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New KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse Centres Teach Preschoolers About Sustainability
SINGAPORE, 28 March 2024 – Singapore’s leading premium preschool, KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse, wants to educate the next generation about sustainability from as early as 18 months.
As part of the preschool’s refreshed branding efforts, KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse, which is part of Babilou Family Singapore, updated its educational framework with “Winning Planet” being one of its new mission pillars. This new mission pillar aims to educate children about environmental and social challenges. Beyond cultivating a new generation of leaders, the preschool’s Sustainable Education® curriculum offers dynamic learning experiences that ensure the holistic well-being of children, whilst supporting sustainability initiatives such as the Singapore Green Plan 2030. The dedication to integrate eco-friendly practices and playful learning into education is exemplified by KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse’s newest centres.
Their new centres look to impart these values from their physical environment to the lessons they teach. With its new centres and revised framework, children are encouraged to care for and respect the communities that they are living in, helping to contribute to a more sustainable and cohesive future. The first to officially launch is its centre at Jurong Gateway on 17 April. Its East Coast and Mountbatten centres will open their doors to students from April 2024 onwards.
Highlighting the importance of having engaging outdoor spaces to offer stimulating resources to children, its new centres will also have specially designed areas outdoors. Built with slopes and tunnels for free exploration, children develop their natural motricity alongside autonomy and confidence. A hydroponic vertical garden with soil, seeds, water and various plants provides children with opportunities to grow and harvest vegetables with their peers. Through such engaging, hands-on learning experiences on vermicomposting, recycling and food sustainability, the curriculum instils values of sustainability and social cohesiveness in children.
Benjamin Busse, CEO of Babilou Family Singapore shares, “As part of the Babilou Family group, we are dedicated to fostering a pedagogical approach rooted in Sustainable Education®. Educating over 5,000 preschool children across Singapore, we prioritise nurturing children to become conscientious individuals who will make meaningful contributions to the world. Focusing on holistic well-being through children's Natural Rhythm, our curriculum integrates nature while offering our children an immersive educational experience that extends beyond conventional classroom walls. With emphasis on diversity and inclusion, we engage families as partners to foster collaboration for children's holistic development, creating an environment for every child to thrive."
The central stage area in KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse's latest centre at Jurong Gateway
Beyond the classroom, Babilou Family Singapore also took great care to integrate its values into its centre’s design. As the first preschool to receive the BCA Green Mark Platinum 2023 Award, KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse Jurong Gateway proudly introduces state-of-the-art facilities and eco-friendly practices designed to nurture environmentally-conscious individuals.
In this centre, all features are thoughtfully planned with the environment in mind. Priding itself on its sustainable design and operations, the centre is built using materials to reduce its carbon footprint such as heat-reflective VOC paint to repel heat and subsequently, reduce the temperature indoors. Rooftop solar photovoltaic panels are used to harness solar energy to support the centre’s day-to-day operations and encourage the use of renewable energy. At the same time, a smart energy management and control system is installed to optimise energy consumption and promote greater energy efficiency. As part of its water conservation efforts, the centre devised water-efficient fixtures to monitor and optimise water usage. Eco-friendly consumables are also used in the kitchen such as cutleries, mugs, plates and bowls.
Rowena Ramos, Head of Curriculum shares, “In reflecting Singapore’s commitment to addressing global challenges, including the effects of globalisation and environmental factors, it’s imperative to cultivate a profound understanding and appreciation of their ecosystem in the younger generation. KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse embodies this sentiment by providing children with a robust education framework which encompasses specialised programmes and values that nurture creativity, emotional intelligence, and resilience, empowering children to navigate and thrive in an increasingly complex society.”
SOURCE: KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse
