Preschool

Three to six in Singapore: choosing a preschool, managing behaviour and friendships, and the run-up to Primary 1.

Three to six is the stretch before formal school, and the questions change shape. Less about feeding and sleep, more about behaviour, friendships, and which preschool to choose.

Preschool choice is the big one in Singapore, and it gets decided earlier than most parents expect. We have set out how the system works, what the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) regulates, and what actually separates the options once you visit them.

Health sits in its own group below, because at this age most of it is whatever is going around the class.

A preschooler drawing with crayons at a low table while classmates work behind3–6 years

Choosing a preschool

How the system works, what the options cost, and when to start looking.

School, systems and support

The digital admin, the sick-child rules, and the special-education options.

Health, and the things that go around the class

Hand, foot and mouth disease, head lice, teeth, and when to get more help.

Screens and learning

Singapore’s guidelines, and what is worth their screen time.

Eating, talking and the hard conversations

Picky eating, conversation skills, and explaining death to a small child.

Growing pains

Drop-off tears, friendship wobbles and the endless questions. Honest essays for the days that test you.

Tried and tested

All reviews

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