Preschool · Checklist
Preschool tour checklist
Walk into every centre visit knowing what to look for and what to ask, so you can compare centres on the same things afterwards. Tick a box for each centre as you cover it.
Download the PDF (A4, 2 pages)Open to print
Use it with: Preschool comparison workbook · How to get a preschool place in time for your return to work
1Before the visit
- Book a visit at a time children are in class, not only after hours
- Write down the three things that matter most to your family
- Bring your comparison worksheet so you can fill in the unknowns
2Getting there
- Try the route at your real drop-off time
- Check shelter on the walk from the car park, bus stop or MRT
- Ask where you park or wait at pick-up
3In the classroom
- Watch how teachers speak to children at eye level
- Notice whether children can reach toys, books and water on their own
- See where children nap, wash and eat
- Ask how many children and teachers are in your child's class
4Daily care
- Ask what a typical day looks like, including outdoor time
- Ask how meals are prepared and how allergies are handled
- Are meals halal? Ask how the food is prepared and where it comes from
- Ask what happens when a child is unwell during the day
5Talking to the centre
- Ask how teachers update parents and how quickly they reply
- Ask how the first weeks of settling in work
- Ask about the notice period and refund of deposits
6Fees and place
- Get the full fee in writing, with every extra listed
- Ask whether the quote is before or after subsidies
- Ask how the centre will contact you about a place, and when to follow up
7After the visit
- Fill in what you learnt the same day
- Note how your child reacted, if they came along
- Set your next follow-up date
Preschool · Checklist
Questions to ask on your tours
Write each centre's answer in its own column. If a centre cannot answer yet, write a question mark: an unknown is not a zero and not a bad sign, just something to follow up.
| Question | Centre A | Centre B | Centre C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | |||
| What is the monthly fee, and is it before or after subsidies? | |||
| Which monthly charges are on top of the fee?Meals, transport, enrichment | |||
| What do we pay once at the start, and is the deposit refundable?Registration, deposit, uniforms, materials | |||
| Daily life | |||
| How long is the trip at drop-off time on a weekday?Door to door, one way, in minutes | |||
| What time can we drop off? | |||
| What is the latest pick-up time, and is there a late fee? | |||
| Which programme types have places for our child's age?Full day, half day, flexi, kindergarten | |||
| Learning and care | |||
| Which Mother Tongue Languages are taught, and how often? | |||
| How do you help a new child settle in during the first weeks? | |||
| How and how often do teachers update parents? | |||
| Place | |||
| Where do we stand for our target start month?Enquired, on waitlist, offered | |||
We do not rank preschools or predict admission. Check fees, subsidies and vacancies with each centre. Enrolment is arranged with each centre directly; find centres on LifeSG under Services, Search For A Preschool.
Source: ECDA, Preschool Search, ecda.gov.sg/parents/preschool-search (checked 10 October 2026). Checklist wording is RaisingAngels.sg's own and matches the Preschool Comparison Workbook.
Updated 10 October 2026. Print on A4, portrait, black and white is fine. Take one copy to every visit.