As a first-of-its-kind experiential platform, Little Skool Club teaches children big life lessons through unique experiences that extends beyond the classroom. Plus, it's a great way for families to bond too!
Ever seen Barbie in a wheelchair, or a Barbie who’s bald? A group of Little Skool-House children and their families had the chance to meet them at the first ever Skool of Friends by Barbie. Designed as a parent-child workshop, facilitators used storytelling and interactive displays of 160 Barbie dolls to teach children about the importance of embracing differences, fostering respect, empathy and open-mindedness.
Sounds like a fun experience? Here’s good news for Little Skool-House families: there’ll be more of these coming your way soon, organised by the preschool’s new initiative – Little Skool Club – that complements its robust curriculum with real-world experiences.
What is Little Skool Club?
Designed as an “experiential club”, Little Skool Club is Little Skool-House’s latest offering that provides unique learning experiences to preschoolers. Think of it as an initiative that takes learning beyond the classroom, fostering practical life skills and values, as well as teaching children how to apply them in the real world. And it’s not just about academics – Little Skool Club also promotes family bonding through engaging activities that parents and children can enjoy together.
Every activity organised by the club is aimed at nurturing three vital skills identified by NTUC First Campus (NFC), which Little Skool-House is part of. These are relational skills, global citizenship, and digital intelligence – all of which NFC believes are key to nurturing growth and success in life within and beyond school.
At the moment, Little Skool Club is exclusive to K1 and K2 children at selected pilot centres, and will be progressively expanded to more Little Skool-House centres in the future!
How do kids learn through Little Skool Club’s events?
Let’s take a look at the club’s Skool of Friends by Barbie as an example. Organised in partnership with Mattel South Asia, the workshop featured 160 Barbie dolls of different cultural backgrounds, occupations, and abilities as examples of diversity. It also displayed the dolls in various everyday situations for a real-world touch. Not only did kids get to see Barbie and Ken in non-traditional job roles (think Barbie as a game developer and Ken as a nurse), they also met some very special dolls. These include Brave Barbie who is experiencing hair loss while fighting an illness; a Barbie that was created in partnership with the National Down Syndrome Society to celebrate the community; as well as Barbie and Ken with disabilities, like Paralympic Barbie and Ken who wears a prosthetic leg. With this display, Skool of Friends by Barbie encourages Little Skool-House’s children to celebrate the diverse community they live in, and never be afraid to chase their dreams.
During the storytelling session, Barbie and Ken dolls are used to share stories around the themes of collaboration, cultural awareness, and acceptance across different backgrounds. This allows kids to see empathy and respect in action – a crucial step as little ones are known to learn by example! At the end of the session, every family received career cards featuring non-typical occupations to remind children that there’s no limit to their dreams and aspirations.
What else can families expect from Little Skool Club?
Skool of Friends by Barbie is just the first of many interactive workshops that Little Skool Club has planned for kids. In fact, the club has other activities in the pipeline, including a variety of hands-on activities and even field trips for families.
The preschool’s families can look forward to educational events organised in partnership with reputable brands and experts like Little Farms and Joe Escobedo, CEO of Esco Media. Ms. Coreen Soh, Chief Child Development Officer of NFC and General Manager of Little Skool-House shared, “We partner with organisations that share our values, collaborating to co-create unique, curated experiences for our children and families.”
In the near future, kids could discover how fresh produce is harvested and delivered to consumers, while also picking up tips on building confidence in speaking and enjoying the fun in learning how to communicate better. The possibilities are endless!
You and your kids can join the club, too!
Keen to be a part of Little Skool Club? You can discover the Little Skool-House difference at its upcoming Open House happening on 27 July, where you can also speak to its team of dedicated educators.
This post is in partnership with Little Skool Club.
