Who is Little U Preschool for
The Little U Preschool is open to families with children from 3-6yo (and older for SEN kids). Families with 0-2yo are welcome to join us and form friendships.
What we do at Little U Preschool
Most of our activities are developed around co-ops where parents have to be present and, eventually, co-teach to develop healthy attachment in the community. Besides co-ops, you can plan ad-hoc outings, playdates, meet ups and whatever you can think of that suits your family and the community.
How we design Little U Preschool
At the Little U Preschool, we guide you in parent leadership and psychosocial support. In parent leadership, we want to empower you with ways to guide your children and to help other families in your own voice. In psychosocial support, we want to ensure you are not isolated. We want you and your children have access to good and safe learning environments with long term friends.
We will also develop your ability to use a range of co-op structures to find your style, and work through the needs of your family. Co-ops are great semi-structures used within a homeschooling context to empower you to be in charge of a core activity that fits you, develops your teaching style, and enables you to experience building a community that you may adapt for future purposes.
The process will be slow and careful. It will not be an overnight transformation simply because you are human, and human beings need time to build relationships and process things.
You will grow in Confidence, Courage and Community
Community: Friendship support to see you through tough times and also social connection for your little ones
Confidence: Confidence to lead and guide your little ones in the right direction through your learning journey
Courage: To have your voice heard and develop co-op competencies in areas where you feel you might leverage with others
Success is not choking your schedule with activities. It is about your family’s growth, your ability to find it within yourself to teach your own, to lead your family, to feel supported and to have your voice heard. Members who have left the Little U Preschool have gone on to start their own co-ops and programs with ease.
Members who have stayed on contribute to the work of the Little U Preschool. We do outreach through talks and workshops, community events, research with professionals and agencies in the fields of education, and curriculum development (deepening our current structure to improve it for other families).
The design of the program requires long term contact time with families to reach desired competencies. We recommend committing a minimum of 1 year to see results. A lot of our activities take place in the late afternoon so that flexible working parents and schooling families can join, however, you can design your own activities in the morning too.
Testimonials
“Time was our friend in the Little U community. I loved how each mum and family within this small close-knit space came with amazing skills, talents, background, and things to share and teach each other. Even the children! I’m excited to see what these little people will do one day! And what about the curriculum? If you take time to look through the curriculum guide and yearbook you would see a contribution of many hands in the community. It covers Language, Arts, Design, Play, Nature Explorations and Interactions with other educational systems and centres. Experts labouring for something valuable apart from what is available in the mainstream. All of this in mind for the betterment of those who need education to be accessible, affordable, and uncomplicated as possible. I call this a freedom like no other. Like a crucial part of a necessary ecosystem that needs to be in place for Singapore.” Sarah, single mum of one (click to read her full testimonial)
“For me, Little U is like the home out of the home we already have. Before I have been going for or planning playdates for my boy, but none of these ever materialised into a more solid and consistent friendship either with the mum or child. But what I found here is a group of diverse yet very open mums who are very willing to accept you into the group. As a result, my boy now has children he can call friends by their names, that he can both learn from and guide, and explore beyond his usual boundaries because of the extra “wings” they give him. No matter your family situation or homeschooling style, you are well supported here.” – Yuhan, mother of one
“Before I joined the Little U Preschool, I organised playdates in the hopes of finding like-minded people to form regular, social sessions. I hated doing playdates where the meetings were few and far between. I also felt frustrated not being able to find people with similar values to raise our children together. Little U Preschool gave me the opportunity to explore how to set up and manage my own co-op, doing what I want. In return, I feel that everyone has to contribute in time and effort to make this ‘non-profit’ setting work out. Because we hang out so often, we get to witness each other growing; the parent, the child, the child’s friends. Growth in terms of mindset, philosophy, understanding perspectives, empathy, love and kindness towards each other. And we will keep growing for life.” Kyra, mother of one
Little U Preschool is not suitable for
– Drop offs
– Families whose main caregivers are domestic helpers
– Families who are unable to commit to the work required to grow their competencies
We believe parents should take the lead to initiate change in order to advocate for their children. Let’s work together to find your way, get settled to build friendship, and start your journey at the Little U Preschool.
Membership Fees
Our Little U Preschool community is capped at 30 families annually. The membership fee for 2024 is $50/year/family.
In summary, what you get :
✔ access to a good and safe preschool community all year round
✔ a well designed curriculum to grow your parent leadership and psychosocial support
✔ resources to develop your own co-op with confidence and emotional safety
✔ perks to other Little U programs as a Little U member
✔ a low-cost and high premium membership, regardless of the number of preschool children in your family