Cambridge Development Center

We visited Cambridge Development Center in Salcedo Village, Makati today, and I must say - the facilities are quite impressive. The school is large, spacious, and well-maintained, with areas dedicated for play, class, books, audio/visual activities, etc. There are separate bathrooms for girls and boys. And yes, they do have a fire exit. ;)

They have their own mixed curriculum/methodology following Singapore and Montessori methods, among others. The fact that they have an activity time tailored to each child's skill level and time set aside for grooming lessons (putting on clothes, brushing one's teeth, etc.) was a big plus for me as well.

The only drawback for me - and this is more of a personal thing, really - is that I'm only looking for a toddler school this year. Three times a week, a couple of hours of play and learn to introduce my toddler to the school set up and help her interact with kids her age. Unfortunately, Cambridge only offers toddler class for 1.5 - 2.5 years old. At 2.7 years old, my daughter would be part of their Nursery 1 class - 5 times a week, 3 hours a day. Also, they do not allow parents/yayas inside the classroom. I feel that my child is not yet ready for this kind of schedule, nor do I feel the need to force her into it yet.

The school has an open-enrollment system wherein you can enroll anytime during the year. I'm definitely putting my child up for a trial class and will see later in the year if she's ready for actual schooling.

PRIMA Day School

Another progressive preschool within Makati is PRIMA Day School. I was very impressed by their school, which is located in Ascott Hotel, Glorietta. The school is divided into 3 rooms - the reception/waiting area, indoor playroom, and classroom. The indoor playroom is spacious, with two work tables; a mini library; a play kitchen area; boxes and shelves of toys (with musical instruments and blocks); and a small elevated space with a faux tree (for kids who like to run up and down stairs). There is also an outdoor playground.

My daughter immediately took to the place and its teachers, who were friendly and obviously used to dealing with children (not surprising given that PRIMA is also a day care center). My toddler, who is usually painfully shy, began to run around and even allowed me to leave her with the teachers for a little while (a first for us!). Upon sitting in on the Nursery class, I saw that the teachers meant business in the classroom, which bolstered my belief that they can prepare my daughter for the big schools. All in all a good experience for both me and my little girl.

KIDS in Day School

Another Makati-based preschool that has gained a lot of positive reviews throughout several mommy blogs is KIDS in Day School in San Antonio Village. The most notable comments were the teachers' ability to prepare their students for the big schools and help particularly shy students to come out of their shell and shine.  I've yet to visit the school myself, but the fact that nearly all their slots have been filled is testament to their popularity.

I did find one blog that mentioned that the  school does not have a fire exit. Again, I have not confirmed this firsthand as I've yet to visit them, but this is definitely one thing I'll be asking when I do drop by.