SG Parent Guide

Types of Preschools in Singapore

Updated 25 Oct 2026 · SG Parent Guide Editorial Team
The garden entrance of a neighbourhood childcare centre in the morning
Short answer

ECDA licenses three kinds of preschool: infant care (2–18 months), childcare (18 months to below 7 years) and kindergartens (half-day). Government-supported centres under the Anchor Operator and Partner Operator schemes keep to fee caps, while MOE Kindergartens are run directly by MOE for K1 and K2.

“Preschool” in Singapore covers several different things. Sorting out the licence class, the age range and whether a centre is government-supported makes fees and options much easier to compare. All figures below are ECDA’s, as of October 2026.

The three licence classes

Licence Service Ages Hours
Infant Care Centre (Class A) Infant care 2–18 months Full-day 7am–7pm; half-day/flexi options
Child Care Centre (Class B) Childcare 18 months to below 7 years Full-day 7am–7pm; half-day/flexi options
Kindergarten (Class C) Kindergarten 18 months to below 7 years Half-day sessions

Preschool licence classes: Infant care 2-18 months; Childcare 18 months to under 7; Kindergarten Half-day sessions; Hours (full-day) 7am to 7pm

One centre can hold more than one licence class.

A single centre can hold more than one licence — many childcare centres also run infant care, for example.

Government-supported vs private

Centres fall into three broad groups:

  • Anchor Operators (AOP) — a small set of large operators (PCF Sparkletots, My First Skool, My World Preschool, Skool4Kidz and E-Bridge Pre-School) that receive funding to keep fees low and quality up.
  • Partner Operators (POP) — a wider set of centres on a funded scheme; the current term runs 2026–2030 with 380 childcare centres across 33 operators.
  • Private (non-scheme) centres — set their own fees, which can be considerably higher.

Monthly fee caps (excluding GST)

Programme Anchor Operator Partner Operator
Full-day childcare S$610 S$650
Full-day infant care S$1,235 S$1,290
Kindergarten S$150 —

Full-day monthly fee caps, before GST and subsidy

Fee caps for government-supported operators, before GST and before subsidies. Source: ECDA.

These caps are before subsidies. After the childcare subsidy, many families pay far less.

MOE Kindergartens (MKs)

MOE Kindergartens are run directly by the Ministry of Education. They offer a 4-hour programme for K1 and K2 (children turning 5 and 6), with a curriculum in English and Mother Tongue Languages based on MOE’s Nurturing Early Learners framework, and are usually located inside a primary school to ease the transition. Kindergarten Care (KCare) provides full-day cover at all MKs for working parents.

Under the MK–Early Years Centre (EYC) partnership, a child attends an EYC (run by an Anchor Operator) from as young as two months to age four, then has a guaranteed place at a partner MK for K1 and K2.

Which should you consider?

  • If both parents work, a full-day childcare or infant care centre fits the schedule.
  • If you prefer shorter hours, a kindergarten or half-day programme may suit.
  • If affordability matters most, look first at Anchor and Partner Operator centres, then apply the subsidy.

General information. We do not rank or recommend a “best” preschool — the right choice depends on your family.

Sources

  1. Types of Preschools Available — Made For Families (Government of Singapore) (as of October 2026)
  2. Anchor Operator Scheme (AOP) — Early Childhood Development Agency (as of October 2026)
  3. Partner Operator Scheme (POP) — Early Childhood Development Agency (as of October 2026)