When my daughter was just two and a half years old, she began attending a Mandarin Chinese playgroup. In fact, she started at the tender age of 11 months, and I admit, I might have been a bit overenthusiastic! My husband speaks Chinese fluently, but as I don’t, our household primarily functions in English. However, I was fully aware of how a baby’s brain soaks up languages like a sponge, and I wanted to ensure that my daughter had every opportunity to learn Mandarin and appreciate her cultural heritage. As someone of Eurasian descent who never mastered the language, it’s always been a deep regret of mine, and I didn’t want her to miss out on something I wish I had.
Our first playgroup was relatively well-organised, with committed teachers and an enthusiastic curriculum. However, the schedule proved exhausting for both my daughter and me. The classes were twice a week, starting at 9 am, and I even pleaded with the school to make an exception for us, allowing us to attend just once a week, but they declined. Truthfully, I could tell my little one wasn’t particularly taken with the playgroup, so I made the decision to withdraw her.
A few months later, I decided to hire a young Chinese tutor to come to our home once a week. She would spend about an hour and a half reading, singing, and chatting with my daughter. By this point, my daughter was 18 months old, but still not overly interested in learning Mandarin. I realised I needed to find a new school that was more convenient and offered just a once-weekly class. Fortunately, I stumbled upon Zoe, a brilliant teacher who was running Chinese programmes for older children through At Libitum (a place where I’ve also discovered wonderful musical playgroups—more on that in another post). During one of our chats, I mentioned my desire for a Chinese playgroup for toddlers. As luck would have it, Zoe had been thinking of starting one herself.
After a family trip to Sydney in April 2018, I promptly enrolled my daughter in Zoe’s new toddler playgroup at Hanziland in Katong. It was absolutely delightful! Zoe is a passionate teacher whose dedication shines through in every class. The children genuinely seem to enjoy their time with her, and the parents do too. Just the other night, over dinner with friends whose son attended the same playgroup and is now in Zoe’s older class, we all praised her attention to detail and the sheer effort she puts into her lessons. One friend even said she wished she’d had language teachers like Zoe growing up—it would have made learning not just possible, but enjoyable.
The playgroup is carer-accompanied, so I get to learn a bit of Mandarin alongside my daughter. Each week, Zoe sends home the songs the children have been learning so we can sing them together, and she also provides colourful handouts to help us practice during the week. I now find myself regularly saying “wash your hands” and “brush your teeth” in Mandarin to my little one. She’s picked up some lovely basics, like how to address people based on age, as well as animal names, counting to ten, and even the Chinese hand signs for numbers.
The Hanziland class itself lasts for one hour and includes storytelling, songs, dancing, and a bit of art time. Zoe keeps the class sizes intentionally small, so each child receives plenty of attention. And I must add, the other parents and carers are wonderfully friendly, creating a lovely, inclusive atmosphere.
One of the best parts? The playgroup is held at Kaboodle, and after class, the children are welcome to stay and enjoy the play area at no extra charge. It’s a fantastic setup! We usually spend another 45 minutes to an hour there, during which I get to relax with a cappuccino (Kaboodle makes a fabulous one) while my daughter explores the huge blue foam blocks, slides, and playdough, among other fun things. I really ought to write a post about Kaboodle itself—it’s such a great spot for families with young children.
I honestly can’t sing Zoe’s praises enough. If you’re keen for your little one to learn Mandarin in a nurturing, playful environment, I highly recommend reaching out to her. You can contact Zoe via her Hanziland website or by email at zoe.liu@hanziland.com, or give her a ring at +65 8727 9689. Classes are held at Kaboodle, located at 88 East Coast Road, #02-05, Katong Square, Singapore 423371.
Please note, this review is entirely unsponsored. I’ve simply been incredibly impressed with Zoe’s playgroup and feel so grateful that my daughter is being introduced to Mandarin in such a warm and enjoyable setting.
If you have any questions about Chinese playgroups in Singapore or just want to leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you below!
Until next time, happy reading and thank you for being part of The Yumcha Mama community!
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Love, Mei-Ling x
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