Is there a “right age” for children to start preschool? How can parents tell if their kids are ready for preschool?
Let’s find out the ideal preschool age, key developmental milestones and the benefits of enrolling young learners into preschool.
What age do kids start preschool in Singapore?
First, let’s understand the differences between childcare, preschool and kindergarten. In Singapore, ‘childcare’ and ‘kindergarten’ are commonly used interchangeably to mean ‘preschool’, although their schooling hours, schedule and programme differ to name a few.
Childcare centres in Singapore take in children from 18 months to 6 years old, whereas for most kindergartens, kids from 3 to 6 years old are accepted. For some childcare operators, 5 and 6-year-olds are referred to as kindergarteners, since that is the age where children are at Kindergarten 1 and 2 levels respectively.
To guide early childhood educators in supporting young children, there are 2 frameworks that provide the building blocks of a good foundation for 0 to 6 years old.
a) Early Years Development Framework (EYDF): sets a guide for educators supporting the learning and development of kids 0 to 3 years old.
b) Nurturing Early Learner’s Framework (NEL): guides local preschools in their curriculum development for kids 4 to 6 years old.
These frameworks are backed by research and education experts’ findings on early childhood development. Hence, the ideal age to start preschool is typically 3 to 5 years old, giving the child time to sharpen pre-primary skills and prepare for the primary school transition.
Developmental milestones for preschool-aged children
From the toddler years to pre-primary age, children undergo a leap in development across various domains which may set their foundation from childhood and well into their adult years.
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Cognitive development
What is the cognitive development of preschoolers? Many often think that this relates to being good at mathematics like addition and subtraction. However, cognitive milestones go beyond the ability to grasp mathematical concepts or a good memory. A preschooler’s key cognitive milestones include problem-solving skills, basic literacy, critical thinking skills and numeracy.
- Example: At age 3, children start to understand simple instructions and engage in pretend play, which enhances their cognitive skills. In turn, this sharpens their awareness about communicating with others along with working on their social skills
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Social and emotional growth
Social and emotional awareness are heightened between 3 – 5 years old and we will see children display social skills like sharing, turn-taking, and making social observations before responding. In a preschool setting, young children learn from each other by mimicking, interacting and learning to put themselves in another person’s shoes. These social developmental milestones also align with emotional regulation skills, and kids are exposed to both planned and unplanned settings with the support of their educators.
At this age, they gain self-awareness about their feelings and how their actions can affect others too.
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Example: By age 4, children begin to form friendships and understand others’ feelings, which is crucial for social development. They are also able to better express their likes, dislikes and how they feel too.
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Language development
Between 3-5 years old, kids are at the awareness exploration stage when it comes to early literacy skills for preschoolers. This coincides with milestones where preschoolers are forming simple sentences, asking ‘why’ and starting to recognise words. Some preschools in Singapore like Little Footprints Preschool focus on a bilingual curriculum, so kids are immersed in both English and Chinese boosting their language acquisition, vocabulary expansion and communication skills.
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Example: Children at age 5 typically use more complex sentences and can follow multi-step instructions. Preschool environments support this exposure through carefully planned activities that encourage children to speak, listen and read as they work towards achieving fluency in communication.
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Physical development
They may seem like they have endless energy; active kids are also honing their physical developmental milestones. Kicking a ball, climbing stairs independently, hopping on one foot – these are just some of the gross motor skills and coordination they will attain.
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Example: By 5 to 6 years old, kids have a dominant hand for writing and can write legibly, use scissors, copy shapes with a pencil - all thanks to their fine motor skills.
Benefits of Early Preschool Enrolment
Research shows that kids thrive with routines. Starting preschool before age 3 offers children the opportunity to learn in a structured and social environment. So, what are the other benefits of enrolling earlier into preschool?
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Social Skills Development: Learning to interact with peers is a skill that is also related to Emotional Quotient (EQ). Such social skills take years to develop and at a preschool, educators can guide children on how to learn to interact with peers, follow rules, and work in groups.
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Emotional and Behavioural Benefits: With a structured programme schedule, a preschool space helps foster independence, improve self-regulation, and confidence in a social setting. Kids are able to adjust and adapt easily as they move from home to preschool and then back home.
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Academic Readiness: Learning is planned in a scaffold manner. Teachers nurture numeracy skills for preschoolers in a structured setting or even learn through play. This forms their foundation of learning and helps prepare children for primary school.
Is your child ready for preschool?
Parents in Singapore typically enrol their children into preschool at around 18-24 months, if they have a trusted adult like grandparents, nanny or a foreign domestic worker to care for their baby during the infant age.
Most working parents prefer to choose childcare over kindergarten as childcare centres operate from 7am to 7pm, whereas most independent kindergartens’ schooling hours are only 3 to 4 hours.
This age range coincides with the early years guide and developmental domains for preschool-aged children, making it an ideal time for supporting healthy development too.
Does your child show signs that he or she is ready for preschool? Here are some indicators to look out for and questions to help parents find out:
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Can your child listen to and follow simple instructions?
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Is your child able to do some tasks independently?
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Is he curious and loves exploring new things and places?
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Is she able to focus for a short period?
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Is he comfortable to be left with another adult for several hours without mummy or daddy?
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Does she like socialising with other children?
These are some tell-tale signs young kids show that they may be ready for preschool, including emotional readiness, social skills and the ability to follow routines.
How to choose the right preschool?
We understand that there are many factors to consider when picking the best preschool for your kids. Some of the aspects to think about include finding out about the curriculum, teaching approach, centre facilities and location.
At Little Footprints Preschool, our comprehensive curriculum focuses on all aspects of a child’s learning and development. We integrate learning activities and facilitate curious minds to engage in purposeful play and meaningful interactions. Through experiential learning, kids are equipped with the skills to give them an early start to academic success and a more confident self, ready for Primary One.
Is it possible to prepare your child for preschool?
Being away from family for several hours in a new place can seem daunting to young kids. Hence, getting them ready for their new schooling adventure allows them to anticipate the changes and be more confident and assured that they will be in safe hands. Yes, parents and children can have a less anxious transition for that first day too!
Visit your shortlisted preschools to find out more
Noticed that your child is ready to start school? Consider enrolling him in a quality preschool like Little Footprints Preschool to support his early years development. Book a school tour to visit the premises and find out how Little Footprints Preschool can support you and your growing child’s needs.
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