Outdoor preschools in Singapore (or preschools with outdoor space) allow kids to take their play and learning outside. Some of these outdoor preschools even have herb and butterfly gardens, mud kitchens and school pets!

Looking for a preschool with an outdoor space so your little one can get active and up close with nature? In an urban city like ours, the need for outdoor space has never been more important – we all crave fresh air, natural surroundings and outdoor play more than ever! So finding a preschool with outdoor space and features like a natural outdoor playground, sand play, and water play can be a great way to ensure children are nurtured by nature and get to develop gross motor skills. Most of the larger international schools with preschools have outdoor playgrounds, sports fields and other outdoor learning spaces but this guide focuses on smaller preschools. Keep scrolling for ‘outdoor preschools’ in Singapore with amazing outdoor features some even have their own animal sanctuaries with chickens and turtles!

            Read more: Best Bilingual Schools in Singapore with Mandarin Immersion

Preschools with Outdoor Spaces in Singapore: 

Shaws Preschool

Outdoor features: gardening, mud, sand and water play, tricycles, pool*, playground, gym
Shaws Preschool is known for its holistic, play-based curriculum that gives little ones a safe space to learn, roam and explore! Whether it’s making a mess in the mud kitchen, splashing around with water play to beat the heat, or building sand castles in the sand pit, little ones get plenty of hands-on opportunities outdoors to learn through play. Shaws Preschool’s nurturing environment allows little ones to be curious and explore the world around them, while equipping them with foundational skills through a play-based curriculum. All five campuses have plenty of outdoor space with shaded and sunny areas, play equipment and open space to run around (*while the Shaws Lorong Chuan campus also has a pool). Shaws’ kids play outside every day, and kids in Pre-Nursery to K2 get active twice a week in Shaws Little League through rugby, tennis, football and more. This builds fine and gross motor skills, improves hand-eye coordination, sharpens brain function, and ignites problem-solving skills, all while having fun!

Shaws Preschool, five locations: Tanjong Katong, Katong Post, Braddel Heights, Lorong Chuan and Mountbatten, carolynlai@shaws.com.sg, Tel: (+65) 9772 4035, shaws.com.sg

House on the Hill Montessori Preschool

Outdoor preschool features: Wooden playground, swings, water play, tricycles, gardening, mud kitchen, grass fields
Learning outdoors and outdoor play are key components of a Montessori education. In fact, one of the main pillars of the Montessori philosophy is a connection with the natural world. All House on the Hill Montessori schools incorporate large outdoor spaces where the children can learn, play, grow, discover and more! Their commitment to natural materials extends to the all-wood, white cedar playground sets in all schools. Students love it when teachers take lessons outdoors, whether they’re learning to write in Mandarin with leaves, harvesting mangoes from the tree, tending to their growing projects or feeding the school pets! In the afternoons, the children are encouraged to get creative with open-ended loose parts play and playtime in the mud kitchen. All their play spaces are located safely within the gated campuses.

Enjoy registration fee waivers of up to $540 when you sign up by 31 July 2023! Only valid for Mount Sophia, Hollandse Club and Pasir Panjang campuses.

House on The Hill Montessori Preschool, multiple locations in Singapore including Mount Sophia, Balmoral, Pasir Panjang and Hollandse Club, info@houseonthehill.com.sg, www.houseonthehill.com.sg/welcome

Children’s Cove Preschool

Outdoor preschool features: Outdoor classroom, edible garden, sand pit, mud kitchen, water play, playground
Catering to a mix of local and expat families, Children’s Cove Preschool creates a caring and nurturing environment starting from its infant care programme at 2 months, and continuing with preschool from 18 months to 6 years. The innovative, research-based curriculum takes an integrated approach to early childhood education, with an emphasis on bilingual learning along with elements of play, projects, and inquiry. There is lots of experimentation, exploration and experiential learning to develop essential life skills. Kids can get active outdoors and jump away on a trampoline, strengthen their gross motor skills in the cycling zone or get messy in the mud kitchen! They can even get up close with nature as they stroll through a forest trail to discover resident animals. The opportunities to play and learn outdoors are endless – the kids will always look forward to another day of school at Children’s Cove Preschool.

Children’s Cove Preschool, four locations in Singapore including Jalan Penjara, Orange Grove, Novena, and Sembawang, Tel: (+65) 6655 0077 (Jalan Penjara centre), childrenscove.sg

Preschool for Multiple Intelligences

Outdoor preschool features: open spaces for cycling and running, water and sand play, gardening, nature exploration
Outdoor learning is one of the key components of the curriculum at the Preschool for Multiple Intelligence. Its holistic curriculum gives kids the opportunity to learn, create and explore everything that this world has to offer in a safe space. All of the PMI centres have plenty of outdoor space where the little ones can run wild and free, get active by cycling and climbing or simply discover the wonders of nature with the five senses of touch, smell, sound, sight and taste! Preschool by the Woods sits right next to the MacRitchie Forest and Reservoir, so kids will get plenty of opportunities to get up close with nature and learn all about Mother Earth from the master nature educator. Whether it’s learning how to care for a garden, playing with water and sand or having a picnic on the grass, all of the little ones at PMI will get their dose of vitamin D, while growing a love for nature!

Preschool for Multiple Intelligences, three locations in Singapore including Newton, Lorong Melayu and Westlake Avenue, Tel: (+65) 6259 9661 (Newton centre), enquiry@pmi.com.sg, www.pmi.com.sg

Adventure Tree Preschool

Outdoor preschool features: Wooden playground, swings, trampoline, sandpit, water play, tricycle, gardening activities
Adventure Tree Preschool’s entire school pedagogy revolves around nature and the outdoors: it’s at the core of their curriculum! Tucked away in a residential area off Beauty World MRT, their recently open Bukit Timah campus sits on a very large plot of land and features two large gardens surrounding the single storey bungalow. Located just across Meyer Road Park, their Katong campus features a mix of artificial grass and natural grass. Here there’s also a wooden playground, water play, tricycle and gardening activities offered to the children. As the school is located just across Meyer Road Park, the children are often brought on treasure hunts or sports activities to the park every week.

Adventure Tree Preschool, three locations including Katong, Bukit Timah and Holland, www.adventuretree.com.sg

Alphabet Playhouse

Outdoor preschool features: Water play, sand play, big open field and playground, with natural grass.
Alphabet Playhouse has been around for over 20 years and is known for its award-winning integrated learning approach at both Somerset and East Coast locations. The large and spacious outdoor spaces become the child’s ‘third teacher’, as spaces within the school are designed with the intent to encourage encounters, communication and relationships. Children go outdoors daily to learn, play, explore, make connections with the real world and discover new things! Kids enjoy the outdoor sports programme and get to experience Outdoor Exploration Learning, cycling, skating and playing soccer, along with sand play, water play and slides.

Alphabet Playhouse, 16 Dublin Road and 440A Upper East Coast Road, Singapore www.alphabetplayhouse.com.sg

Josiah Montessori

Outdoor preschool features: rooftop garden and dedicated outdoor playgrounds
Josiah believes that learning in an outdoor environment benefits children in myriad of ways as it hones children’s social emotional well-being while building their gross motor muscles. Josiah offers multiple locations sporting dedicated playgrounds with natural grass and trees, open space with artificial grass, and rooftop gardens depending on the location.

Josiah Montessori, multiple locations in Singapore including Alexandra Road, Tampines, Kallang, josiah.com.sg

Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse

Outdoor preschool features: Water play, sand pit, tricycle track, eco-garden, outdoor playground, trampoline park.
While most of Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse’s centres are located in the residential areas, their Newton and Orchard centres are situated in the CBD and city centre with dedicated private outdoor spaces! Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse @ Newton is housed in a 15,000sqft compound, and is a purpose-built preschool with two storeys and ample outdoor space within the centre’s compound. Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse @ Orchard is located in a commercial building, with outdoor space within the centre. Selected outdoor play areas are sheltered, such as a sand pit, tricycle track and eco-garden.

Kiddiwinkie Schoolhouse, multiple locations in Singapore including Newton, Orchard, Novena  kiddiwinkie.edu.sg

Mulberry Learning

Outdoor preschool features: Wading pool, log walking, swings, climbing, slide structures with tunnels.
Mulberry Learning believes in the importance of outdoor play in a preschooler’s early learning journey. Spaces are carefully designed and planned to stimulate the children’s senses, unleash their innate creativity, and encourage their natural desire to explore. At Mulberry Learning’s Namly centre, children are treated to a wondrous outdoor play area within the compound curated according to the theme of the “Sea”, “Forest” & “Mountain”. Children get to enjoy a range of well-designed outdoor facilities such as a wading pool, log bar swing, log walking zone, climbing and slide structures with tunnels and more, which allow them to develop gross motor skills daily while having active fun! The open air outdoor learning spaces are located within the safe compound of the school premises itself, and feature natural grass.

Mulberry Learning Namly Centre, multiple locations in Singapore including Alexandra, Braddel, Bukit Batok,  mulberrylearning.com

Rain Trees International Kindergarten & Preschool

Outdoor preschool features: HUGE garden, mud kitchen, climbing frames, sand pit, water play
Rain Trees International Kindergarten & Preschool has one of the largest outdoor spaces for a preschool. Spanning more than 35,000 square feet of open space, kids have plenty of space to develop their physical fitness and stamina. Because outdoor learning is a core component of the curriculum, kids get the freedom of unstructured playtime outdoors to explore and discover the beauty of nature. Kids can play in the sand pit, ride a tricycle or play basketball. Teachers also use the outdoor space for hands-on activities where kids can collect sticks, leaves and even worms and learn more about them in class afterwards. They even have a giant tree trump, nicknamed ‘the cave’, where kids can climb, explore and observe the tiny creatures that live in its nooks and crannies.

 Rain Trees International Kindergarten & Preschool, 255 Holland Road, McMahon Park, Singapore 278604, www.raintreeskindergarten.com

Star Learners

Outdoor features: Large outdoor area, playground equipment, water play, trampoline, garden.
Tucked away from the rush of the city, Star Learners @ one-north sits on a generous plot of land. Besides its spacious interior, the outdoor grounds house age-appropriate playground equipment, a water play feature, a large trampoline and an expansive garden, providing children with farm-to-table food education. Even with these fixtures, there is ample space for children to play catch with their friends, kick a ball around, or race each other on their tricycles. Located within the gated school compound, the great outdoors is convenient, conducive and a safe exploration space for even the littlest ones. With nature at their doorstep, its educators also take the opportunity to conduct reading sessions and activities outdoors, as part of its Literature-based curriculum.

Star Learners, multiple locations in Singapore including Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Bukit Batok, starlearners.com.sg 

Wharton Preschool

Outdoor preschool features: Large garden, playgrounds, water play, trampoline and an open field
Wharton Preschool is housed in a black-and-white mansion and boasts a 18,000-square-foot sprawling garden with well-maintained flora featuring Tembusu, Belimbing trees and more. Children learn by immersing themselves in nature! Their outdoor area has age-appropriate playgrounds, water play, a trampoline and an open field for running around. There’s both a sheltered area (for when it gets too hot!) and an open-air area.

Wharton Preschool, 15 Serangoon North Avenue 5, and 791A Upper East Coast Road www.whartonpreschool.com

            Read More: Forest Schools in Singapore

More preschools with great outdoor areas:

Blue House International Preschool
Capella Preschool
The Children’s Place
EtonHouse
Kinderstori Schoolhouse
LeClare Preschool
Little Paddington Preschool
Little Village
Red SchoolHouse at PUB Recreation Club