Why do parents choose Heartfield Kindergarten? What makes our homely kindergarten so fondly remembered after all these years?
Some parents say that it’s the calm, joyful atmosphere they feel the moment they step inside. Others point to how their children grew in confidence and curiosity. Yet others have expressed how much more ready their kids are for Primary One.
Centred on your child, Heartfield’s curriculum encourages exploration, conversation, and creative thinking. Language is used meaningfully throughout the day. Activities are hands-on, sensory-rich, and rooted in real-world experiences.
In this article, you will learn what makes Heartfield Kindergarten unique. You will discover how our child-led, multi-sensory, and bilingual learning approach supports your child’s transition to primary school. You will also learn how our indoor and outdoor spaces are designed to reflect each child’s voice, and hear directly from parents whose children have grown with us.
Founded from the Heart
Heartfield Kindergarten began in 1995 as a small schoolhouse called Little Hands (Pte Ltd), founded by educator Sherlyn Lee. After 18 years of running the kindergarten, she relocated the school to Balmoral Road, where it became known as Heartfield, with “heart” representing the pulse of early development, and “field” referring to the space each child needs to thrive.
Sherlyn’s journey as an educator began in Singapore and continued in the United States and the United Kingdom. She holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Hawaii and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from the University of London.
Having grown up with dyslexia, she often found it difficult to fit into the mould of a traditional student. Those early struggles shaped her conviction that education should accommodate every child’s voice and learning style.
Rather than following a fixed formula, Sherlyn developed a curriculum that is fluid and evolving, one that teaches children how to think and learn, rather than only what to know. This is anchored on the core pillars of empathy, creativity, and global perspectives.
Child-Centric Curriculum and Pedagogy
Every classroom at Heartfield is designed to inspire, nurture, and scaffold each child’s learning journey. Lessons are not delivered through rigid instruction. Instead, we create sensory-rich environments that encourage children to think independently, explore deeply, and express themselves with confidence.
Here, school is a safe and welcoming space where children are free to experiment, ask questions, and follow their curiosity. Our teachers respect each child’s pace, personality, and preferred learning style. Activities are flexible and responsive, allowing children to engage in ways that feel natural and meaningful to them.
Heartfield’s curriculum draws on each child’s intrinsic motivation. It is designed to build confidence, independence, and compassion, through ownership of learning, rather than external pressure. Creative problem-solving and open-ended exploration are part of the daily rhythm in every classroom.
Instead of comparison or competition, we place the focus on self-direction and personal growth. The result is a learning experience that nurtures the whole child intellectually, emotionally, and socially.
Multi-Sensory Hands-On Learning
What does multi-sensory hands-on learning at Heartfield look like?
Imagine your child smelling herbs simmering in a pot, tasting slices of fresh fruit they’ve helped prepare, and feeling the cool texture of clay as it softens in their hands. A splash of water draws their attention to how volume shifts. Bright colours swirl across paper, changing with every brushstroke.
This is an example of how Heartfield weaves multi-sensory and hands-on learning into our curriculum. We do so by engaging your child’s full range of senses: touch, smell, sound, movement, sight and spatial awareness. From building with blocks and splashing through water play to layering textures in a sensory art project, our children learn by doing.
These experiences form the foundation of how children grasp language, mathematics, science, and emotional literacy. By making abstract concepts tangible, children are more likely to retain what they’ve learned and apply it in different contexts.
Such a learning approach supports both neurotypical and neurodiverse learners, including those with learning differences. It provides every child with a way to connect, create, and understand—utilising the tools that come most naturally to them.
What Bilingual Learning Looks Like at Heartfield?
In the morning, a child greets their teacher in Mandarin, then joins a cooking activity where ingredients are named in both English and Chinese. During story time, they act out scenes in English. In music sessions, they sing familiar rhymes in Mandarin. As they build with blocks or paint with friends, both languages are naturally woven into questions, jokes, and conversations.
This is how bilingual learning at Heartfield looks like. English and Mandarin are woven naturally into the rhythm of the day. Language is not taught in fixed blocks. Instead, it lives in daily routines, conversations, games, stories, and shared experiences.
Here, Laoshi (老师) isn’t someone your child sees only during Chinese class. She leads art, sports, drama, and cookery too, bringing Mandarin into every part of the learning experience.
Our teachers guide children in using both languages meaningfully, rather than memorising by rote. Children hear, speak, respond to, and create in the context of either or both languages. This allows them to develop linguistic fluency with confidence and ease.
By the time they leave K2, many can express themselves, relate to others, and make sense of the world in both English and Mandarin.
Seamless Transitions to Primary School
At Heartfield, structured learning is introduced gradually, while play remains at the heart of the experience. As a former Primary 1 teacher, our founder, Sherlyn, ensures that children are equipped with the skills they need in a more formal learning environment.
From K1 onwards, children begin to journal, file their work, sequence tasks, and take on longer projects with a sense of joy and purpose. By K2, they’re able to take responsibility for their learning. They manage their own files, reading books, and pack their own bags at the end of each day.
As for K2 students, class routines closely mirror what they will encounter in Primary 1. This includes transitions between activities, managing materials, and working independently, all while maintaining a warm and encouraging tone.
With this balanced approach, our graduates enter Primary 1 with both cognitive readiness and emotional resilience. Many adapt quickly, carrying with them the confidence and independence they’ve built at Heartfield.
Thoughtfully Designed Outdoor and Indoor Spaces
Step outside our classrooms at Heartfield. You’ll see children sketching with chalk, tending to herbs in the garden, navigating an obstacle course, or riding bicycles along a path. Our sprawling outdoor campus at Balmoral Road reflects our overarching belief that learning happens everywhere.
Outdoor activities are an integral part of daily life. From gardening, dramatic play, sports skills (eg dribbling, skipping, catching), or cookery, each outdoor learning experience is carefully planned with intention. Through these experiences, children develop gross and fine motor skills, practice cooperation, take safe risks, and solve problems in real-world contexts.
Inside, our classrooms are calm, warm, and deeply personal. Every wall tells a story of learning in progress. Work is displayed not just as polished outcomes, but as a reflection of each child’s thinking, effort, and growth.
Together, these spaces offer a sense of spaciousness in learning, giving children the freedom to explore, connect, and thrive in their own time.
Here’s What Our Parents Have to Say
Over the years, many families have shared what Heartfield has meant to them. Here are just a few of their reflections:
“We chose Heartfield Kindergarten because of the values, the environment, and the sensitivity with which they opened their doors to us when we arrived in Singapore. Now that we have closed this stage in this loving school, I would like to convey my greatest satisfaction and gratitude to Sherlyn (principal) and all her human and professional team. You have been a fundamental pillar in our daughter’s academic development and emotional well-being.”
— Helena Cabruja
Located at 31 Balmoral Road, we invite you to explore our campus. Call us at +65 6835 2354, email info@HeartfieldKindergarten.com, or fill in our contact us page to arrange a visit.
