Selected Preschools in Penang

Apple Tree Nursery & Kindergarten is located in Tanjung Bungah, Penang. They offer nursery (2-4 years), kindergarten (5-6 years) and after school care (7-12 years) programmes for children that focus on holistic learning. The centre was founded in 2003 by their devoted principal, Karen Lau.

The centre uses a trilateral approach in their educational programmes. Their method is based around a concept called the ‘Hands, Head and Heart’, where the hands represent behaviour, heart represents emotion, and head represents cognition or knowledge.

Apple Tree strongly believes in these three aspects working together to create a well-balanced child. Their holistic approach shows that a combination of both academic and non-academic growth is possible for young learners.

Opened in 2019, Corrington Premium Preschool, Bayan Lepas, offers an exclusive preschool experience for children aged two to six. The school’s sprawling campus is equipped with various facilities, including a gym, a dance room, and a kitchenette—creating a joyous and stimulating environment where children can look forward to exciting activities each day.

The school’s child-centred approach to education involves a holistic balance between Montessori, play-based learning. and a structured framework inspired by the Malaysian National Standard Preschool Curriculum (KSPK) and the British curriculum.

Pupils are further enriched with additional after-school activities such as music and language classes. The goal at Corrington is to nurture individuals with a lifelong love for learning.

Dr Solarise Learning Home, Ayer Itam offers preschool and full day care services for children aged 3 to 6 years. Located within a 2000 square feet shoplot, the preschool is conveniently located on Jalan Paya Terubung, creating a hassle-free pick up and drop off for families. Even before the pandemic, the teachers diligently follow the best practices possible to enhance safety and lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission within their centre.

For the youngest bunch – the 3-year-olds – many multisensory activities are used to introduce the world to them. As they grow older, the eDaya Multimedia Learning Programme and UC Science Programme are integrated into the curriculum. Both are in compliance with the Malaysian National Preschool Standard Curriculum. The eDaya Multimedia Learning Programme features interactive classroom software which comprises animation, songs, stories and entertaining games to boost children’s engagement. Every lesson is well-structured to strengthen the right brain, encourage proper language learning, enhance children’s memory, stimulate their creativity, and improve their thinking abilities.

Funscape Kindergarten, Bayan Lepas is a Multiple Intelligences-inspired preschool that focuses on the holistic development of children. Full daycare services within a safe and hygienic environment are available.

Since children learn best by doing, the programmes at Funscape reflect a myriad of opportunities designed for children to experience new things with all their senses. Children learn how to learn instead of what to learn in a variety of hands-on ways; they sing, dance, paint, tell stories, role play, do inner reflections, exercise and play games. Every year, children also get to perform in magical musicals. With these experiences, children will grow to become more confident to try different things and creative in the ways they approach challenges in life.

Besides, not all children learn at the same pace. Rather than forcing children to study a subject at the same rate as the rest of their classmates, teachers at Funscape advocate for child-led learning. They offer children the opportunity to choose their own activity in the different learning corners set up inside the daycare centre.

Khalifah Intelek, Bandar Putra Bertam is play-based kindergarten with 4 other branches in Kepala Batas, Sungai Dua and Kangar, Perlis. The programmes focus on the educational development of the whole child (intellectual, cognitive, social, emotional and physical development) through play learning. Parents can choose to enroll their children into the half-day or full-day schedule from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

At Khalifah Intelek, they believe that play is the key to learning. It is a powerful tool that helps children develop key skills such as communicating, socialising, self-confidence, problem-solving and many more. Teachers here understand that children learn in different ways, therefore, they provide lots of open-ended play to bring out children’s full potential. Through play, children learn how to learn, which is a vital life skill.

Khalifah Intelek, Sungai Dua Utama is a kindergarten that is committed to providing a play-based, child-centred curriculum that enables children to hone the skills they need to do well in primary school. Within this safe environment, children are given the freedom to learn about the world around them through many fun activities. Caring teachers are trained to respect each child as a unique person who learns in different ways, at differing paces. While they put in their utmost effort to help students develop holistically, they still want children to enjoy their childhood and love their play experiences at school.

The programmes at Khalifah Intelek are built on the belief that play is central to children’s learning and development. “It’s not just play; it’s skills for life.” Play helps them cultivate social skills, become better at communicating, develop physical skills, build confidence, understand academic knowledge, and very importantly, feel happy to learn.

At Harmony Kindergarten, Farlim, children receive exceptional care and guidance from dedicated teachers who prioritise their development and well-being. With a supportive environment and an innovative curriculum focusing on 21st century skills, the preschool nurtures children's potential, showcases their talents and establishes a strong foundation for lifelong learning. It prepares them to navigate an ever-evolving world, ensuring they are properly prepared for primary school and life.

R.E.A.L. Kids, Relau (Penang) is a specially-designated kindergarten that features a Primary school setup that prepares children for formal education in the future.

The curriculum is designed to provide each child with fun learning through a host of hands-on activities. It also utilizes comprehensive materials and meaningful approaches that facilitate learning. These include project-based and interdisciplinary learning; Multiple Intelligences (MI), and play/game-based learning. Learning becomes natural and fun when children constantly and curiously explore their world while solving problems or challenges at their own pace.

Another important feature of R.E.A.L Kids’ customized curriculum is delivering all-round, balanced education. Offering extracurricular activities like gymnastics and swimming enables children to not only pick up vital life skills, but to also cultivate a healthy and active lifestyle that is beneficial to their overall growth and well-being.

The unique learning experience at R.E.A.L Kids would not be possible without an equally unique group of people - teachers. They are experienced educators who apply child- centred approaches and methods towards teaching and learning. This further enhances or enriches children’s learning experience and shapes their young minds into confident learners.

Starbright Kindergarten, Simpang Ampat aims to give young children an experiential early learning journey that is both fun and enjoyable. The preschool accepts children ages 18 months to 6 years, and has branches in Taman Bagan and Chai Leng Park, Penang.

The founder and group principal of Starbright Kindergarten, Ms Khaw, strives to break away from traditional rote learning where children only memorised facts and focused on test results. Instead, she wants to provide a wholesome, well-rounded education that encourages creativity and critical thinking, not to mention heaps of joy.

To do so, Starbright uses a curriculum that is based on their unique 5Q Development System. The 5Q’s are Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ), Creative Quotient (CQ), Life Skill Quotient (LSQ) and Physical Health Quotient (PHQ). When all the quotients are balanced, children become multifaceted citizens of the world who are ready to face future learning and the world on their own.

Starbright Kindergarten celebrates 20 years of providing progressive education and care to families in its community. The kindergarten continues to strive towards “Caring, Encouraging and Educating” young children by opening its third branch in Taman Bagan, Butterworth Penang – this being its flagship centre.

To prepare children for what lies ahead, Starbright Kindergarten emphasises on all-round personal development, as well as academic excellence. This is done through their 5Q Development System – it encompasses Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ), Creative Quotient (CQ), Life Skill Quotient (LSQ) and Physical Health Quotient (PHQ). The system helps children build up the 8 Multiple Intelligences for life – 1. Word Smart, 2. Number Smart, 3. Picture Smart, 4. Body Smart, 5. Self-Smart, 6. People Smart, 7. Music Smart, 8. Nature Smart. Overall, it polishes children’s ability to shine not only in the context of academics but also as individuals in the global community.