With yoga and even language immersion classes for kids aged below two, these childcare centres aren’t just creches – they’re schools of life.
The folks at private Manhattan preschool Wegrow understand that learning is a lifelong process. At their school, kids aged as young as two are being exposed to yoga and secular ethics, and end each day in a gratitude circle with their friends. Because personal growth isn’t just for the mind, it’s for the body and the spirit too.
Wegrow is the education off shoot of co-working and office space Wework. Not that its intention is to groom mini entrepreneurs – its emphasis is on happiness and finding one’s authentic self, whatever it might be, through a unique curriculum that’s inspired by Bank Street College, Reggio Emilia and Montessori methods – all pedagogies aimed at nurturing a well-rounded individual.
So, yes, six-year-olds are exposed to mentorship and master classes with industry professionals, but they’re also learning music and drama, mathematics and science, Mandarin or Spanish, and connecting with “the planet” during weekly farm trips.
A comprehensive annual education at the Chelsea campus costs US$22,000 (S$30,000) for two-year-olds and US$42,000 for kids between five and 11.
In Singapore, a similar focus on holistic early childhood education can be seen at Odyssey The Global Preschool and Wharton Preschool. Odyssey is inspired by UK and US teaching pedagogies and offers Reggio Emilia-inspired campuses, while Wharton Preschool adopts Montessori methods to prepare kids for life.
At both schools, learning environments are specially designed to pique children’s interest in exploration; dedicated Chinese teachers help with language immersion; and project work develops critical thinking skills as well as awareness of “we” rather than “me”.
But if, for you, this still pales in comparison to the plant- based menus and community responsibility programs at Wegrow, take heart – it has international locations in the pipeline.
