July 15, 2024
The 4 Things You Should Know Before Your Child Starts Playgroup
Most Singaporeans start preschool at an age anywhere from 2 to 18 months. Whether your child starts at 2 months or 18 months old, though, it’s a milestone either way!
Preschool is a big change. It offers a new environment with new people and that may intimidate children at first. Luckily for your child and you, there are ways to make this transition easier.
Today, we’ll show you all you need to know about preparing a child for playgroup. With the tips below, you should be able to help your child acclimate to it as soon as possible.
1. Assess your child’s readiness to start playgroup
This tells you how best to prepare your child for this milestone. For example, based on what you learn here, you can figure out if your child will need help building self-care habits. Or you might find that his/her area of weakness is socialisation.
To identify what to focus on, try answering these questions:
- How does your child behave with others, whether peers or authority figures?
- Can your child follow routines properly yet?
- Can your child complete tasks independently?
- How does your child behave when separated from you temporarily?
All of these are things that will get developed in any quality playgroup in Singapore, of course. Still, it doesn’t hurt to give your child a good start on them!
Based on your findings, match your efforts to the areas where your child needs the most help, as in these examples:

For children who struggle with socialisation, schedule more play dates to get them used to interaction, sharing, and collaboration.
For children who struggle with routines, teach them simple ones like packing up after playtime or washing their hands before and after meals.
For children who struggle with independence, gradually give them less direct oversight during simple chores.
2. Gird your child for the effects of separation anxiety
Separation anxiety is fairly normal on the first day of preschool, especially if your child’s never been away from you or his/her guardians before. That’s why we’ve provided a guide to overcoming it.
While you can consult that guide for in-depth tips, here are some basic ones to start with:

Figure out a drop-off and pick-up routine ahead of time that neither makes your child feel abandoned with its coldness nor works up his/her emotions by drawing out the parting too much. Go for the Goldilocks option!
Introduce your child to the idea of preschool as soon as possible and make sure he/she understands that going to a playgroup in Singapore can be super-fun!
Try getting your child accustomed to the idea of being away from you for short periods of time. Ask someone you trust to look after him/her for a day, then make sure you come back at the time you told your child you’d come back. This builds trust in your return after each separation.
3. Expect an adjustment period in the first 1-2 months
People, even adults, need time to settle into new environments. That’s why we need to give children the same consideration when they first enter playgroup.
Let your little one get used to his/her new daily routine and the people around him/her. If he/she is more clingy or fussy at this time, that’s normal – so be understanding and don’t be too harsh over it!
You can also try to help your child with the adjustments in various ways. On the social side, you can try inviting some of the other children at the preschool to playdates.
That may help them build friendships faster with each other. Once they do, your child will have added reason to look forward to playgroup as well as an expanded support system even in your absence.
4. Look for ways to get updates from the preschool teachers
You should align your efforts at helping your child with what’s actually happening in the preschool. This keeps child development continuous and consistent, and gives your child the best support possible for the experience.
To do this, make sure there’s a way for your child’s preschool teachers to keep you updated. Luckily, most preschools now will have an existing system or even an app for that. Here at My Little Campus, it’s even part of the protocol for our teachers!
By staying in close contact with your child’s other guardians, you can keep an eye on his/her progress and tailor your supportive efforts to suit his/her needs.
Ensure the smoothest playgroup transition for your child with us
Sometimes, the new environment itself makes all the difference in how quickly a child can settle in. That’s where My Little Campus shines. We’ve designed a playgroup and preschool experience where children can feel comfortable as soon as possible.
Our learning environments are curated so that children can find fun, learning, and support within them. Our teachers have also been trained to help children acclimate to the new setting outside of their homes. Plus, we provide parents with regular updates on progress.
If you’d like to enrol your child in a playgroup that makes the transition easier for him/her, enquire with us today.