Childcare at the Y is about more than looking after kids. It’s about nurturing their development and providing a safe place to learn. For more than 30 years, the Y has been offering Before and After School Care. Y-Kids is a School-Based State Licensed Child Care Program designed to help families build self-sufficiency by providing safe, affordable, high-quality childcare.
Y-Kids School-Age Child Care extends your child’s learning day in a fun and meaningful way! With a focus on character development and healthy living, children experience academic, physical and social emotional learning activities under the supervision of positive, caring role models.
Parents enjoy peace of mind knowing their children have a New Jersey State Licensed, safe, healthy option for before and after school enrichment–right in their child’s school.
Teaming Up To Conquer Childhood Obesity
Healthy U is a collaborative partnership between the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance and the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey with the goal of combating childhood obesity through nutrition education, physical education and family involvement. Our Y is proud to incorporate Healthy U in school age and preschool programs.
REGISTRATION FOR THE 2026/2027 SCHOOL YEAR OPENS MAY 1, 2026. ONLINE ONLY. MUST REGISTER BY AUGUST 10, 2026, TO START THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR CHILD’S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL THROUGH YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
Please read through the following thoroughly, as it contains important information regarding registration. If you have issues while trying to register, please contact our Welcome Center at 732 341 9622 ext. 0.
- Registration is open to members and non-members.
- $80 non-refundable registration fee per child is due at the time of registration.
- Children must be toilet trained and independent of the parent.
- All registrants will be enrolled in automatic monthly payments, charged on the 1st of the month. A valid billing method must be on file throughout the school year.
- Families receiving CHS are responsible for the $80 non-refundable registration fee. Accounts will be billed at the full rate until receipt of the final contract.
- Contracts must be signed and dated. Please bring signed contracts to the Y or email them to ykids@ocymca.org.
- AM YKids runs 6:30am until the start of school and PM YKids runs after school ends until 6:00pm.
- The YKids Before and After School program is available in the following districts, for the grade listed:
- Berkeley Township Pre K through 4th grade
- Manchester Township Pre K through 5th grade
- Toms River Kindergarten through 5th grade
- Eagleswood Pre K through 6th grade
- Island Heights Pre K through 6th grade
- Berkeley Township parents must complete a Berkeley Township School District Transportation Form. If your child is only attending part of the week, the parent is responsible for getting the child to OR from school on those other days. Visit the Berkeley Township website HERE to complete the form.
- Berkeley morning program-all students are dropped off at H.M. Potter Elementary School. Students are then bussed to their homeschool (Bayville or CBW).
- Berkeley afternoon program- takes place at the child’s home school.
- Each location must meet a minimum number of registrants and cannot exceed the maximum number of participants.
- If the location is closed due to reaching the maximum, you are welcome to register and be added to the waitlist.
- If your registered location does not open due to low enrollment, you will be notified no later than Monday, August 10, 2026/
Important Registration Information:
- Please make sure you register your child for the correct school.
- If need both AM and PM care, you must register for each, as they are separate programs.
- Please double check your account to make sure you have registered for the correct school, as well AM and/or PM program.
- Please carefully select the days of the week your child(ren) will be attending. The days you choose are reflected on the rosters we use for attendance and to accept children.
- ALL schedule and billing information changes must be sent to ykids@ocymca.org. The deadline to make changes before the first day of school is August 10th.
- If your child takes lifesaving medication (inhalers, epi pens) you will be asked to complete a Medication Authorization form along with providing their care plan from the doctor. That must be provided on your child’s first day with us. We are not able to obtain medication from the school nurse, as their hours are not our hours.
- If your child has any special needs or needs special accommodations for any reason, please share that with us on your child’s registration form. We want your child to have their best experience with us, and we are always looking to help them. You may be contacted to further discuss how we can meet their needs.
- Financial assistance is available. Please see below for application.
After registration is complete, you will receive an email with a link to the Parent Resource Guide. Please thoroughly read this document, as it contains answers to most questions, as well as includes site-specific information. If you have a question that is not answered in the guide, or if you have any further questions/concerns, please email ykids@ocymca.org.
All participants will be enrolled in the automatic draft payment program, either with a checking account, debit card, or credit card.
Payments will be drafted on the 1st of each month, beginning September 1, 2026
Save time by completing your child’s profile online now!
As part of the online registration process, all parents/guardians must complete an online Childcare Profile. It is very important that you do not create a duplicate account for yourself or your child. If you are currently registered, you do not need to recreate your account, but you must update all childcare information, as requested.
Our system automatically creates an online account for anyone who has participated in a program, whether as a member or non-member, so it is very important that you verify if your child is already in our system.
- Click this link to visit our account log in page and follow the steps to log in OR find your account.
- Visit the Manage Your Online Account page of our website for additional log in instructions for existing accounts.
- Click to go directly to the YKids Program Registration page.
- Contact the Welcome Center at 732-341-9622 ext. 0 and our staff will be happy to let assist you in determining if you have an existing account.
Payments will be drafted on the 1st of each month, beginning September 1, 2026.