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June 7, 2019

How Do You Choose the Right Kindergarten for Your Child?

Singapore is home to more than 1,500 childcare centres at the date of writing. New parents can be conflicted with which kindergarten is the best for their children with so many choices and options available for them. Kindergartens in Singapore are important as it sets the education foundation and prepares your child for primary school.

What are the differences between a childcare centre and a kindergarten?

It is important that you know the difference between childcare centres and kindergartens. In Singapore, both are classified under “preschool”. Childcare generally accepts children that are over 18 months to 6 years old. Some childcare centres provide infant care for babies that are around 2 months old or more. On the other hand, kindergartens are generally available for children who are 3 to 6 years old. Time wise, childcare centres open during the working hours when parents must work and are unable to attend to their children.

On the other hand, kindergartens usually have programs that at most last 4 hours. The schedules vary for each preschool. Childcare centres are only allowed to close operations for around 7 days a year not inclusive of public holidays and Sundays but, kindergartens generally follow the same holidays as primary schools. Kindergartens do not serve meals during classes, but they might give out snacks in between. Childcare centres serve breakfast, lunch and snacks due to the full day curriculum.

How should I go about enrolling my child? Which factors should I consider?

1. Enrolment

Many popular kindergartens start their enrolment list as early as from birth. Do enquire about the kindergarten’s waiting list that you are interested in. Many parents in Singapore do check with the kindergarten enrolment status when their child is a few months old. Most kindergartens will require parents to submit a form and pay a registration fee to reserve a spot for your children.

2. Location and Convenience

Research on suitable kindergartens and childcare centres that are either close to your house or close to your workplace. This in term can reduce the cost and time and increases the convenience when dropping them off or picking them up. You can also attend to your children and pick them up quickly if an emergency occurs during the period. You can find out more about the locations of our My Little Campuses here.

3. Qualifications and Certifications

Next, you can look up on the centre’s preschool license. This can give you a rough idea on the school’s quality and safety. Kindergartens in Singapore must be registered with the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA). ECDA will then issue out the license to the following preschools with their duration validity ranging from 6 months to 24 months.

Centres with 24 months are generally stable and higher in quality with a good reputation as compared to a 6 months license. However, this is not a definitive means to judge the kindergarten and you should do more research and background checks before registering with that childcare centre.

4. Testimonials and Reviews

Alternatively, you can always ask the parents who have sent their children to those childcare centres. They will be able to provide you with their first-hand experience for the childcare centre of what the school provides and you can further check whether that school has and can meet your expectations. You also can read the reviews of the childcare by the parents online by searching up your shortlisted candidates for your childcare centres.

5. Curriculum Types and Content

Another major factor you must consider is the curriculum. Different kindergartens have different based curriculum and you need to consider and cater for your children as every child is unique in their way and learns differently.

Generally, there are two types of curriculum which are play-based and academic-based. A more active child would benefit more from a play-based curriculum whereas a visual learner would benefit more with an academic-based curriculum. As parents, you need to identify which category your children are in and select based on their style to enhance their learning experience. Ultimately, the best way for you to check out the school’s environment and their curriculum is during the open houses or tours.

Under the guidelines of ECDA, under kindergartens, the advised staff to children ratio is 1:20 for Kindergarten 1 and 1:25 for Kindergarten 2. The smaller the ratio, the better it is. This means that more attention can be given by the teacher to the children. Some kindergartens allow you to sign up trial classes that you can attend to see whether your child is comfortable with the school that you chose.

6. School Fees

Of course, do not forget about the kindergarten school fees. Take note and ask about any extra payments during the registration and ensure they are all within your budget. There may be subsidies that are present by ECDA that you can look up.

To find out more about the Kindergarten curriculum offered at My Little Campus, click here.

June 7, 2019

A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing an Infant Care Centre in Singapore

Infant care centres in Singapore cater to children between 2 to 18 months old. There are some parents who cannot bear to leave their newborn children at an infant care centre. However, for working parents, it is something they must consider as they will return to work and must enroll their children into infant care for support and growth of the child.

Therefore, it is important for parents to plan and decide carefully on an infant care centre in Singapore. We will provide some tips and pointers for consideration to aid in your search for a suitable infant care centre for your child.

The Background, License and Awards of the Infant Care Centre

The Early Childhood Development Agency’s (ECDA) licensing requirement for childcare centres starts from 6 months and goes all the way to 24 months. Those infant care centres which have a 24 months license tends to be of higher quality as they can be trusted with a longer certification. Of course, some infant care centres with 6 months license should still be considered despite having shorter license periods.

There are also awards issued to infant care such as Singapore Preschool Accreditation Framework (SPARKS) mark which also shows that the infant care or childcare centre is more trustworthy and holistic and should be considered more over the others.

Aside from awards and accreditation, it is important to know the history of the infant care centre. Try to find out more about their track record and ask for feedback of the centre from other parents who have sent their children to the same centre in the past. Having a word with the infant care teachers or the centre principal is also encouraged for a first-hand interaction and clarification of questions and addressing worries of parents.

Location and Transportation

The location of the infant care centres should be a factor of consideration as those centres which are closer to your home or your workplace are more convenient for dropping off and picking up your children. If an emergency does happen, it will be convenient for you to pick up your children. Here is a useful link you can use to find infant childcare locations near you.

Staff-to-Child Ratio

Under the ECDA guidelines, infant care centres are advised to have a 1:5 staff-to-child ratio. Some centres may have lower ratios to ensure that your child’s needs are met, and more attention can be given to each child. At our MLC Bedok Reservoir Centre, our staff-to-child ratio is 1:5 as per regulated.

Curriculum Offered

Various infant care centres offer different curriculum and parents should research and consider each centre based on the curriculum offered by the centre.

From a young age, infants should be exposed to more stimulating curriculum that enhances their cognitive, linguistic, motor and social-emotional development. This type of curriculum provides your infant with more diverse opportunities to learn.

This, together with the day-to-day care process which includes feeding, playing, reading and changing the diapers of the infant is paramount to preparing the infant brain for optimal growth.

Educators Qualification

By ECDA, all centres can only hire a State Registered Nurse (SRN) or a trained Infant Care Educarer. These personnel are certified in infant and toddler care, in first aid and have a 2-year experience working in a childcare or a preschool environment. You can also ask about the training conducted for the educarers and how long and experienced these educarers are. You can also observe how the staff communicate and their attitude towards the children. Take note of how they interact with the children and make sure it fulfils your requirements.

Classroom Setup

When you explore around the infant care, does it have a separate area from the preschool, with the older children separated from the infants? Is the equipment provided in good condition and safe for children? Is the classroom properly ventilated and cooled? These things should be observed when you come to check on the condition of the infant care centre. These will help to enhance your children’s safety and comfort in infant care.

Food

If your child has any food allergies or diet restrictions, be sure to ask the centres whether they cater to such needs. Also, if possible, ask to see the menu for the food served to infants as this will help in determining the nutrition profile of your child should you choose to send your child here for infant care.

Hygiene

Upon dropping off your children, the preschool should have conducted checks on their temperatures and ensure hand sanitization. There should also be regulated and frequent hand washing with diaper changing. Also, if possible, ask to see the menu for the food served to infants as this will help in determining the nutrition profile of your child should you choose to send your child here for infant care.

Fees

Fees will vary across different centres. Some centres offer a more affordable rate and some may charge a premium due to the services and venue they may provide. You should look up on the fee’s different schools charge and check whether any subsidy is given by the school. You may also qualify for subsidies by ECDA. You should also check whether the childcare centre is within your budget limits.

To find out more about Infant Care at My Little Campus, click here.

April 10, 2019

Wild animals spotted in MLC Canberra?!

MLC Canberra took on an ambitious project. A grand project of creating made-to-life animals between teachers and students. The exhibition is placed prominently in one of MLC Canberra’s bay where parents can take a look on the deftness of handicraft done by our children and teachers.

This art project objective is to help children hands-on experience of animals and how to breathe in new leash of life from recycled materials. Students were also taught how did the animals lived, ate and interact to help them craft a mental image of how this art will materialise.

We gave our students a week advance notice to bring objects from home and using these materials, we were able to craft wonderful majestic animals (such as Giraffe, Pandas, Crocodiles and Zebras). Our students even made features such as Snake Plants, Bamboo and Water Features. The thematic exhibition imparted a sense of joy to students involved – it is to elucidate to them that there is so much joy in creating new things from used materials!

We like to thank Principal Rozeta, fellow teachers and aunties for MLC Canberra and as well as our talented student artists!

 

Credits

Proud Zebra by PG Love and Toddler Faith

Double Pandas by Nursery Peace

Elegant Giraffe by K1 Justice

Lurking Crocodile by K2 Wisdom

February 11, 2019

MLC CNY 2019 Celebrations

In this joyous occasion, the MLC Team would like to wish all parents and our students a happy Chinese New Year.

Dressed in different outfits, the students in MLC were treated to a celebration during CNY eve. Brightly colored decors were placed in different parts of the centers to create a festive season.

January 3, 2019

MLC Graduation Concert 2018 Congratulations!

6 years old is a milestone for most children. For some, it will be preparations to enter Primary 1 while for some it is an age where they start being more self-reliant and establishing their own independence.

For our graduating students at MLC, our 6 year olds (K2) were given an important task – to perform in front of hundreds of people. Our performance ranges from quick-tempo dance moves and this year we tried more variety to entertain our parents and guests.

For MLC (Yishun) performance, our students performed a costume change in the middle of the performance! This is made possible by removable accessories attached on their costumes.

For MLC (Wellington), our students performed a short skit before the start of their dance performance titled “A Whole New World” that was featured in Disney’s Aladdin movie. A wonderful classic.

For not forgetting our signature Chinese Speech & Drama – we had our children re-enact the teachings of Sima Guang 司马光 in a short performance skit. There is always something to learn from stories in the past.

Production timeline was tight as we welcome MLC (Bedok Reservoir) in their inaugural concert performance for the first time. This will be our 7th center attending the concert and each year our MLC family gets larger.

We look forward to delighting our audiences with more exciting performance in Dec 2019. Most importantly we want our MLC graduating students to grow beyond their comfort zone and equip themselves with the best mindset for learning beyond expectations.

– The MLC Team

October 1, 2018

MLC Pasir Ris 2018