When Vickiann first walked into Y Playtime with her daughter Sierra, she was tired, hopeful, and a bit nervous.
Her baby girl was still under one year old, tiny, curious, and just learning to sit up. Like many new parents, she was searching for a place where Sierra could socialize with other children her age.
“I remember those early days so clearly,” she says. “We just needed to get out of the house. I wanted Sierra to be around other kids, and I needed to be around other parents. Someone told me about the Y’s playtime, and I thought maybe this would help.”
What she found at the YMCA was more than just playtime. It was a community.
Each Wednesday morning at the Nick Nicolle Community Centre in the North End, home of Y Playtime, the room came alive with laughter, story time, and the steady rhythm of learning through play.
Sierra explored the world through books, songs, and imagination. And while Sierra learned to play, share, and grow, both Vickiann and Sierra’s Dad, Jon, found something they hadn’t realized they were missing: connection.
On days that Vickiann couldn’t attend, Jon proudly brought Sierra, often the only dad among the group of moms, because he wanted her to stay connected and in her routine. He began forming friendships with other neighborhood families, too.
“I’m not a good reader,” Vickiann confided. She rarely read to Sierra at home. But during Y Playtime, she began to see how much Sierra loved books.
Week after week, Y staff gently encouraged Vickiann, “It doesn’t matter if you read the words perfectly,” they told her. “Just look at the pictures together. Make up stories. Let her turn the pages. What matters most is sharing that time.”
To support parents like Vickiann, Y Playtime began introducing wordless books and simple board books. One morning, Sierra brought over a book called “Yummy Yuck” and proudly handed it to her mom.
Vickiann hesitated but began to read. When she stumbled over a word, another parent gently helped, turning an awkward moment into one of community and care.
By the end of Y Playtime, Vickiann was smiling. She took a copy of the book home.
The next week, Vickiann offered to read the book aloud not just to Sierra, but to another child in the group. She read with confidence and joy. In that moment, a new chapter began not just in a storybook, but in her life.
“At first, it was really for me,” her mom admits. “But it ended up being for both of us. Sierra started to come out of her shell, and I met other parents who understood what I was going through. It was such a comfort.”
Over time, Y Playtime became more than a weekly drop-in. It became a bridge to learning, to confidence, to independence.
As Sierra grew, Jon made sure she also contributed to her community, volunteering with her at neighborhood BBQs, block parties, and community clean-up days.
Their family made genuine friendships through Y Playtime.
When Sierra turned three, Vickiann began talking about returning to work. She hadn’t had a job in over five years and wasn’t sure where to start.
Together, Sarah, the Y Community Connection Coordinator, and Vickiann worked on her resume, and encouraged her as she nervously began visiting local stores.
A few weeks later, Vickiann came in beaming, “I got a job!”
As Sierra moved from Y Playtime to Y Pre-K, her confidence grew alongside her curiosity. “She’s so much more social now,” her mom says proudly. “Before the Y, she was shy and hesitant.”
The Y’s impact extended beyond Sierra. For her mom and dad, the programs offered a safe place, a caring community, and the support she needed to keep moving forward.
When asked what she’d say to another family thinking about joining, both parents didn’t hesitate:
“Do it. You’ll see your child grow in ways you never imagined and you’ll find support for yourself, too.”
The truth is, the Y changes lives.
The Y isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling of care, trust, and belonging, and your gift today can help bring that sense of stability to our whole community.