7 Ways That Preschools Benefit Both Parents and Children

During our nation’s circuit breaker period, Singapore parents got a taste of what it’s like to help their children with home-based learning – with most performing admirably, juggling work, education and family life.

If you’re on the fence about whether to send your child to a preschool in Singapore, here are our thoughts on why preschools are the ideal choice for growing children (and working parents).

This article references My First Skool’s dynamic learning environments and relationships-based curriculum (RBC) as examples of how a good preschool provides your child with what they need to learn, grow and develop to their full potential.

Benefits for Children

Nurtured by professional educators

Your child’s early development is crucial, as it will impact the way they learn and interact with their peers in the years ahead. At My First Skool, our educators are highly qualified professionals in their field and understand what it takes to nurture confident children with positive attitudes towards learning.

Our curriculum lays the foundation for a well-rounded education, and our immersive Chinese environment inculcates good values, instilling a strong ethical and moral compass that will guide your child positively in life.

Regular schedules and activities

Preschools provide children with a good mix of play and study, and introduce the concept of “routines” to children. Routines are important as they help children to understand time management, establish good habits (like brushing their teeth and doing chores), and much more. For infants and toddlers, routines allow them to feel safe and secure – especially as they gain an understanding of the (regular and predictable) activities that are taking placing around them.

At a good preschool, your child has a regular schedule and knows what to expect every day. This includes playtime, learning time, bath time, mealtimes and more. Want to know what your child will be doing on any particular day? Simply check their class timetable online or via the My First Skool app.

Social, cognitive and language development

Importantly, your child will get a head start in learning all of life’s most essential skills. Through My First Skool’s RBC, they will develop the confidence, trust and social skills that enable them to communicate effectively with both their classmates and adults. The interactive curriculum also emphasises cognitive and language development through fun activities and engaging role play.

Healthy childhood

Children at My First Skool preschools also receive healthy, balanced meals that are freshly prepared in our kitchens every day. The meals are specially prepared by our certified chefs, who make sure that every dish is as appealing to a child’s senses, as they are yummy to eat and packed with the nutrition that growing children need. Children also get lots of exercise and outdoor play at My First Skool, with activities that are specifically designed to develop and fine tune their motor skills.

Benefits for Parents

Preschools bring balance to your life

Parents who supported their children’s home-based learning activities during the circuit breaker understand the difficulties of balancing work, children, and everything else in life. Even with help from spouses, other family members or domestic helpers, the stress of multi-tasking is a reality for most parents – especially in situations where both parents have full-time jobs.

A preschool can take away this stress and replace it with confidence – confidence that your child is being cared for by qualified early childhood professionals, in an environment that’s designed for learning, and supported by a curriculum that encourages children to develop to their fullest potential.

Preschools can be affordable (if you choose the right one)

There is a misconception that reputable preschools are expensive and only available to parents with high disposable incomes. While that may be true for many leading preschool brands, one of the nation’s top brands, My First Skool offers preschool education at affordable fees.

This is because My First Skool is a part of the NTUC First Campus family, an organisation that is dedicated to providing high quality yet affordable preschool education to Singaporeans across the island.

Be updated of your child’s progress

“Out of sight” doesn’t have to mean “out of mind”. At My First Skool, we keep parents up-to-date with what their child is engaged in at school – their lessons, behaviour, progress, skill development, social abilities, and more.

We believe that the relationship between teachers and parents, is just as important as the relationships formed between teachers and children. That’s why our teachers and educarers give parents valuable insights into everything that goes on with their child. We believe that the key to helping a child to grow, is by also inviting their parents to be a part of the learning process.

Safety Precautions

When choosing a preschool for your child, it’s important to understand the school’s list of safety checks – especially in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

At My First Skool, we take the health and safety of children (and our staff) very seriously – and have implemented safety precautions that are above and beyond legislated recommendations. These include:

• Temperature checks 3 times a day
  • On arrival at the school
  • At lunchtime
  • At dismissal time
• Increased cleaning frequency on all days, across all our locations
• All our schools have clear signage that reminds children (and parents) to practice safe distancing
• Signs and reminders are also placed at seats, cots, and mattresses
• Toys are allocated to specific classes (and not shared between classes)
• Commerical grade UV sterilisers are used to clean and sterilize commonly used items, such as toy, stationary and kitchen equipment
• Every child and staff member is provided with a customized mask holder, allowing them to keep their masks properly, safely and hygienically during meal times
• Good hand hygiene is practised by children and staff, and when water and soap is not readily available, hand sanitisers are used.

Why Choose My First Skool?

What makes My First Skool different? In addition to the many factors listed above, our curriculum is unique to us, and proven to be highly effective at developing confident children with a positive “I can do it!” mindset.

This is thanks to our relationships-based and inquiry-based approaches to learning – which promote strong bonds between children and teachers, with teachers empowering children to be bold, communicate effectively, and ask questions. Also, our school’s immersive Chinese environment inculcates good values, so children develop a strong ethical and moral compass that will guide them positively in life.

For more information about My First Skool’s curriculum, schools and student intakes, please contact us.