Is it kiasu to send our kids to Chinese enrichment programs during the school holidays?
Apparently not, if the programs listed in this feature are anything to go by. In fact, Chinese school holiday programs are all about fun, enrichment and engagement.
With so many choices, where do you start?
Here are my considerations when choosing a program for my kids:
- Which areas do you wish to develop more? Oral skills, word recognition, creative writing?
- What do you get for your money? For example, if it is a program that you can’t get anywhere else, it is likely to cost a bit more.
- Do the kids have anything to show for at the end of the program? A presentation, a mini portfolio of work done? After all, we drop them off and the only feedback is from the kids themselves (Mom: “How was class?”. Kid: “Good”)
- Class size and if there are excursions, teacher-student ratio
- Location
Here’s what the centres we interviewed have to say (scroll further down for the listing):
CHENGZHU: “Our holiday programmes for school aged students help to maintain a consistency of learning during the holidays without all the pressures of school study and homework. Allowing children a sense of achievement is important. So on the final day of each programme, we invite parents in to enjoy presentations or performances by the children that they have created with their teacher.”
EDUGROVE: “We wish to instil in children that the language skills & keywords that are learned through vocabulary games & drama activities during EduGrove’s classes, can also be applied in their everyday lives and their academic studies.”
HUA: “Learning should never stop, even after we leave school! Whether or not learning is burdensome depends on how it is delivered. An effective class can still be delivered in a fun way if the teacher makes the extra effort to do so. ”
LITTLE MANDARINS: “Our weekly themed holiday camp let our campers learn Mandarin in a hands-on environment with lots of activities and games. Children learn best when they are having fun and by incorporating storytelling, speech & drama, arts & crafts, brush painting, indoor & outdoor games, the children get to learn, practise their language skill and PLAY.”
KIDSTARTNOW: “Our speech and drama camps are focused on helping kids to 1) develop a deep passion for learning Chinese, and 2) improve their oral confidence. After a year of academic learning, we believe holiday camps need to be fun and stress-free, with minimal writing and drilling.”
SINGAPORE MEDIA ACADEMY: “Giving them the experience of being a reporter is unique, interesting and refreshing as well, being in front of the camera, looking at one another present news that they have written makes it a fun experience. They develop interest for the language and from there, learning the language is driven by interest and passion. ”
TIEN HSIA: “Our immersion program is popular for its great balance of fun and enriching activities, combining half day of exciting outings with half day of interactive speech & oral workshop.”
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS NOVEMBER 2018
- Little Mandarins 华文小天地
- 小小科学家 （4-9 years old）
Date: 19 – 23 November
Time: 9:45am to 12:45pm
Cost: $330 1st child / $310 per sibling
- 穿越时空 (4-9 years old)
Date: 26 – 30 November
Time: 9:45am to 12:45pm
Cost: $330 1st child / $310 per sibling
For more info, visit: http://little-mandarins.com/holiday-classes2
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2. Chengzhu 成竹
- 小老虎的奇特本领 （3 – 4 years old）
Date: 26 – 30 November
Time: 11:30am to 1:30pm
Cost: $430
- 小蚂蚁历险记 （3 – 4 years old）
Date: 26 – 30 November
Time: 9am to 11am OR 11:30am to 1:30pm
Cost: $440
- 嘘 – 月亮出来了 (5 – 6 years old)
Date: 26 – 30 November
Time: 9am to 11am OR 11:30am to 1:30pm
Cost: $430
- 生肖的由来 (5 – 6 years old)
Date: 26 – 30 November
Time: 9am to 11am or 2pm to 4pm
Cost: $440
- 红树林探险 (7 – 8 years old)
Date: 26 – 30 November
Time: 9am to 11:30am
Cost: $540
- 趣味动画室 (9 – 10 years old)
Date: 26 – 30 November
Time: 1:30pm to 4pm
Cost: $540
For more info, visit: https://www.chengzhu.edu.sg/mandarin-centre/holiday-programmes/
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3. EduGrove 格乐悟
- 谁偷了包子？(3 – 4 years old)
Date: 26 – 30 November
Time: 9am to 11am
Cost: $330
- 神探狗汪汪 (5 – 6 years old)
Date: 26 – 30 November
Time: 9am to 12pm
Cost: $400
For more info, visit: https://www.edugrove.com.sg/our-programmes/holiday-programmes/
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4. KidStartNow 熊猫博士语文学堂
- Chinese Speech & Drama Camp （3 – 6 years old）
Date: 20 – 23 November
Time: 9am to 12:30pm
Cost: $380 after early bird discount (registration by 14th November)
- Chinese Speech & Drama Camp （6 – 8 years old）
Date: 27 – 30 November
Time: 9am to 2:30pm
Cost: $480 after early bird discount (registration by 14th November)
For more info, visit: http://www.kidstartnow.com/special-offers/holiday-camp
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5. HUA Language Centre
- 行行出状元 (5 – 12 years old)
Date: 26 – 30 November
Time: 9am to 5pm daily
Cost: $508.25
For more info, visit: https://www.hua.com.sg/
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6. Tien Hsia Language School
- 5-Day Fun-With-Mandarin Workshop (4 – 9 years old)
Date: 19 – 23 November, 26 – 30 November
Time:9am to 5pm daily
Cost: $395.20/5 days
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS DECEMBER 2018
- Singapore Media Academy
- 中文假期班 (6 – 12 years old)
Date: 4 – 6 December
Time: 2:30pm to 5:30pm
Cost: $454.75*
- 小记者工作坊 (9 – 12 years old)
Date: 11 – 13 December
Time: 9:30am to 12:30pm
Cost: $502.90
For more info, visit: http://www.mediaacademy.sg/page/HOLIDAY-COURSES/list-of-courses
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2. Edugrove 格乐悟
- 神探狗汪汪 (5 – 6 years old)
Date: 3 – 7 December
Time: 9am to 12pm
Cost: $400
- 想当侦探的国王 (7 to 8 years old)
Date: 3 – 7 December
Time: 9am to 12pm
Cost: $400
For more info, visit: https://www.edugrove.com.sg/our-programmes/holiday-programmes/
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3. KidStartNow 熊猫博士语文学堂
- Chinese Speech & Drama Camp (3 – 6 years old)
Date: 11 – 14 December or 18 – 21 December (New Upper Changi Road only)
Time: 9am to 12:30pm
Cost: $380 after early bird discount (registration by 14th November)
OR
Date: 4 – 7 December (Hougang St 21 only)
Time: 9am to 12:30pm
Cost: $380 after early bird discount (registration by 14th November)
- Chinese Speech & Drama Camp (6 – 8 years old)
Date: 4 – 7 December (New Upper Changi Road)
Time: 9am to 2:30pm
Cost: $480 after early bird discount (registration by 14th November)
OR
Date: 11 – 14 December (Hougang St 21 only)
Time: 9am to 2:30pm
Cost: $480 after early bird discount (registration by 14th November)
For more info, visit: http://www.kidstartnow.com/special-offers/holiday-camp
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4. Tien Hsia Language School
- 5-Day Fun-With-Mandarin Workshop (4 – 9 years old)
Date:3 – 7 December, 10 – 14 December, 3 – 7 December
Time:9am to 5pm daily
Cost: $395.20/5 days
For more info, visit: http://www.tienhsia.com/programmes/holiday-programmes/
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5. Little Mandarins 华文小天地
- 小小科学家 (4-9 years old)
Date: 10 – 14 December
Time: 9:45am to 2:15pm
Cost: $500 1st child / $460 per sibling
- 穿越时空 (4-9 years old)
Date: 17 – 21 December
Time: 9:45am to 2:15pm
Cost: $500 1st child / $460 per sibling
- 欢乐农场 (4-9 years old)
Date: 3 – 7 December
Time: 9:45am to 2:15pm
Cost: $500 1st child / $460 per sibling
OR
Date: 24 – 28 December (No camp on 25 December)
Time: 9:45am to 2:15pm
Cost: $400 1st child / $370 per sibling
For more info, visit: http://little-mandarins.com/holiday-classes/
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6. HUA Language Centre
- 行行出状元 (5 – 12 years old)
Date: 3 – 7 December
Time: 9am to 5pm daily
Cost: $508.25
For more info, visit: https://www.hua.com.sg/
THE END