Understanding ADHD Kids: Dispelling Misconceptions with the Facts

Approximately five per cent of school-aged children are diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). But what is it, really? Many people don’t believe that it’s a real condition. Others think that…

Building Bridges: The Key to Thriving Parent-Teacher Partnerships & Primary One Transition

As both a parent and an educator, I’ve seen firsthand how much smoother the Primary One transition can be when parents and teachers work hand in hand. Watching my kids…

PSLE Oral in 2025: What’s New & Strategies to Ace It

Generations of Singaporean students — yes, including you and me — have overlooked the Oral exam until it’s around the corner. Yet we consistently practise writing compositions and tackle past…

Our Favourite Learning and Creative Apps for Kids on the iPad

Back when I was a work-at-home-mum with no help, one of the hardest parts of my day was trying to find things for the kids to do so I could…

“They Don’t Even Know They’re Special Needs!” says Mum of 2 Kids on the Autism Spectrum

Five years ago, Mina Sunico Chin, 44, and her husband Vincent, 42, became parents for the first time. But their blissful parenting journey took an unexpected turn when their toddler…

Redefining Singapore’s Education System to Stay Relevant in the Cognitive Age

A recent parent-teacher meeting got me thinking about the trajectory of Singapore’s education system. We have catapulted ourselves from a third world country to first world status in just one…

When Maths Doesn’t Add Up – Could My Child Have Dyscalculia?

Does maths homework turn into a nightly battle? Your child seems to struggle with simple calculations, repeatedly make careless mistakes, or experience anxiety around the most basic mathematical concepts. Is…

Sensory Odyssey: Into the Heart of Our Living World is a Visual Feast that Kids will Love

Is your child is a Nat Geo or Discovery Channel fan? Make like a gazelle and run, don’t walk, to Sensory Odyssey: Into the Heart of Our Living World. This…

8 Fun Activities to Help Children Improve Their Mandarin Oracy at Home

According to SingStat, the use of Mandarin as the language spoken most frequently at home was 29.9 per cent in 2020, dropping from 35.6 per cent a decade prior. While…

How Mastering Three Languages Will Help Secure Your Preschooler’s Future Success

Ever thought about why humankind is superior to all other animals? A big part of it is how our brains evolved the ability to communicate. From grunts and gestures to…

Future Skills for Your Preschooler: Why It’s Necessary and How iSTEAM Helps

Thirty years ago, our parents could never have imagined that today, we could watch movies, order groceries, and book a car — much less an overseas vacation — via our…

13 Top Kids Dance Classes in Singapore – from Ballet to Breaking

Believe it or not, breaking (or breakdance, as us oldies called it) is an Olympic sport that will feature at Paris 2024. And SportSG even launched a structured street dance…

5 Free Apps that can Teach your Kids to Code like a Pro at Home

An app that can help your child get answers to tough questions on practice papers. Or one that can help you improve your communication skills and boost your confidence in…

Why You Need to have Mental Health Conversations with your Children

Did you know that one in seven young people between 10 and 19 years has a mental health issue? Furthermore, that these mental health issues remain largely untreated? Adolescents are…

Future-ready Kids: Meet Brilliant Inventors Who Are Still in Preschool!

Today’s preschoolers are tomorrow’s leaders, architects, teachers, scientists, and inventors. But there’s no reason for them to wait till they grow up before they start doing all that. After all,…

Navigating Emotional or Behavioural Challenges for Children with SpLDs

Specific learning differences or SpLDs are neurodevelopmental differences that are typically discovered and diagnosed in the first few years of formal schooling. Dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder…

Teach your Child to Overcome the Fear of Failure

Fail. It’s the other four-letter ‘F’ word, and one that is as emotionally arousing and offensive as the swear word. Seeing the word “fail”, or the big red “F” on…

Teach Your Preschooler to be Inclusive & Embrace Diversity

As Singapore becomes an increasingly inclusive society, our children are more likely to interact with peers of different needs. If you were to ask your child “how would you play…

5 Family Inkmergencies and the Smart Way to Prevent Them

Have you ever found yourself in an inkmergency? You know, discovering that your printer has run out of ink just when you need something printed urgently? Your heart sinks and…

Singapore’s Only Preschool with Habits of Mind Framework – Where Preschoolers Learn like GEP Students!

Parents living or working in the Dover area now have an exciting new option for exceptional early childhood education. Mulberry Learning, which offers award-winning infant care for tiny bubs as…

“Is It Really Okay to Let My Child Fail Spelling?”

A parent asked me this question during the last session of a four-week programme on motivational strategies. The discussion was on creating intrinsic drive instead of repeating the arduous weekly…

Why the Huawei MatePad Pro is a Family’s Constant Companion

We’re definitely living in challenging times, with constant changes being the only, well, constant. Standard topics for small talk now range from “Have you gotten your vaccines?” to “Are you…

How your Teen can use their School Holiday to Build a Better Portfolio for University Admission

Singapore has some of the best education systems in the world, hence it is no surprise that many Singaporean students are academically gifted. It is no surprise too, that when…

Digital vs. Natural Worlds: What Preschoolers Really Need

Parents, are you doing enough to equip your preschoolers with the tools they need to pursue their happiness and success? With the increasingly digital world they are growing up in,…

How to Raise a Maths-loving Child

When Stanley Han was a child in school, his Maths teacher would leave a maths puzzle on the blackboard in class during lunch time. The teacher called it the ‘Daily…

“There is no norm to follow” says this mum about the GEP (Gifted Education Programme)

Eight to nine-year-olds in Singapore undergo their first education milestone when they wear a sorting hat called the GEP screening in Primary 3. The letters stand for the Gifted Education…

How to Support Your Gifted Children in Singapore

How do you identify a gifted child and what unique challenges do such bright young things typically face? We speak to experts and a mother of two gifted children for…

HBL Tips and Tools – Safeguard Your Kids Online and Enhance Their Home-based Learning

Parents, you’re doing an amazing job! Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit town, you’ve learnt about safe-distancing, mask-wearing, hand sanitisers, and more. You’ve incorporated new terms like SHN, WFH, and HBL…

Special Education and Inclusive Preschools and Schools in Singapore

The special needs education sector in Singapore offers a range of options for children who need extra attention. Some cater specifically to children with a particular disability. Others, like Pathlight,…

Speaking off the Cuff: 10 Tips to Help Your Child Improv like a Pro

Speaking off the cuff can be a daunting experience, even for some of the bravest little superstars out there. Show-and-tell and presentations are part and parcel of school life now,…

Unorthodox Dad Gives up High-flying Career to Help Fight Poverty in Myanmar

After spending nine years in private banking managing a USD120 million portfolio, Leon Qiu decided to call it quits. He is now founder and CEO of Daung Capital, a microfinance…

Education Savings Plans – Why You Should Consider One

As the saying goes, education is our passport to the future. But how much does a good education cost? An estimate from the HSBC Value of Education survey in 2018…

4 Valuable Tips For Your Child to Ace His PSLE English Oral!

We consult an educational expert to bring you four important tips that will help your child in primary six to score in his upcoming PSLE English oral. [banner][/banner] Come 17…

Exam Stress in Kids: How to Recognise The Signs Plus 7 Strategies to Combat It!

How can you tell if your child is suffering from exam stress? A child psychologist tells us how to spot the warning signs. We also offer parents seven strategies to…

Execute the Perfect Ending for your PSLE English Essay

Sometimes it can be hard to think of a suitable – and great – ending for your composition. Here are some which will work in almost every essay situation. Learn…

5 Essential Story Hooks that will Help Your Child Ace PSLE Compositions

Why are story hooks important? Most readers do not have the patience to read 50 pages into a book to find out if it is interesting to them or not….

10 Smart Tips to Help You Save Up for Your Child’s University Education Fund

You know how difficult it was shouldering a study loan. When you first started work, those monthly repayments ate up a big portion of your meager salary. It made it harder…

Why I Believe In Tuition

If any word could cause a fierce debate among parents, it is the word “tuition”. One camp thinks that tuition is a necessity in order for their child to succeed, whereas…

How to Groom A Genius at Heguru Method @Fusionopolis

Would you say no to your child possessing a photographic memory, super IQ, a great sense of intuition and the ability to speed read? Of course not! These amazing traits…

Scrapping the PSLE aggregate score — for better or worse?

The PSLE aggregate score will be abolished in 2021. It is hoped that this will help to reduce the emphasis on examination results, competition between students, and exam stress —…

Preparing Your Child for the DSA? Here’s What You Need to Know

The Direct School Admission – Secondary (DSA-Sec) Exercise (usually known as “DSA”) is a programme in Singapore that was introduced back in 2004 in order for Primary 6 students to be guaranteed…

7 Places to Send Your Child to For DSA Preparation Courses

So you have decided to let your child try out for the Direct School Admission – Secondary (DSA-Sec) Exercise. There will be selection tests and interviews to ace. Think your child…

7 Ways to Instil a Love of Learning in Your Child

Children who grow up curious about the world around them, encouraged to pursue their interests and free to make independent choices, are more likely to enjoy the process of learning….

Choosing a CCA for your Primary School Child

When I was young, I took up a different CCA every year. These extra after-school classes gave me with opportunities to learn things I would not have been exposed to…

Right-Brain Education in Singapore: Why it’s Important for your Child

As a parent, you probably want your child to be well-rounded, to excel in all areas, and to do so in a happy, self-assured, and confident manner. While there are…

Explore The Deep At The ArtScience Museum!

Light has been shed (literally!) on organisms residing 4,000 metres below sea level in The Deep, a first-of-its-kind exhibition in Southeast Asia which brings to you more than forty rarely…

Have Fun At The Financial Literacy Fiesta!

Does the term “financial literacy” sound very much like a grown-up concept to you? Well, it most definitely isn’t anymore! You can expose your children to financial literacy early in…

Food, Games & Stories: 3 Fun Ways to Help your Kids Learn about Singapore

It’s been SG50 season for a while, something that mothers in Singapore can’t ignore. By now you’d have encountered everything from SG50 buffet lunch promotions to SG50 bottled water, SG50…

A Roadmap to Singapore’s Primary Education System

Singapore’s education system has been consistently evaluated by its Western counterparts. From articles such as Lessons from Singapore, Lessons On Education from Singapore, and Lessons Learned from Singapore’s Proactive Education…

How to Build a Strong Mathematical Foundation for your Child

It is a surprise when Ms Peggy Zee, an Early Education Mathematics Specialist with 32 years of experience, reveals that she had failed Maths “practically all my life”. The educator…

Coding for Kids!

In tech speak, coding, formally known as computer programming, is a process which leads from an original formulation of a computing problem to executable computer programs. Was that all Greek…

8 Useful Lessons (for Parents) with Primary 1 Kids

It’s not just our little ones that are starting Primary 1. It’s a steep learning curve for parents too! Here’s a useful guide with eight lessons to get you off…

KidsSTOP: Where The Learning Never Stops!

The Science Centre Singapore has been around for 37 years and is constantly foraying into fresh areas of interest in order to widen the horizons for learning as far as…

Homeschooling As An Option

The mandatory six-year primary school education scheme was implemented in 2003 in Singapore. Apart from government, autonomous and independent schools, there are a handful of choices for alternative educational paths…

Preparing and Supporting Your Child in Primary School

Entering primary school is a milestone for many children. It marks the beginning of their formal education and can be a huge leap from the more relaxed setting of a…

The Beauty of the French Education System

In France, compulsory schooling starts at the age of six. Many parents though, start sending their toddlers to “maternelle” — the French version of playgroup, nursery and kindergarten — when…

Guiding Children on their Path of Self-Discovery

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Many people would remember being asked this question as a young child. We were encouraged to dream big! Some would…

The Tuition Debate

When Parliament met in September last year, Senior Minister of State for Education and Law Indranee Rajah answered concerns about the on-going “phenomena” of the private tuition industry here. [banner][/banner]…

Tips on Choosing a School for your Child

When it comes to choosing a school for one’s child, what are the factors that parents should consider before making a decision? Mrs Sheba Khan, a mother of two, once…

8 Ways for Kids to Ace the Show & Tell

Your preschooler may already be doing this in kindergarten. But come Primary One, it will actually be part of the markable syllabus and woe betide the child who cannot perform!…

Plan for Your Child’s Future

Baby’s here. Now what? Ms Ho Lee Yen, Chief Marketing Officer of AIA Singapore, tells us how to be ready for the years to come with our children. Having children…

10 Ways your Kids can Love Chinese

Learning Chinese does not have to be dry or difficult. The literacy experts at KidStartNow, a Chinese enrichment school, share 10 ways to help your kids start loving Chinese. 1….

Nurturing Your Child to Excel

Dorothy Tam is mum to two daughters who are both Princeton University students. The family literacy facilitator, who organised enrichment programmes in Singapore for 10 years, shares her thoughts on…

Introducing Your Child to Science

Imagine role-playing life, climbing through a nine metre tall structure to a loft that transports you into a kaleidoscopic dream world, creating experiences with art and nature, discovering STEM with…

All Babies Are Clever

When I was expecting my first child eight years ago, I checked with my obstetrician if it was all right to eat this and that, or do this and that….

7 Ways to Help your Child Learn Mandarin

Helping children from an English-speaking household to learn Mandarin can be an uphill struggle for many parents. At the Mother Tongue Languages Symposium 2013 held in September, parenting and teaching…

Bye Bye PSLE Score

Singapore is removing the current scoring system for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) to reduce competition among students and to increase non-academic development for the children. The T-score, which…

Librarian-recommended! Good books for parents and kids

Mums are busy people who hardly have time to sit down with a book, let alone search for a good one from the vast selection out there. That’s why we…

Pre-school Education and Enrichment: A Cross-cultural Experience

Mention the word “enrichment” and what springs to most parents’ mind is most likely a Saturday afternoon spent ferrying junior from Speech and Drama class to Music, Art or Abacus…

Five ways to Nurture your Bright Spark

Precocious children often show advanced development in areas such as language, mathematical ability or reasoning skills, compared with their peers. If your child exhibits some of the traits mentioned in…

Is Your Child a Bright Spark?

Perhaps your child was an early developer who spoke in complete sentences by the age of 20 months and showed impressive reasoning skills by the age of three. Friends and…

Choosing A Primary School for your Child

In less than two months, your child’s education foundation will be decided when you register him for primary education in Singapore. So how do you choose the right school for…

How Parents Can Help Kids Prepare For Exams

Exams! If this word sends jitters down your spine, read on. Even if the exams are over, there’s no time like now to help your child start preparing for next…