Living
Nurseries & Pre-Schools
With its abundance of top quality nurseries and pre-schools, your children will be well looked after in Singapore. Nurseries and pre-schools are great places for your children to meet others their age and develop social skills that will set their path for lifelong learning. Your children will have fun and a creative environment in which to play and learn, while you’ll have a bit more time in your day for work, chores or relaxing.
Before enrolling your child in a facility, you should confirm that it’s licensed by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (for child care centres) or registered with the Ministry of Education (for kindergartens). Staff at the better nurseries and pre-schools are usually qualified in teaching or childcare.
Admission criteria vary, but in general nurseries and pre-schools accept children aged two to six, as primary education normally starts at age seven. A number of services are available, allowing you to choose between a full or half day, or just a few days a week.
You’ll also find different teaching styles on offer. Some nurseries and pre-schools are Montessori-accredited, some focus on bilingual teaching (usually English and Mandarin) and others take a themed learning approach. For example, the Julia Gabriel Centre offers EduDrama for children aged 2 to 18 years, using drama as an educational tool to help develop everything from communication skills to confidence and creativity.
Kindergartens are usually open Monday to Friday, with daily sessions of two-and-a-half to four hours depending on how old your child is. You generally have to enroll your children and pay for a term – for drop-off services. Fees for full-day child care range from $300 to $1,000 per month. Fees for kindergarten range from $400 to $1,000 for a three-month term.
Demand for nurseries and pre-schools can be quite high, so you should contact the place of your choice as far in advance as possible.
Before enrolling your child in a facility, you should confirm that it’s licensed by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (for child care centres) or registered with the Ministry of Education (for kindergartens). Staff at the better nurseries and pre-schools are usually qualified in teaching or childcare.
Admission criteria vary, but in general nurseries and pre-schools accept children aged two to six, as primary education normally starts at age seven. A number of services are available, allowing you to choose between a full or half day, or just a few days a week.
You’ll also find different teaching styles on offer. Some nurseries and pre-schools are Montessori-accredited, some focus on bilingual teaching (usually English and Mandarin) and others take a themed learning approach. For example, the Julia Gabriel Centre offers EduDrama for children aged 2 to 18 years, using drama as an educational tool to help develop everything from communication skills to confidence and creativity.
Kindergartens are usually open Monday to Friday, with daily sessions of two-and-a-half to four hours depending on how old your child is. You generally have to enroll your children and pay for a term – for drop-off services. Fees for full-day child care range from $300 to $1,000 per month. Fees for kindergarten range from $400 to $1,000 for a three-month term.
Demand for nurseries and pre-schools can be quite high, so you should contact the place of your choice as far in advance as possible.
