Preparing for Pre-School: Toddler Enrichment Options in Serendra and Bonifacio High Street

E.nopi Serendra

It seems that nowadays, with the new K-12 curriculum in force, kids are expected to learn more at an earlier age.  When I took Narra to St. Paul Pasig for her entrance exam, I found out that she'll be joining Nursery 2 (and not Nursery 1 as I originally thought). Grade 1 is now at age 6 (instead of 7 yrs. of age, like it was in my time in the early 1980's).  The guidance counselor at St. Paul advised me of the curriculum of Nursery 1, and which skills Narra should already have by June, when she starts Nursery 2.  For instance,  I have to get her to learn the alphabet in lower case (she only knows upper case letters).  She also has to learn to write numbers (she only knows how to read them for now).  

So I went in search of enrichment programs to help prepare Narra for the coming school-year.  I confined my selection to one area: Serendra/Bonifacio High Street in Global City.  And I found a number of exciting options to choose from to prepare 3-year olds for formal schooling. I had to choose among the following:

1) KUMON (Located at Bonifacio High Street)

More well-known as an after-school math and reading enrichment program, Kumon also has an early learning program for children as young as three years of age to help them acquire skills before formal schooling.  Kids are given worksheets to complete on-site, as well as at home. Sessions can be 2 to 3 times per week, at 30 - 45 mins. per session, depending on the child's attention span. Cost is at 1,800/month, per subject.  

Website: http://ph.kumonglobal.com/

2) THE LEARNING LIBRARY (Located inside Gymboree, 2nd Floor of Serendra)

This is a literature-based enrichment program in either English or Filipino to help kids acquire skills in reading comprehension, writing, and oral communication.  The physical setting is a children's library, with a collection of attractive books which kids can use on-site, and also borrow to bring home.  Sessions are 2-3 times a week, from 30-45 minutes, at 3,500 per month in most branches.  The cost in Serendra is slightly higher.  

Website: http://www.learninglibraries.com

3) TUTORING CLUB (Located at Bonifacio High Street)

Their pre-kindergarten program focuses on reading skills so young children can learn to recognize letters and the sounds they make.  For 3-year olds, only the Reading program is offered (no math enrichment programs yet).  The cost will depend on the length of the program you choose to enroll in - if you choose a bigger block of hours, the cost per hour will be less.  Approximate cost is at 500 pesos per hour (but could be less if you enroll for a longer period). 

Website: http://www.tutoringclub.ph

4. GYMBOREE (2nd Floor, Serendra)

The School Skills classes to prepare children for school, or enhance their learning experience if they already go to pre-school. There's the Learning Lab class that acquaints kids with letters and numbers; and the Science Fun class to encourage exploration and inquiry, as well as observation and analysis. Costs would depend on frequency of classes (3,200/month if 1 class per week - the rate per class gets cheaper if it is 2x or 3x per week).  They also usually have a "Kindercamp" for summer, but they were unable to give me the details yet, when I called earlier this month. 

Website: http://www.gymboree-ph.com/

5. E.NOPI, or EYE-LEVEL (2nd Floor, Serendra, Facing Market Market)

Now called Eye-Level, E.Nopi (as it is more popularly known) provides basic learning skills programs in English and Math from ages 3-16.  Sessions are twice a week, for 30-45 minutes (depending on the child's attention span).  The child completes workbook exercises under the supervision of a teacher, and reinforces lessons learned through homework supervised by parents/guardians at home. Cost is at 1,980/month per subject. 

Website: http://www.myeyelevel.com

So where did I end up sending Narra? E.nopi (Eye Level) won the contest! And here's why:

a) I already sent Narra to Gymboree's Learning Lab before. She enjoyed that, sure, and she learned a lot, but there was no homework, no workbook to complete at home. Besides, she associates Gymboree with playing, so I thought a change of scenery was in order. 

b) I wanted her to learn both English and Math, so Learning Library and Tutoring Club which focus on Reading only, and not Math, were out of the running. I was left with Kumon and E.nopi as my top two options.

c) So why did I pick E.nopi over Kumon? It all boiled down to convenience. Kumon required that I wait for the Parents' Orientation/Briefing scheduled once a month before I could enroll, which meant a two-week wait before Narra could have her assessment test.  E.nopi's process was more straightforward, I was able to schedule a skills assessment test immediately, and the parents' briefing was held right after Narra's assessment. 

It's been 2 weeks since I enrolled Narra, and so far she's excited to complete her workbook exercises, whether in school or at home.  She goes to the center twice a week, and I supervise her homework daily.  So far so good, Narra and her mama are happy :-D  I am not a sales rep for E.nopi / Eye Level, I'm pretty new to the scene, but I thought I'd share this info anyway, there's an on-going promo! 

2-Week Free Study Promo