Top 5 Questions to Ask When Visiting a Preschool (And How Genius Gems Answers Them)

A preschool tour can feel overwhelming: bright classrooms, friendly staff, a folder of brochures. The centres all start to blur together. The fix is to arrive with a short list of sharp questions — and to pay as much attention to how a centre answers as to what it says. Here are the five questions we believe every parent should ask, and how we answer them at Genius Gems.

1. "How many children are in each class — and who teaches them?"

Why it matters: class size determines how much individual attention, conversation, and emotional support your child actually receives (we've written a full article on why small class sizes are crucial).

How Genius Gems answers: we deliberately keep classes small so every child is genuinely known by their teachers. Our educators are qualified, and our director and principal are personally in the school daily — leadership you will actually meet on your tour, not names on a letterhead.

2. "What curriculum do you follow, and how is a day structured?"

Why it matters: "we do phonics and Mandarin" is a list, not a curriculum. A strong centre can explain the framework behind the day and what it is building toward.

How Genius Gems answers: we teach the Blossom curriculum, blending Singapore's ECDA framework with globally inspired methodologies across four areas — character development, core learning (English, Chinese, Mathematics), supporting learning, and enrichment. You can read a full walkthrough here.

3. "How bilingual is the programme, really?"

Why it matters: many centres advertise bilingualism but deliver a single short Chinese period a day. Immersion — where children hear and use Mandarin naturally throughout the day — produces very different results.

How Genius Gems answers: our programme is 100% bilingual. Dedicated Chinese educators speak, sing, and play with the children in Mandarin daily, supported by Chinese Performing Arts enrichment. Ask to observe a session and listen for yourself — we encourage it.

4. "What about meals, safety, and daily care?"

Why it matters: your child will eat, nap, play, and occasionally stumble here. The unglamorous details are the ones you will live with every day.

How Genius Gems answers: Full Day enrolment includes nutritious meals and snacks, and we accommodate common dietary requirements. Our environment is safe and nurturing by design, with a large outdoor playground for daily big-muscle play, and we are open 7:00am–7:00pm on weekdays to fit working parents' schedules.

5. "What are the full fees — and what help is available?"

Why it matters: ask for the complete picture: monthly fees, what is included, and which subsidies apply. Hidden extras (enrichment charges, materials fees) can add up quickly at some centres.

How Genius Gems answers: transparently. Full Day is $1,420/month and Half Day is $1,088/month, with all four enrichment programmes included and uniform sets free for new students. Eligible families receive the Basic Subsidy of $300/month and an Additional Subsidy of up to $467/month — and we help you apply. Current promotions, including sibling and refer-a-friend discounts, are listed on our fees section.

Three More Questions Worth Squeezing In

"Can we spend time here before committing?" The answer tells you how confident a centre is in its daily reality. Look for a centre that offers unhurried tours, welcomes your child along, and runs open events where you can watch activities happen live rather than staged. Genius Gems runs Open House Saturdays across August and September 2026 for exactly this purpose — admission is free, children are welcome, and there is no fixed timetable to follow.

"How will I know what my child did all day?" A good centre communicates with parents regularly and welcomes conversation at pick-up — you should never feel you are handing your child into a black box. Ask how teachers share updates, and how quickly concerns are raised with you.

"How much time do children spend outdoors and beyond the centre?" Big-muscle play is not a break from learning; it is part of it. Ask whether outdoor play happens daily and where. At Genius Gems, children use our large outdoor playground every day, and the year includes more than four excursions that take learning out into Singapore itself.

Bonus: Watch for the Answers Nobody Says Out Loud

While you tour, notice the things that can't be scripted: do teachers crouch to children's eye level? Do children approach staff freely and happily? Is children's own artwork on the walls? Does the person showing you around know the children's names? Those small signals often tell you more than any brochure.

Come and Ask Us Everything

We genuinely enjoy hard questions from parents — they are how trust is built. Book a tour of our Changi centre, or drop in on an Open House Saturday where our whole team, including our director, is on hand to answer anything. Getting here is easy too — see directions by MRT, bus, and car.