Pre-nursery and playgroup in Singapore: ages, fees and how to choose

Pre-nursery in Singapore is the preschool class for children in the year they turn 3, using ECDA's level names, and playgroup is the class before it, from 18 months until a child turns 3. Both run in childcare centres, full day or half day, and in kindergartens, half day only. Across the 1,721 centres in our directory that list a full-day pre-nursery fee with ECDA, the median is $650 a month for a Singapore Citizen child, before subsidies and GST. A working mother's citizen child gets at least $300 a month off a full-day place.

This guide sets out the level names and ages, what each kind of centre charges, which subsidy applies, and how to compare centres when you are looking for the best playgroup or pre-nursery near you. Fees come from ECDA's open data and rules from ECDA's and MOE's pages, all read on 11 October 2026.

Preschool levels and ages in Singapore

Centres use these names in different ways, and some brands call a class for 2-year-olds "pre-nursery". ECDA's levels go by the year your child turns a given age:

So a child born in 2023 is in pre-nursery in 2026 and starts K1 in 2028. MOE calls the year before K1 "Nursery 2". When a centre names a class, ask which birth year it takes.

Childcare centre or kindergarten?

Playgroup and pre-nursery classes sit in two kinds of centre, and the choice decides your hours and your subsidy.

• A childcare centre takes children from 18 months to below 7 years. It runs a full day from 7am to 7pm and may offer half-day or flexible care. Childcare subsidies apply.
• A kindergarten takes children from 18 months to below 7 years too, but runs half-day programmes and closes in the MOE school holidays. KiFAS, the kindergarten subsidy, applies only at Anchor Operator and MOE kindergartens.

If both parents work full time, a full-day childcare place is usually simpler than a half-day class plus other care. MOE Kindergartens start only at K1, so families who want one later often choose a partner Early Years Centre for the younger years; our MOE Kindergarten guide explains the link.

What pre-nursery and playgroup cost

These are monthly full-day fees for a citizen child, before subsidies and GST, across every centre in our preschool directory, from ECDA's data downloaded on 11 October 2026:

The median sits at $650 because so many centres are run by government-supported operators with fee caps. From 1 January 2026, Anchor Operators charge at most $610 a month for full-day childcare, and Partner Operators at most $650 for full day and $490 for half day, all before GST. My First Skool, one of the Anchor Operators, lists childcare from playgroup to K2 from $610 a month. Private centres set their own fees, up to $4,490 in our data.

Town pages show the spread near you. In Tampines, for example, 122 centres offer pre-nursery, with full-day fees from $610 to $2,565 a month; see Tampines, Sengkang or Punggol, or pick your own town.

Subsidies for pre-nursery and playgroup

At a childcare centre, a citizen child gets the childcare subsidy. If the mother works at least 56 hours a month, full-time, part-time or freelance, the basic subsidy for full-day care is $300, plus an additional subsidy of up to $467 for households earning $12,000 a month or less. If she does not work, the basic subsidy is $150. Since 9 December 2024, families earning $6,000 a month or less, or $1,500 per person, get the full subsidy whether or not the mother works; from 1 January 2027 that rises to $7,500, or $1,700 per person.

That is ECDA's full-day table for 2026. From 2027 the amounts stay the same, the bands widen and the ceiling rises to $15,000. For half-day childcare, working or not, the basic subsidy is $150. Our childcare subsidy calculator works out your share, and our fee cap checker shows whether a centre is under a cap.

At a kindergarten, the subsidy is KiFAS, and only at Anchor Operator and MOE kindergartens; ECDA says children in private kindergartens cannot get it. ECDA does not say whether KiFAS covers a kindergarten's pre-nursery class as well as K1 and K2, so ask the kindergarten. Our KiFAS calculator covers the amounts. The Baby Bonus Child Development Account can pay registration fees, programme fees and deposits at childcare centres and kindergartens.

How to find the best playgroup for your child

No official ranking of playgroups or pre-nurseries exists, and the best one is usually the good centre you can reach easily every morning. These official tools help you compare:

• LifeSG's "Search for a preschool", under Services in the app. Log in with Singpass and it shows estimated fees after your subsidies.
• SPARK, ECDA's voluntary quality mark. As of 30 September 2026, 843 centres were SPARK-certified and 145 held the higher Commendation.
• ECDA's list of new preschools opening near you, on its preschool search page.
• Our directory, which shows each centre's fees by citizenship, other charges, hours, and the date it last updated them with ECDA.

On a visit, ECDA suggests asking about the programme and curriculum, the staff-to-child ratio, safety and emergency plans, the CCTV policy, meals, and the enrolment terms, which each centre sets for itself. Watch how teachers talk to the children, and ask how they settle a new child. Our guide to choosing a preschool in Singapore has a fuller checklist, and our guide to separation anxiety at childcare helps with the first weeks.

What children learn at this age

ECDA's Early Years Development Framework guides centre-based care from birth to 3, which covers playgroup. MOE's Nurturing Early Learners framework shapes the curriculum for children aged 4 to 6, across five learning areas: aesthetics and creative expression, discovery of the world, health and motor skills, language and literacy, and numeracy. Pre-nursery, the year a child turns 3, sits between the two, so ask the centre which approach it follows. Our guide to free play vs structured play covers what to look for in a day's timetable.

Frequently asked questions

What age is pre-nursery in Singapore?

By ECDA's naming, pre-nursery is for children who turn 3 during the year. Playgroup comes before it, from 18 months until a child turns 3, and nursery follows in the year they turn 4.

What is the difference between playgroup and pre-nursery?

Age and class size. Playgroup takes children from 18 months to below 3 with one teacher to eight children; pre-nursery takes children turning 3, with one teacher to twelve. Some centres use the names differently, so ask which birth year a class takes.

How much is pre-nursery in Singapore?

The median full-day fee across 1,721 centres was $650 a month on 11 October 2026, before subsidies and GST, with a range of $575.96 to $4,390. Anchor Operators cap full-day childcare at $610 and Partner Operators at $650.

Can I get a subsidy for playgroup?

Yes, at a childcare centre: $300 a month basic for full-day care if the mother works at least 56 hours a month, plus up to $467 means-tested, or $150 if she does not work. Families earning $6,000 or less get the full subsidy either way.

Is half-day pre-nursery cheaper?

Usually. Partner Operators cap half-day childcare at $490 a month before GST, against $650 for full day, and the half-day basic subsidy is $150.