Which preschool curriculum is right for your child?
In a country known for academic excellence, the secret to your child's success may not lie as much in what they learn as it does in how they learn it.
While convenience and location still matter when choosing a preschool, there has also been a growing awareness about early childhood education. After all, every child learns differently, and with Primary One looming on the horizon in an increasingly competitive academic landscape, choosing the right curriculum for your child can make all the difference in how they develop and thrive.
To help you make sense of the options out there, here are five popular approaches to preschool education in Singapore, including the Finnish model adopted at Lillipods.
Montessori
Developed by Italian physician Dr Maria Montessori in the early 20th century, the Montessori method is one of the most widely adopted preschool approaches worldwide. It emphasises independence and a hands-on learning approach while discouraging conventional measures of achievement such as graded tests. Learning is often self-directed, with children interacting with tactile materials in the classroom while teachers serve as guides rather than instructors. Mixed-age classrooms are common, where older children are encouraged to mentor their younger peers.
Reggio Emilia
Also from Italy, this approach treats children as active participants who are capable of taking charge of their own learning. Learning is project-based and collaborative, with a focus on the expressive arts, such as drawing, music or storytelling. Children get to interact with a rich learning environment and explore their interests through group projects, fostering teamwork and creativity.
Waldorf
Also known as Steiner education (after Rudolph Steiner), the Waldorf approach believes in holistic learning, where children develop their intellectual, physical, artistic and emotional skills. Classrooms have a warm, home-like environment with a strong sense of community and aim to foster creativity and imagination. Similar to the Montessori approach, children are encouraged to learn at their own pace without academic pressure.
MOE’s Nurturing Early Learners Framework
Ministry of Education (MOE) kindergartens follow the Nurturing Early Learners Framework, which provides a structured, holistic curriculum designed to give every child a strong start in both academic and socio-emotional development. There is a strong emphasis on structured learning, with a focus on literacy and numeracy, language and bilingual proficiency, as well as social and emotional skills. This traditional model has long been considered the standard, and is closely aligned with Singapore’s primary school curriculum.
Play-based learning (the Finnish model)
It is often said that children learn best through play. Indeed, this is the heart of play-based learning, which treats play not as a break from learning but as learning itself. This curriculum offers children ownership of their learning as they play in classrooms designed to spark their curiosity and imagination. These spaces house vibrant and inviting play areas equipped with materials that encourage exploration and meaningful, open-ended play. Rather than tests and rankings, the focus is on each child’s personal growth and progress, with an emphasis on developing their creativity, problem-solving skills, and social skills. This is the approach embraced at Lillipods, with its Finnish-inspired, play-based curriculum.
So…which approach works best?
Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer — it simply depends on your child’s needs and priorities. Some parents may prefer the structure offered by more academic-inclined models, while others may value holistic development.
But if you’re looking for an approach that balances both joy and rigour, Lillipods offers the best of both worlds. At Lillipods, we blend Finland’s renowned play-based philosophy with Singapore’s strengths in bilingualism and numeracy to tailor the best possible preschool programme for your child.
Developed in consultation with local experts from the Ministry of Education, our curriculum ensures your children can enjoy a different kind of preschool experience while still being Primary One-ready — for instance, through our integrated bilingual language curriculum that motivates children to communicate in both English and their mother tongue. In other words, it is Finnish education, Singapore style.
