Gardening is an important part of the Blue Lion Curriculum. Our children encounter opportunities to be outside tending to our plants twice a day with our Singaporean weather permitting. We are particularly interested in growing local vegetables and fruit, composting, life cycles and everything related to urban farming. Nature walks and journals are integral to our gardening programme, as we seek to discover different ways of seeing the world around us.
Blue Lion Preschool has a low waste practice, which includes using recyclables and upcycled items, and valuing what we can use with natural materials.
Buddhist life at Blue Lion Preschool is vibrant, dynamic, inclusive and accessible. We live a way of life that embraces daily quiet time as well as festival celebrations. Through visual and performing arts, book projects and contemplative work, our children spend their days discovering, experiencing, connecting, expressing and learning.
In a fast moving and unpredictable world, we use timeless Buddhist teachings as an innovative strategy to provide early education that is suited to our time. We emphasise universal themes of compassion, generosity, intelligence, awareness, dignity, humour, gentleness and discipline – these are values that will nurture children into becoming active members of their community. By encouraging each child’s fundamental goodness, and by teaching an early understanding of the interconnection of all things, the Blue Lion curriculum lays a thoughtful educational foundation that addresses the whole child.
The goal of this holistic approach is to inspire kind, open-minded, self-respecting students, ready to engage with the beauty and challenges of the world around them as they head into grade level learning.
By laying a strong Buddhist foundation in the early childhood years, our vision is rooted in ancient Asian Buddhist histories and wisdom. It is informed, inquiring, analytical, contemplative and respectful. It is considerate of the collective and values being free from excessive greed and a need to dominate.
Articulating the innovative approach to Buddhist education as envisioned by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Blue Lion’s unique customized curriculum offers a daily bilingual (English and Chinese) learning environment that is aligned with progressive education research.
Inspired by Reggio Emilia schools and Waldorf theory, a considerable part of learning at Blue Lion takes place through language and visual arts. The children are encouraged to use their hands for both learning and creative expression, and the school uses and discusses the importance of environmentally friendly materials. With a strong focus on art, poetry, music, multicultural diversity, and the environment, children learn at a young age to love and take responsibility for their planet and their community.