New parents always have so many questions – from the best diaper brand to the school holiday calendar. Of course, each of these aspects matters – after all, we are talking about our precious kids. Well, while there’s some time left before the school opens its doors to your child, let’s talk about preschools since this period is much closer. Childcare and preschool education in Singapore is not just a traditional classroom – it’s far beyond the walls. A lot of institutions attach great importance to an outdoor environment where the little ones receive the opportunity to learn about the world around them, increase their activity, and spend more time outdoors, which is essential for both mental and physical health. What is the preschool age in Singapore? What is the best childcare and preschool in Singapore? Is there a childcare and preschool in Singapore near me? The BusyKidd team decided to answer all questions that may arise while thinking about our kids’ future. Of course, we made a compilation of Singapore preschools with outstanding outdoor spaces, which will make your child’s preschool experience even more useful and exciting.
First, we should note that childcare and preschool education are not compulsory in Singapore. However, most parents opt for it. Why? Because preschool supports and encourages your child’s development, which is especially active and vital in the first five years. Early Childhood Education is a great way to socialize, learn more through games and fun, make new friends, develop essential skills, and more.
According to the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), preschools provide care and education for kids between 2 months and below 7 years. Types of ECDA licensed preschools in Singapore are as follows:
- Infant Care Centre (2 months to 18 months old)
- Child Care Centre (18 months to below 7 years)
- Kindergarten (3 years to below 7 years)
Depending on the preschool type, you’ll be provided a half-day or full-day program and services available 5 or 5½ days a week.
So how can I find infant care, kindergarten, or childcare in Singapore near me? There is a great tool – LifeSG App. It is a service where you can find lots of useful information and government services, including a preschool search portal, preschool guides, and even an ECDA subsidy calculator.
Now, it’s time to check our list of Singapore preschools with outstanding outdoor spaces!
Related Reading: Check out our guide to the best Montessori Kindergartens and Preschools in Singapore. And don’t forget to review Joseph Schooling: The Story of Singapore’s Flying Fish!
Adventure Tree Preschool
Adventure Tree Preschool offers play-based, outdoor-focused childcare and preschool learning in Singapore. Its campuses provide great opportunities to put nature at the center of education. Just imagine a cozy backyard surrounded by fruit trees that houses sensory gardens and edible gardens. Besides, kids will find a large wooden playground and swings there. For more exciting activities, they can head to the preschool’s front yard with its giant sandpit and trampoline – perfect for supporting discovery and imagination.
- Location:
- Adventure Tree Katong: 4 Crescent Road, Singapore 439289
- Adventure Tree Bukit Timah: 38 Tham Soong Avenue, Singapore 596360
- Adventure Tree Holland: 9 Grove Drive, Singapore 279050
- More details
Blue House International Preschool
Image Credit: Blue House International Preschool
At Blue House International Preschool, they believe that ‘environment is the third teacher.’ And there’s no better teacher than Mother Nature, right? So it’s not about traditional outdoor space. Can you imagine a bungalow surrounded by a large garden? Dancing on the central piazza, creating masterpieces on the verandah, conducting experiments in the garden, and exploring everything and everywhere – that’s how kids are inspired, educated, and encouraged to respect nature at Blue House International Preschool.
- Location:
- Jalan Mutiara: 17 Jln Mutiara, Singapore 249196
- Rambai Road: 17 Rambai Rd, Singapore 424336
- Kay Siang Road: 19 Kay Siang Rd, Singapore 248935
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Carpe Diem Preschool
Carpe Diem is a childcare center and one of the top preschools in Singapore, and it knows that outdoor science learning helps children better connect with nature, understand it, and realize the importance of caring about nature. And what can be more fun (and productive) than outdoor math learning with all that stones, leaves, sticks, and other available materials? And, yes, running, riding a bike, jumping, dancing, crawling, climbing, and other outdoor motor skill activities are a must. Carpe Diem Preschool has a spacious outdoor greenery area with a playground and other facilities for everything mentioned above.
- Location: Multiple
- More details
EtonHouse Preschool
Image Credit: EtonHouse Pre-School
Nature is the best teacher that offers boundless lessons for kids. Whether it’s a rooftop garden, a beach, or even a pond with ducklings, each of the Eton House Preschools has a unique connection with nature and benefits the most from it when teaching children. What about a literacy walk, sand sculpting at the beach, enjoying outdoor sports, or even becoming a farmer? EtonHouse Preschool provides a totally nature-inspired education.
- Location: Multiple
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Little Paddington Preschool
Little Paddington Preschool’s outdoor learning spaces are perfectly thought out to provide a wide range of opportunities for kids of all ages. A gardening patch, pirate-ship playground, water play, sand pit, cycling track, and petting zoo – isn’t that a perfect environment to experience the world, learn, and socialize? Your kids will spend their days like little Master Chefs, scientists, artists, musicians, actors, and more. Little Paddington Preschool also offers a Mandarin Immersion Programme.
- Location: Multiple
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Little Skool-House Preschool
The Little Skool House Preschool offers a great combination of learning and adventures. And what is the best place to get the most out of this? Mother Nature, of course! Kids make discoveries and gain essential skills while running, hiking, climbing, etc. Outdoor learning leads to understanding the natural environment and developing environmental awareness. Besides, it’s really interesting and fun. All this makes outdoor learning one of the Little Skool-House Preschool’s priorities.
There are 20 childcare and preschool centers in Singapore, so you may be sure that ‘my Little Skool House’ is somewhere nearby.
- Location: Multiple
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MOE Kindergarten
MOE Kindergarten is deservedly considered among the best preschool institutions by parents in Singapore. The reason is that it provides a stressless transition to primary school, largely due to the significant focus placed on its outdoor learning environment. Fun and educative outdoor activities help kids get closer to nature and learn more about it. MOE Kindergarten’s outdoor environment includes playgrounds, sensory gardens, sports fields, basketball courts, art areas, water/sand play areas, and more.
- Location: Multiple
- More details
Mulberry Learning Preschool
Mulberry @ Namly is proud of its unique feature – an outdoor learning space with “Sea,” “Forest,” and “Mountain” themed areas. Kids at Mulberry Learning Preschool run, jump, climb, slide, overcome numerous obstacles – and become stronger, more confident, and happier, of course. The center’s facilities include a wading pool, swings, climbing walls, slides, tunnels, and more.
- Location: Mulberry Learning @ Namly: 36 Namly Cres, Singapore 267551
- More details
Nexus International School
Image Credit: Nexus International School
Nexus International School has an early years learning hub, and it provides a safe and happy environment for discovering this exciting world. Weekly lessons include daily foreign language lessons, Arts, PE, swimming, and more – and everything is play-based. The preschool’s outdoor garden is used as a classroom. It’s a place where kids enjoy running, jumping, riding bikes, planting, and playing. And what do you think about a treehouse? Or, more precisely, about the double-story treehouse? This is probably the perfect environment for preschoolers.
- Location: 1 Aljunied Walk Singapore 387293
- More details
MindChamps Preschool
Image Credit: MindChamps Preschool
It is one of Singapore’s most popular preschool brands – and no wonder. MindChamps Preschool pays great attention to outdoor learning and integrates STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) elements into its outdoor spaces. MindChamps PreSchool @ Concorde Hotel has an outdoor play area where kids can play their favorite games and invent new ones. MindChamps PreSchool @ Bedok has an eco-garden where kids work together and care for plants. Children create masterpieces of leaves and stones as part of their lessons at MindChamps Tanglin. Water play and construction/sand play area, a cycling track, and a playground at MindChamps PreSchool @ Sentosa help kids develop different skills through play. And this is just a tiny part!
- Location: Multiple
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Odyssey The Global Preschool
Odyssey The Global Preschool is about learning without boundaries, which also applies to learning spaces. It is not just a preschool but a research and education hub, with the environment acting as the third teacher. Kids will definitely enjoy plenty of outdoor areas surrounded by greenery, an outdoor music garden, water play areas, and exciting opportunities to learn while playing.
Dempsey campus deserves special attention. It is Odyssey’s first forest school, providing a unique forest-themed curriculum. Yes, it is the place where the forest turns into a classroom.
- Location: Multiple
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PCF Sparkletots Preschool
If you are wondering ‘where is the PCF Sparkletots preschool near me,’ you’ll definitely find not one but several options since PCF Sparkletots is Singapore’s largest preschool operator with multiple locations islandwide. It is an Anchor Operator funded by the ECDA that aims to provide high-quality preschool education at affordable Sparkletots school fees for everyone. Services include a great variety of learning activities (Early Years, Childcare, Dual Service, Kindergarten), both indoor and outdoor. Learning outdoors at PCF Sparkletots helps young explorers connect with the world – and thus develop critical thinking skills.
- Location: Multiple
- More details
Shaws Preschool
What can kids learn from sand, water, and mud? Well, a lot! Shaws Preschool is one of the first play-based preschools in Singapore, and providing little explorers with an outdoor space for their important discoveries is among its main principles. Exciting sports (soccer, rugby, tennis, basketball, baseball, and others), hands-on learning (that’s where mug can come in handy), swimming (yes, one of Shaws Preschool’s centers has a pool) – learning and growing up at Shaws Preschool will become an exceptional experience. Preschool’s campus facilities include water play, a gym, a garden, a sandpit, a mud kitchen, and more.
- Location: Multiple
- More details
Star Learners Child Care
Star Learners Child Care has 20 years of experience making boys and girls well-educated, healthy, and happy. Outdoor activities play a considerable role in achieving this. Each center has perfect opportunities for outdoor explorations and discoveries, including water play, playground equipment, a large trampoline, a garden, and more. By the way, the preschool’s curriculum is literature-based, so your kids will become true heroes of a fascinating adventure that will help them develop key competencies like critical thinking and problem-solving.
- Location: Multiple
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The Orange Tree Preschool
Image Credit: The Orange Tree Preschool
The Orange Tree Preschool knows everything about the benefits of outdoor play, and it constantly uses this knowledge to help parents raise healthy, active, curious children. Running, jumping, climbing, drawing with chalk, riding bikes, and building sandcastles are just a tiny part of all the activities that kids can enjoy while learning. Did we mention there is a pool at The Orange Tree Preschool for young adventurers to get wet and happy?
- Location: 10 Choa Chu Kang Road #01-02, Singapore 689379
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Kinderland Preschool
Image Credit: Kinderland Preschool
Did you know that music can help kids understand maths and science better? Kinderland Preschool offers a unique music-infused curriculum and believes that learning must go far beyond the classroom. Edible Garden, Butterfly Garden, and even an Animal Sanctuary at Kinderland Academy @ Yio Chu Kang provide an exceptional learning experience outside the classroom. Kinderland @ Marine Parade is situated close to East Coast Park, so kids enjoy walking, sunbathing, and playing at the playground. We bet picnics will become their favorite part. Kinderland @ Pandan Valley has a private playground, a playhouse, a sandpit and water play equipment, and a spice garden.
- Location: Multiple
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Little Green House Preschool
Image Credit: Little Green House Preschool
A perfect combination of indoor and outdoor activities provided by Little Green House Preschool is responsible for kids’ exciting adventures and discoveries. The preschool’s partial open classroom concept and amazing outdoor playgrounds give your little ones a daily dose of vitamin D and fun. Beautiful open spaces and breathtaking outdoor play areas are perfect for learning more about nature and interacting with it.
- Location: Multiple
- More details
Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse
Image Credit: Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse
Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse offers Infant Care, Preschool, and Childcare programs in Singapore that inseparably combine curriculum and outdoor activities. Parks, eco-gardens, ponds, water and sand play areas, trampoline parks, and even more – there’s something special that will inspire young adventure seekers and encourage them to explore our world. Outdoor masterclasses, farming, nature walks, and many educational activities provide a deep connection with nature and a thirst for new knowledge.
- Location: Multiple
- More details
Wharton Preschool
Wharton Childcare Center and Preschool based in Singapore offers a unique combination of Montessori, inquiry-based, and theme-based learning through both indoor and outdoor activities. The beautiful green garden is a place to explore fauna, conduct experiments, make unexpected discoveries, and laugh. Playgrounds, water play, a trampoline, and other outdoor facilities will make your kids’ time at Wharton Preschool both informative and fun.
- Location:
- Wharton @ Serangoon North: 15 Serangoon North Ave 5, #04-00, Popular Building, Singapore 554360
- Wharton @ East Coast: 791A Upper East Coast Road, Singapore 466601
- More details
The amount of Singapore preschools with incredible outdoor facilities is impressive, so you will definitely find your perfect option.