Another year, another leap for Kinderland’s Start Small Dream Big (SSDB) initiative to foster compassion and understanding among our children. The SSDB initiative is part of the Early Childhood Development Agency’s (ECDA) efforts. It encourages preschools to create authentic platforms where children can innovate, problem-solve, and use their unique strengths to help others.

Kinderland’s SSDB initiative is about inspiring children to learn the joy of giving through simple acts of care and empathy (Children from Kinderland Preschool @ Ministry of National Development)

This year’s SSDB theme is Beary Kind Love. We turned this initiative into a hands-on learning experience that fosters kindness, care, and empathy among our young learners. From May to August, 12 Kinderland centres organised a series of fundraising events, collectively raising more than $18,000 for our beneficiaries, Lions Befrienders (LB). This is by far the largest amount our centres have raised from this initiative. But our efforts extend beyond the financial contributions.

Group photo of children and teachers from Kinderland Academy @ Yio Chu Kang elderly from Lions Befrienders

Our activities were thoughtfully designed to provide opportunities for children to develop valuable life skills, not just raise funds. By planning and executing these events, our budding entrepreneurs could showcase their problem-solving abilities, mathematical skills, and even innovation. Kinderland’s approach of translating classroom lessons into real-world activities made learning more engaging and relatable.

Learning through Action: Children from Kinderland Preschool @ Marine Parade (left) and Kinderland Preschool @ Choa Chu Kang (Sunshine Place) (right) learn entrepreneurship skills while managing the booth

Learning through Action: Children from Kinderland Preschool @ Woodlands Mart (Sunshine Place) learn communicative skills while managing the food booth

Perhaps the most heartfelt aspect of this initiative was the inclusion of elderly members from LB in some of our centres’ events. This intergenerational bonding went beyond mere social inclusivity.It created opportunities for our children to interact with the elderly, allowing them to learn empathy and kindness in a profound and personal way.

Our Kindergarten 2 child from Kinderland Preschool @ Hougang guided the elderly during a Bingo session.

Building bridges across generations: An elderly engages in joyful play with our children from Kinderland Preschool @ Ministry of Manpower

Kinderland’s involvement with the SSDB initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to nurturing our children into compassionate and thoughtful individuals. By taking both significant and subtle steps, we are paving the way for a future where empathy and care become core values for the next generation.
Since 2018, Kinderland has worked in partnership with LB, enhancing the lives of more than 86,000 seniors by promoting healthy aging and social connections. In the past five year, Kinderland has contributed over $54,000 in monetary and in-kind donations. We look forward to continuing our partnership with LB and supporting their work with seniors in the years to come.