Play is the work of childhood

By Katie Terry, Owner  & Rohini Ramada, Principal, Rain Trees International Kindergarten.

If you’ve started looking for the right kindergarten for your child, you’ll already know how overwhelming it can be. Some schools offer sleek facilities, others boast early academics.

But at Rain Trees, we focus on something far more powerful: what children really need in the early years to thrive for life.

I’ve been passionate about developing Rain Trees International Kindergarten  since 2012, to provide the very best for our students for all the right reasons. At Rain Trees we follow  our natural instincts to care and nurture our children as if they were our own, but we also follow the science to provide the best learning environment to develop their  pre-school skills and  provide a solid foundation of learning  –  our children get the best start to their school journey.

Just speak to any of our parents, past or present, they always say the same thing, we’ve got the balance right.

“The teachers are highly qualified and experienced and genuinely care about providing the best learning experience for each child. The smaller size of the school makes the children feel safe and secure in their environment and the outdoor space means they get to play outside in nature everyday”. 

Raintrees parent Georgia Daniel (Google review).

Small Class Sizes making a Big Impact

At Rain Trees, our deliberately small class sizes aren’t just a comfort — they’re backed by research. A longitudinal study from the University of Tennessee (Project STAR) found that children in smaller classes in the early years perform better academically and socially, with benefits that continue into adulthood. In fact, the greatest gains were seen when class sizes were reduced before the age of 8.

Small groups mean our team can truly understand each child’s learning style, temperament, and unique needs. It allows us to support development in a way that’s personal, responsive and, most importantly, effective.

Outdoor Space is Essential

In Singapore, outdoor space is at a premium. That’s why our large garden and outdoor classrooms are such a defining part of Rain Trees. We don’t see outdoor time as a break from learning, we see it as learning.

According to the American Academy of Paediatrics, outdoor play contributes to better motor skills, reduced stress, stronger immunity, and even enhanced attention spans. A UK study also found that children who learn in natural settings show greater enthusiasm, improved communication, and stronger problem-solving skills.

At Rain Trees, we’ve carefully designed our outdoor environment to be both safe and stimulating, where mud kitchens, kitchen garden, bug hunts and water play, for example, are as valuable as story time or numeracy games.

Brain Development Peaks Before Age 5

The first five years of life represent the most critical period for brain development — with over 90% of brain growth occurring before a child turns five. Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child confirms that during this time, children form more than 1 million neural connections every second.

This window is when children’s capacity for learning, forming relationships, developing self-regulation and curiosity is at its highest.

At Rain Trees, our early years curriculum (based on the EYFS – British Curriculum) is designed specifically to nurture this development, not rush it. We focus on the foundations for lifelong learning — critical thinking, social confidence, resilience — rather than premature academics.

Fun Is Not Frivolous, It’s Fundamental

We believe something very simple: children learn best when they’re having fun. And that’s not just philosophy — it’s neuroscience. Play activates the brain’s reward systems and supports the development of executive function skills, which are essential for everything from planning and memory to self-control.

As early years specialist Kathy Hirsh-Pasek puts it so well, “Play is the work of childhood.”

Through play, children explore their world, test ideas, express emotions and connect with others. That’s why at Rain Trees, learning looks like dancing, building, painting, chatting, running, and always, laughing.

At Rain Trees, we don’t just know the science — we live it. Our team brings deep early years experience, a passion for nurturing each child, and a firm belief in the power of play-based learning. Families choose us not for flashy technology or rigid academics, but because we honour what the early years are meant to be: a time of joy, growth and wonder.

Come and see our small classes, big garden and fun learning in action. Arrange to visit Rain Trees or speak to the team to learn more.

References

Play is the work of childhood: https://www.royalgazette.com/other/lifestyle/article/20110203/letting-your-children-be-children/

Why small class sizes matter: https://classsizematters.org/research-and-links/

Playing outside why it’s important for kids: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/power-of-play/Pages/playing-outside-why-its-important-for-kids.aspx

Benefits of learning in natural settings: https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/file/5883452499427328

Brain Architecture: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/brain-architecture/