Bright Horizons Fund’s Chairman and Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How (front centre, in green) poses with beneficiaries at a FAST event held at the Singapore Discovery Centre on 5 August 2023.
On Saturday (5 Aug), about 510 preschool children from less privileged backgrounds and their families experienced life as a soldier by pitching tents, cooking and sampling the food our Singapore Armed Forces soldiers eat in the field at the Singapore Discovery Centre. They also experienced an army obstacle course and went on a tour of the Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute.
These activities were part of the Families and School Together (FAST) event organised by NTUC First Campus (NFC) and sponsored by its charity fund Bright Horizons Fund (BHF), which enables children and families from low-income backgrounds to benefit from educational excursions and experiences.
This was the fourth and final FAST excursion in 2023, which was also attended by BHF’s Chairman and Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How. Mr Heng was a volunteer at the event alongside more than 40 NFC staff. More than 1,500 children and their families have attended the previous three FAST events this year.
Fawwas Bin Fazlin, 5, (third from left) and Fathania Athiana Binte Fazlin, 6, (furthest right) enjoy Basha Tent pitching with other BHF beneficiaries.
“Bright Horizons Fund supports preschool children from low-income backgrounds holistically. FAST, a signature programme of the BHF, creates opportunities for benefiting families to go on educational outings. This is a good way to foster both family bonding and home-school partnership,” said Mr Heng.
By providing access to educational experiences these families might not otherwise get, FAST visits to places like the Singapore Zoo or Singapore Discovery centre enable children to broaden their horizons through being exposed to new ideas and experiences.
FAST field trips also bolster social and emotional development by providing families the chance to bond and strengthen their relationships by sharing experiences and exploring new environments together. Interaction with principals and teachers is also made possible through these field trips, strengthening home-school partnerships.
Adam Safiy Bin Muhammad Shamsuri, 4, takes part in the army obstacle course.
Started in 2008, the BHF helps children and families from low-income backgrounds, and also children with learning needs, through various support programmes. These programmes cover these three aspects to ensure holistic support for children and families: financial aid, health and well-being, and learning support.
BHF also constantly reviews its existing programmes to meet the evolving needs of children and families. To bridge the digital divide and build a more inclusive preschool community, the fund launched its ‘Digital Kampung’ programme to lease tablets to low-income families to enhance children’s learning and virtual parent engagement, and also ensure that children could continue with online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
To expand its impact on children and families in need, the fund also regularly collaborates with external partners such as OCBC and CapitaLand to make preschool education more accessible and provide learning support programmes and learning journeys for preschoolers.
More than 37,000 children have benefitted from BHF’s programmes thus far, and more than $19 million has also been disbursed to families since BHF started in 2008.
“BHF will be mission-focused and ensure that every child with us enjoys equal opportunity to quality preschool education, regardless of background. This way, we give every child the best chance for a good future,” Mr Heng said.
Guest of Honour Mr Seah Kian Peng, Speaker of Parliament and Group Chief Executive Officer of NTUC Enterprise (second from left) posing with two children from My First Skool at Braddell Heights and My First Skool’s General Manager Ms Thian Ai Ling (first from right) with their plants during the preschool centre’s fundraising event on 19 August 2023.
Five-year-old Kieran Emmanuel Albuquerque squints in concentration as he carefully places a paper cutout on his elderly friend’s flower pot made using a recycled plastic bottle on Monday morning (14 August) at NTUC Health Senior Day Care in Serangoon Central.
This interaction between children from MFS at Braddell Heights and seniors at the day care centre next door has been a weekly affair since the launch of NFC’s and NTUC Health’s structured Intergenerational Programme in 2017.
Since July this year, their weekly sessions have focused on their fundraising collaboration where they create recycled flower pots to raise funds at today’s fundraising event for BHF, NFC’s charity fund. Besides the sale of recycled flower pots, the event included funfair booths for families to take part in. Mr Seah Kian Peng, Speaker of Parliament and Group Chief Executive Officer of NTUC Enterprise, was the Guest of Honour at the event.
Five-year-old Kieran Alburquerque from My First Skool at Braddell Heights decorated recycled flower pots with a senior from NTUC Health Senior Day Care at Serangoon Central on 14 August 2023. These flower pots would be sold during a fundraising event at the preschool centre on 19 August 2023 to raise funds for NTUC First Campus’s Bright Horizons Fund, which will benefit children and families from low-income backgrounds.
“As our young children engage with the seniors, their families, friends, and the community to raise funds for a good cause, they build relational skills through effective communication and teamwork, and build empathy and respect for others. These are skills that are greatly beneficial for their holistic development,” said Ms Thian Ai Ling, General Manager at My First Skool.
Lawrence Teo, Head of Senior Day Care at NTUC Health said, “At NTUC Health, we believe that our community as a whole can play a part in connecting generations. Through intergenerational activities, there is so much our seniors can impart to the younger generation by way of their personal experiences and life lessons. The young can also help seniors to reignite that spark of curiosity and excitement to learn something new and to live agelessly.”
Started in 2008, BHF helps children and families from low-income backgrounds, and also children with learning needs, through various support programmes. These programmes cover three aspects to ensure holistic support for children and families: financial aid, health and well-being, and learning support. More than 37,000 children have benefitted from BHF’s programmes thus far, and more than $19 million has been disbursed to families.
Transitioning to primary school is not an easy task – your child faces a new environment, new teachers, new classmates. Being primary school ready is not just about academics (being able to count, knowing colours, writing a sentence). It encompasses a wide range of skills which includes self-care, emotion regulation, social skills, etc.
My First Skool’s Skool-Ready© curriculum provides a holistic learning experience which adopts an inquiry-based learning approach, encouraging children to be confident in asking questions and investigating to find out the answers. This helps children develop self confidence and a “I Can Do It!” mindset which prepares them well for primary school.
Below are some tips on how you can help strengthen your child’s primary school readiness.
As soon as your child reaches 4 years old, you can start preparing your child for primary school by talking about behavioural and school expectations. From Nursery onwards, lessons/activities are planned to develop your child in the six learning domains (Aesthetics and Creative Expression, Discovery of the World, Language and Literacy, Motor Skills Development, Numeracy, Social Emotional Development). This provides children with a well-rounded and strong foundation in different subjects, helping children to tackle new concepts with ease in primary school.
Do initiate daily conversations with your child and ask them to share what they have learnt in school. You can also encourage your child to be more independent with self-care tasks (e.g. dressing, eating, brushing teeth) and give your child opportunities to take the lead at home (e.g. simple household chores, packing school his/her own school bag).
At My First Skool, the Skool-Ready© curriculum prepares children to be resilient and emotionally secure. Using feelings charts and emotion wheels, our teachers would check-in with the children to acknowledge the children’s feelings and guide them when they need help regulating their emotions.
Your child may experience mixed feelings or develop anxiety about transitioning to primary school. Give your child plenty of support and affirmation that starting primary school is fun and exciting. You may also read them children’s books about starting school to help them open up and share their feelings with you.
Our teachers would always encourage children to work and play harmoniously with different classmates in school so that the children get the opportunity to interact with children from various backgrounds. Encourage your child to socialise with children of similar age in the neighbourhood who may be going to the same primary school. A familiar face in school may help them feel more reassured when they are settling down in a new environment.
At My First Skool, children follow a daily schedule that is specific to their class and is consistent throughout the whole week. With routines in place, children are more independent as they are mentally prepared for the next activity and they know what is expected of them.
Before transitioning to primary school, it would be helpful to start a new routine with your child such as adjusting their sleep schedule weeks before school starts. Do engage in conversations with your child about what would happen every day (e.g. getting ready for school, having lessons, taking the school bus). You can also explain to your child about the new subjects and what to pack in their school bag. Being familiar with a routine and time table would allow them to adapt better to the changes and reduce anxiety.
Bring your child on an excursion to his/her new primary school and take a school tour. Explore the surrounding environment and guide your child on identifying landmarks near the primary school (e.g. bus stop, petrol station). To make it a fun and memorable experience, you may ask your child to draw out a map of their route to school when you are back home.
You can easily assess primary school virtual tours online and watch them with your child to familiarise them with the school setting.
As part of My First Skool’s Kindergarten 2 curriculum in Term 4, children would be able to name and identify the facilities in a primary school. During the virtual tour, you may engage in conversations with your child to find out what they are looking forward to or which are their favourite school facilities. This will help them to adapt better to the new environment and settle into primary school.
Preparing your child for primary school may seem like a daunting task, but My First Skool’s unique and high quality curriculum will ensure that your child develops into a confident individual, with a positive “I Can Do It!” mindset that will carry with them for life. Transitioning to primary school is going to be an exciting journey, with many new learning opportunities for your child!
Register now with My First Skool for your child to gain a holistic learning experience with us!
Ms Rachel Lim, early interventionist at NTUC First Campus’ Child Support Services department (centre), is engaging two children in an activity at My First Skool at Block 406 Woodlands. Two My First Skool pre-school centres have rolled out the Inclusive Support Programme by the Early Childhood Development Agency since February 2022.
Last year, 5-year-old Yap Jia Kai was attending MFS at Blk 347 Woodlands and his learning difficulties were picked up by his teacher. He was subsequently diagnosed with developmental needs, and was placed on the waiting list at the Early Intervention Programme for Infants & Children (EIPIC) centre.
In line with the government’s intention to advance inclusiveness in pre-schools to support children of diverse abilities, MFS at Blk 406 Woodlands was preparing to pilot the InSP by February 2022. Principal Andie Chia then got in touch with Jia Kai’s family to share about the Early Childhood Development Agency’s (ECDA) InSP, and Jia Kai soon joined the centre.
Since then, the cheerful child has been thriving in his new school. “The programme is very good. Jia Kai can now recognise all capital letters and small letters. He also loves to go to school,” said Mdm Wong Sit Wai, Jia Kai’s mother.
Fellow schoolmate Muhammad Fahmi Bin Muhammad Faizal also benefited greatly from the InSP at MFS at Block 406 Woodlands. Before the InSP was launched at MFS, Fahmi had to shuttle between his MFS centre and an EIPIC centre for more than a year.
“The InSP is very helpful because Fahmi can now do all his learning at the same place, and he will not be missing lessons at MFS. Previously, a bus would take Fahmi to and from the EIPIC centre thrice a week for classes, which is a lot of time spent on commuting,” shared Madam Nur Sa’adah, Fahmi’s mother.
Jia Kai and Fahmi are two of 11 children whose families have benefited from the InSP which is offered at two My First Skool pre-school centres – MFS at Block 406 Woodlands and MFS at Block 248 Kim Keat Link – which piloted the InSP in February 2022.
The InSP ensures in-school support for children requiring medium levels of early intervention support at their pre-schools. With differentiated teaching practices, the early intervention professionals and early childhood educators will plan and teach classes together, while tailoring the lessons to the children’s learning abilities. When deemed necessary, visiting allied health professionals will also provide specialist support to the children.
The two MFS centres have also set aside a room each for the customised sessions by the full-time Early Interventionists who support the children under the InSP.
“In line with NTUC First Campus’ (NFC) purpose of a bright future for every child and family, we are happy to be part of the InSP pilot. This programme enables children with developmental needs to learn alongside their peers in an inclusive environment, with the support of early intervention professionals,” said Louisa Chng, NFC’s Chief Child Support Officer.
“InSP does not only benefit these children and their families, but also the pre-school ecosystem. Typically developing children can build positive relationships with children of diverse abilities without compromising on their own development, and the early childhood educators also gain skills to better support children with developmental needs in their class.”
6-year-old Javen Chen is a typically developing child at MFS at Block 406 Woodlands who has relished learning alongside his classmates with developmental needs since the InSP was launched. “I am happy that Javen’s school has the InSP, which allows him to learn and play alongside children with different abilities. This initiative has helped him learn empathy,” said Javen’s mother, Mdm Peh Sing Ling.
Amy Soh is an English Lead Teacher at the same centre who has gained more experience and confidence in her ability as an educator. “I have picked up new knowledge, skills and strategies to better support children with developmental needs, such as using differentiated instructions from my lesson plans to engage them more meaningfully,” said Ms Soh.
“As a centre leader piloting this programme, I can positively impact various ecological systems such as children, their families and the larger community. Inclusion is a collaborative effort among stakeholders, it can never be left to schools alone to plough through. With this growing paradigm shift towards creating a more inclusive Singapore, it is vital to have services readily available and accessible to the children who need them,” said Andie Chia, Principal at MFS at Block 406 Woodlands.
Media Coverage:
Berita News (Time code: 00:57 – 01:45): https://www.mewatch.sg/watch/Jun-2022-SURIA-Berita-299695?redirect=true
Straits Times Online (22 June 2022): https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/parenting-education/more-pre-school-slots-for-children-with-developmental-needs-in-the-next-three-years
Straits Times Print (23 June 2022): PDF
Lianhe Zaobao Online (23 June 2022): https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/singapore/story20220623-1285687
Lianhe Zaobao Print (23 June 2022): PDF
Berita Harian Online (23 June 2022): https://www.beritaharian.sg/setempat/anak-anak-dengan-keperluan-pembangunan-ecda-lancar-panduan-untuk-ibu-bapa
Berita Harian Print (23 June 2022): PDF
8world.com: https://www.8world.com/singapore/ecda-pre-school-slots-developmental-needs-1841236
Capital 958FM
Channel 5 News (Time code: 22:52 – 24:45): https://www.mewatch.sg/watch/Jun-2022-CH-5-News-Tonight-299703
CNA News (Time code: 42:08 – 43:54): https://www.mewatch.sg/watch/Jun-2022-CNA-Singapore-Tonight-299802
Channel 8 News (Time code: 20:20 – 21:42): https://www.mewatch.sg/watch/Jun-2022-CH-8-News-Tonight-299708
The organisation will offer more than 30,000 preschool places over the next 2 years to build fundamental skills of the future through quality preschool and child development services.
Minister of Education Mr Chan Chun Sing is observing children building robots with recycled materials at the ‘Makerspace’ of My First Skool at 6 New Punggol Road.
As part of NTUC First Campus’ (NFC) enduring mission to provide excellent childcare services to young families in all neighbourhoods, the preschool operator will offer up to 4,000 new preschool places for children over the next two years, bringing the total number of preschool places to more than 30,000 across more than 170 preschool centres.
NFC has two preschool operators under its helm – My First Skool (MFS), which serves 22,000 children in 146 centres, and Little Skool-House (LSH), which serves 2,500 children in 20 centres.
NFC will augment the curriculum in its preschools to build foundational skills of the future in its children. Beyond strong fundamentals in core math and literacy, NFC will nurture three vital foundational skills for a lifetime of growth: relational skills; global citizenship; and digital intelligence skills.
Relational Skills
MFS’ curriculum aims to nurture socially-adept, resilient and caring children.
For infants, its Relationships-Based Curriculum adopts a primary caregiving model to help young children develop a sense of security and well-being. As the children grow older, MFS enables them to develop relational skills through character building, while providing a cooperative learning environment where teachers and children learn with and from one another.
MFS will also increase the number of Intergenerational Programme at its centres to spur interaction between children and seniors through activities, allowing them to form ties and learn from one another. The Programme also inculcates values such as empathy, compassion and respect in our children. All MFS centres have the Intergenerational programme, which has been successful since its launch in 2015.
Minister of Education Mr Chan Chun Sing is interacting with an infant at My First Skool at 6 New Punggol Road.
Global Citizenship
Our preschools inspire our children to understand their world and the role they can play by making a difference to the community. To inculcate a sustainability mindset in the children, MFS and LSH centres will encourage children to adopt sustainable practices beyond the classroom, and participate in national gardening initiatives such as Community in Bloom by National Parks Board. NFC’s Outdoor School Singapore (OSS) also takes children on adventure trips to Singapore’s various parks and nature reserves, enabling them to form a positive connection with nature and the world.
Digital Intelligence Skills
MFS and LSH will feature Digital Intelligence in their preschool programmes starting next year, equipping our children with skills to navigate the digital world and enabling them to be creative thinkers of the future.
NFC believes that every child is unique and has different learning needs and preferences. Its educators are trained to give every child a meaningful and engaging learning experience in school. In addition, NFC offers a range of programmes to support children with learning needs, and continues to develop new programmes to meet new needs. Currently, NFC supports 1,800 children with learning and development needs every year.
Its team of 90 multi-disciplinary professionals, such as classroom co-facilitators, in-house therapists, learning support educators and early interventionists, supports children with diverse learning needs, and children from low-income and vulnerable families.
NFC is also focusing on growing the impact of OSS, which delivers outdoor learning programmes to both children in NFC preschools and from the general public. Its outdoor programmes enable children to develop attributes like resilience, responsibility and a sense of adventure, which are key traits that will help them navigate the complexities of a rapidly-evolving world. OSS aims to engage over 7,000 children on these outdoor adventure sessions in 2023, up from 2,000 this year.
“Founded in 1977 by the NTUC to support working families in Singapore, NFC has thrived in the early childhood sector and made a positive mark in the lives of many children and families. Today, we are still guided by our vision of providing a quality preschool education, enabling every child to develop the skills and qualities needed to have a bright future,” said Ms Chan Su Yee, Chief Executive Officer, NTUC First Campus.
NFC will partner parents and the Early Childhood Development Agency to realise its vision and implement its initiatives.
NFC announced these new initiatives on its 45th anniversary celebration at My First Skool at 6 New Punggol Road, which was attended by the Minister for Education, Mr Chan Chun Sing.
NTUC First Campus unveiled a new logo at its 45th anniversary brand launch event at its newest Large Childcare Centre at My First Skool at 6 New Punggol Road. Minister of Education Mr Chan Chun Sing (fourth from left) was the Guest of Honour at the event. The representatives in the photo are: (from left) Phyllicia Chew, Principal, My First Skool at 6 New Punggol Road; Phoon Chew Ping, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, NTUC First Campus; Ng Chee Yuen, Chairman, NTUC First Campus; Mr Chan Chun Sing, Minister of Education; Chan Su Yee, Chief Executive Officer, NTUC First Campus; Esther Soon, Director (Sector Funding), Early Childhood Development Agency; and Thian Ai Ling, General Manager, My First Skool.
A principal who guides teachers to create engaging learning spaces for children. An early years educator who goes the extra mile to visit parents whose child need additional support in their learning, and offer tips on extending the child’s learning at home. A preschool centre with a rich outdoor space for children to explore, inquire and care for the environment.
These are three of five My First Skool’s (MFS) outstanding winners who were recognised at this year’s ECDA Awards 2022 award ceremony on October 29.
The ECDA Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development recognises the exemplary achievements and accomplishments of educators, early intervention professionals, leaders and centres that have excelled in their teaching and learning, and innovative practices in the early childhood sector.
This is a list of our winners and finalists for the ECDA Awards 2022:
1. Outstanding Early Childhood Leader (Winner) – Ainul Farhana Binti Mohamed Bathurudin, My First Skool (2 Punggol Drive)
2. Promising Early Childhood Leader (Winner) – Ruzita Binte Zainuddin, My First Skool (Blk 612 Yishun)
3. Outstanding Early Years Educator (Winner) – Nur Azlin Binte Ramlan, My First Skool (505 Yung An Road)
4. Outstanding Centre for Teaching and Learning (Winner) – My First Skool (51 Fernvale Link)
5. Early Childhood Innovation (Winner) – ‘Outdoor Learning about Pangolins & Otters’ Project, My First Skool (Blk 180B Boon Lay)
A Straits Times article featured My First Skool (MFS) at Block 997 Buangkok Crescent’s visual arts programme, which was introduced since the centre first opened in 2018. Thanks to a partnership with the National Gallery Singapore, the centre is one of the 17 MFS centres offering a deeper dive into the practice than the typical curriculum offers. As the centre caters to many low-income families, the art programme helps these children develop expressive language.
“Though art, the children are free to explore. Teachers will ask ‘Can you share with me what you have drawn? Why do you want to do it this way?’ They have an opportunity to say something and we respect what they say,” said executive principal Pearlyn Tan.
The programme was initially meant for pre-schoolers, but it has also been extended to infants. Conducted weekly, the activities can be as simple as stepping on or touching a “Christmas tree” painting taped securely to the floor.
The safety and health of our children at MFS is our top priority.
In preparation for our children’s first week of school, all MFS centres have been sanitised. Nearly all MFS staff are fully vaccinated, and more than half have also received their booster shots.
The usual routine health checks for symptoms of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease and COVID-19 also greet our children before they start their classes.
With these safety measures in place, our parents are reassured when they send their children to school for the new school year.
Across the 145 pre-school centres with a total of 22,000 children, 80 per cent of children returned to school on January 3. Only 3 per cent have gone abroad during the year-end holiday.
“I trust the teachers, and support has been rendered to us, so I have peace of mind,” said a parent. Another parent said that the teachers at MFS have done a good job in educating the children on the hygiene precautions they should take during the pandemic thus far.
MFS is looking forward to having outdoor play resume this year. “As children are active by nature, we hope that field trips can resume in 2022,” said Thian Ai Ling, General Manager of MFS.
CNA, Channel 8 and Suria Berita visited MFS (70 Telok Blangah Heights) on January 4 and documented the children’s first week of school.
(4 January 2022) CNA: https://www.mewatch.sg/watch/CNA-2022-E15-More-activities-to-be-allowed-for-primary-school-students-265509?redirect=true (Time code: 01:20)
(4 January 2022) Channel 8: https://www.mewatch.sg/watch/Jan-2022-Hello-Singapore-265496 (Time code: 03:27)
(4 January 2022) Channel U: http://my.tvey.es/Cp4q8
(4 January 2022) Suria Berita: https://www.mewatch.sg/watch/Jan-2022-SURIA-Berita-265498 (Time code: 01:57)
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
During these uncertain times, many people are discovering how important resilience is in their lives and be able to persevere and overcome the obstacles they face. Resilient people demonstrate their ability to bounce back, get their lives on track and stay on course, never letting their environment take control of their emotions and decisions.
This is an important skill that needs to be developed in children from an early age, so they too, can have the resilience to handle setbacks and failures, deal with adversity and change, and to keep going when things get difficult.
As parents, how can we help our children to develop resilience?
In addition to setting positive examples for children and occasionally stepping aside to let them bounce back from small failures on their own, you can also inspire your child with the fascinating characters, role models and stories found in these 10 recommended books.
Synopsis: This charming story is based on a real-life event that happened to the author’s grandchildren, and tells the tale of a little yellow digger who gets stuck in the mud. A bigger-sized digger is called in to help free the little digger, and this is where the story takes an inspiring turn. We’ll keep the ending a secret, so you can discover this wonderful tale with your child!
Why this book is good: This book teaches children that physical size doesn’t always matter, it’s the size of your heart and spirit that counts!
The Little Yellow Digger
Synopsis: In this book, your child will read about a spider who was blown by the wind to a fence near a farmyard. She starts spinning her web and is absolutely focused on the task at hand – refusing to be distracted by any of the other farm animals and demonstrating resilience in accomplishing her task. She’s finally rewarded when she manages to catch a pesky fly in her web, delighting the other animals who now see her as their hero.
Why this book is good: By following the story of the very busy spider, your child can comprehend the value of striving towards their goals.
The Very Busy Spider
Synopsis: The classic nursery rhyme gets brought to life in this expanded adaptation. This book introduces children to the itsy bitsy spider, a tiny spider who keeps climbing a water spout, only to be washed down again – except in this story, our determined little spider has his day as he manages to achieve his goal of climbing up the spout.
Why this book is good: This fun little book will teach your child about determination, while expanding their imagination as they read about a never-heard-before story about this famous nursery rhyme character.
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Synopsis: Your child will love this hilarious story of Farmer Brown and his cows, who have an interesting way to telling Farmer Brown about the changes they’d like to see implemented in the barn – they use a typewriter to type their requests to him!
Why this book is good: This title shows children the value of communication, cooperation and compromise. Through the cows’ resilience, children also discover the importance of not giving up – even when things don’t always go their way.
Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type
Synopsis: As your child goes through life, they will undoubtedly encounter hurdles and setbacks – and this story is all about these “messed up” moments. In this tale, Little Louie just wants to tell his story, but it keeps getting messed up!
Why this book is ideal: Embark on an adventure with Little Louie and let your child see how Little Louie learns valuable lessons in resilience and embracing life’s not-so-perfect times.
A Perfectly Messed-up Story
Synopsis: Lou is an adventurous little girl, but one day she faces an unfamiliar challenge. Her friends want to climb a tree and Lou is unsure of herself – so she makes up reasons for not joining her friends, saying that her arm is sore, she couldn’t climb because she had just eaten, and other excuses.
Why this book is good: This delightful picture book depicts what children often go through when confronted with difficult situations, then teaches them how to overcome their fears, become more courageous, and adopt a growth mindset.
The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do
Synopsis: The Tiny Seed tells the story of tiny flower seeds that are blown across the land by the wind, and how the most resilient seeds survive many obstacles to eventually sprout into plants and bloom into flowers – starting the amazing process over again.
Why this book is good: A highly recommended read for children aged 4 to 6 years old, this short story teaches children about the life cycle of a plant and gives them a new appreciation for nature, resilience, growth and life.
The Tiny Seed
Synopsis: Rosie has a creative mind and dreams of becoming an engineer. She collects odds and ends that other people see as “rubbish”, and every night, uses these odds and ends to construct incredible inventions while alone in her room. But because Rosie is afraid of failure, she hides her inventions away, until one day…. someone changes her life, forever.
Why this book is good: This heartfelt story will teach your child the importance of overcoming the fear of failure and discovering the incredible joy of being their truest self.
Rosie Revere, Engineer
Synopsis: Poor humpty dumpty. His biggest claim to fame is falling off a wall and not being put back together again. This fun book rewrites this famous nursey rhyme and shows a side of humpty dumpty that children haven’t seen before – his determination in getting back up again and achieving what he set out to do.
Why this book is good: Parents can use this story to teach their children about what could happen with determination and resilience. With these qualities, humpty dumpty is no longer the egg who fell off the wall, he’s the egg who back up and reached new heights!
After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up
Synopsis: Is your child interested in nature? If so, this book belongs at the top of their reading list. Plant the Tiny Seed follows a tiny seed through its entire life cycle as it grows into a gorgeous zinnia.
Why this book is good: The book encourages interactive play as your child is instructed to wiggle their fingers to water the seed, clap to make the sun shine, and other fun activities. In addition to learning the value of resilience, your child will also discover interesting facts about all the seeds, flowers, insects and animals that are featured in this title.
Plant the Tiny Seed
Reading books with your child is a fantastic way to nurture a close relationship with them.
At My First Skool, we believe that a strong relationship between a child and their parents, teachers and caretakers is the key to inspiring them towards growth. Children learn better from people they trust, and when they feel safe and comfortable in their learning environment.
This close-knit relationship between teacher and child is the foundation of our relationships-based curriculum (RBC), which develops children who are confident, resilient, and have an “I can do it” mentality. These positive bonds encourage children to learn, as they feel the genuine care, concern and support that they are receiving from their teachers. This is the type of supportive relationship that RBC sets out to build.
To learn more about our curriculum, speak to us or register for a live centre tour.
After staying home for two months, children will be making their way back to school in early June.
While returning to school is usually an exciting experience for young children who are looking forward to seeing their schoolmates again, the prolonged period of staying at home may make this process a little more challenging than usual – especially as your child may have been following different daily routines at home, with varying meal and nap times).
Don’t worry, we’re here to help with five adjustments that you can implement in the coming week to smoothly transition your child back to preschool life and habits.
My First Skool’s curriculum begins at 9am, so your child needs to reach school before that. If they’ve been sleeping late, now’s the time to send them to bed earlier, and have them wake up earlier. Their mealtimes need to be scheduled according to fit their school timetable too (which you can access from your parent portal app).
Finally, many preschools include naptimes and at My First Skool, naptimes are important as it provide children with much-needed rest, which aids in their physical and mental development. Check your child’s timetable to see when their naptimes are, then start encouraging your child to rest (or better yet, sleep) at those times.
By adjusting your child’s schedule to more closely match their school’s timetable, you are helping them adapt to returning to school quickly and easily – which will greatly aid in their development.
Upon reopening, your child’s school is likely to implement new safety measures to keep children safe. At My First Skool, our staff, teachers and children will be washing their hands more frequently and masks will be worn at all times in our preschools.
Speak to your child about social distancing, and how they may not be able to play or eat with their classmates in the same way for a little while. Explain why masks are important and get them excited about using one, by getting them a mask they like, or by decorating the one they have at home with buttons or stickers. Having a unique-looking mask also prevents any potential mask mix ups from happening at school.
Social interaction is a big part of your child’s school life, and their development. To get them accustomed to the new way of interacting with friends, you can arrange virtual play dates over the coming week for them to say hi to teachers and friends.
Seeing and chatting with their friends and classmates again, can help them to not only reduce anxiety about going back to school, but also get them excited about meeting their friends again, even though they have to practice social distancing.
Normalise the subject of “school” by making it a topic of casual conversation while at home. Assure your child that everything will be good, tell them about the fun they’ll have with friends, and remind them of all the good times they’ll have at school. Reassure them that although there might be new measures, life in school will still be fun and they can continue their learning.
Take their school uniform out of the cupboard and get them used to wearing it around the home over the next week.
For younger children, like infants, show them pictures of themselves in school, interacting with their educarers and talk to them about it.
You can also get them accustomed to school by taking a virtual tour of your child’s classroom together. Guide them through the different areas, injecting fun and anticipation into your conversations.
You can also start packing your child’s school bag with them, so they get used to doing so again. While packing their water bottle, clothes, books and diapers (if needed), you can remind them of when they’ll need each of these items. For example, “We’re packing clothes so you can change after your afternoon shower, and your book is for lesson time.”
As we transition into phase one of Singapore’s safe reopening, this is the ideal time to prepare your child for a smooth return to preschool – so you (and the rest of the family) can transition to work and normalcy too.
For more resources on helping your child to cope with the current circuit breaker, visit our resources section.
As one of the top preschools in Singapore, we lead the industry in terms of health and safety practices. To ensure a safe and healthy environment for our children to return back to preschool after circuit breaker, we’ve installed commercial grade UV sanitisers to sanitise children’s toys and kitchen equipment so that you can have a peace of mind. Register your interest with us today!
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