Infants Care Guide for Expats
Most families who require infants care employ live-in domestic helpers who act as both nanny and housekeeper, so infant daycare centers are far less prevalent in Singapore than in many other locales. Nevertheless, the centers available have high standards and are closely regulated by the government to ensure safe childcare and high health standards.
For parents of newborns, an interesting service available in Singapore is the ‘confinement nanny’, a woman temporarily hired to assist for one to three months after the birth of a new baby for 24-hour in-home support. While their services are mostly acquired by affluent Chinese families, some expatriates have hired confinement nannies to assist with new babies.
Preschools and kindergartens for children aged 18 months to five ears old are very common, and many families choose to enroll their children in a part-time school program from age two or three onwards. Furthermore, many social associations offer playgroups for parents of young children.
Infant Care
| Cherie Hearts Group International Pte Ltd | Infant care 2 to 17 months, playgroup 18 months to 3 years, nursery 4 years, kindergarten 4 to 6 years and before and after school care 7 to 12 years. Locations include Orchard area, Serangoon, HarbourFront, Tampines, Jurong and other areas. Fees and class sizes vary from location to location. Tel: 6271 0080. |
| Sunflower Baby House | Care centre for infants and toddlers aged between 2 and 18 months. Full day, Half day and Flexi care programs are available. Turf Club Road, #04-300 Turf City, Tel: 6463 1303. |
| Learning Vision | Specialize in child development activities for infants and toddlers aged between two months and five years. They have 9 childcare centers throughout the city and offer both Chinese and English curriculum. An enquiry form can be found on the Learning Vision website. |
| Sunny Bunny: | Offers infant educational services and day care. Sunny Bunny Montessori Infant and Child Care Centre, Blk 455 Sin Ming Ave #01-489 Singapore 570455, Tel/Fax: 6457-0514. |
Confinement Nannies
- Premier Confinement Nanny Care Agency: Confinement nannies for mother and newborn baby for a period of 28 or 42 days round the clock. 5 Rivervale Crescent, Tel: 9100 7311
- A-Team Amah’s & Cleaners: Baby sitting and confinement nanny agency for mothers with newborn babies, Tel: 6846 9247 / 6846 0428 / 6846 9205
- GPLS Confinement Care Agency: Confinement nannies that help parents after the delivery of a baby. The confinement nanny supports the mother with breastfeeding and caring for the baby, Tel: 63631136 / 9111 4418
Preschools and Kindergartens
| Lorna Whiston Pre-School | Preschool kindergarten located in tropical surroundings for children age 18 months to 6 years old, teaches both English and Mandarin. Approximately 170 kids in school. 9 Winchester Road (off Alexandra Road), Tel: 6272 8826. |
| Pat’s School House | Preschool kindergarten that helps develop children’s curiosity, creativity, confidence and continuity through horizontal development. 11 centres island wide, of varying sizes. Tel: 6501 7577. |
| Pibos Garden Playschool | British curriculum playschool for children 18 months to 5 years. Smaller school with approximately 60 students. 1 Dunearn Close and 7 Hua Guan Crescent, Tel: 6466 2639 / 6465 0019. |
| Swallows and Amazons | Set in 16,000 sq.ft of outdoor space, an early childhood learning centre for 2-6 year olds offering a focus on EQ and self esteem. Approximately 75 children. Tel: 6762 8158, |
| White Lodge Early Learning Centre | This Kindergarten is very popular with expats, as it promotes an engaging environment using a comprehensive curriculum based on up-to-date education practices for children between 18 months-6 years old. Five centers available, of varying sizes. Tel: 6468 8846. |
Mother and Toddler Groups
| Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning EduPlay: | Parent-accompanied early childhood programs to nurture and empower young children through play and learning. Offers English and Mandarin programs, Tel: 6733 4322. |
| American Women’s Association of Singapore | Parent-accompanied early childhood programs to nurture and empower young children through play and learning. Offers English and Mandarin programs, Tel: 6733 4322. |
| Parentlink | Parentlink has a website focused on parenting, mother support and offers a host of specialised services for the new mother. Parentlink provides a weekly support group for new mothers with the babylink program. Call 6536 4626 for more information. |
