Introduction

Welcome to the 2024 Guide to Kindergartens and Preschools in Singapore! Choosing the right early childhood education for your child is one of the most important decisions you can make as a parent. In Singapore, where education is highly valued, the variety and quality of kindergartens and preschools can sometimes feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a local resident or an expatriate, this guide aims to provide you with essential information to help you navigate through the options available, ensuring that you can make an informed decision that best suits your child’s needs.

Star Learners Child Care

Star Learners’ unique literature-based curriculum immerses every child in rich and exciting worlds and opens up plenty of opportunities for them to tackle concepts in multiple learning areas. Through its integration with a robust activity-based approach, children learn a multitude of essential skills such as problem-solving, creative and critical thinking, and communication. Under the ECDA partner operator (POP) scheme, Star Learners is one of the largest appointed partners and is committed to accessibility, affordability, and quality. This preschool prides itself on developing a generation of young children with strength of Character, Confidence, and Creativity. Their curriculum features the distinct and proprietary Starbeam™ Framework, designed to develop Happy learners, Empathic thinkers, Respectful, confident communicators, and Open collaborators. Stories in its Literature-based curriculum are thoughtfully curated from children’s literature around the globe, while children tackle multiple concepts and skills presented via story elements. Together with an activity-based approach, children engage in active learning, where they play with purpose!

MapleBear

MapleBear offers young students a quality Canadian bilingual education (English & Mandarin) and play-based Early Childhood learning programs, where children have the freedom to learn through engaging in hands-on activities. MapleBear is unique because it is based on immersion learning. The immersive approach fosters natural language acquisition, enabling children to listen, speak, read, and write in both languages seamlessly. Unlike traditional language learning methods, immersion learning at MapleBear surrounds children with both English and Mandarin conversation and instruction, enhancing their linguistic proficiency naturally. Thanks to their play-based learning approach, students can tap into their naturally inquisitive and curious nature to create, experiment, and pretend play in a vibrant learning environment. MapleBear stands out for its family-like atmosphere, where children across age groups become friends. Selected MapleBear centers offer Bear Care, a program that accepts infants from two months of age.

Shaws Preschool

With over 35 years of experience, Shaws Preschool is one of Singapore’s trusted leaders in play-based learning! The unique play-based curriculum incorporates Executive Functions and Life skills making it easy for kids to love learning. With lots of outdoor space including butterfly and herb gardens, students from Pre-Nursery (18 months old) to Kindergarten Two (6 years+) are provided a rich, stimulating, active, and vibrant learning environment that builds the foundation for an adventurous and successful life! Shaws Preschool ensures kids stay active by having sports coaches visit twice a week to conduct fun sports lessons. There are also a host of spaces inside and out from messy play to mud kitchens, splash zones, cozy classrooms, tinkering corners, and art spaces where experiential learning takes place. What better place for little ones to learn confidence, communication, teamwork, empathy, adaptability, resilience, and grit?

Adventure Tree Preschool

Adventure Tree was founded in 2020 with the desire to create a truly caring and nurturing environment for young learners. Combining both Western and Eastern influences, their holistic pedagogy aims to instill a lifelong love of learning and strengthen every child’s self-esteem, personal integrity, and character to make a difference in the world. Merging the best of Singapore academics with a Western touch to incorporate play-based opportunities to make learning fun, their Preschool Play & Inquiry Curriculum gives little ones countless opportunities to imagine, discover, and innovate, turning every adventure into a learning opportunity. Since children learn best through play, they adopt a play-based learning approach in a vibrant learning environment that includes daily outdoor activities for kids to get up close to nature. Their low teacher-to-child ratio ensures that every child is heard and well taken care of. Kids will get weekly French-inspired culinary classes, and take part in sustainability and STEAM projects to give them a head start in their education.

Children’s Cove Preschool

Children’s Cove Preschool is an award-winning preschool that caters to little ones as young as 2 months old and up to 6 years old, providing them with enriching educational programs that will lay the foundation for their future academic development. They adopt a unique methodology known as COVE (child-centered, outcome-aware, values-based, environmentally-conscious), which is the main reason why kids love spending time at school as their home away from home. They adopt a child-centered approach to learning and provide a safe space for children to explore, experiment and try new things. To help little ones gain confidence and competence, the experienced teachers provide engaging, hands-on lessons in a literacy-rich environment that piques their students’ curiosity to learn and discover. Beyond academics, they intentionally build each child’s character to be caring, creative, curious, and confident in who they are. They also teach the kids about sustainability through farm-to-table practices to encourage active and responsible learners both in the classroom and outdoors.

ELFA Preschool

ELFA Preschool has invested more than 20 years into inspiring young minds and shaping morals. They’re the most awarded Singapore preschool brand in China and are highly regarded for their quality curriculum having been jointly developed by a team of native Chinese and local early childhood specialists. This bilingual preschool accepts children from 2 months to 6 years old. The high-quality bilingual program promotes strong moral values with a focus on Mandarin education. Their unique story-based curriculum hones your child’s love for Mandarin while building their character during daily lessons. Children, therefore, graduate with strong Mandarin fluency, as well as deep Chinese cultural exposure and appreciation. Through curated programs, children pick up essential skills like effective bilingual communication, creativity, and logical thinking. Knowing that children learn best through play, all their learning activities incorporate play components that effectively inculcate their love for Mandarin. Higher-order-thinking Maths, Chinese-inspired art, and Coding are also some of the subjects that enrich children’s early learning at this preschool. Chinese Speech & Drama is available at selected centers.

House on the Hill Montessori

House on the Hill is a popular Montessori preschool in Singapore for tots as young as 18 months up to 6 years old (Balmoral Crescent campus houses the Nido, for infants aged 2 months and up). Founded in 2012, they are a family-run business focused on an approach of hands-on experiential learning tailored for each individual child. Passionate advocates for the educational excellence of the Montessori Method devised by Dr. Maria Montessori, they stay true to its values with features such as mixed-age classes, vertical learning, and a 3-hour work cycle. They have four campuses, with warm and inviting classrooms filled with natural materials, and beautiful outdoor playgrounds in cozy residential areas – perfect for children to explore, discover and learn. Their bespoke Mandarin program is taught by a team of highly qualified and dedicated teachers, focusing on the key skills of listening, speaking, communicating clearly, and writing, through a variety of games, activities, and cultural experiences. The elective Mandarin immersion program 天天向上 (tiān tiān xiàng shàng), conducted in the afternoons, is very popular. Parents also rave about their specially-designed nutrition program.

Little Green House

Little Green House is a preschool that caters to kids from 2 months to 6 years old and focuses on children’s total development by fusing a strong academic curriculum with creative enrichment and hands-on activities. Dedicated teachers strive to maximize every child’s full intellectual, social, physical, and creative potential. Since opening its doors to little ones in 2005, they have earned the accolade of Singapore’s “Best Literacy Programme” for preschoolers across multiple years. Their unique Literacy SMART program features structured hands-on activities that help younger learners acquire strong literacy and numeracy skills. Instead of just engaging students in interactive storytelling sessions, they also integrate reading, phonics, and audiobooks, as well as give children the opportunity to gain confidence and use language effectively through creative writing, public speaking, and spelling bee competitions. With up to eight signature learning corners including the Language Lab, Light and Sound Factory, Numeracy Lab, and Art Lab, Little Green House sets empower each child to thrive and discover the world around them.

Conclusion

We hope this guide has been a valuable resource in your search for the perfect kindergarten or preschool for your child. Remember, every child is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. Take the time to visit the schools, meet the teachers, and see how your child responds to the environment. Trust your instincts and choose a place where you feel confident that your child will thrive. With the right support and nurturing environment, your child will be well-prepared for the exciting journey of learning and growth that lies ahead.