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Why the Way We Teach Preschoolers Is Changing

For decades, early education looked the same: a teacher at the front, children at their seats, worksheets to complete, and information to memorise. This model worked for a more predictable world. But the skills that will matter most to today's children critical thinking, creativity, adaptability, collaboration are not built through memorisation. They are built through discovery.

Inquiry-based learning is the pedagogical response to this shift. And in Singapore's most forward-thinking preschools, it is already transforming the way children aged 18 months to 6 years learn, think, and grow.

What Exactly Is Inquiry-Based Learning?

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is an approach where learning is driven by questions, investigation, and discovery rather than the delivery of pre-determined answers.Inquiry-based learning (IBL)

In a traditional classroom, a teacher might say: 'Plants need sunlight to grow. Now colour this worksheet.' In an inquiry classroom, the teacher might bring in two identical plants one placed near a window, one in a dark corner and ask: 'What do you think will happen? Why?'

Children predict, observe, record, discuss, and reflect. They construct understanding rather than receive it. The result is not just knowledge it is the habit of thinking.

The Inquiry Cycle in Practice

Most inquiry programmes follow a structured cycle that looks something like this:

Provocation — A stimulus (an object, a story, a surprising question, a natural material) captures children's attention and curiosity.

Wondering — Children ask questions: 'Why does this happen? What would happen if...? How does..?'

Investigation — Through experiments, observations, conversations, and hands-on exploration, children gather information.

Collaboration — Children share what they've found, discuss, debate, and build on each other's thinking.

Creation — Children express their understanding through models, artwork, performances, writing, or presentations.

Reflection — Children revisit their original questions and assess what they've learned. Often, new questions emerge.

Why This Approach Works for Young Children

Young children are natural inquirers. They arrive in the world asking 'why?' about everything. Traditional schooling often suppresses this instinct. Inquiry-based learning honours it and channels it into structured, purposeful learning.

Research consistently shows that children who learn through inquiry develop stronger executive function (the ability to plan, focus, and self-regulate), greater intrinsic motivation, and deeper conceptual understanding than children in purely instructional environments.

What It Looks Like at Different Ages

Playgroup to Nursery 1 (18 months – 3 years)

Inquiry at this age is sensory and exploratory. Children might investigate: 'What floats and what sinks?' or 'What happens when I mix these two colours?' The teacher observes, offers language, and extends the exploration never rushing to provide the answer.

Nursery 2 to Kindergarten 1 (4–5 years)

Children begin to form more sophisticated hypotheses and record observations. A Unit of Inquiry on 'Living Things' might include planting seeds, tracking growth, comparing plants in sunlight vs shade, and presenting findings to the class.

Kindergarten 2 (6 years)

By K2, children lead small group presentations on their research, explain complex ideas in their own words, and answer questions from their peers and parents. These are the habits of mind that serve children throughout their academic careers and beyond.

Inquiry-Based Learning in Singapore's East Coast Preschools

One of Singapore's most established examples of inquiry-based learning in the early years is United World Preschool (UWP) in Katong. Located at i12 Katong on East Coast Road, UWP has built its entire curriculum around monthly Units of Inquiry that explore real-world themes from Transportation and Ecosystems to Space Exploration and Engineering.

Children at UWP investigate how machines work, why public transport is better for the planet than cars, what makes a material float, and how communities are organised through hands-on projects, experiments, field walks, and group presentations. Every unit intentionally layers literacy, numeracy, science, and social learning so that skills are developed in meaningful context rather than in isolation.

As Founder and Director Nidhi Lal explains: children at UWP are seen as budding explorers, future leaders, and unique individuals with a world of potential. The inquiry curriculum is designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the real-world skills children will need to thrive.

UWP is accessible via the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) and serves families across Katong, Joo Chiat, Marine Parade, Meyer Road, and Fort Road.

Get in Touch

📍  #03-09, i12 Katong, 112 East Coast Road, Singapore 428802

🌐  unitedworldpreschool.com/contact

✉️  [email protected]