It can be tough and overwhelming to find the right school for your children, especially if you are new to a country or just starting their education journey. So, we are here to help with our comprehensive list of preschools and kindergartens in Shanghai to assist you in making the perfect choice.
Apple Montessori
Supported by the American Montessori Society (AMS), Apple Montessori believes that all children learn best within a social environment that recognizes and encourages each child’s unique interests and strengths. Their programs are designed to ensure that all children not only thrive academically but they also enjoy learning, and develop leadership, interpersonal skills and discipline. This unique and tailored program is aimed to ensure a smooth transition to Grade 1.
Location: Pudong
Age of students: 18 months-6
School levels: Preschool / Kindergarten
Established: 2017
Languages taught: English / Mandarin
Extracurricular: 11 Includes dance, craft, English, Lego and football
The Child Academy
The Child Academy is a preschool and kindergarten that connects children in an international environment. They have built a reputation as a progressive international school that inspires and educates both foreign and local children. They use a combination of play- and literacy-based activities to help foster growth in students. Each campus is specially designed and custom built using exclusively green materials.
Location: Pudong
Established: 2007
Age of students: 1-6
Nationalities: 20+
School levels: Preschool / Kindergarten
Languages taught: English / Mandarin
Extracurricular: 10 Includes ballet, piano lessons, football, accelerated reading and cooking
Fortune Kindergarten
Fortune Kindergarten provides quality international education that prepares young children for the future and makes them proud representatives of their own cultures. Fortune supplies an active, relaxed and homey learning environment through a bilingual and multicultural approach for both local and foreign families. They emphasize personal development in addition to educational experience.
Locations: Pudong & Minhang
Age of students: 2-6
School levels: Kindergarten / Preschool
Languages taught: English / Mandarin
Extracurricular: 11 Includes dance, crafts, Chinese painting, football and logical reasoning
Huili Nursery Shanghai
Located in the New Bund area in Pudong, Huili Nursery Shanghai represents a marriage of traditional values and evidence-based practice from the UK and China. The nursery has been designed to use indoor and outdoor learning spaces to promote recognized areas of learning and development in the unique child. The nursery team are a like-minded group of professional practitioners with a shared vision. The heart of their vision is to ensure that Huili Nursery Shanghai is a leading and inspirational Early Years education provider. It is their desire to afford every child the opportunity of growth and fulfilment in an environment which imbues the Huili values of kindness, courage, integrity, respect and responsibility.
Location: Pudong
Established: 2018
Age of students: 2-6
No. of students: 280
Nationalities: 1
School level: Nursery
Curriculum: A bespoke framework to promote hands-on, brain-active learning with creative, project-themed curriculums
Languages taught: English / Mandarin
Little Scholar Academy
The Little Scholar Academy is an international bilingual kindergarten that follows an arts-based approach to teaching. Each class is taught by one foreign and one Chinese teacher in addition to two teaching assistants, to provide a bilingual experience. Their mission is to teach children to make productive choices by following their hearts while using their minds. Their academic curriculum is tailored to international standards to meet the needs of their learners.
Location: Pudong
Age of students: 2-6
No. of students: 160
School levels: Preschool / Kindergarten
Established: 2012
Languages taught: English / Mandarin
Extracurricular: 10 Includes soccer, art, cooking, piano, skill builder activity club and LEGO
Little Urban Center Preschool
As an accredited COBIS (Council of British International Schools) preschool, Little Urban Center’s mission is to provide children with high-quality educational experiences in an environment of imagination, inquiry, care and respect. Children are grouped by age, and all classes are taught by both foreign and Chinese teachers to facilitate a bilingual environment.
Location: Pudong
Age of students: 2-6
No. of students: 280
School level: Preschool
Teacher-student ratio: 1:6
Languages taught: English / Mandarin
Extracurricular: 6 Includes Taekwondo, cross-fit, arts and crafts, English ESL and Chinese language
Magnolia Kindergarten
Magnolia Kindergarten is an official licensed kindergarten located in a 100-year-old manor in People’s Square. The certified and experienced team offer extensive education in a nurturing and creative environment. Magnolia Kindergarten’s mission is to contribute to the development of internationally-minded, curious and enthusiastic children. It is a center for engaging, high-quality education and discovery. At Magnolia Kindergarten, the positive development of the children is at the heart of every moment of the day.
Location: Huangpu
Established: 2014
Age of students: 2-6
Nationalities: 18
No. of students: 120
School levels: Preschool / Kindergarten
Teacher-student ratio: 1:4
Curriculum: English/Mandarin: British National Curriculum and Chinese Curriculum
French/Mandarin: French National Curriculum and Chinese Curriculum
Languages taught: English / French / Mandarin / Spanish
Extracurricular: Includes gymnasium activities and language support programs
Montessori School of Shanghai
The Montessori School of Shanghai (MSS) offers an engaging bilingual Montessori curriculum that nurtures children to become inquisitive global citizens. Teachers create nurturing and beautifully designed classrooms to encourage exploratory learning and discovery for curious minds. MSS is one of the only Montessori schools in Shanghai accredited by the American Montessori Society (AMS) and a member of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA-CESS). MSS leads the way in quality and standards in China.
Location: Minhang / Jiading / Xuhui / West Hongqiao
Established: 2005
Age of students: 6 months-6
No. of students: 750+
Nationalities: 25
Levels: Preschool / Kindergarten
Teacher-student ratio: Infant 1:2 / Toddler 1:4 / Early Childhood 1:8
Curriculum: Authentic Montessori Education
Languages taught: English / Mandarin
Morgan Rothschild Academy
Morgan Rothschild Academy was designed to nurture an appreciation and aptitude for learning to provide students with a long-term advantage from an early age. They teach their ëHigh Scope curriculum’ and ëplando-review’ routine that encourages students to learn through play, to become ready for life in primary school and beyond. They believe that structured classes are just as important for children as free time to develop.
Location: Pudong / Changning
No. of students: 65
School levels: Preschool / Kindergarten
Languages taught: English / Mandarin
My Little Sunshine Academy
My Little Sunshine (MLS) features the ëHigh Scope curriculum,’ an effective and proven system from the US which focuses on cognitive-development through participation and communication in a fun and nurturing environment. The MLS classrooms are well designed, safe and clean. MLS has a playroom with special padded walls, climbable furniture and a ball pit. For safety, they have air purifiers and video surveillance in each room.
Location: Changning
Age of students: 1-6
School levels: Preschool / Kindergarten
Teacher-student ratio: 1:5
Languages taught: English / Mandarin
Extracurricular activities: Includes LASY Engineering Workshop, Ravensburger EQ Enhancement Program and language studies
Shanghai Wunan Kindergarten
Wunan Kindergarten is a Shanghai Public Model School founded in 1949. Currently, Wunan Kindergarten has grown to three locations on Huaihai Lu and Wulumuqi Lu and is located close to many foreign consulates. There are 12 classes for domestic students and 10 for international students. This presents more than 500 Chinese and international students, studying and playing together.
Locations: Huangpu
Established: 1949
Age of students: 3-6
No. of students: 500+
Nationalities: 30
School levels: Early Childhood Education
Curriculum: Chinese and English bilingual ECE
Languages taught: English / Mandarin
Star Play Academy
Star Play Academy’s mission is to ensure that every child grows up in a happy and healthy environment. They believe in the importance of caring and sharing and incorporate this by mixing students of different age groups during selected activities, so children can learn from one another. They also instill Dr. Glenn Dorman’s ëflashcard method’ into learning activities to help students process information with ease.
Location: Xuhui
Age of students: 15 months-7
School level: Kindergarten
Languages taught: English / Mandarin
Extracurricular: Includes parenting training courses and ‘mommy and me’ classes