CHECK OUT OUR LIST OF BEST ENRICHMENT CLASSES FOR 2016 TOO!
BABY 0-18 months
1 BEST PERFORMING ARTS
Centre Stage School
of the Arts
www.centre-stage.com
Developing confidence is one of the key aims of this performing arts school, which has three locations in Singapore. High quality teaching, great staff and small classes are some of the reasons mums
voted for it. One mum said: “It’s great for kids who are a bit shy. You can even have children’s birthday parties there.”
2 BEST SUMMER CAMP
Julia Gabriel Centre
www.juliagabriel.com
The courses at Julia Gabriel Centre use drama to nurture self-leaders from the age of six months to adulthood. One mum commented: “I like their one week holiday programme in June and December, where they have different themes for each week. The little ones get exposed to story time, puppet shows and music. They have hands-on time for art and craft too.”
3 BEST SWIMMING CLASSES
Smile Swimmers
www.smileswimmers.com
This class is run by the “legend on the East Coast” Coach Kidd. He believes swimming is a key activity that infants and toddlers can learn to do safely before walking. Lessons are structured so babies become familiar with water first. He even sings nursery rhymes to calm nervous babies.
4 BEST GYM CLASS
Bubbles Gymnastics
www.bubblesgym.com.sg
With very patient coaches, Bubbles Gymnastics, in Turf City, helps toddlers find their balance and coordination. The programme is chock full with variety—with a class for everyone. Gymtots starts from the age of one and concentrates of hand-eye coordination and overall motor skills.
5 BEST CREATIVE MUSIC CLASSES
Kindermusik With Love Studios
www.kindermusikwithlovestudios.com.sg
The approach at Kindermusik With Love Studios is that from birth to the age of seven, children can experience the magic of music without the pressure to perform. One mum said: “Teacher Shauna is very engaging and interacts well with the little ones. They have fun with the different musical instruments and the movement helps them to expend their energy.”
TODDLER – 18 months to 3 years old
6 BEST MANDARIN LANGUAGE SCHOOL
Bibinogs
www.bibinogs.com
You’re never too young to learn a new language and Bibinogs offers Mandarin to toddlers to prove it. One mother said: “My son goes for classes at Bibinogs. Of course, he’s too small to be speaking Mandarin, but I think it’s great to expose him to the language. His teachers are very sweet and playful, even if ‘mum’ has no idea what they’re saying.”
7 BEST SWIMMING SCHOOL
Aquaducks
www.aquaducks.com.sg
This swimming school is loved by Singapore mums, who said their kids showed real development and progression over the term. They were also thrilled by how the friendly and professional staff instilled water confidence and safety awareness.
8 BEST MARTIAL ARTS
Ch’i Life Studio
www.chi-life.com
If you’d like your child to learn to do jacket on/jacket off under the watchful eye of a knowledgeable Sensei, then King Fu Baby is for you. There are two locations: in Orchard and East Coast. One mother said: “I like the discipline that is taught, and it’s really good exercise too.”
9 BEST GYM CLASSES
GIM Sports
www.gimsports.com
GIM Sports is also at Turf City. It aims to promote healthy living through exercise and organises a range of gymnastics, fitness and sports camps in a friendly and active environment. One mother said: “My daughter has always been very shy and yet at gymnastics she is able to confidently cartwheel and perform. Coach John and his team are patient, caring, warm and fun.”
10 BEST READING PROGRAMME
Lorna Whiston School of English Language
www.lornawhiston.com
There are a range of courses on offer at the Lorna Whiston School of English Language, which is now an institution with a 35-year pedigree. The superb teachers offer everything from phonics to creative writing to students aged three to adulthood, in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.
11 BEST OUTDOOR LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Odyssey, The Global Preschool
www.theodyssey.sg
This preschool has a curriculum based on experimentation and exploration. With three campuses in Singapore, there is an emphasis on outside play to help stimulate the active and inquisitive mind. Multi-sensory stimulation is an important part of the toddler programme, as is developing self-help skills in a supportive setting.
12 BEST COMPUTER SCHOOL
Learning Vision
www.learningvision.rtrk.sg
This school is so techy that the children actually take a selfie on the school’s iPads to register their attendance. Singapore mums give this school extra points for offering an online progress report on their child. Learning Vision is Singapore’s leading provider of employer-sponsored preschool services.
13 BEST ART SCHOOL
Da Little School
www.dalittleschool.com.sg
The school’s developmental programme Little Doodlers, allows children to intepret what they learn at each session via art. One mother said: “The teachers are highly motivated and invested in the children under their care. As a result the kids love the genuine attention they get, and are enthusiastic about the lessons and activities.”
14 BEST MUSIC AND MOVEMENT
Pat’s Schoolhouse
www.patschoolhouse.com
The preschool cares for children from two months to six years of age in a warm and homely atmosphere. Music and movement is an important part of the curriculum.
JUNIOR 3 – 8 years old
15 BEST MARTIAL ARTS CLASS
Brazilian Cultural Centre (Singapore)
www.facebook.com/pages/Brazilian-Cultural-Center-Singapore
This high energy class, held in Horse City, will not only teach your child some great self-defence moves, it will also improve their balance. One mum said: “The owners are very professional and the fun classes are action-packed with a combination of martial arts, dance, gym and music. After just a few lessons, my daughter wanted to go twice a week.”
16 BEST BADMINTON CLASS
Y Badminton Academy
Tel: 9062 1687
This badminton school comes with a secret weapon—the coach used to play for the Indonesian team. One Singapore mum said: “It helps my daughter sharpen her thinking process, focus and when she tries to pre-empt her opponent’s next move, it’s challenging for both her mind and body.”
17 BEST PERFORMING ARTS
Danz People
www.danzpeople.com
This school on Selegie Road has seen children move to theatre companies such as Wild Rice. The WonderKidz class includes dance, singing and stage presence.
18 BEST LIFE SKILLS
SoulCentre/SoulKids
www.soulcentre.org
For positive thinking you can’t get better than the SoulKids class. They use games, play and teamwork exercises to develop an array of life skills. One mum gave the adult course a go and instantly knew it was something her children would benefit from. The aim of SoulKids is to inspire children to get the best out of their lives.
19 BEST FOOTBALL SCHOOL
Barcelona Football Club
fcbescola.fcbarcelona.com/singapore
FC Barcelona’s training methodology, Barca, has been the blueprint for the teaching, development and success of all football clubs for the last two decades. At the Barcelona Football Club, kids learn the necessary technical skills and also get a chance to live the footballers’ dream of representing FCBEscola Singapore, in international tournaments held annually in Barcelona.
20 BEST SUMMER CAMP
Camp Asia at Stamford American International School
www.sais.edu.sg
Mums and kids alike seem to rave about this camp.
Whether they are interested in art, sport, language,
cooking or drama there is something for everyone.
The camp, which is suitable for ages 3 to 16,
is designed to be fun, safe and educational.
21 BEST TENNIS SCHOOL
Sanwa Tennis
www.sanwasin.blogspot.sg
This tennis academy caters for all abilities. The coaches, from Japan, are friendly and offer a thorough approach to teaching kids proper techniques to enable them to be successful in life.
For junior players, there is a holistic methodology, with
an emphasis on education more than teaching tennis.
22 BEST SCIENCE CLASS
WondersWork
www.wonderswork.com.sg
Budding scientists will have a riot at WonderWork. “Our kids joined their Lego and invention classes, which were a lot of fun and hands-on,” one mum said.
23 BEST YOGA CLASSES
Canvass
www.canvass.com.sg
The Canvass mission is to challenge the mind and body by connecting through art and yoga. There are a range of after-school classes, as well as adult evening classes, which take place in their Binjai Park, Bukit Timah, studio.
24 BEST RUGBY SCHOOL
Dulwich College
www.dulwich-singapore.sg
This school is a rugby institution in the UK, and its new campus in Bukit Batok looks set to follow. The facilities are impressive and the instructors are knowledgeable. The school embraces a sport-for-all approach to enable students of all abilities to take part.
25 BEST ACTING CLASS
IMPACT Models Studio
www.impactmodels.com
The acting and modelling course at IMPACT is designed to help youngsters build self-confidence in front of a big crowd. “My daughter is no longer shy to express her emotions or speak in public,” one mum said. “It has really boosted her up.”
26 BEST ART CLASS
Gifted Artists Studio
www.facebook.com/pages/
Gifted-Artists-Studio
At the Gifted Artists Studio children aged between four and nine years old are given the opportunity to express themselves creatively through art. The programme integrates different learning elements, exploring ideas, values and experiences, rather than trying to create the perfect picture.
27 BEST MANDARIN LANGUAGE CLASS
Twinkle Stars Learning Centre
www.twinklestars.sg
One mum raved: “Teacher Shubo really appears to love children, and she has a wonderful warm manner, and the girls enjoy learning with her. She makes it fun—singing songs as well as drawing, and talking about everyday things the girls are doing at school. She then puts this into the context of learning and understanding.”
28 BEST MUSIC CLASS
Yamaha
www.sg.yamaha.com
With the emphasis on fun, children as young as two can start an activity-based music class before progressing on to an instrument when they are older. One mum commented: “My son’s guitar teacher at Yamaha is amazing.” Another mum said her child had improved rhythm by learning to play the piano on the Yamaha Junior Music Course.
29 BEST DANCE SCHOOL
Tanglin Arts Studio
www.tanglinartsdancestudio.com
Twinkle Toes classes at Tanglin
Arts Studio, in Horse City, introduces a variety of dance styles, including ballet. The school’s aim is to develop self-esteem and confidence. Twinkle Toes is for children aged three and four,
but there are a wide variety of classes to cover
all ages and dance styles.
30 BEST TABLE TENNIS
Singapore Table Tennis Association
www.stta.org.sg
From the age of five, children can learn the key skills and basic rules on the “Learn to Play” programme. After 10 sessions they can progress on to the “Continue to Play” scheme.