Preschool Fees in Singapore: Pre-Nursery, Nursery & Kindergarten Fees

Get the lowdown on the costs of early childhood education, and factors to consider when choosing a preschool.

Pre-nursery, nursery and kindergarten fees are on the rise. Preschool fees have been gradually increasing, with some occasionally raising their fees by around 5%. 

The cost for preschool can hence range around S$14 to S$36 per day, depending on which school you choose — and that’s on the lower end.  

Preschools are categorised into pre-nursery (playgroup) which caters for children aged 18 months to 2 years, and nursery and kindergarten, which cater for ages 3 to 6.

We break down the costs for preschools in Singapore and the factors that you should consider when choosing a preschool.

Costs of preschool

There are three main types of preschools in Singapore: government preschools, private/international schools, and the Early Childhood Development Agency’s (ECDA) Anchor Operators. 

Government schools are run by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and usually have very low fees. Private/international preschools are owned and operated by individuals or companies and charge higher rates. Anchor Operators (PCF Sparkletots Preschool, My First Skool, My World Preschool, Skool4Kidz, and E-Bridge Pre-School) receive subsidies from the government to keep the fees affordable. 

The table below summarises the monthly fees of several preschools. 

MOE Kindergartens

Address: Multiple locations
Contact: 6872 2220

The Singapore government operates 57 MOE kindergartens. Purposeful Play and Quality Interactions are the two core pedagogies of MOE Kindergartens. The curriculum, according to the MOE, has a "particularly Singapore flavour" with a focus on the Starlight Literacy Programme, which promotes early childhood bilingualism, and the HI-Light Programme that aims to promote holistic development through integrated learning experiences.

Anchor Operators

The Anchor Operator Scheme provides funding to selected preschools to ensure affordable education, especially for children from lower income or disadvantaged backgrounds. Below are some schools that benefit from the scheme.

My First Skool

Address: Multiple locations 
Contact: 6509 7887

My First Skool is the largest preschool operator in Singapore, with over 145 centres island-wide. The curriculum at My First Skool is based on the Multiple Intelligences Theory developed by Dr Howard Gardner of Harvard University. This approach focuses on developing children's strengths and abilities in a holistic way.

The language skills (from a multilingual curriculum) and social abilities that the school fosters, aid children in making friends from an early age.

E-Bridge Pre-School

Address: Multiple locations
Contact: 6336 3322

E-Bridge Pre-School, provides a respectful and customised learning experience for youngsters, encouraging them to be inquisitive, communicative, competent and self-assured. Its curriculum emphasises literacy, numeracy, creative arts, physical development and character building.

Skool4Kidz

Address: Multiple locations
Contact: 6280 2272

Skool4Kidz focuses on a child's total educational development through expertly trained instructors. ECDA and the National Parks Board collaborated on the spectacular flagship campus, which is located within Sengkang Riverside Park and is Singapore's first large childcare facility inside a public park.

Private preschools

Between Two Trees

Address: 7 Ming Teck Park, Singapore 277375
Contact: 6733 9768

Between Two Trees is a lovely little preschool which is entirely bilingual. It has Reggio Emilia-inspired classes and a curriculum that focuses on language development, visual arts, mathematics and science. There's also plenty of opportunities for outdoor play with a playground and garden to enjoy.

Brighton Montessori

Address: Multiple locations
Contact: 6588 3883

Brighton Montessori’s curriculum and individualised learning style allow youngsters to learn at their own speed. With open communication and strong family ties, as well as a team of dedicated and skilled instructors, Brighton Montessori is proud of its approach to teaching life skills so that children are ready for formal education.

Cherie Hearts

Address: Multiple locations
Contact: 6271 0080

Cherie Hearts is a fantastic alternative for working families seeking a reputable, safe, and effective infant care institution. It seeks to equip children with critical skills for living and lifelong learning, which will help them adapt to a rapidly changing world. Babies as young as eight weeks old can enrol in the Cherie Hearts infant care programmes, and grow at their own pace from infancy to toddler.

Lorna Whiston

Address: 

• 10 Thomson Road, #03-18 / #04-22, Singapore 307591
• 80 Marine Parade Road, #07-05, Parkway Parade, Singapore 449269

Contact: 6871 8844

The objective of Lorna Whiston's preschool is to stimulate, enthral and educate children's minds through active learning. All phases of learning, including the Individualised Reading Program and afternoon enrichment sessions like Speech and Drama, are inspired by a positive, hands-on mentality.

Greentree Montessori

Address: 

• 45 Jalan Mata Ayer, Singapore 759130
• 26 Jalan Shaer, Singapore 769372

Contact: 6756 4382

Greentree Montessori adopts the holistic philosophy of education as conceived by Dr Maria Montessori over a century ago. Classes at the preschool are mixed age, with a focus on key areas such as practical life skills, sensorial education and cultural education, and offer the full range of traditional Montessori materials. There's also a strong bilingual component.

MindChamps Preschool

Address: Multiple locations
Contact: 8233 4400

MindChamps is one of Singapore's major and most well-known preschool brands, with over 30 locations across the country. MindChamps provides half- and whole-day programmes.

The school's unique curriculum was developed after two decades of study in Education, Psychology, Neuroscience, and Theatre with the aim of supporting children to thrive both academically and emotionally.

Maple Bear

Address and contact: Multiple locations 

The Maple Bear chain, which can be found in 32 countries, provides infant care and preschool education according to the Canadian system. Its approach is based on multilingualism.

The school's curriculum also emphasises nature-play to encourage the development of children's senses of sight, hearing, smell and touch.

The Little Skool-House

Address: Multiple locations 
Contact: 6509 7880

The Little Skool-House is a preschool brand with a curriculum which covers language arts, mathematics, social sciences, science and technology, and creative arts.

Classes at the school follow an integrated approach that helps children to develop holistically. The school also adopts an emergent curriculum which allows teachers to be creative and responsive to the needs of their students.

Charis Montessori

Address: 

• 242 Yio Chu Kang Road, Singapore 545671
• 485 Bedok South Ave 2, Singapore 469315
• 1079 Serangoon Road, Singapore 328182
• 3 Pasir Panjang Hill, Singapore 118827

Contact: 6708 9327

Charis Montessori is based on the values of honesty, humility and gratitude. It focuses on academics and ethical conduct. Most of Charis’ schools are housed in beautiful church buildings with playgrounds that allow children's imaginations to grow.

Singapore preschool subsidies

To help defray preschool costs, basic subsidies of S$300 a month for full-day childcare are available for Singaporean children. Working mothers with a gross household income of S$12,000 and below will also qualify for the additional subsidy of S$80–S$467. 

In addition, children who are enrolled in an Anchor Operator or MOE kindergarten are eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme if the gross monthly household income is S$12,000 and below. This ranges from S$21 to S$170. 

Factors to consider when choosing a preschool

These factors are worth considering when choosing a preschool in Singapore: 

• Tuition fees
• Teacher-child relationship
• Teacher-child ratio
• Curriculum and pedagogy
• Facilities and infrastructure
• Location
• Teachers' qualifications 

Please note that this list is not exhaustive. It is meant to give a better idea of what you should consider when choosing a preschool for your child. Contact schools directly to find out more about their programmes and locations.

Pros and cons of sending your children to private vs public schools in Singapore

One of the pros of sending your child to a private school is that they might have more resources made available to them. They will likely be more closely monitored, and have more opportunities and activities available.

The disadvantage is that private schools are out of many people's budget range. One might end up paying over four times the cost of a public school for one child's education per year, if not more. The advantage of public schools is they are cheaper for families on tight budgets.

The disadvantage is that public schools may have fewer resources, and they likely have a higher teacher-student ratio. 

In conclusion, there are many factors to consider when choosing a preschool for your child in Singapore. Cost may be a major determining factor given the large differences in prices between public and private schools. Also, consider other relevant factors when assessing which preschool can best meet your child's needs.

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