June 7, 2019
How is Singapore Nursery Important for Children?
In Singapore, nursery is commonly referred to as a childcare centre or as preschool education.
Kindergartens in Singapore provide up to 3 years of preschool for children aged 3 to 6 years. Attending nursery is part of the 3 years program.
Kindergartens provide an environment for children to learn how to interact with others, and to prepare them for formal education in a primary school in Singapore. Lessons can range from learning languages, arithmetic numbers, development of personal and social skills, games, music and outdoor play.
In Singapore’s education, every child must learn 2 formal languages, English and their Mother Tongue (Malay, Tamil or Mandarin).
In total, at the date of writing, there is a total of 1,515 childcare centres available in Singapore.
However, parents have the option to home-school their children or send them to nursery with experienced educators and a curriculum that best fits the age group. Currently, the total enrollment in childcare services is at 117,542 and the trend has been increasing. Why are more and more parents sending their children to childcare centres?
Benefits of Attending Nursery in Singapore
At the preschool level, a child’s holistic development is crucial. Singapore’s preschool education has been emphasizing on the need for children to build up confidence and equip children with skills and character, a disposition for life-long learning and social skills to interact with their peers.
While attending a preschool or nursery are not compulsory in Singapore, parents are free to homeschool during the preschool period before the child turns 7 years old and is eligible for primary school education in Singapore.
In nursery, children will attend structured lessons, participate in class and school activities and grow in important life skills such as:
- Interaction with their peers and adults
Social interaction allows children to learn about communications, developing their confidence to interact with their peers and adults. Also, it inculcates the values of respect, manners and empathy. Throughout this period, children can develop themselves more emotionally, allowing them to grow up as an individual and shape their character.
- Allow themselves to develop self-independence
In a nursery, children are encouraged to work independently when they are working on tasks assigned by their teachers. This allows the children to develop their critical thinking by solving problems by doing their tasks independently.
- Parents can be assured
When sending their children to preschools, the parents can be assured in that the children are safe in a conducive environment surrounded by passionate and experienced educators. This also reduces the workload on the parents as they do not have to stay in at home to homeschool their children, giving them more time to make a living, accomplish their tasks and home chores.
- Allows for growth and development
In the planned curriculum, most preschools provide children with opportunities to explore and discover. Children at this stage also can start to understand how their actions and words affect others and how it affects oneself. They also can start to understand more about cause-and-effect/actions and consequences as they work on activities and more on teamwork when working in groups.
- Cultivate the love for learning
In preschool, children can enjoy themselves while they learn important lessons and life skills. It also provides them with a safe avenue to learn, inculcating these values to seek knowledge and find opportunities. This can be brought forward to their adult lives as they continue to have the desire to learn and understand more about their surroundings and discover their purpose.
- Enjoy an active lifestyle
The best way for children to learn is through physical stimuli. Nursery programs in Singapore have been designed to include physical and cognitive development so that children can tap on such experiences to learn more effectively.
What to consider when choosing a preschool for your children?
There are many factors you should consider before choosing a preschool for your child. Such factors include location, curriculum, school hours, their facilities, child to teacher ratio and ultimately costs. It is best to do your research on what is suitable for your children and whether it suits your requirements.
To find out more about the Nursery curriculum offered at My Little Campus, click here.