A Singaporean Parent's Guide to Choosing a Preschool

By Agape Little Uni. Parent Resources February 10, 2025

Finding the best preschool for your child can feel overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time navigating the world of preschool education or if it’s your first child taking this significant step. It’s a decision that significantly impacts their early development, shaping their social, emotional, and cognitive growth. To ease this process, we’ve crafted a comprehensive guide focusing on the top aspects to consider when making this important choice.

Location and Convenience

The preschool’s location plays a vital role in your daily routine. Opting for a childcare centre near you can significantly minimise commute times, reduce stress, and allow you to spend more quality time with your child. That’s why you should consider your family’s routine and find a preschool near your home or workplace and also ensure that transportation to and from the school is as convenient as possible.

Additionally, assess the neighbourhood’s safety and amenities, such as parks and libraries, to ensure a conducive environment for your child’s overall well-being. Whether you’re looking for a childcare centre in Sembawang or a preschool downtown, you should always prioritise a convenient and secure location.

Curriculum and Philosophy

Early childhood education approaches can vary significantly between preschools in Singapore. Some preschools follow methods like Montessori, emphasising independence and self-directed learning, while others embrace the Reggio Emilia approach, focusing on project-based learning and exploration.

Understanding educational philosophies, such as Agape Little Uni by Busy Bees’ Inquiry-based learning (IBL) approach, is key to finding the best preschool that aligns with your family’s values and your child’s learning style. You can usually learn more about a preschool’s curriculum and philosophy by checking their website or contacting the school directly to speak with their educators.

Teachers and Staff

The quality of educators directly impacts your child’s learning experience. That’s why it’s essential to choose a preschool with qualified, experienced, and passionate teachers who create a nurturing and engaging atmosphere.

Additionally, also check the staff turnover rate as a low turnover rate signals a positive work environment, suggesting that teachers are happy and committed to their roles. This stability creates a sense of familiarity and security for your child.

Facilities and Learning Environment

The ideal preschool boasts a safe, clean, stimulating, and age-appropriate environment. There should also be a clean and safe environment, colourful displays, and diverse learning materials to encourage exploration and creativity.

Fees and Financial Aid

Preschool fees in Singapore depend on the type of school: Partner Operator (POP) scheme, Anchor Operator (AOP) scheme, or private. Hence, it’s essential to conduct thorough research to understand the average cost of your desired preschool. For specific school fees, it’s often best to inquire directly with the preschools themselves.

Additionally, you might want to explore the potential financial aid options and subsidies available, such as those for working mothers. You can check government websites like the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) site for more information on assistance eligibility and application procedures.

Parent Involvement and Communication

Open and transparent communication between parents and teachers is crucial for your child’s development. It’s best to find a preschool that values parent involvement through regular updates, parent-teacher meetings, and opportunities for volunteering or participating in school events. This fosters a strong partnership and ensures you’re actively engaged in your child’s learning journey.

Agape Little Uni by Busy Bees: A Preschool Near You

The preschool registration process in Singapore can be daunting for my parents, as the right preschool is the building block of your child’s future success. However, by considering the factors listed in this guide, you can make an informed decision that sets your child on a successful path to lifelong learning!

At Agape Little Uni by Busy Bees, we understand that choosing the right preschool is a significant decision. That’s why we invite you to explore our preschool’s open house events and centre tours to discover how we stand out among the best preschools in Singapore with our commitment to excellence that extends beyond academics, prioritising character development, creativity, and a love for lifelong learning.

Your child’s bright future begins here — schedule a tour today or contact us to learn more about Agape Little Uni by Busy Bees!

Grade	Activity	Focus/Objective
PG, N1	Exposure to Muse Arts Teaching Methodology	Introducing Music as a form of Instruction
	Instill Muse Arts Routine	Allow the child to better understand our requirements of them during each lesson. Setting ground rules on when to play and when to listen.
	Building their music foundation via the introduction of Music and Movement with Music	Getting used to move in a coordinated motion with the Music. Instilling a culture of Freedom within Limits’.
	Exposure to Musical Instruments	Year 1: Percussion Instruments Year 2: Melodic Instruments
N2, K1, K2	Reinforcing Muse Arts’ Teaching Methodology and Routine	Instilling our Teaching Methodology and Routine to become second nature in them to enhance its effectiveness for the purpose preparing them to participate in activities that require a stricter control of progress, and adherence to time line, e.g., Preparation for a Performance.
	Exposure to orchestrated performances	Learning to work together and listen to each other so as to create a cohesive musical piece.
	Exposing them to more specific musical instruments, such as Keyboard / Ukulele / Xylophone	Further enhancement to their musical knowledge via exposure to more specific Musical Instruments. This allows parents to discover their child’s area of interest.

Agape Principle	What it looks like in practice?	Related EYDF Guiding Principles
Active and Authentic Learning Experiences	Provide concrete and real-life materials for learning Plan learning experiences that include an integration of various learning areas Allow children to experiment new ideas through play and planned learning experiences Children are able to connect classroom learning experiences with real-life experiences Learning experiences provide choices Learning experiences cater to the different interests and developmental stage of young children Learning experiences derived from assessment of children’s learning on a regular basis	The Developing Child The Intentional Programme
Positive Connections	Teachers work closely with parents in curriculum making Teachers use positive language to communicate with young children and their families Teachers observe and plan respectful learning experiences that embraces the diverse backgrounds of young children Teachers model good language and tone when communicate with children during routines, transitions and learning experiences Centre may invite professionals to provide talks and workshops to keep our parents abreast of the latest development in infant services and care for young children	The Involved Family The Professional Educarer The Intentional Programme The Engaged Community
Authentic Assessment	Ongoing assessment of children’s learning is carried out everyday Teacher has a systematic plan to observe and record children’s progress on a regular basis The content of each summary report is based on regular documentations of children’s learning Assessment processes include children’s views and voices	The Developing Child The Involved Family The Professional Educarer The Intentional Programme
Guidance, Empowerment and Support	Teachers and children are co-learners in the classroom Teachers develop children’s critical thinking skills by asking effective and age-appropriate questions Teachers create a conducive and rich environment for learning The learning environment promotes opportunities for choice-making and interactions Teachers provide feedback and encourage children to improve their own work	The Developing Child The Involved Family The Professional Educarer The Intentional Programme

Step	Description	Suggested Activities
Tuning In	The main purpose of Tuning In is to stimulate children’s interests in the topic of study.	Storytelling Songs and Rhymes Picture Talk Field Trip
Storytelling	The teacher finds a suitable story that is related to the topic of the week. She models good reading habits and spoken language. She reads the story with expressions and intonation to gain the children’s attention.	Puppetry Picture Talk Dramatization
Role Play	With regards to the topic of the week, teachers plan learning experiences which allow children to enact a role or an action.	Mathematical activities Discovery activities Cookery Puppetry Songs and Rhymes
Art and Craft	Children get to master their fine motor skills and work on 2-D and 3-D artwork with regards to the topic of study.	Creating 2-D and 3-D artwork
Cleaning Up	Children learn to clean and pack up after completing their activities.	Wipe the tables Putting things back to its original places Washing of hands and tools Sweeping
Cooling Down	After the children have participated actively in the preceding activities, they take this time to calm down.	Listen to a soothing music Close eyes and rest
Wrap Up	Teachers recall the activities that were done in the day and reinforce what was taught during these activities.	Recall A story A song A rhyme A word/phrase An action

Activities	What do we do everyday?
Arrival and Breakfast	Infant and toddlers arrive at any time according to the family’s schedule. For infants who arrive early, a good breakfast will keep them fulfilled and happy for the day
Morning Greetings	A time for Educarers to greet every child and share a song/book with the children
Large Group Time	Infants and toddlers gather and engage in holistic activities
Discovery Time	A time for infants and toddlers to explore the different materials and equipment in their learning environment. The infants and toddlers are free to choose what they want to do according to their interests
Small Group Time	An opportunity for Educarers and infants/toddlers to share learning moments in a small group
Outdoor Time	A time for infants/toddlers to explore the environment beyond the classroom environment. It includes time to engage in planned gross motor activities
Lunch	An unhurried time to sit together, communicate and serve lunch to the infants/toddlers
Nap Time	A time for infant and toddler to rest according to their natural sleeping time
Shower / Diaper Time	A time to bond with the infants/toddlers through shower/diaper time
Departure	A time to communicate with parents about the happenings in the day; and to model respectful communications with our various stakeholders

Choosing a Preschool Near You: A Comprehensive Checklist for Singaporean Parents