Your child develops and learns more in her first five years than at any other stage of life. Pre-school can support and encourage your child’s amazing development – and it can be a lot of fun.
At pre-school (also known as kindergarten) children socialise and learn through play – and they usually have a lot of fun!
What happens at pre-school?
Pre-school is all about learning through open-ended play and structured play activities that allow children to develop at their own pace. Whether your child is finger painting, building a block castle, or singing with other kids, pre-school helps your child increase her experiences, abilities and knowledge.
Most pre-schools offer both indoor and outdoor activities, as well as opportunities for solo and group play.
Indoor activities often include:
Outdoor activities often include:
Group times often include:
Pre-school doesn’t usually involve teaching children specific academic skills. This starts happening at school.
When can children go to pre-school?
Children can go to pre-school when they’re three years old, or in the year they turn three. You don’t have to send your child to pre-school but it’s great if you can.
Some pre-schools also offer programmes for two to three-year-olds – these are much shorter days than traditional four-year-old programmes. Child care centres also offer pre-school programmes run by qualified early childhood teachers.
What kinds of pre-schools are there?
In Singapore there are several different types of nurseries and kindergartens:
Most pre-schools operate in purpose-built facilities and are regulated by either the Ministry of Education (MOE) or the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).
There might be a fee for your child to go to pre-school, because government funding doesn’t cover all the operating costs. Your selected pre-school will be able to tell you the fees you can expect to pay.