Parenting Guide

What Should You Be Looking for in a Preschool?

Choosing a preschool feels a bit like choosing your child’s first tiny universe. Exciting, adorable, mildly stressful, possibly life-changing. You stand there thinking, “Okay… how do I know which one won’t give my kid emotional damage and is also near enough for me to survive the morning traffic?”

Suppose that sounds like you, congratulations. You are a normal parent. And you’re not alone. We spoke to Zatil Hanan binti Shahlan, a parent who works at the Accountant General’s Department of Malaysia and, more importantly, is a mum who has survived this exact preschool-choosing chaos.

By the end of this little journey, you’ll know what actually matters when picking a preschool, what you should pay attention to, and what parts you can stop overthinking. (We see you, parents Googling at 2 AM.)

1. Safety and Environment

Before we talk about fancy curriculum philosophies or whether the school has a mud kitchen, every parent has one instinctive thought: “Will my child be safe here?”

For Zatil, this was the dealbreaker.  “Safety, a positive environment, reasonable fees, and a convenient location, those were my biggest priorities,” she told us. “I wanted a place where my child could feel secure and comfortable.”

And she’s right. You can feel the “energy” of a preschool the moment you walk in. Some places feel warm and inviting, like a giant hug. Some feel like a waiting room in a clinic.

Your child will spend hours there. So, trust your senses.

Look for spaces that are clean, bright, childproofed, and have teachers who look like they actually enjoy being around tiny humans.

2. The Curriculum

AKA how they turn chaos into a learning session. Preschool curricula come in all flavours: Montessori, Reggio Emilia, play-based, traditional, forest school, thematic learning, the list goes on.

But here’s the secret no one tells you: There is no “best” curriculum, only what works for your child.

If your kid has the energy level of a small tornado, a play-based environment might let them explore without being told to sit still every 12 seconds.

If your child likes order, routine, and knowing what comes next, Montessori or a structured programme might make them feel secure.

For Zatil, academics weren’t the star of the show. “I focused more on whether my child would feel safe and eager to learn, rather than the academic curriculum,” she said. “Warm, attentive teachers mattered more.”

At this age, a good curriculum should build curiosity, confidence, creativity, and social skills. If a child enjoys learning, everything else follows.

3. Teachers

Teachers are the heartbeat of a preschool. You can have a beautiful campus and the cutest learning corners, but if the teachers are tired, stressed, or yelling across the room?

Run.

Teachers shape your child’s emotional world. Their patience, tone, warmth, and presence matter more than any textbook. Zatil completely agrees. She admitted she had concerns at first about how the teachers handled young children. Instead of worrying silently, she observed everything. She asked questions. She checked in.

“It reassured me, especially when my child was initially anxious about school,” she said.

Comforting, nurturing teachers can be the difference between a child who cries at the gate… and a child who runs in excitedly yelling, “BYE MUMMY!”

Also, check the teacher-to-student ratio. If there are more kids than adults, you might want to consider it because that’s not a class. That’s a survival game.

4. Learning Through Play

Preschoolers don’t ‘study’. Instead, they play. And through play, their little brains go into full superhero training mode. They learn problem-solving, language, social rules, creativity, confidence… all while stacking blocks or pretending to cook plastic noodles.

A good preschool knows that play is not a break from learning. It is learning.

Look for schools that mix structured activities with lots of free play, outdoor exploration, art, music, and storytelling.

Kids need space to imagine, experiment, and—brace yourself—make mistakes. Some of the greatest learning comes from accidentally knocking over someone else’s Lego tower and then figuring out how to fix the disaster.

5. Communication between Teachers and Parents

Parents and teachers are basically co-managers of one tiny human. So communication must be healthy.

For Zatil, quick and simple updates work best. “I prefer WhatsApp. Monthly updates are enough, as long as I’m told immediately if there’s anything important.”

That’s the kind of transparency you want. You shouldn’t have to wonder what your child did all week. You shouldn’t have to chase the school for information. You shouldn’t feel like the school is hiding things.

A good preschool keeps you in the loop with progress updates, observations, and honest conversations.

6. Diversity and Inclusivity

We live in a multicultural world, and preschool is often the first place children encounter people who look, speak, or live differently from them.

A school that values diversity is a school that teaches empathy, openness, and respect—skills your child will use forever.

Look for classrooms that celebrate languages, cultures, and differences. Children learn acceptance by experiencing it, not just hearing it.

7. Trust Your Gut

After touring a school, pay attention to how you feel. But also—watch your child. Did they cling to your leg like a koala? Or did they wander off because something on the wall looked fun?

Sometimes your instincts say, “Yes, this is the place.” Sometimes they say, “Nope. We’re leaving.”

Zatil shared, “It matters more that my child enjoys going to school than how quickly they learn. When they feel happy and supported, the learning naturally follows.”

And honestly, that might be the real heart of preschool choosing.

A Confident Start to a Bright Future

Picking a preschool is a big decision, but not an impossible one. Look for safety. Look for warmth. Look for teachers who truly care. Look for a curriculum that makes learning joyful.

And most importantly, look for a place where your child feels happy to show up.

Because the right preschool is not just a building, it’s a second home—a launchpad. And most importantly, it is a place where tiny humans discover the joy of learning, one messy craft project at a time.