Singapore Haze (August 2026): What's Happening and What Parents Should Know

Singapore is once again keeping a close watch on the skies. In a joint media release issued on 9 August 2026 on behalf of the agencies in the Government’s Haze Task Force (HTF), the National Environment Agency (NEA) confirmed that as of 9 August 2026, 1.00 pm, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) stood at 81 in the Central region — within the Moderate range, but close enough to the Unhealthy threshold (PSI above 100) that the 28 public agencies making up the HTF are on standby to activate their respective haze action plans should conditions worsen.

For families, this is also a good time to keep an eye on air-quality updates when planning outdoor activities, and BusyKidd will continue to share relevant family-friendly information and updates to help parents make informed plans.

What’s Driving The Haze

Singapore’s haze risk in August 2026 is being driven by a combination of hotter and drier weather, an increased risk of forest and land fires in the region, and prevailing winds that can carry smoke towards Singapore. The Meteorological Service Singapore expects El Niño conditions and a possible positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) to contribute to warmer and drier conditions across Singapore and the surrounding region from June to October, creating conditions that are more favourable for fires.

Smoke from these fires can spread across neighbouring areas and affect Singapore’s air quality, particularly when rainfall is low and wind conditions are favourable. As a result, August and September are considered the peak period for transboundary haze, with air quality depending largely on the extent of regional fires and prevailing weather patterns.

Who’s Most At Risk

Health authorities note that the impact of haze on any individual depends on their health status, the PSI level, and how long and how intensely they’re active outdoors. Vulnerable groups, including the elderly, pregnant women, children, and people with pre-existing heart or lung conditions, are advised to seek medical attention promptly if they start feeling unwell. General precautions include cutting back on outdoor activity and physical exertion, staying hydrated, and keeping medication (such as asthma inhalers) on hand for those who need it.

How Preschools Are Responding

Young children are among the most vulnerable to haze, since their lungs and airways are still developing, which is shaping how Singapore’s preschools and childcare centres are approaching the current situation.

Under the Early Childhood Development Agency’s (ECDA) Code of Practice, licensed preschools are required to follow specific guidelines for managing haze conditions and protecting children’s health and safety. In practice, this generally translates into a tiered response tied to the PSI:

Moderate range (PSI 51–100): Preschools continue with scheduled outdoor gross motor activities — full-day programmes are expected to provide at least an hour of gross motor activity daily, with a minimum of 30 minutes outdoors — but centres stay alert to PSI updates and are ready to adjust if conditions shift.
Unhealthy range (PSI above 100): Outdoor play, field trips, and other outdoor learning experiences are typically suspended or moved indoors, in line with national guidance that authorities use the 24-hour PSI forecast to advise on decisions such as school closures and the suspension of outdoor activities.
Ongoing monitoring: Centres are expected to track NEA’s haze advisories and the 1-hour PM2.5 readings throughout the day, since air quality can change quickly, and to shift indoor if smoke or haze becomes noticeable even before official readings cross the Unhealthy threshold.

Many preschools are also preparing to move activities indoors if conditions deteriorate. Centres may have indoor spaces, activities and programmes ready so that outdoor play and learning can be brought inside quickly if haze levels rise or the air quality becomes visibly uncomfortable. This allows preschools to minimise children’s exposure to polluted air while keeping the daily programme running as normally as possible.

On the ground, this usually means preschools switching gross motor and outdoor learning sessions to indoor spaces, keeping windows and doors closed where possible, and relying more on air-conditioned or air-purified rooms. Teachers are also asked to stay alert for children showing signs of respiratory discomfort — coughing, eye or throat irritation, or unusual tiredness and to inform parents promptly if a child seems unwell.

What Parents Should Know And Do

Check the air quality before you plan your day. Use the haze.gov.sg portal or the myENV app for the latest 24-hour PSI forecast and 1-hour PM2.5 readings — PM2.5 in particular can shift quickly through the day, so it’s worth checking again before pick-up or any outdoor plans after preschool.
Keep medication on hand. If your child has asthma or another pre-existing respiratory or heart condition, make sure their inhaler or medication is with the preschool and not just at home, so staff can respond quickly if symptoms appear during the day.
Update the preschool on your child’s health status. Let teachers know if your child has any condition that makes them more sensitive to haze, and flag any recent symptoms (cough, wheezing, eye or throat irritation) even if mild.
Watch for symptoms after pick-up too. Haze effects aren’t limited to school hours — keep an eye out for irritated eyes, a persistent cough, sore throat, or unusual fatigue at home, and seek medical attention promptly if your child seems unwell rather than waiting it out.
Limit outdoor exposure outside of school hours as well. If the PSI is in the Unhealthy range, it’s worth scaling back playground time, outdoor sports, or long walks outside, not just relying on the preschool to manage exposure during the day.
Keep your home haze-ready. Close windows and doors when haze is present, and where possible, use air-conditioning or an air purifier at home, especially in your child’s bedroom.
Stay hydrated. Encourage your child to drink water regularly during hazy periods — staying hydrated can help reduce some of the irritant effects of haze exposure.
Have a backup care plan. If PSI escalates into the Unhealthy or Hazardous range and your preschool suspends outdoor programmes or adjusts operations, it helps to know in advance whether you’d keep your child home, arrange alternative care, or rely on the centre’s indoor contingency plans.
N95 masks aren’t usually necessary for healthy children in short-term exposure (e.g., the walk to and from preschool), and are not needed indoors — but if the PSI moves into the Hazardous range (above 300) and your child must be outdoors for an extended period, a well-fitted N95 mask can help reduce exposure. Check with your child’s paediatrician if you’re unsure about mask use for younger children.
Don’t wait for school closures to act. Authorities use the PSI forecast to guide decisions like school closures, but you don’t need to wait for an official closure to reduce your own child’s outdoor exposure or keep them home if they’re unwell.

This mirrors the approach taken by MOE-run schools, which maintain a school continuity plan for haze situations. Teachers are asked to watch for students who are unwell or have pre-existing lung or heart conditions, and parents are reminded to ensure their children have necessary medication on hand or to arrange care at home if needed.

Staying Informed

For the latest PSI readings, haze advisories, and health guidance, residents — including parents of preschoolers — can check www.haze.gov.sg, www.nea.gov.sg, or the myENV app. As NEA and the HTF continue monitoring the hotspot situation in the region, further updates are expected if conditions change over the coming week.