Little Mulberrians engaging in song and dance activity at Mulberry Learning.

Ever wondered what are the typical costs involved when enrolling your child in preschool? Nobody likes the surprise of hidden charges which could result in a bad experience for both the parent and child.

Let us enlighten you about the typical costs involved to ensure that you are well-informed so that your child’s preschool journey will be a pleasant and memorable one.

1. School Fees

School fees generally vary depending on the residency status, location of the school, teaching pedagogy, and whether the school is privately owned or government operated. It also depends if you are seeking infant care or child care services for your precious tot.

Fees for full-day child care programmes for privately-owned preschools generally range from $1000 to $2000+ per month, with some even going as high as $4000+.

Here are some examples of private child care providers in Singapore:

To provide affordable and quality early childhood care, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has introduced the Anchor Operator (AOP) and Partner Operator (POP) schemes. Both receive government grants and have their monthly fees capped at a range from $720 to $800 to ensure affordability for Singaporean children.

Examples of AOPs:

Examples of POPs:

Do note that the disparity in fees are usually attributed to factors such as teacher to student ratios, teaching methodology and philosophy, school facilities and also the convenience of location and more.

If your child is a Singapore Citizen and enrolled in ECDA-licensed preschools, there are subsidies you may apply for to defray the cost of school fees.

Expect to Pay: $1000 – $2000+ for private preschools / $720 – $800 for government operated preschools

2. Deposits

Preschools in Singapore generally require a deposit equivalent to ONE month’s fee that is payable upon enrolment and is refundable when certain conditions are met.

Expect to Pay: ONE month’s fees in advance

3. Registration Fees

Registration fees are one-off payable and are non-refundable, payable upon registration. It varies from school to school as it may be as low as $80 to more than $500 for premium preschools.

Expect to Pay: $80 – $500 one-off

4. Uniforms

Some preschools require parents to purchase one type of uniform and some require a uniform and PE attire. Do check with the preschool on this requirement. These uniforms generally cost from $15 to $60 each and it is usually advisable to have three sets of each.

Expect to Pay: $15 – $60 per uniform

5. Insurance

Accidents happen when least expected, sometimes despite the necessary steps taken to avoid it in the first place. It’s general practice for preschools to include an insurance charge to provide coverage and protection for the child. These usually range from $3 to $20+ and is payable during enrolment and at the beginning of each new calendar year.

Expect to Pay: $3 – $20+ annually

6. Enrichment Programmes

These programmes are basically offered by preschools to complement the child’s core learning. Enrichment programmes allow the children to hone their creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking skills while having fun. It can include coding, robotics, arts, languages, science, culinary and even music activities. Some preschools include enrichment programmes into their offering, whereas some offer it as an add-on.

Expect to Pay: $50 – $350 per month

7. Excursions

Excursions are what makes learning fun as it provides the children with a break from the humdrum of classroom learning and brings them opportunities to learn in new environments. Excursion fees are considered a miscellaneous expense for the parents and it usually consists of transportation, entry fee and a meal for the child. Expect to pay a range from $20 to $50+, depending on the type of activity and location.

Expect to Pay: $20 – $50+ per excursion

8. Daily Bus Transport

Oftentimes our busy and hectic work schedules prevent us from being able to send and pick-up our child from preschool. Some preschools offer the added convenience of a daily school bus transport for this purpose. Parents can expect to fork out approximately $150 to $200+ for a monthly bus service.

Expect to Pay: $150 – $200+ per month

9. Annual Photoshoot

Photos are the best way to capture those precious milestones such as your child’s graduation. Schools usually engage the services of professional photographers, providing you with options of class photos, family or individual portraits. This would cost around $20 to $50+ depending on your selection of photography and it should come nicely presented in a simple frame.

Expect to Pay: $20 – $50+ per photo, depending on the package

10. Concerts

Graduation concerts marks the finale of your child’s completion of their preschool journey. With this, comes the need for graduation concert costumes as your child expresses all that they have learnt through performances that includes singing and dancing. The costumes can cost from $30 to close to $100. Also, there will be a need to purchase tickets to attend the concert which should cost around $40 per ticket.

Expect to Pay: $30 – $100 per costume & approximately $40 per concert ticket

In Conclusion

There you have it, ten typical costs to take into consideration when enrolling your child into preschool. We hope that you have a better idea now on the various costs and fees that are involved so that you may better manage your expectations and budget when it comes to your child’s preschool enrolment.

Remember that every preschool has their strengths and areas of specialization. Thorough research is prudent to ensure that not only will you find a preschool that fulfils your child’s needs, but one that gives you the best value for your buck. Early planning also helps to alleviate the brunt of financial burdens young families may face as they raise children.

Should you be keen to find out more about a pedagogy that incorporates the Reggio Emilia approach, Habits of Mind™ framework and Multiple Intelligences, do get in touch with us to discover what a wonderful learning journey Mulberry Learning can provide for your precious tot.

About Mulberry Learning

At Mulberry Learning, no effort was spared in crafting a truly unique preschool programme that incorporates the Reggio Emilia methodology, Habits of Mind™ framework and Multiple Intelligences.

Voted Singapore’s “Best Holistic Learning Programme” and recently featured by the Straits Times, Business Times, CNA and The Smart Local, Mulberry Learning is the only preschool in Singapore and the world to be certified by the USA for the “Habits of Mind”, the same intelligent thinking framework used by M.O.E. to groom the brightest Primary School students in the Gifted Education Programme!

Schedule a personalized tour with us to discover how Mulberry Learning helps your child become a confident communicator, independent thinker and a passionate lifelong learner.