YMCA as the daycare centre for my child.
From Anju Roy
Dear St. Hilary Toddler program (Neha, Sharanpreet, Misk, Zeenat, Samantha, and others)
Thank you for the incredible care, dedication, and kindness you show every day. Your patience, creativity, and commitment help create a safe, nurturing, and joyful environment where my so can learn, grow, and thrive.
The positive impact you have on the children and their families goes far beyond the classroom. Your encouragement, warmth, and genuine love for what you do make a meaningful difference in each child's life.
My son absolutely loves Daycare and all the different and creative activities he experiences there.
We truly appreciate all the hard work, energy, and compassion you bring to your role as daycare educators. Thank you for being such wonderful role models and for helping shape bright futures every day.
With heartfelt gratitude, Thank You! ❤️🌷
From Gabriel M’s Parents
Thank you, dear educators, for loving our children so well! You bring them so bravely and caringly through the world, and we appreciate everything you do to support, celebrate, play, and learn with each of them in daily life. Thank you for being such a huge part of encouraging kindness, equity, and exploration in the next generation.
From Debra and family
🌟 Happy Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day! 🌟
❤️Thank you for the care, patience, energy, creativity, and heart you bring to your work each and every day.
❤️Thank you for the countless little things you do that may sometimes go unnoticed...the comforting hugs, the encouraging words, the listening ears, the silly moments, the extra patience, and the way you make each child feel seen, heard, valued, and cared for.
❤️Thank you for creating spaces filled with belonging, curiosity, laughter, learning, and play.
❤️Thank you for supporting families, for supporting one another, and for continuing to show up with compassion and commitment, even on the challenging days.
❤️Most of all, thank you for being YOU. The relationships you build and the moments you create have an impact that reaches far beyond a single day in a child’s life.
From Sham D.
To all the wonderful educators,
Thank you so much for taking such wonderful care of my daughter and for being such an important part of her journey. Every day, she looks forward to coming in and seeing all of you, which speaks volumes about the love, care, and warmth you provide. She has learned so much and continues to grow every day, and we are truly grateful for everything you do.
A special thank you to Kandeel, Sofiya, Aneesha, Hajra, and Suhaila for all your love and support along the way. A heartfelt thank you to her current educators, Waheeda and Chloe, for the care, patience, and encouragement you give her every day.
And a special thanks to Hayley for taking the time to observe her needs and ensuring she is placed in a classroom that is appropriate for her growth and development.
We truly appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you for making her days so happy, meaningful, and full of learning. ❤️
From Zenab Wishiwala, Insiya's Mom


These wonderful words from your warm wishes are sure to brighten the day of educators.

View messages from 2025 Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day