What is digital literacy, and why does it matter for your child?
As smartphones, tablets and other digital devices become more commonplace in our households, they’ve also become a bigger part of our everyday lives – and a huge part of your children’s lives. Understanding technology is important – as is learning how to use it to enable your children to learn, grow and develop.
Nurturing your children’s digital literacy skills is essential in today’s connected world. Digital literacy allows children to learn in fun and meaningful ways – and prepares them for new learning situations that could arise from the constantly evolving COVID-19 situation.
Digital literacy is the ability to understand and use technology. This means being able to locate and utilise information online in a useful way. It also includes the ability to create content for online platforms. But that’s not all. Being digitally literate also means knowing the limitations of technology – and the potential dangers it brings.
Now that we’ve covered what digital literacy is, let’s see how we can develop your children’s digital literacy. We hope that by the end of this article, you’ll have some ideas on how you can help your children nurture their digital literacy capabilities – so they will know how to search for information online, create content using digital tools, and share their content to safe online platforms.
As a parent, you can support your children by creating opportunities for them to use digital devices in meaningful ways. Let’s get started!
Does your children constantly ask you questions? Let’s channel that healthy dose of curiosity into a lesson in digital literacy.
The next time your inquisitive children ask you a question, instead of giving them the answer, encourage them to find the answer online. While there are many ways of finding answers online, a great place to start is Kiddle, which is Google’s child-friendly search engine! First, let’s make things simple for your child by making Kiddle your browser’s default starting page.
If your child is new to technology and typing, ask them to first write down their question on a piece of paper. Then, type it into the search bar. You can even create a “search engine guide” for your child, so they can learn to use Kiddle with minimal facilitation.
After searching for answers online, guide your children through a process of collating relevant information. They can use PowerPoint or Word to collate the information they find, then share their findings with their family and friends. If needed, your child can print out the information and keep it in a file. Encourage them to go beyond the first search result they see, so they can gain a broader perspective. As we mentioned a little earlier – there are many, many ways to find answers online!
This activity builds your children’s resourcefulness, while developing their cognitive and decision-making skills.
As your child is searching for information online, this is an ideal time to teach them about the dangers of the web. Similar to alerting parents when they encounter dangerous situations in real life, children should also adopt this same mindset when going online – if your child comes across content that could be dangerous or unhealthy, they should inform you about it (and not look at it or engage with it by clicking or tapping anything).
Creating content is an important part of digital literacy. This includes creating digital assets such as videos and pictures. Thankfully, with user-friendly apps, children can easily try their hand at video and photo editing – and see impressive results!
At My First Skool, this is one activity that encourages creativity in our children. Specifically, our children are given the task of telling stories by creating attractive videos – using fun and eye-catching techniques such as stop motion. Children work in a group to craft their story, prepare a storyboard and write a script. Next, they prepare materials and props. Then, they record and edit their project on video.
Projects such as these develop multiple areas of children’s skills – such as their writing and storytelling abilites, their creative skills and of course, their digital literacy.
In addition to common digital devices (like laptops, mobile phones and tablets), there are also specific educational digital devices that are highly effective at teaching your children problem solving and logical thinking skills.
At My First Skool, children have access to these educational digital devices, which are used to teach children soft coding skills. One of these devices is the incredibly popular Bee-Bot – a robot bee that buzzes across the floor, navigates obstacle and reaches its destination, thanks to directional inputs that are planned by the children. The process of planning these directional inputs trains children to think in a logical, step-by-step manner – which is an important foundation in coding.
Activities like Bee-Bot teach children concepts such as a spatial awareness, directional sense and simple coding – while they’re having lots of fun with robots and friends!
Children at My First Skool develop holistically, thanks to our comprehensive curriculum that nurtures a variety of abilities that are essential in young children – from digital literacy to language, numeracy, discovery of the world, motor skills, aesthetics and creative expression, as well as social and emotional development.
Best of all, our high-quality curriculum and care, doesn’t equate to high fees – our fees remain affordable, as our parent company’s (NTUC First Campus) mission is give every child a head start in life, regardless of their financial standing.
Interested in enrolling your child at My First Skool? Register your child for our upcoming 2020 and 2021 intakes, or take a virtual tour of a My First Skool preschool near you.
This topic for December focuses on the importance of transitions (that is change) in children’s lives. In every transition, a child has to adapt to the changes and parents need to be aware and help their children deal with the changes in a positive way.
This topic discusses possible challenges children may face during transitions (especially when entering Primary school), and presents suggestions and strategies for supporting and preparing children to cope with the changes.
Transition begins from the onset of a child’s life. Beyond the birth process, the first transition is from the hospital, where birth takes place, to the home. For some children, the next transition may be into some form of care beyond the home – infant/child care or to a relative’s home. By age three or four, children then experience the transition to early education, followed by transition to Primary school at age seven, and the list continues to Secondary school and so on to ensuing life transitions.
Transitions are essential to children’s life experiences and ongoing development. How children cope with early transitions can affect
Therefore, preparing the children for such an integral part of their lives is indeed necessary and important. The support of parents during any major change will also help to ensure their well-being.
Starting child care or school can be an exciting time of change for children and families. However, for some children and families, it can be a time of some anxiety. There are many things that a parent can do to prepare children in a positive way for any major change ahead. It is after all every parent’s hope that by starting well in any change context, their children can achieve good outcomes later on.
When children go into any formal care setting, be it child care, preschool or Primary school, they have to learn to be part of a group of children. This is very different from being at home with a small number of children and it can be overwhelming, with many new people, new children to get to know.
In the context of My First Skool (MFS), infants with their families are encouraged to make many visits before the infant is left without the parent. It is most important that families take advantage of this and help the infant to become familiar with the context before leaving the infant there without the parent.
The primary caregiving system for infants in MFS helps the infant to become attached to main person who looks after them. However, other teachers care for the infant too. Over time, the infant becomes secure and develops trust, this is a lifelong trait that helps children become resilient and cope with life’s challenges.
Due to funding policies, children in infant care move to another group when they reach 18 months. They make the transition to Playgroup, another group of children cared by different teachers. This is done gradually so that new relationships can be formed.
From the year when a child in child care turns three or when a child starts preschool, such transitions will occur annually, progressing through the various levels of early education (Nursery 1, Nursery 2, Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2).
Find out more about our childcare and kindergarten programmes.
When children start primary school, they have a lot to get used to a different setting. In comparison to a child care centre or preschool, the primary school may seem big and formal to children. They will have to cope with new rules and routines. Some children will manage this easily while others may need more help from parents and teachers.
Helping children to feel confident about school will give them a positive start.
If children have friends or neighbours who are starting school together then this can help. The social aspect of starting school is very important and if the child experiences happy times when beginning school, then this will help.
The following extracts from parents give some insights:
She is very happy and excited about starting school. We had many discussions to identify and minimise any fears she had.
Yes, she loves to play with her new friends in school, only has boys to play with at home. I talked to her informally about starting school as it’s an important stage in her life.
He was anxious but made a friend at school so that helped.
Building confidence, well-being and resilience
There are important things parents can do to help children feel confident and optimistic about starting school. Talk with them about what school will be like. Borrow books from the library with positive stories about starting school.
Parents can also help children to build confidence and optimism by encouraging a habit of positive thinking. Asking children to tell you about the good things that happen each day helps develop this.
The well-being of the child is of prime importance.
Orientation to the school
Knowing where the school is situated is important.
There is a lot for children to get used to when they start school. Some children will adapt more easily than others.
Getting ready
To prepare children for school, parents can consider the following:
Always reassure the child that you will come back to collect them, you will be there and waiting, hoping they have had a happy time.
As your child settles in to school:
Children can show stress by:
You could help by:
Having some control can help children manage their fears.
If the worries continue, talk to the teacher about the best way to help them. Make an appointment to see the teacher if you are concerned about your child.
Many parents also feel a sense of loss when their child starts school. They feel that their child’s world will change and they will no longer have their ‘baby’.
Try to relax! If you are stressed, your child may sense this and worry too.
Children do best at school when their parents and teachers work together to support them.
There is a proverb that states, “The beginning decides the end.” Although transitions occur many times throughout a child’s life, positive guidance by parents can help to make the child’s future a happy and worthwhile one!
Schoolbag.sg is an online publication by the Ministry of Education, Singapore (MOE) which features a number of articles about supporting children during transitions. In addition, there are also workshops and seminars on related topics organised by MOE and the Early Childhood Development Agency for parents.
Copyright © Marjory Ebbeck & Wendy Toh 2016
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any forms or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Copyright holder.
For toddlers, preschool can be one of the most harrowing times of their young lives – or it can be a time of wonder and excitement as they gain new friends and find joy in their new surroundings. How your child adapts to preschool education in Singapore, can be determined by their introduction to this brand-new environment.
Unsure of what to do? These tips will help you transition your child from home to preschool in the most seamless and joyful way possible.
Before preparing your child for the transition, you must first prepare yourself. If you’re feeling nervous, anxious or uncertain about preschool, your child can pick up on your non-verbal cues – and this will translate directly into how they feel about what’s coming up next.
Display confidence, positivity and happiness when talking about school with your child. Let them know that this is a place of joy, fun and discovery. Plus, they’ll get to play with new friends! Stay positive and upbeat, and your kid will sense your positive vibes and may even look forward to starting school.
During this transitional period, avoid introducing any other significant changes to your child’s life. This includes both positive changes (such as getting a pet) and possibly distressing ones (like making your child sleep in their own bed).
Apart from reducing all other stresses from your child’s life, you’re also avoiding introducing any reasons your child may have for wanting to stay home – such as to play with their new dog. This period should start at least a few months before your child starts preschool, and should extend until they’re well and fully integrated at school.
If your child has separation anxiety or any other issues integrating into preschool, it’s a good idea to talk to your child’s teacher about it.
Bear in mind that at good preschools, teachers are well-qualified and experienced early childhood educators who are equipped with the skills needed to help children through these issues – what they’ll need is your assistance and an open channel of communication, so they can work with you to resolve these issues and give your child a fantastic schooling experience.
Once your child has a few good friends at school, they’ll begin looking forward to schooldays. But while naturally social children will have no trouble making friends, introverted children may need a little nudge and encouragement.
You can play a part in this process by encouraging your child to talk to their classmates. To play an even more proactive role in your child’s social development, you could set up play sessions with the children whom your child is closer with. This could also be an innovative way of expanding your own social circle and getting to know other parents with young children!
Perhaps the most important step you can take to ensuring your child is well-adjusted to preschool life, is getting to know their preschool’s curriculum before signing up. By selecting a preschool with a curriculum that’s designed to nurture trust and relationship-building, you’re starting your child off with one of the biggest advantages they can have in their young lives.
At My First Skool, we incorporate a relationships-based curriculum (RBC) for children aged 0 to 3 years. The biggest difference between an RBC and “regular” curriculum is that we focus on nurturing strong and trusting relationships between children and teachers, as well as with their fellow classmates. This modern, empowering style of education builds children’s trust and confidence – enabling them to learn better, while developing good social skills.
Here’s how it works.
My First Skool’s relationships-based approach to teaching categorises your child’s development into three key areas:
Our relationships-based approach is built on the strong and nurturing relationship between a teacher and a child.
Research has shown that when a child feels both secure and engaged, a deeper level of learning begins. This is why our relationships-based curriculum works in nurturing happy, confident and resilient children who exude an “I can do it!” mentality – children who have not only adjusted to life in preschool, but who excel in these early years.
Children with an “I can do it!” attitude are confident, capable and resilient. They are also creative problem solvers – especially as they are more willing to try new things, and tend to find fulfilment in trying until they succeed.
Preparing your child for preschool is a big deal, but the good news is that it isn’t that difficult to do – once you’ve done your homework. Be sure to start preparations at least a few months in advance, so both you and your child can transition to this exciting next phase of life smoothly – and with as few tantrums, screams and tears as possible!
As parents, we often feel a responsibility to shield our child from global affairs. After all, why should a 4-year-old worry about matters outside of PAW Patrol and Peppa Pig?
But your toddler is inquisitive, curious about the world around them, and always asking questions – and this natural wonderment is crucial for their cognitive development. Being an excellent parent means engaging your child, feeding their curiosity and keeping them informed of current affairs. (After all, they’re already wearing masks outside and to school – hiding them from the truth of why they’re doing so, could be doing more harm than good.)
Children are naturally curious about their environment, so similarly to adults, developing an awareness of current issues exposes them to learning about their community and the world they live in. But unlike adults, the current affairs that children learn about is curated by parents and teachers – so they have to wade through the negativity that often floods social media and news platforms, but can still develop an excellent sense of social awareness.
Also, don’t worry if the term “current affairs” sounds complicated. The matters that your child will be discussing in preschool are likely to revolve around simple, everyday things that they notice – the reasons for wearing masks, the necessity of washing hands, why they occasionally spot abandoned shopping trolleys by the sidewalk, how come rubbish is sometimes on the ground (and not in a bin), why is a stranger feeding cats in the community, and the many sights and sounds that intrigue their young minds.
You can also leverage on trending issues to inform your child about events across the globe, and use these as opportunities for learning. For example, the Black Lives Matter movement gives all of us a valuable lesson on how diverse our world is, and how important it is for us to embrace our differences. (Fun fact: At My First Skool, we celebrate Racial Harmony Day on 21 July every year – children are encouraged to wear traditional costume to school and have fun as they appreciate and embrace the unique cultures around them.)
How My First Skool incorporates current affairs into our curriculum
At My First Skool, we believe in the importance of discussing current issues with children – expanding their minds and satisfying their insatiable curiosity, while developing their cognitive and communicative abilities.
In our learning environments, teachers bring up current issues that are relevant and age-appropriate for the children under their care. And they do so in a variety of ways, such as showing children photos from newspaper articles, discussing pictures and images from magazines, or talking about the new preschool routines that have been put in place to keep children safe (from germs and specifically, COVID-19).
These sessions are scheduled into our curriculum and conducted in both English and Mandarin, so students get to improve their listening and speaking skills in both languages.
What can you do at home?
It’s important for parents to initiate these conversations with your child. Think of a few current topics that will interest your child, then use pictures and videos from newspapers, posters or their favourite YouTube videos to pique their interest.
Once your child is interested in a topic, they’ll naturally ask you questions about it. Respond to their queries with age-appropriate answers, and encourage them to observe other things around them as well. You can extend the conversation by reading books on these topics, then sharing fascinating insights with your child.
Keep these conversations light-hearted and fun, and let your child participate actively in the discussions too! (So these don’t become storytelling sessions.) Over time, you’ll find that your child will develop even deeper interests in the topics that fascinate them.
Expand your child’s curiosity and develop their cognitive abilities by enrolling them in a preschool that encourages and rewards inquisitiveness. Register your child at a My First Skool near you, or visit us virtually to find out more.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner. For most of us, this means intimate family gatherings and of course, mooncakes galore! This year, in addition to choosing between snow skin, lotus paste or durian-filled mooncakes, you can also use this season to get your child interested in Chinese traditions.
After all, children learn best when they are immersed in situations, environments and cultures – and the Mid-Autumn Festival is a perfect opportunity for your child to get excited about Chinese tradition.
These are three fun ways you can pique your child’s interest in Chinese traditions during this festive occasion.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the Lantern Festival, and these eye-catching displays will likely be the first things that catch your child’s attention when you walk down the streets of Chinatown with them.
The origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival
While you are there, you can share fascinating (and festival-related) stories with your child, such as, “Why Chinese celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival”. If you have not heard this one, here’s the story.
Explain to your child that there are four seasons in a year, and that mid-autumn marks the end of the autumn harvest. It is also the time of the year when the moon is at its brightest, and that is why it is often said that it’s possible to see a full moon during this special day.
Legends of the Mid-Autumn Festival
When it comes to intriguing mythical stories, Chinese folktales are unrivalled – and those related to the mid-autumn season are certainly worth sharing with your child.
Some of these popular tales include the story of Wu Gang and the cherry tree that couldn’t be cut down, the jade rabbit, and the most famous of them all, the touching love story of Chang’e and Hou Yi.
Mooncakes and lanterns are two of the most prominent aspects of the Mid-Autumn Festival and are traditions your child will love – when you put a little twist on them!
“Cooking up” playdough mooncakes
Make some homemade playdough and ask your child to make their favourite mooncakes with it – whether it is green pandan mooncakes, yellow durian snow skin mooncakes, or traditional brown lotus paste mooncakes. All you need is colourful playdough!
To make things even more interesting, you can share a story of why people eat mooncakes during the mid-autumn festival. While there are several versions of this story, but here is the most well-known one.
Why people eat mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival
According to historical references, mooncakes were not popular until the Yuan dynasty, which ended in 1368. At this time, the Han Chinese were being oppressed under Mongolian rule.
Zhu Yuanzhang, the leader of a Chinese rebellion at the time, orchestrated a “Mooncake uprising”. During this era, it was difficult for the rebel leader to communicate his plan with his supporters throughout the city. So, his troops gave out mooncakes under the pretence of celebrating the Mongol ruler.
In reality, the mooncakes contained instructions on how to kill the Mongols on the 15th day of the 8th month! The plan was successful, and Zhu eventually founded the Ming dynasty – and the eating mooncakes became a way to remember this significant victory.
Making paper lanterns
As referenced earlier, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also popularly recognised as the Lantern Festival – and what better way to get your child interested in the occasion, than by making beautiful paper lanterns?
Once you are done, light up your lantern and take a relaxing walk around the estate as a family – just like the old days! This activity can create lifelong memories for children and parents alike, while keeping this treasured tradition alive in our community.
At My First Skool, one of the ways we encourage children to express their creativity is by making paper lanterns and decorating them. As a bonus, children also get to play with their lanterns and bring them home to show their parents!
Check out the lantern creations done by our children from My First Skool at Jurong Point Shopping Centre
The Mid-Autumn Festival is synonymous with the moon, so ask your child to observe the moon each night and see how it changes in shape over time.
Get your child to document these shapes by drawing them onto a piece of paper or sketch pad, so they can compare these shapes as the days go by. You can also use this opportunity to teach your child the names of the various moon patterns in Chinese.
At My First Skool, we believe that children learn best when they are highly engaged with interesting activities. Our bilingual curriculum incorporates events like the Mid-Autumn Festival to teach children about tradition, culture and values.
Keen on learning more about our bilingual curriculum and engaging learning environments? Visit a My First Skool near you today.
Challenges related to children’s behaviour occur from time to time. These are part of their growing up process, yet parents often find it challenging to deal with children’s misbehaviours. When children misbehave, parents feel compelled to correct them. This often involves ‘discipline’ which usually entails some form of punishment, scolding or nagging. Some parents can remain calm during such episodes, but more often not, parents become frustrated or angry.
Our earlier posts on Temper Tantrums and Jealousy amongst Children in the Family (Siblings) introduced the guidance approach, also known as positive guidance, to deal with children’s tantrums and jealousy. This approach moves away from the traditional notion of behaviour management and focuses on guiding children, rather than controlling them.
This topic will explain to parents why children misbehave and why the guidance approach may work when guiding children’s behaviours. Part I introduces the guidance approach and includes some pointers about managing misbehaviours.
Drawing on the work of many respected educators, particularly, Dr Louise Porter’s work (2006, 2016), the guidance approach aims to get children to choose to act in a thoughtful, responsible way so that their behaviour is appropriate and acceptable. Instead of using consequences to control children, the approach tries to identify both children’s and parents’ needs and work on the skills needed to help children behave well.
One of its key focus is to teach self-regulation to help children cope with emotional tensions, control their impulses and behaviours. When children internalise the guidance from significant adults to become self-regulated, they are then usually able to
This method is recommended and deemed to be effective for young children who share a warm and loving relationship with their parents.
Misbehaviours are often behavioural mistakes which indicate some form of inadequacy in children. Possible reasons that children misbehave include:
Even when children do know how they should behave, their emotions or impulses often get the better of them. If their misbehaviours are due to the reasons above, parents should step in to help rather than subjecting them to harsh discipline.
For example, a child who snatches things from others needs an adult to help with communication and prosocial skills (i.e. to ask for the thing they want in a socially acceptable manner), and self-regulation skills (i.e. to control their urge to snatch and wait for their turn).
Children before the age of three rely heavily on parents and caregivers to help them control their emotions and behaviours. Self-regulation skills usually emerge around age three, and continue to develop throughout childhood and adolescence. It is therefore normal for misbehaviours to occur during childhood, as children still require repeated practice and external support from their parents and caregivers to facilitate the development of self-regulation.
Adults tend to control children through rewards and punishments (spanking, physical punishment, penalties, even timeouts). These are external controls that will work only when children are being supervised and often result in power struggles. There have been concerns that punishment may
While rewards may appear to be effective in motivating children, they actually work in a similar way as punishment to control children. For this reason, rewards must be carefully chosen and given so that they do not give rise to potential problems such as being reward-driven (rather than self-motivated), rising expectations and fear of failure.
When dealing with misbehaviours, parents should respond with empathy, rather than anger, and focus on helping their children. In this way, they can calm down quickly and learn from experience.
It is also important for parents to consider their children’s capacities. Sometimes, parents may have to adjust their expectations or demands so that they are more manageable for their children.
Ways in which parents can help include:
As parents in the world of today are increasingly not in favour of the strict parenting style they experienced, it will be useful for them to learn about other methods. The guidance approach identifies a set of key strategies for guiding children’s behaviours without using punishment. Since its eventual objective is for children to behave in a considerate and acceptable way, the guidance approach is highly relevant in Asian societies where obedience is highly valued. In fact, it does much more, as it steers children to be responsible for their actions, including resolving problems and keeping themselves in check, even without adult supervision. After all, it is far more important that your child is motivated to do the right things and proactively regulate their own behaviours.
Strategies of the guidance approach will be discussed in Part II of the topic.
References
Porter, L. (2006). Children are people too: A parent’s guide to young children’s behaviour (4th ed.). Adelaide: East Street Publications.
Porter, L. (2016). Guiding Children’s Behaviour. In M. Ebbeck & M. Waniganayake (Eds.), Play in Early Childhood Education: Learning in Diverse Contexts (2nd ed., pp. 161-182). Sydney, NSW: Oxford University Press
Copyright © Marjory Ebbeck and Wendy Toh 2017
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any forms or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Copyright holder.
With Singapore’s circuit breaker in full effect, parents are spending lots of time at home with their little ones. This presents a perfect opportunity for you to bond with your child, while helping them to learn, grow and develop. And to do so, you’ll want to create an ideal learning space at home.
We’re here to help. At My First Skool, we’ve put a lot of research and thought into creating amazing learning environments that inspire children to grow to their fullest potential. Today, we’re letting you in on the secret ingredients we use to create our child-friendly learning environments – secrets you can easily apply to your home.
Creating an Amazing Learning Environment
These are the eight basic principles we observe when creating an effective learning environment.
Because of their curious and active nature, children can get into all sorts of trouble. While each of our classrooms has several pairs of eyes looking after children, you’re likely to be the only one (or one of two people) looking out for the safety of your child at home.
To make your child’s learning space safer, make sure all equipment, materials and furniture in their learning space are safe for them to explore, touch and be curious about. Cover up sharp edges, avoid drawers and cupboards that could tip over if climbed on, and ensure everything in the space is durable and of good quality (i.e. made of non-toxic materials, will not break and become choking hazards, etc.)
When designing a learning space for your child, it’s important to consider your child’s age. This will determine what their learning space should look like. At My First Skool, we are able to create different spaces and purchase equipment that’s ideal for children of various age groups – such as toddler-friendly furniture that is suitable for their size and height, as well as immersive spaces for older children that are used to showcase their artwork and science projects.
At home, you can set up cosy corners for your child to learn and play, using these age-appropriate ideas:
0 – 12 months: Place a playmat on the floor, and have some hanging mobiles and mirrors for self-exploration.
12 – 18 months: Fill this corner with a playmat and toys that help to develop sensory and motor skills as they are likely starting to toddle around at this age.
18 months – 3 years: Include toys that build life skills (like independence and decision making). Take reference from @learningzone Instagram to set up a dramatic learning corner for your child to engage in role-playing.
4 – 6 years: As the child grows and develop, it’s good to set up a reading corner with books as well as a learning corner that is more advanced with literacy and numeracy concepts like a grocery shop, canteen or gas station for example.
Remember, the key is to fill this space with age appropriate toys, activities and equipment (and not just any hand-me-downs or random toys).
It’s essential that your child’s learning environment is clean, uncluttered and feels comfortable. This will allow your child to feel secure in the space and learn things more quickly.
In our schools, we achieve this by including “soft” elements, such as cloth drapes and picture frames, in our classrooms. These elements give children a sense of space, calmness and security. You can do the same for your home too – easily, quickly and affordably.
It’s important to develop competence and autonomy in children from a young age – and yes, even in pre-school, your child isn’t too young to pick up these lifelong skills. In our school environment, we designed pathways so children can move smoothly, quickly and independently from one area to the next so they can decide where they want to go and select the activities that they want to do. We also use specific walls to showcase children’s artwork as this helps in showcasing and celebrating their abilities.
How can you help your child develop competence and autonomy at home? Simple things like putting out varied materials or setting up different activity will go a long way as it allows them to choose the activity they want to participate in and how they want to use the materials provided (hint: a paintbrush does not have to be used for just painting! Your child could choose to use it as a pointer to mimic their teachers). You can decorate the area with some of their completed work too so they will feel proud and happy.
Children learn best when they’re focused. This means that their learning environment should have a certain level of order and consistency. For example, My First Skool classrooms are organised to model consistency and predictability, so our children know what to expect and enjoy sense of belonging as well as security.
At home, try to keep your child’s learning space to one standard area so he/she knows that the area belongs to him/her and is used for joyful learning.
How does your child’s designated learning space look? Is it an enclosed area with nothing but four walls and a lightbulb illuminating the area? While learning can take place anywhere, an optimal learning environment is one with lots of sunlight, good ventilation and perhaps even a few plants to add a feeling of freshness.
Need some ideas? Take reference from My First Skool classrooms, which are designed to allow plenty of natural light and breeze in. Some of our classrooms also have potted plants, pets, paintings, 3D sculptures and artwork to ignite creative little minds.
Whether you’re planning on turning your entire home into a learning environment, or transforming a quaint study area for this purpose, you’ll need to also consider your child’s need for “alone time”. Give your child a comfortable corner they can use when they’d like a little privacy to rest or be by themselves.
How is this implemented at My First Skool? Our learning spaces have cosy nooks and corners that give children the alone time they need, allowing them the opportunity to spend time resting or reading a book.
Of course, your home is more than a learning space for your child. First and foremost, it’s your humble abode, and a place for you to rest, work, play and spend family time in. This “adult dimension” is a reminder to keep yourselves (as parents) in mind, when designing your child’s learning space.
In our schools, our teachers have designated work spaces within classrooms. These areas allow teachers to work, monitor children during nap times, hold meetings, as well as relax and bond with one another.
See these eight concepts brought to life by taking a virtual tour of a My First Skool learning environment. Discover what makes our learning spaces special and ideal for children, then learn how you can more effectively implement these concepts into your home – and help your child fulfil their true potential!
Since preschool education forms the foundation years for a child, selecting a school can either be exciting for some, and daunting for others. Read on to find out the eight questions you can ask to make your decision-making process easier.
When shortlisting a preschool, one of the first questions you need to ask would be its educational philosophy, as this determines its teaching methods and curriculum.
An academic curriculum would mean a highly structured approach that focuses heavily on completing worksheets and going by the textbook. A play-based curriculum, on the other hand, is based on the belief that children learn best through play, and gives more time for exploration, open-ended and imaginative activities. This approach allows children to learn how to be independent, have more opportunities to interact more with one another, and pick up important social and emotional skills along the way. Facilitated play also encourages children to reason, reflect and use creative thinking for problem solving.
Since preschool teachers in Singapore are required to have at least a certificate or diploma in early childhood education (depending on which age group they are teaching), the next important factor to consider when it comes to teaching staff would be experience. Enquire about their average number of years of experience, as well as length of service. A low turnover rate would give you the assurance that they are committed to the school, and in turn, dedicated to provide your child with the best education and care within their ability. Your child would also not have to keep adapting to new teachers, which could be disruptive and affect their progress.
Also, find out how the school ensures continual development of its teaching staff and keep them updated on the latest teaching methods. Generally speaking, the bigger the school’s network, the more training resources it has, and there will be more opportunities for peer-to-peer sharing too.
Lastly, awards won are also a good indication. The more recognised ones include the Singapore Pre-School Accreditation Framework (SPARK) Award., the ECDA Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Development and the Outstanding Pre-School Chinese Teacher award.
When evaluating a preschool, take note of the adult-child ratio per class. The higher the ratio, the more individual attention and care your child will receive. According to ECDA, the younger the child, the more attention required. For young preschoolers, the ratio should range at least between 1:8 to 1:12. Some schools include teaching assistants in the ratio, so do take note.
Since they are at a very young age, and are relatively new to peer interaction on a regular basis at school, it is inevitable that children starting preschool will have conflicts with their classmates or display inappropriate or bad behaviour by “normal” social standards. When this happens, how would the school manage it? Are students given a “time out” or disciplined in some other way when they misbehave? Are children encouraged to resolve conflicts independently, or do teachers help facilitate a resolution?
Chances are, you would already have a preferred method of disciplining your child. So it is important that the school shares the same values and takes disciplinary action that is in line with your approach.
Lastly, you would want to know when you will be notified (is it for every incident, or only when the situation is considered serious by the school’s standard), and in what way.
When choosing a preschool, find out if there are specific goals set for your child, and how that is determined. Are you expected to be highly involved when it comes to setting and achieving these learning goals? Depending on the school, parental involvement will vary. For example, when it comes to activities such as field trips and celebrations, will you be able to join in so you can be more involved in your child’s development? Are there take-home parent-child activities from the school?
The school should regularly track and report your child’s progress, and highlight areas of concern, if any, in a timely manner. Find out how such information, in addition to school happenings, will be communicated to you, and at what frequency. Will you only get updates during parent-teacher conferences, or will there be a newsletter or portal for you to stay apprised at all times?
More importantly, what is your expectation of the teachers on your child’s learning journey? Do you need them to help with areas such as toilet training and weaning?
Given the amount of time spent at the preschool each day, you need to be assured that your child is in good hands, in a safe and clean environment conducive for learning and growth.
Take note of the security measures that the preschool has in place. Does the school maintain a list of people authorised to pick up each child? What will the school do if someone not in the authorised list comes to pick up the child? Is emergency equipment such as first-aid kits and fire extinguishers within easy reach during times of need?
During the entire course of the day at school, is there a system in place to ensure proper supervision, so that no child is left unattended at any time? Is the school’s environment, including its furniture, play materials and classroom setups, also designed with the children’s safety in mind?
On the health and hygiene front, find out about the precautionary measures in place to minimise risk of diseases, and the follow-up action plan should there be an outbreak.
Precautionary measures could include daily temperature checks and regular disinfection of the school facilities. Children should also be taught to practise good hygiene such as washing their hands before meals, and after using the bathroom.
Another scenario would be if your child falls ill or is injured. What is the first course of action taken by the school – will you be contacted to fetch your child immediately, or will there be a visit made to the doctor first? Having staff members who are trained in CPR and administering first aid would be a plus point.
More often than not, children form their food preferences during their preschool years. So the types of food served in school would have a big impact on their dietary habits, and it is also how children learn to be open to more types of food, such as vegetables.
Enquire if meals and snacks will be provided, and what the food options are – are they nutritious and well-balanced? Is there a wide variety of food, or is the menu repeated weekly? How many meals will be served daily, and in what portion sizes?
Food can be prepared either by in-house cooks, or caterers. Having in-house cooks would be a plus point, as there’s better control of hygiene and nutritional value of the meal – less salt, less sugar etc.
Find out also if the school is accredited under the Health Promotion Board’s Healthy Meals in Preschools Programme (HMPP), which ensures the provision of healthier meals and encourages schools to educate children on eating right.
Lastly, if your child has allergy issues or special dietary requirements, do ensure that the school can cater to that. If it can’t, are you prepared to pack food for your child, and would the school allow it?
In the course of your preschool shortlisting, you would have most likely done extensive research online. Before you make the final selection, check with the schools if you can talk to other parents whose children are currently enrolled there. Because what better way to get unbiased insights than straight from the horse’s mouth?
Find out what they like and dislike most about the school, and how their child feels about going to school there. Use the opportunity to allay any fears or clear doubts before you make the final decision.
As a new parent, your little bundle of joy is everything. And when the time comes for you to get back to work, it’s essential to choose an infant care centre that you can trust.
Today, we look at the factors you need to consider when selecting a daytime home for your 2 to 18-month-old infant. But first, we compare infant care centres with home-based help (i.e. Hiring a domestic helper or nanny).
When it comes to caring for children, there is no doubt that domestic helpers and nannies can care for your child while you are working. However, there are numerous reasons why many Singaporean parents prefer a reliable infant care centre.
Firstly, with the current COVID-19 measures in place, it can be challenging to hire a domestic worker. What’s more, some parents may have concerns about privacy and having another person live in their home.
More importantly, at an infant care centre, your child gets to learn and grow in a stimulating environment with early childhood development professionals who are equipped with the expertise and tools to help infants and toddlers develop.
In addition to having social interactions with children in a similar age group, an infant care centre will provide your child with opportunities to be exposed to their mother tongue. This is especially important if parents speak primarily English at home, or may not feel comfortable speaking in their mother tongue.
Now that we’ve determined why infant care is an ideal choice for parents, let us see the seven most important factors you should think about when choosing infant care services.
#1: Centre Environment
Take a look at the centre and observe the infants’ sleeping and play areas. Are they safe and conducive for infants? Is the place a sensory-rich environment that is ideal for learning?
At My First Skool, our infants’ sleeping area is separated from their play area, which ensures that infants get restful sleep during nap times. Our play areas are safe, sensory-rich environments that contain books, handmade learning materials, and everything else infants and toddlers need to develop. Our furniture are child-friendly, with padded areas that keep infants stay safe and sound, even as they learn to crawl and tumble.
#2: Services and Curriculum
Ask if your shortlisted centre provides routine care services, or if they have a dedicated curriculum that provides your child with other forms of stimulation and enrichment during their formative years.
Infants at My First Skool undergo our relationships-based curriculum (RBC) programme – a curriculum for children 0 to 3-years-old that is proven to build strong, nurturing relationships between teacher and child.
It is important for a child to feel secure and attached to their teacher, because when a child feels secure, learning happens! Research has shown that children are more engaged and involved in learning when a relationships-based approach is adopted. Our Relationships-based curriculum approach helps children to develop a positive “I can do it” spirit, while also building confidence and resilience!
“Thank you for caring for Liam ever since he joined the school as a tiny infant. His smiley face every day is a testament to the joy and secure environment he receives from school daily and it warms my heart to know he’s well taken care of with many “mummies” at infant care. Keep up the good work!” – Lorraine, Parent of Infant at My First Skool at Blk 269 Compassvale Link
#3: Teachers
All infant care teachers in Singapore possess a Higher Certificate in Infant Care (or higher), so you can be assured that your child is being looked after by a trained professional.
At My First Skool, our teachers also undergo rigorous training on how to observe, document and come up with learning plans to suit each child’s unique needs.
To do so, teachers maintain regular documentation of each child’s level of well-being and active involvement in activities. Through keen observation and documentation, our teachers track detailed aspects of your child’s development – and communicate these findings with you.
#4: Parent Communication
Be sure to ask about the level of communication your preferred infant care centre has with parents. This is an essential, but often overlooked factor for many parents.
At My First Skool, we believe that communication between parents and their child’s school is paramount to a child’s development and wellbeing. Here, we inform parents of their infant’s feeding times and amounts – providing assurance and peace of mind that their child is being well cared for.
Your child’s main caregiver will frequently engage with you, sharing all this important information, while also understanding how your child is doing at home. You can also log in to our convenient parent portal app to find this information, as well as consistent developmental updates on your child.
“Having 2 young children attending school at a tender age can be daunting but the love and care showered by the leaders and teachers with prompt updates have given me the assurance while I’m at work.A big thank you to the infant care teachers who diligently captured my son’s milestones since his infant years and to the Toddler teachers now for your patience with my playful little monkey.” – Astraea’s and Isaiah’s Parent, My First Skool at Blk 82 Strathmore Avenue
#5: Meals
Nutrition is vital for growing infants, so it is important to check what type of meals your child will be getting at your preferred infant care centre.
Here at My First Skool, every meal is planned by our nutritionist and in-house chef to ensure children receive a nutritious, balanced diet that is in accordance with the Health Promotion Board’s guidelines.
As every child develops at a different pace, we keep in constant communication with parents to determine the ideal time to start weaning a child on solid food. For infants who can take solid food, we recommend that they eat their meals (breakfast, lunch and tea break) at our centre.
Our nutritious meals are perfect for introducing new food types to your child in a gradual manner, so they will be well-acclimated to healthy solid foods by the time they reach 18 months of age.
Here are just a few examples of the tasty meals that infants enjoy at My First Skool:
#6: Location
Accessibility is incredibly important! Having a preschool located near your home will allow you to spend more time resting and engaging with your child, and less time on travelling. This leads to happier parents and happier children!
With 145 centres island-wide and 115 of these centres offering infant care services – the My First Skool network is easily the most easily accessible preschool for many Singaporean families!
#7: Fees
As part of the NTUC First Campus family, our philosophy is to give every child a good head start in life – regardless of their background or financial capabilities. This ethos is reflected in our affordable fees, high-quality care and curriculum. Even better, working mothers can enjoy an infant care subsidy of $600 per month when you place your infant with us – making your infant care investment an affordable $764.25 a month.
Learn more about our fees here.
Interested in seeing how our infants spend their days at our centres? Take a look at their daily routines here. At My First Skool, we are truly committed to raising happy, healthy children who embody an “I can do it!” spirit – and we do so with our innovative curriculum, nutritious meals and engaging learning environments.
Give your child the head start they deserve by sending them to a My First Skool centre near you. Visit us to find out more!
Did you know that children with a strong sense of security, trust and self-confidence, tend to learn better than their peers? One of the ways that children develop these qualities early in life is through strong, positive relationships with their caregivers.
Infants and toddlers thrive in a caring, comforting and trusting environment – where the child feels safe and secure, both physically and emotionally, with the people around them. For most children, their early “safe spaces” are at home and in school.
At My First Skool, we believe strongly in the importance of building close teacher-child relationships. In our experience, the relationship between a child and their teacher will form the bedrock of their preschool experience – and determine how well they develop socially, physically and emotionally.
This is why our teachers go beyond classroom curriculum to reach out to children. We believe that the recipe for forming close relationships with children is a generous dose of care, several helpings of close communication with parents, heaps of keen observation, and scoops of well-planned routine.
Nurturing strong relationships
When you meet our teachers, don’t be surprised when they ask questions like, “Who are the members in your family?”, “How does your family usually spend weekends?” and “How is life in your household?” Our teachers are interested in getting to know each child’s family and their life outside of school.
These friendly chats also let our teachers know how your child behaves in other environments, as well as their likes, dislikes, closest family members, and more. This collaborative approach gives our teachers the information they need to better understand and communicate with your child – building close, trusting relationships with them.
Close communication with parents
As early childhood professionals, our teachers are trained to observe the body language of infants and toddlers – accurately reading cues that tell them what the child needs, before responding accordingly. Our teachers generally have a good read on how your child is feeling, and this improves over time as they get to know your child better (and as your child becomes more comfortable with communicating their needs and wants to their teacher).
When a teacher needs a child to wait for attention, they know how to relate this message to the child in a reassuring way – so that child knows that they will be attended to soon. This helps children to feel safe and secure, while under the caring eyes of their teacher.
Engaging play is one of the most effective ways to establish relationships with children, and My First Skool’s “dramatic learning corners” provide teachers and children with opportunities for such playtime.
Spending time playing with the children sends a simple message of “you are important to me”. This message helps the children to learn about who they are and the relationships they form with others. Through play, our teachers also show support and encouragement for children to explore, experiment and learn from their mistakes. The time spent playing, listening and interacting with the children, help them to learn the skills they need for life, like communicating, thinking, solving problems, etc. For example, if a child who is playing the role of a shopkeeper has difficulty in counting money, the teacher will step in to facilitate the learning – turning potential frustration into a valuable learning opportunity, while developing trust between child and teacher.
Engaging play
Emotions are an everyday part of life – especially so when you’re a child. Our teachers use children’s natural connection to a wide variety of emotions to teach them valuable lessons. By teaching children about the many different emotions available, children can recognise and access these emotions more freely – and manage them better.
In our classrooms, it’s common to see teachers give positive affirmation to children when they behave well or do something nice for their classmates – affirmations such as, “I’m very happy that Susan helped me to keep the toys after playtime.” Our teachers also utilise a wide range of emotions to show children that it’s alright to express their feelings in an appropriate manner, like “I’m sorry that your brother is feeling unwell. What can you do to make him feel better?”
Emotions are an everyday part of life – especially so when you’re a child. Our teachers use children’s natural connection to a wide variety of emotions to teach them valuable lessons. By teaching children about the many different emotions available, children can recognise and access these emotions more freely – and manage them better.
In our classrooms, it’s common to see teachers give positive affirmation to children when they behave well or do something nice for their classmates – affirmations such as, “I’m very happy that Susan helped me to keep the toys after playtime.” Our teachers also utilise a wide range of emotions to show children that it’s alright to express their feelings in an appropriate manner, like “I’m sorry that your brother is feeling unwell. What can you do to make him feel better?”
We place a strong emphasis on developing strong relationships between children and teachers, as this promotes healthy brain development in little ones. This is because when children feel comfortable enough to depend emotionally on their caregivers, they tend to be more open and involved with lessons and daily activities – which accelerates the development of their interests and learning capabilities.
Our relationships-based curriculum encourages our teachers to prepare their environments (i.e. classrooms and play areas) based on their observations of their children’s interests and needs. Then, children are given the opportunity to choose their preferred activities and interactions. This builds an atmosphere of trust and fun, and develops confidence in children.
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