Local Bilingual Nurseries

[hbw65]

Hi,

I am currently in search for a local nursery in the Orchard Road area though a small commute doesn't bother me either. I am looking for a strong bilingual program for my son who will be in N1 this fall. I do not want montessori but a a program where free/structured play is encouraged rather than academics at an early age. Facilities are important to me. I've looked at Gracefields in Newton and felt the building was old and I felt their curriculum was a bit too rigid for my son. We've also looked at Pat's Schoolhouse on Claymore.

We are American so would like a school that also has some ex-pats in it. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

[mumfromOz]

hiya, my kids are at The Thinking Box @ Tanglin. I've got my 20 month old in the prenursery and my three and a half year old in the nursery one program. The Mandarin teacher is great and you can request bilingualism as a priority, my friend's son is also there and he's picked up heaps.

it's really, really, clean too with brand new facilities. it's a small preschool though, so it's not all hustle and bustle. I liked the homey feel of it, but that's my personal preference. they have a lovely indoor playground area too which my kids adore.

they're on the 5th floor of tanglin shopping centre if you want to check them out. quite a number of expats in their prenursery/nursery classes now from what i can see...

Anyway, hope this helps!

[Susan Lee]

Hi ladies

My little one is in pre-nursery at the thinking box tanglin as well. loving it! great bilingual programme!!

[hbw65]

yes, our fall back for the fall is the Thinking Box and Julia Gabriel. Both are similar prices. Good to hear that your children are enjoying the Thinking Box as my concern is that the class size is too small and not enough mandarin exposure, but I really loved their facilities. I kind of wish they had an outdoor play area too.

[mumfromOz]

hiya hbw...

i kind of felt the same as you re: outdoor playground area. But The Thinking Box now has 2 large indoor play areas (they just renovated a new space next to their prenursery class) and I actually feel much happier having the kids indoors in the mornings. they get less tired, hot and grumpy. they also used to get quite upset when they couldn't go out to the playground due to rain etc...so this kind of solved those two problems for me!

I figure I can take them to outdoor play areas in the evenings when it's cooler.

wouldn't worry about mandarin exposure there - they've got a great Lao Shi and another teacher who is bilingual. my little one has picked up heaps just from being around the bilingual teacher.

less kids = less sickness = more attention/better attendance so I guess I thought of the small classes as a blessing...but that's just me

does julia gabriel have an outdoor playground?

[MinniMe]

Julia Gabriel at Forum does not have a outdoor playarea. JG at Evans Rd does.