Your child’s learning is not confined to the classroom. Encourage and support their learning at home! As your child’s first teachers, you play a significant part in their learning journey.

Carpe Diem is a top preschool in Singapore that aims to provide little legends with holistic learning experiences. Here we share a few easy ways to support your children’s learning at home. Watch them become smarter throughout the new school year with these fun-filled activities!

1. Create a Designated Learning Area
   Help your child learn better at home with a designated learning space. Make sure the learning area:

   • Has easy access to learning materials
   • Is free from distractions such as TV and toys
   • Is quiet and conducive to learning

   By creating a ‘school’ – like environment at home, your child will naturally feel comfortable learning new things at home as well!

2. Encourage Regular Reading
   Regular reading comes with lots of benefits! It improves your child’s concentration as well as both literacy and problem-solving skills. It also helps them develop soft skills like empathy and understanding. Create an intimate reading / learning corner at home or establish a reading hour for the whole family. Also organise exciting play dates for creative writing or story-telling sessions with other parents!

   By nurturing a love of reading at an early age, your child will be ahead of the class especially when learning materials become more challenging.

3. Conduct Science Experiments
   Experiments are a great way to develop your child’s interest in science. Conducting exciting yet simple science experiments using common household items! Show your kids how to make their own slime using water, glitter glue and laundry booster or create a lava lamp with food colouring, vegetable oil and alka seltzer. Also, impress them by writing invisible messages using lemon juice!

4. Establish a Regular Time for Learning Through Play
   Playing with your child is important to their learning and growth! Set aside a specific time slot to play fun games and interact with your child daily. Word games help children become more familiar with commonly used, everyday words. Board games also help develop their thinking and how they make decisions.

   Learning how to perform simple magic tricks or telling jokes to family members is a great way to build your child’s confidence for public speaking and making new friends!

   Here is a list of games you can play with your child!

   • Hangman
   • Scrabble
   • Bananagrams
   • Monopoly
   • Sequence
   • Pictionary

5. Use a Variety of Learning Resources
   Keep your child engaged at home by using a variety of different educational resources like books, videos and games. Useful resources such as YouTube Kids and National Geographic Kids are a great way to keep your child hooked on learning!But don’t forget to review the content found online before letting your children watch it.

At Carpe Diem, we encourage healthy learning habits to develop new skills and knowledge at our childcare centres in Singapore. Reach out to us and learn how we can be partners in raising Little Legends for tomorrow.

If the thought of leaving your precious baby in the care of someone else makes you anxious, you are not alone. As parents, this is one of the hardest things to do. We understand the separation anxiety that comes from parting with your baby and the worry of leaving them in the hands of a caregiver.

Still, an infant care program does come with many benefits. It not only provides infants with the best preparation for school but it might also be a more cost-effective solution than hiring a babysitter. Your little one will get to interact with other babies and little kids, thus developing social skills from a young age.

Here are 5 things to look out for when selecting an infant care program:

1. A structured and engaging learning program
   A structured infant care program that provides opportunities for active learning through play is important in shaping your child’s early development. The social setting and conducive physical environment enhance the program making it more effective and engaging for the kids.

   At Carpe Diem we develop each type of intelligence from a very young age. Founded on the belief that all children are born with unique intelligence profiles, stretch your child’s potential with a program based on a multiple-intelligence curriculum.

2. Consider lower staff-to-child ratio
   The Early Childhood Development Agency has stipulated that the maximum staff to child ratio for infant care centers is 1:5. Lower staff-to-child ratios are a good indicator of the quality of the program because of the attention given to each child. Your infant will receive more stimulating and responsive care. Critical for young children’s socio-emotional development, your little one will feel comfortable connecting with the caregiver and other infants.

3. Responsive and passionate caregivers
   The caregivers play the most important role in ensuring an infant care program is right for your baby. Infant care teachers are observed to be warm, nurturing and attentive to attend to every child’s needs. Observe how they interact and engage infants in various learning opportunities such as routine care, storytelling, music and movement activities.

4. Conducive Learning Environment
   The infant care program should be conducted in a conducive and safe environment with a variety of different learning tools to keep your child engaged and interested. When you visit the infant care center, keep a look out for age-appropriate toys and bilingual children’s books.

5. Family Involvement
   An excellent infant care program is one that also incorporates family involvement. Your infant’s caregiver should share details of your child’s day with you; from how they ate and slept, to the activities they engaged in and new achievements they have unlocked.

   The best caregivers love what they do. Their understanding of your little one and enthusiasm when interacting with them should be evident. Carpe Diem has a highly recognised and established infant care program that will transform your little one into a little legend! Speak to us today!

A child’s environment is the biggest contributing factor to their learning. Children are highly perceptive; they use their instinct and intuition to guide them. This makes them very aware of their immediate surroundings.The ideal preschool environment is important because it will affect your child’s ability to form relationships, their communication skills and even their health.

As parents, you want to be assured in your choice of the right preschool with the best learning environment. But how can you tell if a preschool’s learning environment is ideal for your child or not?

Here are 5 key characteristics to consider when choosing a suitable preschool environment for your child:

1. Does the preschool prioritize safety above everything else?
   Children should be the primary focus of preschool teachers at all times. Make sure that the preschool you choose for your child adheres to the strictest levels of care and safety protocols. Standard safety requirements are essential. Other than that, you also need to ensure that the staff you will be entrusting your child to are trained child care professionals who knows what to do in case of emergencies.

2. Is the preschool environment a safe space to explore and experience learning?
   Children learn best in environments where they feel safe and free to explore. An environment built on nurturing relationships help children feel secure to experience joy and wonder during the learning process. Professional early childhood educators know how to earn a child’s trust by being consistent in their response to their social and emotional cues in a conducive learning environment.

3. Do you feel the warmth and care from interactions with the preschool staff?
   The preschool environment should be warm,inclusive and welcoming. Unfamiliar surroundings can make children uneasy and stressed, which can be disruptive to their comfort level. This may result in a loss of confidence.

   A loss of confidence is a concern because if they do not feel comfortable to practice the new skills they acquire; they will develop slower than their peers. An open classroom environment where preschool teachers are encouraging will help put children at ease and help bolster their self-esteem.

4. Does the preschool environment encourage learning through play?
   An effective environment that encourages learning through play will inspire your child’s creativity. A good indicator is if the preschool offers stimulating exercises like puzzles that challenges or requires them to use both sides of their brain.It should be an avenue where children can use their imagination, solve problems on their own and think outside of the box.

5. Does the preschool environment have a healthy and positive energy?
   The right preschool environment will help teach children to think positive when facing challenges in their learning journey.An environment where learning is fun, interesting and exciting is one where children will appreciate the joys of learning instead of being disheartened by the problems they encounter.This will help instill in them a willingness to learn whether they are in the classroom or not. Uplifting encouragement from preschool teachers help children persevere instead of giving up when facing new tasks. If positive thinking is taught early, it can be a useful skill later on in life.

   At Carpe Diem, we engage various teaching tools to build positive relationships and to foster meaningful learning experiences. We recognize each child’s needs and strengths to make sure they are nurtured to their fullest potential by creating a safe and conducive environment for learning!

Building a strong relationship with your child’s teacher might be more important than you think. A child’s first teachers are their parents but once they start attending school, teachers also play a substantial part in nurturingyour little legend.

Establishing a healthy rapport with your child’s teacher is a good way to stay on top of your child’s social, emotional and educational development in school so you can help them better at home! Here are 5 top tips to start building an effective relationship with your child’s teacher immediately!

5 Tips for Building an Effective Relationship with Your Child’s Teacher:

1. Set Clear Boundaries
   It is important to set clear boundaries when it comes to communication with your child’s teacher right from the start. This helps alleviate any tension or undue stress to the relationship later on that may be caused unknowingly.

   For example, giving teachers ample notice should you require an in-depth discussion about your child’s progress may be better than trying to catch them when picking up your childfrom school as they will be more prepared for your discussion. While a phone call may be necessary in an emergency, teachers may not respond well to phone calls on a personal line and this may put a strain on your relationship.

2. Foster Open Communication
   Teachers may be qualified professionals but no one knows your child better than you do. It is perfectly acceptable to share with your child’s teacher what you think works best for your child.

   Share insights about your child’s learning at home for example if your child learns better through visual tools, teachers can help tailor their approach to your child’s learning and development with the use of visual learning aids such as educational charts and videos.

3. Actively Participate in Meetings
   Parent-teacher meetings are a wonderful opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher and learn more about how your child behaves when you aren’t around. Take advantage of the time dedicated to discussing your child and address any issues or concerns you may have about their behaviour and development. This is also a great time to ask for any advice or tips they may have for you to help your child better at home.

4. Acknowledge and Appreciate Effort
   Occasionally acknowledging weekly progress updates or a monthly classroom newsletter signals to the teacher you appreciate their efforts to keep you in the loop with regular correspondence. Their efforts to keeps you updated and involved with what’s happening in the classroom should not go unnoticed and simple reply would indicate to teachers, their efforts have been worthwhile.

5. Express Gratitude
   Show your appreciation for the passionate and dedicated child care professionals that help your child grow and develop into little legends. Teacher’s Day is the perfect occasion to do something thoughtful for your child’s teacher but simple words of gratitude and encouragement every now and then, help to keep teachers motivated and inspired to do better when their efforts are recognised.

Carpe Diem, the best child care centre in Singapore, is here for you!

“Teamwork makes the dream work!” By cooperating with your child’s teacher, your little legend benefits from the best learning environment both at home and at school!

Choosing a preschool that is a good fit for your child can be both exciting as well as overwhelming. Preschool is the first step towards your child’s academic journey and sets the foundation for all future learning. As a parent, you want to select the right preschool and program, but how do you know you’re making the best choice for your child?

At Carpe Diem, these are a few key things we suggest you consider when making your decision:

1.Your Child’s Learning Style

It is important to put your child at the center of your decision-making process. Ask yourself the following questions: What kind of environment will they thrive in? What makes them excited, uncomfortable, or puts themat ease? What challenges do you think will arise when the time comes? In what areas would you like to see the most growth in your child after a year in preschool?

Considering your child’s personality and early learning traits will help you determine if the preschool you’re interested in will match up and provide the kind of learning environment your child needs most.

2. The School’s Philosophy

Each preschool has its own educational style and philosophy. Some are known for fostering students’ independence while others hone their creativity above all else. At Carpe Diem we focus on unlocking a child’s full potential by developing all eight intelligences through the Multiple-Intelligence based curriculum in a nurturing and positive environment.

This leads back to your child’s learning style. What are you hoping your child gains from the preschool experience? Knowing what you want your child to achieve through attending preschool plays a big role in determining which one is right for you.

3. The Teachers

Early childhood learning is built on trusting relationships. Studies show that when teachers are optimistic and caring, children learn better and they develop faster. Working with young kids is not easy, your child needs teachers who are genuinely happy, dedicated and excited about their role as early childhood professionals.A good preschool is one with committed and well-trained teachers who exude optimism and contribute to the overall positivity of the preschool.

4. Make a List and Compare

Once you have determined the right goals for your child’s preschool education, narrow down your choices by making a list to compare the shortlisted preschools against the criteria you have set. Get in touch with the respective preschools to find out more about their program and ask all the questions you might have had when making your list. This way you can make an informed decision on the right fit for your child and find the ideal preschool for your child’s learning development.

Carpe Diemencourages you to consider these 4 useful tips when choosing the right preschool for your child. For more information about our multiple-intelligence based curriculum and experiential learning environment, click here!