Yes, you heard us right! Singapore is truly a great place to raise kids, for many reasons.
From having the world’s best education system and the best preschools in Singapore to facilities that are built with families in mind, here are just some reasons that make our little red dot the perfect place to have our children spend their growing up years.
Singapore has loads of amazing playgrounds
It is surprisingly easy to find free play spaces for children in Singapore.
Firstly, our HDB estates boast beautifully outfitted public playgrounds – in most estates, you can hardly walk two or three blocks without coming across another one. Our neighbourhood playgrounds are not cookie-cutter similar either and newer ones often reflect the amazing history of the area.
For example, the Canberra Park playground features a life-size dinosaur bone sculpture, inclusive play area, interactive swings and even an obstacle course. If you are keen to explore more of Singapore through play, a naval base themed playground at Eastbank@Canberra is just a couple minutes’ walk from the main play space of the Canberra Park playground.
Tip: If you live in the area and are looking for a preschool for your child, check out MindChamps PreSchool @ Nordcom II, conveniently situated a stone’s throw away from Canberra Park playground.
Parents in the know will also have been to the new Jubilee Park at Fort Canning, right by the MRT entrance. With a focus on natural play spaces that seem to grow right out of the grassy hills, the playground has not one, not two, but four slides, a log pile climbing range, and a series of seesaws and bouncy nets to thoroughly wear your kids out for the day.
Read also: 6 Little-Known Things to Do with Your Kids After Preschool in Serangoon
There are many rich arts programmes for kids in Singapore
If the clouds are rolling in and rain begins to pour, you can brighten your children’s day with some arts and crafts activities.
More and more parents are growing cognisant of the importance of the arts in the holistic development of their children. Art instruction helps kids to develop creative problem-solving skills, while exercising their understanding of visual concepts and training their motor skills.
Luckily, in Singapore, you would be hard-pressed to choose between the huge range of options available for your child. From art jamming sessions and cultural dance to speech and drama classes, your children have almost too much to choose from!
Children can pick up sports easily in Singapore
Because we have such great infrastructure already existent in Singapore, kids can easily head to a nearby stadium, swimming pool, or school field to pick up a sport they are keen on.
Swimming lessons are of course a perennial favourite with parents, but kids nowadays can also go wall-climbing, learn roller-blading at Bishan Park, and even do yoga.
If you are more the free and easy type, head on down to the National Stadium where there is a fully-sheltered, free-to-use civic space that encircles the stadium, called the 100PLUS Promenade. This is a great place to teach your kids to rollerblade, cycle, scoot, or even have a family jog together in a safe indoor space. If you need to pick up some suitable sports gear, there are several options at Kallang Wave Mall next door.
Read also: Experts Agree: Reading is an enriching alternative for gadget-addicted kids
Reading programmes support children’s learning in Singapore
Research has shown that early literacy, along with building rich vocabularies and complex language, is a key factor in giving children a head start in life. After all, 90% of brain growth happens by the age of 5.
It is no surprise then that parents are concerned about their children learning to read. Luckily, in Singapore, there is tons of support for parents keen to raise their kids as avid readers.
Our local public libraries are exceedingly well stocked with age-appropriate books. Many of the newer libraries have been made very welcoming to young children, with child-sized furniture, cosy reading nooks and a tolerance for higher sound levels. They also run a National kidsREAD programme which seeks to promote the love of reading and cultivate good reading habits among young Singaporeans, comprising book clubs and storytelling sessions that are sure to appeal to kids of all ages.
Fun Fact: Did you know that babies born from January 2016 onwards are also entitled to a super cute baby gift pack from our libraries?
Parents looking for something a little more detailed can check out other enrichment classes in Singapore such as the MindChamps Reading Programme, which seeks to build confidence in your children and develop a genuine interest and excitement in reading.
Singapore has some of the best preschools in the world
With parents so invested in their children’s education from the early years, it is no wonder that when searching for the best preschools in Singapore, you would be thoroughly spoilt for choice.
What makes a good preschool? Parents have many exhaustive criteria, ranging from location, teacher-child ratios, curricula and incorporation of play into the day. When it is time to pick a preschool, parents often take a long time to make this important decision – as they should!
Make a list of the criteria that matter the most to you and rank them from top to bottom. When you visit your potential schools, be sure to speak to the principals and find out how closely each school matches the criteria that you are looking for.
After all, we want nothing but the best for our children.
Written by JoBeth Williams
Find out how your child can benefit from a preschool curriculum that is based on years of research.
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