Julia Gabriel Education

Preschool Education in Singapore: A Guide for New Parents

jg web — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 09:12:11 +0000

Preschool Education in Singapore: A Guide for New Parents

Choosing a preschool is one of the first major decisions you’ll make for your child—and in a city like Singapore, where early education is taken seriously and supported by a strong national framework, it’s a decision that can feel both exciting and overwhelming.

From understanding what makes preschool in Singapore unique to identifying the right fit for your family, this guide walks you through everything you need to know—from the national curriculum to what to look for in a learning environment.

Whether you’re just starting your journey into preschool educationor narrowing down your shortlist, being informed helps you make the best decision for your child’s early years.

What Makes Preschool Education in Singapore Unique?

Singapore’s preschool landscape is widely respected for its emphasis on quality, inclusivity, and holistic development. The sector is overseen by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), a government body that oversees the quality and regulation of preschools, ensuring that educators are well-trained and that programmes are developmentally appropriate.

Singapore’s approach combines high-quality teaching standards, comprehensive programmes, and supportive government initiatives, making it a model for early childhood education. One of the hallmarks of preschool education in Singapore is its holistic focus—supporting not just academic readiness but also social, emotional, and physical development.

High Standards and Strong Oversight

Preschools across Singapore operate under stringent regulations. The ECDA’s Singapore Preschool Accreditation Framework (SPARK) ensures that certified centres maintain consistently high standards in areas such as teaching and learning, curriculum planning, staff development, and safety.

The Preschool Curriculum Singapore Offers

One of the distinguishing features of preschool education in Singapore is the use of the Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework, developed by the Ministry of Education (MOE). This framework serves as the national preschool curriculum, ensuring consistency and quality across ECDA-licensed centres.

This curriculum is built around play-based and inquiry-driven learning approaches. Rather than focusing on rote memorisation, the NEL framework encourages children to explore, ask questions, and develop a love for learning. It promotes development across six key learning areas: language and literacy, numeracy, motor skills, discovery of the world, social and emotional development, and aesthetics and creative expression.

Importantly, this framework also encourages schools to tailor their approach according to the unique needs of their students, allowing room for creativity, cultural inclusivity, and child-led learning.

Affordability and Government Support

The Singaporean government has invested significantly in making preschool education accessible to as many families as possible. Various subsidy schemes are in place, with a wide variety of offerings—from premium boutique preschools to larger chain schools—allowing families to choose according to their preferences and budgets.

For example, the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS) and the Anchor Operator Scheme help reduce fees at selected centres. Families with Singaporean children in full-day childcare are also eligible for basic and additional subsidies, with amounts based on household income.

While fees vary across providers, here’s a general overview (as of 2025):

When budgeting, it’s advisable to factor in additional costs such as registration fees, uniforms, learning materials, and meals.

Preschool Programmes in Singapore

Singapore offers a wide variety of preschool programmes designed to support the developmental needs of children at different ages. These include:

Each programme builds on the last, following a preschool curriculum that supports growth in language, numeracy, motor skills, creativity, and social-emotional understanding.

How to Choose the Right
Preschool for Your Child

With so many choices available, how do you narrow it down? Here are some key considerations:

Location and Convenience:
A preschool close to home or your workplace makes drop-offs and pick-ups less stressful and supports a consistent daily routine for your child.
Curriculum and Values:
Is the curriculum inquiry-based, academic-focused, or more holistic in approach? Does the school value creativity, empathy, and resilience? Look for schools whose educational philosophy aligns with your parenting style and aspirations for your child.
Environment and Atmosphere:
A school visit is invaluable. Observe how children interact, how teachers engage with them, and whether the environment feels nurturing, safe, and inspiring.
Teacher Qualifications and Stability:
Pay attention to the teachers—they are the heart of any great preschool. Ask about their qualifications, turnover rate, and how they support children’s learning and emotional development. A passionate, stable teaching team can make a difference in your child’s early school experience.
Schedule a School Tour:
Arrange visits to your shortlist of schools. This allows you to meet the teachers and support staff, ask face-to-face questions, clarify doubts, and gauge whether the preschool meets your expectations.

The Julia Gabriel Difference: EduDrama^® and Mindful Educators

At Julia Gabriel Preschool, we do things a little differently—and parents love us for it!

We approach learning with imagination, rigour, and heart. Our unique EduDrama® methodology blends structured learning with creative expression, offering a nurturing environment where children feel confident to explore, experiment and express themselves. This approach combines the arts—such as drama and storytelling—with established educational practices to create a dynamic and engaging learning experience.

EduDrama® fosters more than just academic skills. It builds confidence, communication, empathy, and creativity. Through imaginative play and performance, children learn to collaborate, solve problems, and express themselves fluently in both English and Mandarin. It’s a process that nurtures each child’s voice and supports the development of clear, authentic communication.

Passionate, Mindful Educators

Our educators are at the heart of everything we do. At Julia Gabriel Preschool, teachers are both highly qualified and mindful practitioners, trained to be fully present, observant, and responsive to each child’s unique needs. They understand that young children thrive in relationships where they feel seen, heard, and valued.

We invest in continuous professional development, ensuring our educators stay current with best practices in early childhood education. They are selected for their academic qualifications as well as for their genuine passion for nurturing young minds and warm communication style. Our low teacher-to-child ratios allow them to develop meaningful relationships with each child, fostering trust and deeper engagement.

We believe in creating a learning environment where educators are reflective, calm, and attuned—because mindful teachers create mindful learners.

Why Families Choose Julia Gabriel Preschool

Parents often tell us how much they appreciate the care, creativity, and consistency of our approach. Some of the features they value most include:

A warm, inclusive atmosphere that feels like a second home

Our nurturing teachers create a safe and supportive environment where children feel confident to explore, express themselves, and build strong relationships. Small class sizes allow for close engagement, helping every child feel seen, heard, and valued.
An engaging and expressive preschool curriculum that encourages a love for learning

Through the integration of drama, creative arts, and interactive activities, our curriculum brings learning to life. These experiences not only spark curiosity but also build communication skills and self-confidence from an early age.
Strong bilingual foundations in both English and Mandarin

Our thoughtfully designed bilingual curriculum ensures that children develop effective communication skills in both languages. This prepares them well for primary school while fostering cultural appreciation and cognitive flexibility.
Smaller class sizes and individual attention

With intentionally small groups, educators are able to give each child the personalised guidance and support they need to thrive. This close attention fosters both academic and emotional development.
Thoughtful, compassionate educators who truly understand early childhood development

Our teaching team is made up of passionate, qualified professionals who bring deep expertise and empathy to the classroom. Their commitment to early childhood education ensures that every child receives thoughtful guidance, encouragement, and care.
Positive parent testimonials

Many parents have shared how their children have grown in confidence, communication, and creativity since joining our preschool. Their feedback reflects the impact of our holistic, child-centred approach and our dedication to delivering meaningful early learning experiences.

With over 35 years of experience, Julia Gabriel Education is a trusted name in preschool education in Singapore, helping children grow into confident communicators and joyful learners.

Final Thoughts: Finding the Right Preschool in Singapore

Whether you’re just beginning your search or narrowing down your shortlist, the best preschool is the one where your child feels happy, secure, and inspired to learn—where their individuality is celebrated, and where the environment feels like a second home.

Thanks to Singapore’s strong educational frameworks and dedicated early childhood professionals, parents have access to a wealth of excellent options. We encourage you to visit, observe, and trust your instincts—when you walk into a place where children are thriving and teachers are genuinely engaged, you’ll know you’ve found the right fit.

We warmly invite you to book a visit to Julia Gabriel Preschool and discover why so many families choose us as their trusted partner in their child’s early learning journey.

FAQs

on Preschool Education in Singapore

At what age should my child start preschool in Singapore?

Children in Singapore typically begin preschool between the ages of 18 months and 2 years, starting with playgroup or pre-nursery programmes.

Are there government subsidies available for preschool education?

Yes, the government offers a range of subsidies to help make preschool more affordable for families, based on household income levels. Singaporean children enrolled in full-day childcare programmes are eligible for both basic and additional subsidies.

How do I know if a preschool's curriculum is suitable for my child?

Take time to research the school’s teaching philosophy, visit the premises, and speak with educators. This will help you assess whether the curriculum aligns with your child’s personality, interests, and developmental needs.

How do I know if a preschool is of good quality?

Look for SPARK-certified preschools, which have met the quality standards set by ECDA. It’s also helpful to consider teacher qualifications, the school’s curriculum, and reviews or recommendations from other parents.

What is the NEL Framework?

The Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework, developed by the Ministry of Education (MOE), guides preschools in delivering holistic and high-quality early childhood education in Singapore.

What is the difference between childcare centres and kindergartens?

Childcare centres typically offer full-day programmes suited to working parents, while kindergartens usually provide half-day sessions with a focus on academic readiness.

How important is the student–teacher ratio in preschools?

A lower student–teacher ratio allows for more individualised attention, helping educators better support each child’s learning and emotional development.

Can I visit the preschool before enrolling my child?

Absolutely. Visiting in person is highly recommended—it gives you the chance to observe the environment, ask questions, and get a genuine feel for the school’s culture.

What should I look for during a preschool visit?

Pay attention to the cleanliness and safety of the environment, the quality of teacher–child interactions, the availability of engaging learning materials, and whether the overall atmosphere feels warm and welcoming

The post Preschool Education in Singapore: A Guide for New Parents appeared first on Julia Gabriel Education.

The Power of Play in Preschool Education: Beyond Just Having Fun

jg web — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 03:38:09 +0000

The Power of Play in Preschool Education:
Beyond Just Having Fun

What is Play-Based Learning?

Play-based learning is an approach to early childhood education that uses play as the primary method for children to explore, discover, and make sense of the world around them.

In play-based education, activities are child-led and often open-ended, allowing children to follow their interests, and in so doing solve problems, develop language and social skills, and build cognitive understanding through hands-on experiences. Educators take an active role in observing, guiding, and extending learning during exploration or ‘play’, while maintaining a balance between freedom of choice and more intentional or structured teaching.

The key characteristics of a play-based preschool curriculum typically include:

While attendance at a childcare centre or kindergarten prior to Primary 1 is not compulsory in Singapore, the country’s strong commitment to quality preschool programmes—supported by government initiatives to improve accessibility and affordability—is reflected in the high enrolment rates among Singaporean families. According to data released by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) Family Trends Report 2024:

Children aged 3–4 years: The cohort enrolment rate increased from 75% in 2013 to 90% in 2023.

Children aged 5–6 years: The enrolment rate remained consistently high at 95% in 2023.

This indicates that both parents and government believe that preschool education plays a vital role in the developmental early years of a child’s life, laying the foundation for successful lifelong learning. At Julia Gabriel Preschool, this play-based approach is fundamental to how we nurture young minds, and prepare them for what lies ahead.

The Role of Play in Early Childhood Development

Why Play Matters in Early Learning

Play is far more than simply having fun—it is a vital component of a young child’s development. For many families in Singapore, preschool marks the beginning of a child’s formal learning journey. It is worth remembering that what often appears to be ‘just play’ is, in fact, deep and meaningful learning in action.

At Julia Gabriel Preschool, we view purposeful play as the cornerstone of a strong foundation in early childhood. Through playful exploration, children make sense of the world around them, test ideas, and express their creativity. They solve problems, take risks, and make connections that help shape their understanding.

In these seemingly ordinary moments, children are developing essential cognitive, emotional, and social skills that will support their future learning and life beyond school.

Enhancing Creativity, Curiosity, and Critical Thinking

One of the most powerful benefits of play is its ability to spark creativity and stimulate curiosity. Whether through imagination, role play, construction activities, or storytelling, children are encouraged to explore ideas, ask questions, and think critically. This open-ended engagement fosters a love of discovery and strengthens early reasoning skills.

By supporting child-led inquiry and imaginative exploration, Julia Gabriel Preschool creates a dynamic environment where learning unfolds naturally—with joy, purpose, and depth.

A Singaporean Parent’s Dilemma: Academics or Play?

In Singapore’s academically driven culture, many parents find themselves navigating the tension between ensuring their child is school-ready and allowing space for play – whether guided, free or imaginative. With Primary 1 on the horizon—along with formal reading, writing and arithmetic—it’s easy to feel that play may fall short in preparing children for what’s ahead.

Yet the evidence tells a different story: play and academic learning are not mutually exclusive. In fact, high-quality play lays the groundwork for future academic success.

Research consistently shows that children who engage in rich, purposeful play in their early years tend to perform better in language, literacy, and numeracy later. That’s because play builds the underlying cognitive and emotional skills needed for school readiness—like focus, memory, communication, and self-confidence.

At Julia Gabriel, our preschool programmes blend play with learning through our signature EduDrama^® methodology. EduDrama^® is a unique methodology that blends a clear learning structure with intentional, purposeful play to create engaging, meaningful experiences for children. Rooted in educational theory and developmental psychology, EduDrama^® harnesses the power of dramatic play to support cognitive, linguistic, social and emotional growth. What does this tell us? That play is vital for early brain development.

EduDrama^® enables us to effectively balance structured learning outcomes with imaginative exploration. Activities are carefully curated to support the achievement of developmental milestones, ensuring that each child progresses confidently and holistically.

While play is central to the experience, it is never without purpose. The methodology is both rigorous and responsive—underpinned by clear objectives, aligned with educational goals, and delivered through nurturing, child-centred facilitation. With EduDrama^®, play becomes a powerful vehicle for learning, encouraging children to express themselves, connect with others and build essential life skills in a joyful, supportive environment. For example:

Balancing Structured and Unstructured Play

Both structured and unstructured play are key to early learning. Guided activities teach cooperation and problem-solving, while free play encourages creativity and independence. Our preschool programmes combine both to create a rich, balanced learning environment.
Play as a Path to Academic Learning

Through playful activities like puppet shows, counting games, and hands-on science exploration, children naturally build literacy, maths, and scientific thinking—while having fun and staying curious.

What Makes a Quality Play-Based Preschool Curriculum?
A Look Inside Julia Gabriel Preschool Programmes

An Overview of Our Levels: From Pre-Nursery to Kindergarten 2

Our preschool programmes are carefully tailored to each age group. Development at each level builds on the one before, ensuring children progress with confidence and joy.

Core Learning Elements in Preschool Curricula in Singapore

The preschool curriculum in Singapore is designed to offer a well-rounded foundation for young learners. At Julia Gabriel Preschool, our EduDrama^® methodology underpins the way all subjects are taught, shaping the environment and interactions to make learning purposeful, meaningful, and joyful. Experiential, child-centred learning combined with language-rich experiences build confidence, creativity, and communication from the earliest years.

Language and Literacy: Developing communication skills through reading, storytelling, and dramatic play. Includes a robust Mandarin bilingual curriculum.
Numeracy and Maths: Introducing foundational mathematical concepts through hands-on, interactive experiences.
Aesthetics and Creative Expression: Encouraging creativity through art, music, movement, and role play.
Physical and Motor Skills Development: Building coordination, balance, and spatial awareness through active play and guided physical activities.
Additional Programmes to Encourage Enhanced Learning: Young Entrepreneurs (I Can!), Give & Grow (Sustainability & Gardening), Harmony Heroes (Caring for the Community), Coding, Content Creation, Science and Technology, Exploration and Discovery, and more.
Mindfulness: Mindfulness is integrated into daily routines at Julia Gabriel Preschool through Mindful Moments, a dedicated programme where children engage in simple, age-appropriate practices like breathing exercises, sensory awareness, and quiet reflection. These activities help develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, focus, empathy, gratitude, and resilience—building a strong foundation for lifelong well-being.

Examples of Play-Based Learning at Julia Gabriel Preschool

At Julia Gabriel Preschool, play is woven into every facet of the curriculum, ensuring that learning is both meaningful and enjoyable. Our carefully planned play-based activities engage children’s natural curiosity while supporting their holistic development. Here are some examples:

Outdoor Games: Activities such as obstacle courses and nature walks not only enhance physical coordination and strength but also nurture an appreciation for the natural world and promote observational skills.
Sensory Play: Interacting with materials like sand, water, and clay stimulates cognitive development and fine motor skills, while helping children explore different textures, temperatures, and properties in a hands-on way.
Group Projects: Collaborative tasks such as model building and collective art creations develop essential social skills, including communication, cooperation, and creative problem-solving, through shared effort and teamwork.

What Are the Long-Term Benefits of a Play-Based Preschool Education?

Confidence, Independence, and Curiosity

Children who engage in play-based learning often develop greater confidence and independence. They are encouraged to explore, make decisions, and take ownership of their learning. This nurtures a strong sense of self, resilience, and a curious mindset that continues to grow with them.

Academic Readiness Without Burnout

Our preschool curriculum prepares children for primary school without the pressure of rote memorisation or rigid instruction. Through age-appropriate, play-based experiences, they develop the essential skills needed to thrive in a more formal academic setting—while maintaining their natural enthusiasm and love of learning.

Life Skills that Go Beyond Primary School

Play supports more than academic development. It fosters communication, problem-solving, empathy, and teamwork. These essential life skills—developed organically through playful interaction—lay the groundwork for emotional intelligence, positive relationships, and future leadership.

How We Foster Emotional Growth in Our Preschoolers:
Building Emotional and Social Skills Through Play

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is a cornerstone of our preschool curriculum. Through SEL, children learn to understand and manage their emotions, cultivate positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Activities such as group discussions, cooperative games, and empathy exercises help them develop self-awareness and essential social skills.

Examples of Socio-Emotional Learning at Julia Gabriel Preschool

Emotional growth is nurtured through both guided and spontaneous interactions:

Circle Time: We establish a daily routine in a safe, inclusive setting, where children share experiences, talk about their feelings, and strengthen their sense of belonging.
Peer Interaction: Children are given opportunities to play and collaborate, navigate disagreements constructively, and build friendships—fostering respect and social understanding.
Teacher Guidance: Educators serve as role models and emotional coaches, offering support as children navigate emotional challenges and celebrate successes.

These practices create a supportive environment where children feel valued and understood, promoting emotional well-being.

Children Learn Key Socio-Emotional Skills Like Empathy, Patience, and Cooperation

In our classrooms, children are encouraged to:

Practise Empathy: By listening to stories and engaging in role play, they learn to recognise and share others’ feelings.
Develop Patience: They learn to wait their turn during games and activities, fostering self-control and consideration.
Cooperate with Peers: Through collaborative projects and conflict resolution, they build teamwork and negotiation skills.
Learn Mindfulness Strategies: Activities such as simple breathing exercises and brief guided reflections support emotional literacy, resilience, and a positive self-image—helping them pause, focus, and respond calmly to their emotions.

These socio-emotional skills are fundamental for personal growth and lay the groundwork for healthy, future relationships.

Our Facilities: How Julia Gabriel Preschools are Built for Learning Through Play

Abundance of Sensory Corners, Reading Nooks, and Outdoor Classrooms

Our centres are designed to spark wonder and exploration. Sensory corners invite hands-on learning, reading nooks encourage quiet moments with books, and outdoor classrooms support movement, discovery, and gross motor development. Every space is created with your child’s growth and joy in mind.

Health and Safety in Our Learning Environment

We uphold the highest standards of safety and hygiene. All toys and materials are regularly cleaned and rotated to ensure freshness and safety. Facilities are cleaned daily and thorough sanitisation takes place before and after mealtimes.

Our classrooms are airy, bright, and child-friendly, giving your child the confidence to explore and thrive in a secure and healthy environment.

Experience it for Yourself: Book a Personalised School Tour

We invite parents to visit and experience the Julia Gabriel difference. Book a personalised tour to explore our unique environments, meet our passionate teachers, and see firsthand how our children learn through play. Enquire here to visit your preferred Julia Gabriel Preschool location.

Partnering with Parents: Supporting Play at Home

At Julia Gabriel Preschool, we see parents as key partners in a child’s growth. We encourage play-based learning to continue at home to reinforce what’s learned in school.

Just 15 minutes of creative, hands-on play each day—like storytelling, building, or pretend play—can strengthen skills and deepen the parent-child bond.

Creating Consistency: Encouraging Meaningful Play After School

When values like curiosity and creativity are reflected both at home and school, children thrive.

We support families with regular updates, activity ideas, and tips to align learning across environments—so your child feels confident, inspired, and supported wherever they are.

Simple Home Activities that Build Learning

You don’t need expensive toys or elaborate setups to support your child’s development through play. Here are a few easy, screen-free activities you can do at home that align beautifully with the preschool curriculum in Singapore:

Home Activity

Story Time with Expression

Example: Read We’re Going on a Bear Hunt together, using different voices for each character and pausing to ask how the child thinks the bear feels when “it’s cold” or “it’s dark”.

Skills Developed

Speaking, listening, empathy

Home Activity

Kitchen Helpers

Example: Bake simple sugar cookies—let your child measure the flour, crack the egg, and stir the ingredients, encouraging them to count each spoonful and follow each step in the recipe.

Skills Developed

Numeracy, fine motor skills, following instructions

Home Activity

DIY Art Corner

Example: Provide paper plates, paint, coloured paper, and glue; challenge your child to design and decorate their own animal mask (e.g. a lion or rabbit), cutting out eye holes and adding details with paint or collage.

Skills Developed

Creativity, focus, hand-eye coordination

Home Activity

Treasure Hunts at Home

Example: Hide five coloured paper shapes (circle, square, triangle, star, heart) around a room. Give your child simple clues (“It’s under something soft,” “Look near the window”) and a checklist to tick off each shape as they find it.

Skills Developed

Problem-solving, observation, spatial awareness

These moments of shared play at home with your child offer more than just fun—they become powerful learning experiences that help prepare your child for both school and life. They’re also a valuable opportunity to deepen your connection, strengthen your relationship, and gain a better understanding of how your child thinks, feels, and learns.

I'm particularly impressed with Julia Gabriel Preschool's curriculum, especially their focus on speech and drama, as well as their engaging term assemblies. These activities provide abundant opportunities for children to unleash their imagination and build confidence through acting and play.

My son attended K1 and K2 at Julia Gabriel Preschool (formerly known as Chiltern House) and the progress he's made academically and personally has been remarkable. He has grown more independent and enthusiastic about learning, a significant shift from his experience in N1 and N2 preschool.

The teachers and head of the centre deserve immense credit for creating a nurturing environment that combines structure with enjoyment. Their efforts have not only fostered my son's academic growth but also supported his social development. Witnessing his thriving interactions with classmates has been truly rewarding.

Overall, our experience with Julia Gabriel Preschool has been overwhelmingly positive, and we're grateful for the pivotal role they've played in our son's education.

Our son has benefitted tremendously from this programme. He has displayed a great improvement in his speech and independence. We strongly believe that the programme, together with the enthusiasm of the teachers has resulted in this developmental leap and we look forward to him achieving more milestones!

It takes a village to raise kids, and I am glad to have the teachers and staff of Julia Gabriel Preschool Mountbatten as part of my village. Not only they are compassionate and nurturing, but they are also highly capable in delivering the school’s wholesome curriculum that really helps my son grow both academically and emotionally.

With a small class size, the teachers engage each kids meaningfully. My son is always excited to go to school every day and comes back home happy. Also, I would like to give a shout out to the school management for being open-minded and receptive to parents’ suggestions to improve the school environment.

Appreciate it!

My child likes going to school. The school atmosphere is not one where teachers only care about their own class, but one where teachers take care of each other warmly and have fun. The overall atmosphere is bright and lively.

I am very satisfied that Julia Gabriel Preschool provides my 2-year-old with a variety of activities and topics, reading, English and Chinese, and most importantly, an enjoyable school life.

It was definitely the right choice we made for transferring our daughter to Julia Gabriel Keppel Bay. Reckon that a good foundation during early childhood is important and the very dedicated team at JG Keppel Bay is the team both my husband and myself can entrust.

FAQs

about Julia Gabriel Preschool Curriculum and Play-Based Learning

How does play-based learning benefit my child?

Play-based learning enhances creativity, problem-solving skills, and social interaction, making education enjoyable and effective.

What is EduDrama^®?

EduDrama^® is a unique approach to learning that combines a clear structure with purposeful, imaginative play—helping children develop effective communication skills, problem-solving skills, and creativity, as well as confidence, empathy, and collaboration. The method is both nurturing and rigorous. It’s about more than just having fun—it’s about building strong foundations for lifelong learning, encouraging children to take risks and giving them a distinct advantage throughout their educational journey.

What age group does Julia Gabriel Preschool cater to?

We offer programmes for children aged 18 months to 6 years in Pre-Nursery, Nursery 1 & 2, Kindergarten 1 & 2 levels. Our curriculum and programmes are tailored to each developmental stage.

How does Julia Gabriel Preschool balance structured learning with play?

At Julia Gabriel Preschool, structured learning and purposeful play are not separate concepts—they are thoughtfully integrated through our EduDrama^® methodology. This unique approach combines a clear educational structure with imaginative, child-led exploration, ensuring that every playful moment has intent and impact. Our educators design activities that are both meaningful and developmentally appropriate, guiding children toward specific learning outcomes while allowing the freedom to discover and express themselves. The rigour of EduDrama^® lies in its careful balance: play is always purposeful, supporting cognitive, language, social, and emotional milestones. In this way, we offer a learning experience that is both joyful and academically robust—where structured goals are achieved through meaningful, engaging play.

How do teachers at Julia Gabriel Preschool guide children during play?

At Julia Gabriel Preschool, our mindful educators are trained in early childhood development and the principles of EduDrama^®, enabling them to be present, purposeful, and attuned to each child’s needs. Rather than directing each experience, they observe closely, offering gentle guidance and asking open-ended questions that spark curiosity, encourage expressive language, and deepen thinking. This mindful facilitation ensures that play remains child-led yet rich with learning potential—supporting both self-discovery and meaningful developmental progress.

Will a play-based curriculum prepare my child for Primary 1?

Yes. Our play-based curriculum in Singapore is intentionally designed to build strong foundations in literacy, numeracy, self-regulation, and confidence—key skills for a successful transition to Primary 1.

Children who have the opportunity to engage in meaningful dramatic play tend to adapt better to formal schooling because they’ve built a strong foundation in communication, emotional resilience, and problem-solving. Learn more about the Julia Gabriel Programmes here.

How can I support my child’s development at home using Julia Gabriel’s approach?

You can continue supporting your child through storytelling, open-ended play, creative activities, and rich conversations. Our teachers regularly share home-based learning ideas and progress updates to keep parents aligned with what’s happening in the classroom.

What makes Julia Gabriel Preschool’s curriculum unique in Singapore?

Our curriculum is driven by EduDrama^®—Julia Gabriel Education’s unique approach to learning that blends drama with educational outcomes to nurture confident, expressive, and empathetic individuals. We combine a clear learning structure with purposeful, meaningful play to support both academic success and developmental milestones. Through language-rich environments and strong teacher-child relationships, children grow holistically—gaining the confidence, creativity, and collaboration skills that give them an advantage in school and life.

Is Julia Gabriel Preschool suitable for shy or quiet children?

Absolutely, our nurturing, inclusive environment is ideal for children of all personalities. Through guided play, role play, and small group interactions, even the most reserved children gradually gain confidence and learn to express themselves freely.

Your Child’s Future Begins with Play

Building Brighter Beginnings Through Julia Gabriel Preschool and EduDrama^®

At Julia Gabriel Preschool, we understand that the early years shape a child’s future in profound ways. Choosing the right preschool is not only about preparing for Primary 1—it’s about nurturing confidence, independence, emotional resilience, and a love of learning that lasts a lifetime.

Through our signature EduDrama® methodology and thoughtfully designed preschool programmes, children learn with joy and purpose. They develop core academic and life skills in a supportive environment where curiosity is encouraged, creativity is celebrated, and social-emotional growth is central to every day.

From sensory corners to outdoor classrooms, from puppet shows to collaborative projects, every element of our preschool experience is designed to empower your child. Because when children learn through play, they thrive—in school and in life.

Let’s begin this meaningful journey together. Let your child discover the power of play at Julia Gabriel Preschool.

The post The Power of Play in Preschool Education: Beyond Just Having Fun appeared first on Julia Gabriel Education.

Advantages of Bilingual Kindergarten Education in Singapore: How It Benefits Your Child’s Development

jg web — Mon, 19 May 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Advantages of Bilingual Kindergarten Education in Singapore: How It Benefits Your Child’s Development

Bilingual education offers children a valuable head start in life, especially in a multicultural society like Singapore. A bilingual kindergarten in Singapore provides young learners with the cognitive and cultural advantages they need to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

Global languages such as English and Mandarin play vital roles in communication and cultural identity. While English remains a dominant language, Mandarin has become an essential skill for communication, business, and cultural understanding.

Whether you are considering enrolling your child in a Singapore kindergarten with a bilingual curriculum or looking for ways to reinforce their learning at home, this guide will explore the benefits of bilingual education and practical strategies to support your child’s language development.

So why is bilingual education so crucial, and how can parents support their child’s journey outside the classroom?

Why a Bilingual Education Matters

Cognitive and Developmental Benefits of Bilingualism in Kindergarten

Numerous studies have shown that learning two languages from an early age significantly enhances brain development. Young children have a natural ability to absorb and differentiate languages.

Children who grow up with a bilingual education tend to:

Bilingualism also improves memory, focus, and the ability to multitask.

At Julia Gabriel Preschool, we integrate bilingual learning from an early age to maximise these cognitive benefits. In our Pre-Nursery and Nursery One classes, a Mandarin teacher is attached full-time to each class, ensuring a natural and immersive learning environment.

Through meaningful interactions, children develop a positive connection to the second language, building confidence and fluency over time.

Cultural Benefits of Bilingual Education:
Beyond Just Learning a Language

Language is deeply tied to culture, and learning Mandarin at an early age allows children to connect with Chinese traditions, literature, and values in an authentic way.

As Singapore embraces a bilingual policy, fluency in Mandarin not only opens doors to academic and career opportunities but also fosters meaningful connections with Mandarin-speaking family members and peers.

At Julia Gabriel Preschool, we celebrate these cultural aspects throughout our curriculum. Drama, music, and Chinese cultural arts play a crucial role in making language acquisition fun and meaningful here.

Children engage in hands-on experiences such as:

By making language learning interactive and enjoyable, children develop a genuine appreciation for Mandarin, rather than seeing it as just another subject to study.

How Julia Gabriel Preschool Integrates Bilingual Education

Unlike the traditional rote memorisation methods that many parents may remember from their own kindergarten days, modern bilingual kindergarten in Singapore settings focus on immersive, play-based, and interactive learning experiences.

Mandarin is part of daily activities – Whether through conversations, songs, or storytelling, children naturally pick up vocabulary and sentence structures.
Small group learning ensures personalised attention – Our educators cater to each child's unique pace and learning style.
Drama and play make language learning fun – Engaging performances help children practice speaking Mandarin with confidence.

This immersive approach allows children to develop fluency naturally and enjoyably, setting them up for lifelong success in both languages.

How to Nurture Your Child’s Bilingual Skills at Home

As the age-old adage goes, it truly takes a village to raise a child! Parents play a crucial role in reinforcing language learning beyond a kindergarten classroom.

Here are some practical and easy ways to create a Mandarin-rich environment at home:

Make Mandarin a Part of Daily Life

Label common household items in Mandarin and use these words in daily conversations.
Speak simple phrases throughout the day – for example, greet your child in Mandarin or describe objects around them.
Play Mandarin audiobooks, nursery rhymes and songs in the background while at home or during car rides.

Encourage Bilingual Playtime

Choose games like flashcards, puzzles, and board games that introduce new Mandarin words.
Read bilingual books together – interactive stories with audio can be especially helpful for pronunciation.
Act out simple scenarios in Mandarin, such as ordering food at a restaurant or pretending to be shopkeepers.

Celebrate Cultural Experiences

Visit Chinese cultural festivals and encourage participation in traditional arts like calligraphy and Chinese orchestra performances.
Explore festive activities such as making mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival or decorating for Lunar New Year.
Cook simple Mandarin recipes together, discussing ingredients and steps in the same language

Connect with Native Speakers

Tips for Parents to Reinforce Your Child’s Mandarin Speaking & Writing Skills

Speaking Practice:

Keep conversations fun and low-pressure – children learn best when they feel comfortable. Talk to your child in Mandarin daily – Keep conversations simple and relevant to their interests.
Use role-playing for everyday scenarios like buying groceries or ordering food.
Watch Mandarin videos or listen to audiobooks with repetitive dialogue to boost comprehension.

Writing Practice:

Encourage simple journaling – Even simple drawings with Chinese labels can build confidence.
Use calligraphy brushes or magnetic writing boards to make writing practice fun.
Write letters to family members – A handwritten note in Mandarin to a grandparent or relative makes language learning meaningful and builds confidence in your child.

Bilingual Education: A Lifelong Advantage

Enrolling your child in a bilingual kindergarten in Singapore is one of the most valuable gifts you can give them. It is also a lifelong gift. It opens doors to academic and career opportunities while also strengthening cultural connections.

By supporting language learning at home through fun, engaging activities, you can help your child build fluency, confidence, and a lifelong love for Mandarin.

Every small effort counts, and with consistency and encouragement, bilingualism can become a natural and rewarding part of your child’s life, and one they will thank you for!

Join a Bilingual Kindergarten – Embark on your journey today!

At Julia Gabriel Preschool, we believe in nurturing bilingualism through immersive, meaningful experiences.

Want to learn more? Explore our bilingual programmes here!

The post Advantages of Bilingual Kindergarten Education in Singapore: How It Benefits Your Child’s Development appeared first on Julia Gabriel Education.

Sometimes it Helps to Get Your Tongue in a Twist!

Hendra — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 07:17:09 +0000

She sells sea shells on the sea shore. Can you say this sentence as quickly as possible whilst still articulating all the sounds clearly?

How did you get on? Did you end up in a ‘muddy puddle’?

This well known sequence of ‘s’ and ‘sh’ sounds, is thought to be the first tongue twister, inspired by the life of Mary Anning, a 19th Century palaeontologist who became famous for her fossil finds on the Jurassic coast of England. She sells sea shells on the sea shore was popularised at the time as a diction exercise, one of the many benefits of learning tongue twisters.

‘A tongue twister is a short phrase, a rhyme, or series of phrases containing groups of repeated or juxtaposed sounds, requiring quick and nimble changes of place or manner of articulation.’ (EduDrama by Julia Gabriel, ch.11, p.89.)

At Julia Gabriel Education we use age-appropriate tongue twisters in many of our programmes, particularly our Drama and Communication Programmes. They are used as speech exercises, incorporated into drama, dialogue and discussions, used as passwords or secret messages, or can be used to form the basis of an original story. In fact, tongue twisters can be used in an endless number of ways.

Typically, tongue twisters are alliterative, or a combination of alliteration and rhyme, and can comprise as little as two words such as:

One bun
Lemon lollies
Fried fish
Sick sheep

Longer phrases often contain sequences of sounds that require the speaker to reposition their tongue quickly and move their lips in different directions, in order to articulate the phonemes correctly. Such as:

Who stole the tooth?
I scream for ice cream
Eleven violins and five French violas
Big blue bears, big brown bears
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper

Tongue twisters can also take the form of a short rhyme, for example:

A twister of twists once twisted a twist
But the twist that he twisted was a three-twisted twist.
In twisting that twist, one twist came untwisted
And twisted the twist that the twister had twisted. (Traditional)

These are just a few examples of the different types of tongue twisters that can be used with children from three years and upwards. And the great thing is that when children have a grasp of different letter sounds, they can make up their own.

Why do we use tongue twisters in our programmes?

Vocal warm ups. Tongue twisters exercise the muscles we use for speech (tongue, lips, jaw, pharynx). These muscles vibrate the vocal cords which then make sound. Whether a child or an adult, tongue twisters are an ideal way to warm up vocal cords before a performance, presentation, speech or debate.

Articulation. Tongue twisters help with correct enunciation and clarity of speech. They help children learn how to pronounce single sounds, combination sounds, whole words and sentences.

Expressive speaking. Tongue twisters help develop fluency of speech, whole language and communication and encourage expressive speaking.

Speech identification. Our specialist educators can identify where a student may have difficulty articulating a certain sound and help them correct it or if the child has a more specific speech difficulty that would benefit from further investigation.

Memory and focus. Children develop listening skills and their ability to focus as they memorise sequences of sounds or a whole rhyme.

Builds confidence. Tongue twisters are an enjoyable way to overcome the fear of standing up in in front of friends and speaking. They help children build the confidence to speak out loud and use their voice effectively, in front of peers or present to an invited audience.

Some of the benefits of practising tongue-twisting phrases

Tongue twisters can be challenging as they are designed to be difficult at all levels of language and communication development. Mastering a tongue twister, whether just two words or two lines, promotes a great sense of achievement. Children feel motivated and empowered.

Mastering the correct sounds in words is critical for early reading success. Tongue twisters are a great way to help preschoolers build strong literacy skills because they help with sequencing and organisation – critical skills for reading and writing.

Tongue twisters are helpful when learning other languages. Moving the tongue from one part of the mouth to another with speed is crucial in many languages, especially tonal languages, for mastering correct pronunciation. Tongue twisters are frequently used in TEFL courses for adult students to help them with English language fluency and pronunciation and to understand their areas of weakness.

Research has discovered that tongue twisters can help with speech-planning success. In some cases, tongue twisters are used by speech therapists on older people to determine if they are suffering from cognitive decline.

Family fun time!

Make tongue twisters a part of your family bonding time every now and again. It doesn’t matter if you all end up getting in a muddle. Start off slowly and clearly and then speed up or simply try getting to the end of a line in one vocal piece! Avoid making them a chore for your child though. Remember, this is supposed to be fun and learning should be a positive experience! The biggest laugh often comes when we say something funny or even rude by mistake because we get our tongue all twisted.

Try the tongue twister examples above and these tongue twister building games as a family at home. (Very young children can try one and two word phrases, perhaps three words). Take your time, building the phrases up one word at a time once you have mastered each preceding phrase or word. Can you memorise them? How far can you get before your tongue gets twisted?

Tigers
Tigers talking
Three tigers talking
Thirty-three tigers talking
Three hundred and thirty-three tigers talking
Three thousand, three hundred and thirty-three tigers talking
Thirty three thousand, three hundred and thirty-three tigers talking !

Please miss, will miss, you miss, lend miss, me miss, your miss, big miss, brown miss, book miss?
Please miss?

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Mindful Interactions: Tips for Encouraging Greater Awareness in the Present Moment

Hendra — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 07:30:13 +0000

At Julia Gabriel Education, mindfulness has been an important part of our culture for decades. Being conscious of the way we behave, speak and interact with others is organically merged into our programmes, our approach to teaching and our relationships. As with all meaningful developmental practices, mindfulness is a work in progress, for us all; part of our passionate belief that being open to continual learning and growth with joy, respect and love, makes us better as individuals and as a whole.

Practising mindfulness is not difficult when we set the intention. It is not something that is out of reach to anyone. We believe mindfulness can be taught to children from a young age. Here are five things you can practise at home as a family, no matter the age of your children, to encourage mindfulness:

You are what you eat!

Sit down as a family at the dinning table and enjoy a meal together. If this is not possible every day then at least make it a regular occurrence. Plan what you will eat together. Set the table together. Most importantly, as you sit at the table and share your food be aware of what food you have in front of you. Speak your gratitude out loud for the food. Serve one another and eat your food mindfully. This involves taking your time, not rushing the occasion. Chew slowly and savour every mouthful.

Explore the senses

Simply stand still, wherever you are (assuming it is safe to do so of course!) for just one minute. In the Botanical Garden, on the beach, in the void deck of your apartment block or, even just in your living room – stand or sit still, close your eyes, take a few mindful breaths in and out. What can you hear? What noises do you notice when you stop to listen? How far away are the sounds? What can you smell? What sensations do you feel throughout your body during those few moments? Then do the same exercise but this time with your eyes open. What do you hear, smell, feel and see this time? The more you practise, the more you will attune your senses.

Screen free day – or at least half!

Set the intention for the whole family to have at least one completely screen free day per week. If once a week feels too scary to begin with then schedule this for once every two weeks; even once a month at first, gradually increasing the number of days. Be sure to schedule this into your calendar, at least initially! It may sound mechanical but if it is something that pops up in your calendar you are more likely to do it! And parents – you must role model. There is no way around this. Your children must see you engage in screen free time too to convince them it is something worth doing! Replace passive screen time with creative or physical activities that instil calm or provide meaningful, enjoyable and ‘in the moment’ experiences: reading a book, drawing, walking in the rain forest, riding bicycles along the East Coast, planting seeds in a pot on the balcony, cooking together…

One task at a time

Hands up if you think multitasking is an efficient way to work! We all do or at least try to because we feel pressurised with work, studies and life! We think we will get things done quicker if we perform several tasks at the same time. The fact is, this is a myth. Numerous studies have shown that multitasking decreases performance success and reduces efficiency. When we juggle various tasks all at the same time we are less able to filter out unwanted information, making us less organised. The brain, which is designed to perform one task at a time, simply put, gets muddled! And in some cases, studies have even found that multitasking lowers IQ! So, practise doing, and completing, one task at a time!

Listen! Listen! Listen!

This one is hard! Be honest, when you are in conversation with someone, do you always wait until they have finished their sentences before you interrupt with a response, start a story about yourself or proffer your own idea on the topic of discussion? It is very easy, and commonplace, to unwittingly disrespect another’s viewpoint, thoughts or feelings, or trip off at a tangent, unless we patiently listen and observe our own thoughts objectively. The next time you are chatting with a friend, relative or co-worker, become aware of if you are truly listening to them or not. Are you thinking of something else? And can you calmly and quietly listen to them, fully and whole heartedly, for the duration of what they are saying? Give it a try!

If actioning all five tips seems like a mountain to climb then just focus on one until it feels natural and becomes part of your daily life. Although mindfulness in itself is not difficult, starting and maintaining the practice can be. It does require intention, determination and a level of discipline. But practice makes perfect and the whole family will reap the benefits.

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Taking the Time for Mindful Moments

Hendra — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 07:12:05 +0000

What exactly is ‘mindfulness’? What does it mean to be ‘mindful’? And how does the regular practice of mindfulness benefit our children?

Whether ‘minding your Ps and Qs’ (an English expression for watching your manners, being careful with the language you use or being on your best behaviour), minding where you walk (being careful not to bump into a lamp post or step on the snail in the middle of the pavement), or being mindful of what we say to someone and the tone we use so as not to hurt their feelings (being diplomatic with a response), what being mindful really boils down to is ‘awareness’. Being aware of our surroundings, being aware of how we make others feel with our words and actions, being aware of our own thoughts, feelings and reactions.

We can all benefit from mindfulness being part of our daily lives. Ironically however, the importance of being aware is not a behaviour or state of being many of us are actually automatically aware of!

We speak of mindfulness in several contexts. For example, being open to other possibilities and better informed about a fact, a culture or historical tradition. Mindfulness also involves focusing our attention or awareness on the present moment; being fully conscious of what we are experiencing in the now. It is the achievement of this mental state of wellbeing used as a therapeutic technique which is unfortunately often viewed as an unattainable goal by mere mortals or a suspect practice, followed by the yoga crowd or disciples of long-haired hippy gurus! The fact is that practising some form of mindfulness is highly beneficial to people of all ages from all walks of life, including young children. Learning to live in the present is a non-denominational practice that does not require memorising complicated rituals, chanting mantras or taking exams. It does require some initial conscious thought, regular and consistent practice to be truly effective, and ideally, some nurturing guidance from a more seasoned practitioner.

Just five to ten minutes of daily mindfulness practice has numerous benefits for our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. Studies in adults and college students have shown how mindfulness helps in the workplace, with academic success, coping with health issues, speeds up recovery from an illness, can help combat anxiety and depression, aids in coping with stressful or challenging situations, boosts confidence and resilience, and establishes a sense of wellbeing, among many other benefits.

Practising mindfulness with children from very young has positive benefits for both the adults and children involved. Integrating mindfulness into our daily interactions helps teachers and parents self-regulate, become more emotionally aware and patient. When we do that and take the time to accept children’s feelings, needs and emotions without judgement, we help support their all round development.

Benefits of mindfulness practice to young children:

Increases focus and attention span
Improves listening skills
Develops a sense of general wellbeing
Improves the ability to cope in challenging or stressful situations
Develops the ability to regulate emotions
Increases empathy towards others
Increases a sense of gratitude
Develops observational skills
Helps develop the ability to experience something or someone without judgement (older children)
Improves emotional, social and mental development
Improves cognitive abilities
Increases resilience
Increases the ability to solve problems / see solutions
Increases levels of kindness
Develops the ability to collaborate in groups and teams
Improves academic performance
Builds confidence to cope in social situations
Develops greater behavioural self-control
Improves tolerance and flexibility

Although some form of simple meditation practice can be taught to children, there are many other fun activities to do with them that can encourage mindfulness. Here are a few:

Run, run, run. STOP! Listen. Feel.

Ask your child how they feel before running or skipping around the room and then, how their body feels when they stop? Can they describe the sensations in their body?

Slow observation / Walking meditation

Walk slowly, purposefully and silently along a path in the park encouraging your child to do the same. Try to keep the same pace and distance between each footstep. Try not to talk at all for five minutes. Look up, look down, look about. What do you notice around you? Afterwards, talk to your child about some of the things they noticed along the way.

Beach combing

Visit the beach. Give your child three to five objects to look for. Can they spot them? What can you find together?

Mindful snacking

Take the time during a snack or any meal time to eat slowly. Role model chewing your food mindfully, savouring every mouthful. Ask your child, “What does your snack [or named food item] taste like?” “Can you describe its taste, texture and smell?” “What emotion do you feel when eating this food?” Then, perhaps you can talk about how thy might feel if they could not taste their favourite food!

Give a mindful hug

Ask your child to take three deep mindful breaths in and three deep mindful breaths out and then hug their sibling, carer, grandparent, you, or any other relative. Ask them, “How do you feel?” How do you think they [the person being hugged] feel?”

Pet love

If you have a pet at home (a rabbit, cat or dog for example) encourage your child to sit quietly with them for a few moments. If small enough, let the pet settle down on your child’s lap. Encourage your child to stroke their fur gently and repeatedly. Again, can they describe to you how they feel in that moment and, how they sense the pet feels.

The benefits of a just a little mindfulness practice on a regular basis can be far reaching for all the family and the wider community. Children can start learning mindfulness from a young age. And if we incorporate mindful moments into their daily routine on a regular basis, at home and at school, mindfulness will cease to be a practice, rather than a natural and instinctive part of life.

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How’s It Going with that New Year’s Resolution?

Hendra — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 06:50:39 +0000

It is a brand new year. Time to throw out the old and bring in the new. The time of year when we might do a personal spring clean as it were and set the intention to drop those ‘bad’ habits and adopt new, more healthy habits. Well, that’s the theory at least!

How many of us told ourselves that in the new year we will lose weight, stop smoking, exercise every day, get up earlier in the morning, stop taking sugar in tea, give up alcohol or coffee, learn to play the piano, start writing that book that’s been formulating for years? These are perhaps the most common new year resolutions but of course the list is potentially endless.

How’s it going?

Did you fall at the first hurdle? Are you still going strong? Did you even set off in the first place?

If you woke up on 1st January with a spring in your step, full of determination and energy for your new passion project but feel yourself flagging already, take heart – you are not alone! According to a study last year from the UK, 64% of adults surveyed over a two-month period abandoned their new year’s resolution within one month. Other studies suggest the percentage is higher – more like 80%!

Why do we fail to keep our resolutions?

More often than not, we fail at maintaining the momentum of a resolution because the goal we set in the first place is too vague. “I’m going to get fit”, “I’m going to be more healthy”, “I’m going to be more happy” – these are such non-specific goals. We also tend to repeat the resolution every year, despite the fact that it never happened in previous years! According to Kathy Caprino (writer, speaker, educator and leadership coach), the reason why most of our new year’s resolutions ‘die on the vine’ as she describes it, is due to much deeper issues than we might realise.

In many cases there is a big disconnect between what our mind, or rather our consciousness, wants and the way we behave. Until we align the two, nothing’s gonna change! Caprino believes that we must change aspects of ourselves in order to attract and sustain positive treatment in our lives, because bad habits, poor choices or the inability to sustain healthy habits ‘stems from old problems deeply ingrained. “This chronic condition can emerge from childhood, where our boundaries were violated in some core way and we were never able to speak up and stand up for ourselves because it was not safe to do it.”

Support, when embarking on something new, is also very important and vital for success. It is very hard for many of us to hold ourselves accountable when we go it alone. Caprino: “Big changes and important goals don’t just happen. They require sustained action (and a different kind of action than you’re used to) that can move you forward towards the goal despite the challenges, struggles and pushback. That sustained action is difficult to achieve on our own because it stretches us way out of our comfort zone and out of our habitual ways of dealing with life.” Most of us benefit from outside help and a ‘partner’ of some kind who helps us maintain structure towards our goals, enabling us to become our best selves. With any activity that requires sustained input, it’s during the dips and dark times that we need strong scaffolding.

More often than not our monkey mind gets the better of us and we self-sabotage our own road to success, thus stifling our growth. How many times have you told yourself absolutely genuinely that you are going to do something, to then become gripped with fear because your internal belief system convinces you you are not worthy or not capable? A phenomena known as ‘imposter syndrome’.

Cultivating positive beliefs and behaviours is so important (that’s one reason why we start doing so with our youngest students at Julia Gabriel Education) because when we do this, it builds a solid foundation of self-belief that helps us attain goals.

Tips to successfully maintain your New Year’s resolution

Be specific about what you want to achieve and know why you want to achieve it
Set a realistic path to reach your goal. What motivates you and what are you likely to sustain?
Engage an accountability partner for support
Believe that you ‘can’ do it and that you deserve success

Another way of course to avoid your New Year’s resolutions petering out sooner than planned, is not to make any in the first place! The self-assessment approach – looking at what worked last year and what didn’t, and what you would like to focus on this year – may be a more rewarding, and importantly, sustainable approach to successfully progressing through the year. Whatever you choose…

Good luck!

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Mindfulness for Children

Hendra — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 11:06:49 +0000

Mindfulness has been touted as the new yoga – the answer to mental wellness and all the stresses of modern life. What is it beyond the buzz?

Literally “living in the now”, mindfulness focuses on paying attention to the here and now – not what might have been or could be – in an accepting, non-judgmental manner. It may not be a silver bullet for all life’s ills, but it can help develop compassion, focus, curiosity, and empathy – and be lots of fun too!

How it helps

By starting children early, we give them the tools they need to build confidence, develop resilience, live with stress, and cope with challenging moments. The little ones are uniquely adapted to mindful practices due to the way our brains develop, but it’ll benefit anyone from preschoolers to high-powered executives. After all, no matter which stage of life we’re at, we could all do with a tool to decrease anxiety, increase focus and promote happiness.

It starts with you

Mindfulness isn’t something that can be outsourced, though. The best way to teach your child is to embody and model it.

As a family, sit or lie still for ten minutes or so, focusing on your breath and becoming aware of your body and surroundings. It establishes a sense of calm and encourages qualities such as empathy and gratitude. Even the very simple practice of encouraging Junior to stop whatever they are doing, and take three deep breaths in and out, can help return them to a place of greater focus.

You could also begin with a simple kindness meditation:

Find a comfortable sitting position. Allow your eyes to close or lower your gaze toward the floor.
Envision someone whom you really respect and look up to, and who loves you in return.
Notice how you feel as you picture this person in your mind.
Make a kind wish and send it their way. What would make them happy?
Next, think of someone else you love and care about: a relative, friend or even someone you cared about a lot, but have lost touch with. Send this person a kind wish.
Lastly, bring to mind someone who has frustrated you lately. Send this last person a kind wish – something nice to help ease their difficult path.
Check in with your mind and body as you conclude, open your eyes if they’re closed, and see if there’s any difference in the way you feel. You should!

Or simply turn up the music and start dancing! Mindfulness is all about bringing your attention to the present, including sounds and sensations.

Here are some other ways you can practise mindfulness at home:

Look for age-appropriate children’s books on what it means to focus on the present, and read them together. Examples would be Eline Snel’s Sitting Still like a Frog or A Handful of Quiet: Happiness in Four Pebbles, by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen monk.
Reinforce mindfulness moments. Point out times when you use it to control anxiety or emotions.
When your child seems anxious, encourage them to stop what they’re doing for a minute and notice how they feel.

Model forgiveness

As Junior grows older (and more independent), one of the most common challenges parents face is loss of control. And when setbacks occur, as they inevitably will, meeting these misfortunes with mindfulness is crucial.

Instead of getting hung up on the problem, note it and address it, but recognise that it is fleeting and will pass, as all things will. Forgive the little one if they have misbehaved – and if you’re blaming yourself, you should let that go too. After all, wisdom doesn’t come from being perfect. And when we take challenges in stride, our children learn as well to focus on solutions rather than the problems.

Remember, it’s easy – and even natural – for you to be buffeted by your child’s emotional roller coaster as they’re growing up. But staying in the moment – or simply remembering RAIN – can help you remain grounded.

R: Recognise. Acknowledge what is happening. Note it in a calm and accepting manner.
A: Accept. Allow life to be as it is. You’re not trying to change it, or wish it were somehow different.
I: Investigate. See how it feels. Pleasure, pain or pang, just note it.
N: Non-Identification. Realise that the sensations you are feeling are a fleeting experience, one that will soon pass. It isn’t who you are. Let it go.

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Developing an Effective Voice

Hendra — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 06:26:58 +0000

Benefits and Tips

“Voice is rooted in the mind and body, an expression of a whole person. Voice is affected by our relationships with others, the environment and the impulse of the moment.” – Julia Gabriel

One of the many skills we teach students at Julia Gabriel Centre is how to use their voice for effective communication. Assuming that the physical tools for speech work sufficiently – lips, tongue, teeth and the soft and hard palettes – as babies, we instinctively learn the process of inhaling breath, drawing it down our windpipe into the lungs and then activating the voice box as we exhale.

Starting with PlayNest, infants and toddlers hear and respond to sounds by listening to adults role model language and by experiencing different forms of play (songs, nursery rhymes, puppet play etc.). As children progress through our Drama and Communications Programmes, specific activities help build their understanding of phonemes (speech sounds) and how, when combined with different ways of using voice and physical movement (hands, eyes, face and body), they can express their ideas, opinions and feelings. For older students, voice and speech activities focus on enabling them to articulate themselves as creatively and expressively as possible. Children, and adult students, learn techniques to help them present confidently to an audience, how to win an argument in a debate or project a piece of text convincingly on stage.

Because when we talk we combine voice, speech and energy, as well as different parts of our body as described above, speech education must be energetic, physical and expressive to be truly effective. That’s why you will often find our studios bursting with excitement as children take part in drama activities or games that, to the untrained eye, may appear to be unstructured, even chaotic, despite the fact there is actually a great deal of learning taking place!

It all starts with the breath

When we talk we need air and when we talk loudly we need more air. To project our voice in a school debate or perform a monologue on stage we need even more air! But invariably, we struggle to produce enough air for powerful voice projection because we form bad breathing habits during childhood. We need to go back to breathing like a baby! At Julia Gabriel Education we learn that “Children breathe well, naturally. We lose this ability as we grow older and begin to worry about what others think of us. Insecurities hamper good posture and affect ability to breathe deeply, into the diaphragm. This inhibits voice production and vocal projection.“ (Julia Gabriel, EduDrama, ch.10, p.81).

Ask a child to take a deep breath in and they will raise up their shoulders, pull in their chest, suck in their stomach, thus reducing the amount of air they draw into their lungs and consequently severely limiting their breathing capacity. This is why our educators dedicate time during a speech and drama class to activities and exercises that energise the body and help children to breathe naturally strong. Action rhymes that involve marching about, stamping our feet or swinging our arms around are perfect for this!

Something to try at home – 1

Say this rhyme out loud and have fun doing the actions with your child.

Swimming in the sea
Swimming in the sea
Dive and splash
Dive and splash
Swimming in the sea.

Whirling in the storm
Whirling in the storm
Twist and turn
Twist and turn
Whirling in the storm.

Searching for the treasure
Searching for the treasure
Dig it up
Dig it up
Hooray! We’ve found the treasure!

(This is an abridged version of a typical Moving and Speaking rhyme our educators might use in a kindergarten level Julia Gabriel Education Drama and Communication class.)

Know your vowels and consonants

To form speech in any language we use our lips, tongue, teeth and palettes to create vibrations. In English there are two kinds of speech sounds, vowels (5) and consonants (21). However, there are many more sounds than letters because we can glide two or more sounds together to form different sounds. In terms of function, vowels are what we call open sounds and give speech its musicality while consonants help give words weight, characteristic sound, texture and movement. Consider the words ‘dead’ (weight), ‘crash’ (sound), ‘sticky’ (texture) and ‘creep’ (movement). In a Drama and Communication class, an educator will use developmentally appropriate speech activities in a fun way to help their students learn how to emit individual sounds and combined sounds for more expressive speech. Educators use something called the Resonator Scale to help students practise articulating long and short vowel sounds, building up to adding beginning and ending consonant sounds. For example, OO, OH, AW, AH, AY, EE, OOP, OHP, AWP, AHP, AYP, EEP… In Singapore, it is very common for students to omit the end consonant of words e.g. ‘cra..’ instead of ‘crab’, ‘ca..’ instead of ‘cat’, ‘do..’ instead of ‘dog’. Regular practice of the Resonator Scale helps them to understand the importance of articulating the whole word.

Something to try at home – 2

Humming exercises using the mouth, nose and pharynx. – Humming in the mouth – mmm…mmm…mmm… – Humming through the nose – nnn…nnn…nnn… – Humming in the pharynx – ong…ong…ong… – Hum for half a breath opening into an AH sound for the remainder – mmm AH…nnn AH…ong AH (Julia Gabriel, EduDrama, ch.10.p.83)

Robots are fun but not when it comes to speech!

Whether engaged in conversation with a friend, giving a speech or reciting text out loud, the more expressive we are when we speak, the more we will engage the listener or audience, persuade them to our point of view and communicate the correct meaning of what we want to say. Imagine if everyone spoke in a voice that was completely monotone all the time. How dull would that be! We would all sounds like robots. When we place emphasis on various syllables in words, switch up or down the volume and change the speed at which we speak, we convey meaning and feelings to the listener. We can understand that someone feels happy or sad for example not simply by their choice of words but also by how they use them. At Julia Gabriel Centre and Julia Gabriel School of Education we train children and adults respectively to vary the way they use pitch, pace, pause, power, inflection and tone to suit the style and mood of the words they are reading, be it a three-word tongue twister, a poem or a complex script. They gradually develop and understand how to use these tools to express their own mood and to connect on a deeper level with their audience. Briefly: Pitch – How we begin reading a new paragraph or articulate a thought or idea. E.g. when expressing good news we generally begin on a higher pitch and bad news on a lower pitch. Pace – The way we vary the speed of what we are saying, or reading aloud, in order to convey mood and emotions. For example, to describe something exciting we speak more quickly. When we feel sad and we are describing something moving, our speech tends to slow down. Pause – Using pause as a technique helps us to convey the meaning of what we wish to communicate. Knowing when to stop and take a breath, or simply be silent for a moment, also helps the listener to make sense of what they are hearing.

Something to try at home – 3

Every lady in the land / Has twenty nails upon each hand // Five and twenty on hands and feet // This is true without deceit. // Read these four lines out loud. Without changing the order of the words, can you employ pause to make the rhyme make sense? (Solution below.) Power – Different material requires us to use a different level of energy and volume. We might lower the volume of our voice but increase the energy for example in order to convey suspense, anger or a sense of peace. Inflection – We use inflection to create the shade or form of what we say or read. Where we place stress in a sentence or even on one syllable within a word creates the rise and fall of language. How we modulate our voice; how we employ grammatical rhythm, helps us to establish context and meaning. Tone – An actor employs tone to help create the character of the part they are playing or to express text. Likewise, we can employ tone, or colour, to change the mood and emotions of how we wish to express something. Our specialist educators encourage their students to imagine how they might feel in a given situation – excited, anxious, scared, silly, cold etc. – before role play, stage work or reciting a poem for. Solution to exercise using ‘pause’ Every lady in the land has twenty nails / upon each hand five / and twenty on hands and feet // This is true without deceit. // Conclusion Breath work, enjoyable phoneme activities and learning how to add colour and shape to language with pitch, pace, pause, power, inflection and tone, are just three ways our specialist educators help students find their voice to use it effectively for confident and expressive communication.

Something to try at home – 4

Loud and Soft Speaking Rhyme Have fun together with all the family as you play with the words of this rhyme. Read the text aloud quietly to begin with, getting louder and louder as the print gets bigger. Lower the volume and energy of your voice as the print becomes smaller again. You can read the whole poem together at the same time, or each take a separate line.

Here we go!

The moment I’ve been waiting for.

I’m soooo excited!

Here’s the packet. Tear off the top.

Slip the card out.

Wait!…. Yes?…. No?

YES! Hooray!

The rarest, loveliest, shiniest

STICKER IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD

BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE’S.

Wait a minute…let me see your’s…Oh! Would you like to swap?

The post Developing an Effective Voice appeared first on Julia Gabriel Education.

Ways to Encourage a Fussy Eater

Hendra — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 04:14:15 +0000

Do you have a fussy eater? Does your child refuse to try new food? Do they pick at the food on their plate and take ages to eat just a few mouthfuls? Is it a struggle to get them to eat healthily? Mealtimes can be very stressful occasions for many parents. You might worry that your toddler is not eating enough or wonder why they like a certain food one day yet refuse to eat it the next.

Fret not! It is very common for children between the ages of about 12 months and 6 years to be fussy about their food. Though some do wolf down anything put in front of them, more often than not a young child will be more choosy. This is normal. Eating is part and parcel of a child’s development. As they go through growth spurts, explore their environment, discover their likes and dislikes and assert their independence, they will change their eating preferences and habits.

8 tips for eating success:

Eat the same food, together.

Give your child the same food as the rest of the family to eat but in a smaller portion. Don’t be afraid to give them sophisticated cuisine. Try to have at least one mealtime together as a family each day. Let your child see you enjoying the same food that’s on their plate. Express how delicious the food is as you eat it to encourage your child to do the same.

Make mealtimes fun.

Aim to include something from all the recommended food groups to ensure a healthy balance but if your child is particularly fussy, serve their meal in a variety of shapes and colours. If you are all eating sandwiches, for example, cut them into different shapes or add some raisins or grapes to make the sandwiches look like a face.

Limit distractions.

Make eating just about eating! Turn off the TV and make sure that all devices are put aside for the duration of the meal. Focus attention solely on the pleasure of the family meal and the food.

Step by step.

If introducing a new food to your child, include just a small amount on a plate with food your child already likes. Be prepared for them to take quite some time before they even begin to taste it. Don’t despair if your child does not eat it at first. Try it another time. Introduce something else. The world of food is vast. They have plenty of time to develop their taste buds. Remember how you hated tomatoes when you were little but love them now?

Little helping hands.

Children thrive when given responsibility and choice. If your child is particularly fussy when it comes to eating, get them to help you plan and prepare meals. Give them a range of food items (as healthy as possible) to choose from and let them choose themselves. Ask them to help you when making a recipe. For example, “Can you find five tomatoes in the fridge for me?” “Would you like to help mummy wash these vegetables?” Ask them to pour the dressing over the salad or arrange the potatoes in the dish. If your child is involved in creating the meal, they are more likely to want to eat it!

Grow your own.

You don’t have to have a garden of a green house to grow your own herbs and veggies. A few pots on your balcony or the kitchen windowsill will do. Plant seeds with your child, care for them together, get excited about what you will be able to eat, watch them sprout and grow. The joy of eating home grown produce is so rewarding!

Healthy snack time.

Snacks are a good opportunity to introduce healthy food to your child in a fun way. Sticks of carrot and cucumber or fruit cut into interesting shapes for example. If your child did not eat their previous meal, a regular snack time of something healthy will give you the peace of mind that your child is receiving sufficient nutrients.

What to avoid:

Never force your child to eat something when they clearly don’t want to. You don’t want food and mealtimes to become a battle ground. Young children know how to press mummy’s buttons and as they assert their independence they may refuse to eat because they know it will spark a reaction. The more frustrated you appear to become, the more they will refuse. If after about half an hour your child still hasn’t eaten anything don’t worry. Calmly remove the plate until the next planned mealtime.

Worrying that your child is eating enough to grow up strong and healthy is a common concern among parents, especially first time parents. A child may be fussy about their food for any number of reasons: because they don’t like the way it looks or smells; depending on how fast or slow they are growing; depending how active they are. Your child’s preferences will change as they grow and as they experience different opportunities to try out different food. Providing your child is growing and developing through their normal milestones, generally active, alert and happy you can be sure they are getting enough to eat – and who knows, they may even go on to become the Master Chef of their generation!

The post Ways to Encourage a Fussy Eater appeared first on Julia Gabriel Education.

Julia Gabriel Education

Preschool Education in Singapore: A Guide for New Parents

Preschool Education in Singapore: A Guide for New Parents

What Makes Preschool Education in Singapore Unique?

High Standards and Strong Oversight

The Preschool Curriculum Singapore Offers

Affordability and Government Support

While fees vary across providers, here’s a general overview (as of 2025):

Preschool Programmes in Singapore

How to Choose the Right Preschool for Your Child

Location and Convenience:

Curriculum and Values:

Environment and Atmosphere:

Teacher Qualifications and Stability:

Schedule a School Tour:

The Julia Gabriel Difference: EduDrama® and Mindful Educators

Passionate, Mindful Educators

Why Families Choose Julia Gabriel Preschool

A warm, inclusive atmosphere that feels like a second home

An engaging and expressive preschool curriculum that encourages a love for learning

Strong bilingual foundations in both English and Mandarin

Smaller class sizes and individual attention

Thoughtful, compassionate educators who truly understand early childhood development

Positive parent testimonials

Final Thoughts: Finding the Right Preschool in Singapore

FAQs

on Preschool Education in Singapore

The Power of Play in Preschool Education: Beyond Just Having Fun

The Power of Play in Preschool Education: Beyond Just Having Fun

What is Play-Based Learning?

The key characteristics of a play-based preschool curriculum typically include:

The Role of Play in Early Childhood Development

Why Play Matters in Early Learning

Enhancing Creativity, Curiosity, and Critical Thinking

A Singaporean Parent’s Dilemma: Academics or Play?

Balancing Structured and Unstructured Play

Play as a Path to Academic Learning

What Makes a Quality Play-Based Preschool Curriculum? A Look Inside Julia Gabriel Preschool Programmes

An Overview of Our Levels: From Pre-Nursery to Kindergarten 2

Core Learning Elements in Preschool Curricula in Singapore

Examples of Play-Based Learning at Julia Gabriel Preschool

What Are the Long-Term Benefits of a Play-Based Preschool Education?

Confidence, Independence, and Curiosity

Academic Readiness Without Burnout

Life Skills that Go Beyond Primary School

How We Foster Emotional Growth in Our Preschoolers: Building Emotional and Social Skills Through Play

Examples of Socio-Emotional Learning at Julia Gabriel Preschool

Children Learn Key Socio-Emotional Skills Like Empathy, Patience, and Cooperation

Our Facilities: How Julia Gabriel Preschools are Built for Learning Through Play

Abundance of Sensory Corners, Reading Nooks, and Outdoor Classrooms

Health and Safety in Our Learning Environment

Experience it for Yourself: Book a Personalised School Tour

Partnering with Parents: Supporting Play at Home

Creating Consistency: Encouraging Meaningful Play After School

Simple Home Activities that Build Learning

Home Activity

Story Time with Expression

Skills Developed

Speaking, listening, empathy

Home Activity

Kitchen Helpers

Skills Developed

Numeracy, fine motor skills, following instructions

Home Activity

DIY Art Corner

Skills Developed

Creativity, focus, hand-eye coordination

Home Activity

Treasure Hunts at Home

Skills Developed

Problem-solving, observation, spatial awareness

FAQs

about Julia Gabriel Preschool Curriculum and Play-Based Learning

Your Child’s Future Begins with Play

Building Brighter Beginnings Through Julia Gabriel Preschool and EduDrama®

Advantages of Bilingual Kindergarten Education in Singapore: How It Benefits Your Child’s Development

Advantages of Bilingual Kindergarten Education in Singapore: How It Benefits Your Child’s Development

Why a Bilingual Education Matters

Cognitive and Developmental Benefits of Bilingualism in Kindergarten

Children who grow up with a bilingual education tend to:

How to Choose the Right
Preschool for Your Child

The Julia Gabriel Difference: EduDrama^® and Mindful Educators

The Power of Play in Preschool Education:
Beyond Just Having Fun

What Makes a Quality Play-Based Preschool Curriculum?
A Look Inside Julia Gabriel Preschool Programmes

How We Foster Emotional Growth in Our Preschoolers:
Building Emotional and Social Skills Through Play

Building Brighter Beginnings Through Julia Gabriel Preschool and EduDrama^®

Cultural Benefits of Bilingual Education:
Beyond Just Learning a Language