Raising children for life: Where lessons in kindness and resilience matter as much as ABCs

On occasions like National Day and Mother’s Day, children at Kinderland Academy @ Yio Chu Kang rehearse songs and skits, their small voices and footsteps filling the classrooms.

They then bring this energy next door to the elderly residents of Econ Healthcare, turning an ordinary day into something special with handmade mementoes and performances.

Among them is five-year-old Enzo Low,

who attends Kinderland

with his two-year-old brother Elio. Before each visit, teachers show children from the Nursery, K1 and K2 levels how to interact with the elderly. Children learn to ask residents questions, help those in wheelchairs and connect with them through songs and artwork.

“These thoughtful gestures teach the importance of showing care, empathy for others in their community and respect for their elders,” says Ms Sherilyn Ha, their teacher. 

“The children also learn that the seniors might feel homesick and lonely, and that their presence and engagement can help ease those feelings.”

At home, these lessons have taken root. “These sessions have taught them to cherish their grandparents. They will want to buy gifts for them, or serve them food and water as they are taught to do at the nursing home,” says Enzo and Elio’s mother, Ms Janelle Koh, a 32-year-old sales manager. 

“If their grandparents are feeling unwell, my sons also show them compassion and will sayang (comfort) them without any prompting.”

Building resilience, life skills and more

Another life lesson for Enzo was when he was tasked to sell fundraising tickets valued at $25 each to his peers’ parents as part of Kinderland Academy’s annual

Start Small Dream Big project

. 

At first, his mother observed that he was too shy to approach anyone. But over a few hours, he grew more confident and was able to explain the cause clearly – even initiating conversations with the parents.

“It also taught him the value of money – that it takes effort to earn and it can be used to help others,” notes Ms Koh. “For Elio, tagging along with his brother, it was the beginning of understanding how money works.”

Ms Ha explains that such real-world tasks are essential: “Parents often worry about their children’s social skills, emotional regulation and respect for others. We address this by modelling positive behaviours inside and outside of the classroom, creating group activities that require cooperation and having regular discussions about values.”

“Skills like empathy, resilience and self-control are the foundation for lifelong success. A child may be academically capable, but without these qualities, they may struggle in relationships and problem-solving,” she adds.

It is this hands-on approach that affirmed Ms Koh’s decision to enrol her sons in Kinderland, confident they would grow not only in academics but also in character.

A helping hand

Kinderland’s teachers use daily observations, teacher records and parent feedback to assess children’s growth in responsibility, empathy and teamwork. But it all begins with leading by example.

Ms Ha explains: “Teachers will role-play the appropriate behaviours and the coping mechanisms the children can use when faced with adversity or difficult situations. We also encourage them to say ‘no’ when they don’t want to do something or feel uncomfortable.”

Teachers track progress through daily observations and parent feedback, using positive reinforcements like “good job” or “well done” to encourage continued growth. 

“We stay in close contact with parents about how children are practising these skills at home,” says Ms Ha. “This helps us work together to reinforce the same positive behaviours consistently.”

To help especially shy or introverted children gradually build confidence, she starts by engaging them in one-on-one conversations, then pairing them with supportive peers for small tasks.

“Over time, they gain the courage to speak in small groups and eventually share ideas confidently with the whole class, even initiating play and helping others, too,” she says.

During the centre’s recent ‘Tallest Wonder’ activity, children worked in teams to build the tallest block tower, practising communication, turn-taking, patience and problem-solving. The quieter children became more vocal and confident as they contributed ideas, adds Ms Ha.

Character through structure

Alongside this personalised guidance, character traits are also taught systematically through the Character Building A-Z programme. 

Designed for children aged three to six, this programme aims to develop well-adjusted individuals by instilling strong moral and educational values. It cultivates manners, social responsibility awareness and mindfulness to aid children’s social and emotional development.

The 26 letters represent different qualities for each age level. For K2 children, ‘A’ stands for ‘Admire Mother Nature & Relax’, which encourages children not to spend time on digital screens but to head outdoors to play instead. ‘B’ means ‘Breathe, Deeply & Slowly’, which is a coping mechanism where children count to 10 in their head to manage their emotions.

Each letter represents a quality – from honesty to patience – reinforced daily through stories, songs and activities.

This term, Enzo is learning about resilience through the letter ‘R’. Teachers explain that resilience means not giving up when something is hard. Children practice this through activities like coding exercises, where they guide a ‘robot mouse’ from one point to another. When the mouse does not go where they want, they learn to adjust their approach and keep trying until they succeed.

This lesson has carried over into Enzo’s daily life. ‘If he is stuck on a math problem, he won’t give up. He will just turn to me and say, ‘Mama, what is four plus one? How to do it, do you know?’ He will not just close his book and tell me he is done,” says Ms Koh.

Learn more about Kinderland’s approach to character building and life skills.