Yes. ChildFirst is a trilingual preschool in Singapore. Children learn English, Chinese and a third language: Coding and AI.
Half of every school day is in English and half in Chinese. The third language is the language of technology, not another spoken language. ChildFirst is the first trilingual preschool in Singapore with coding and/or AI as the third language.
If you are looking for a preschool that teaches a third spoken language such as French, Spanish or Japanese, that is not what we offer.
What the three languages are
Half of every school day
English
The environment where children learn to think, communicate and imagine. They move from listening and speaking, to phonics and literature, to writing their own stories.
The other half of every school day
Chinese
The environment where children absorb language, culture and identity. Half of every school day is spoken Mandarin: roughly 3,000 hours of immersion by graduation.
Human intelligence comes first
Coding & AI
The environment where children learn to think alongside intelligent machines. Coding is the foundation. AI builds on it in four ways: AI as a tutor, personalising what each child learns; AI as a tutee, learning to direct intelligent machines; AI as a tool, extending imagination; and AI across domains, applying AI and computational thinking across iSTEAM (innovation, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics). The child imagines, creates and decides.
Why coding and AI are a language
Coding is a language. So is the way we now work with AI. A large language model is, literally, a Large Language Model, and we interact with generative AI through natural language.
Like every language, it comes with its own vocabulary, grammar and culture:
- Vocabulary: terms such as MCP and RAG, and in coding the commands and functions.
- Grammar: how to prompt well, and in coding the syntax and logic that make instructions work.
- Culture: hallucination, security and ethics: the norms and risks of working with AI.
You can speak to AI in English or Chinese, but it still has its own way of being used well. For young children this starts simply: they sequence instructions, first with cards and then with a robot, and they learn that AI can generate but the child should imagine, and that AI can suggest but the child should decide.
How long we have been trilingual
ChildFirst began with English and Chinese immersion. In 2017 ChildFirst became the first trilingual preschool in Singapore with coding and/or AI as the third language, starting with English, Chinese and coding.
Over time the third language widened from coding to coding and AI. In 2021 ChildFirst developed AI Chinese and AI Mathematics, and AI now also covers iSTEAM.
So if you know ChildFirst as “English, Chinese and Coding”, that is still true. Coding remains the foundation, and the third language now includes AI and iSTEAM.
Why iSTEAM is part of it
Human intelligence evolved through our hands as well as our brains. As AI moves from language to physical AI, machines that perceive and act in the real world, children need to learn with their hands too. So AI at ChildFirst includes iSTEAM: innovation, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Children build earthquake-resistant structures, investigate why aeroplanes fly, and extract DNA from a tomato with kitchen materials. The aim is: Brain On. Hands On. Human in Control.
Who this suits
It suits families who want daily English and Chinese immersion, and a child who learns to understand and direct technology, not just use it.
It may not suit families who want a third spoken language, or a single-language programme. Many non-Chinese and expatriate children have mastered Chinese through our immersion.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a trilingual preschool in Singapore?
Yes. ChildFirst is a trilingual preschool. Our three languages are English, Chinese and Coding & AI. The third language is not a spoken language.
What are the three languages at ChildFirst?
English, Chinese, and Coding & AI. Half of each school day is in English and half in Chinese. Coding and AI are taught as a language of technology, with the child in charge.
I know ChildFirst as “English, Chinese and Coding”. Has that changed?
No. Coding is still the foundation. As AI advanced, the third language grew to include AI, and AI now also covers iSTEAM: innovation, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
Are coding and AI really a language?
Yes. Coding is a language, and generative AI is built on large language models that we use through natural language. Like any language it has its own vocabulary (such as MCP and RAG), grammar (how to prompt) and culture (hallucination, security and ethics).
Do you teach French, Spanish, Japanese or another spoken language?
No. Our spoken languages are English and Chinese.
Will my child be confused by three languages?
Children learn two spoken languages, kept in separate halves of the day, which is how many bilingual programmes work. Coding and AI are not spoken languages, so they do not add a third language to speak.
Do we need to speak Chinese at home?
No. Many non-Chinese and expatriate children have learned Chinese through our daily immersion.
Does this mean a lot of screen time?
Most learning stays off-screen: conversation, books, hands-on activities, play and real-world experiences. From 2 months to Kindergarten 2 the foundation is human intelligence before the tools. AI is used as a creative tool and as a revision tutor, and teachers lead.
At what age does AI start?
Human intelligence comes first, from 2 months to Kindergarten 2. AI as a tutor, AI as a tutee and AI across domains run from Nursery 2 (age 4) to Kindergarten 2 (age 6), and AI as a tool from Kindergarten 1 (age 5) to Kindergarten 2.
Which centres can I visit?
ChildFirst has centres across Singapore. See the school tour page for locations and to book a personal tour.
Learn more
- How we teach English
- How we teach Chinese
- How we teach AI
- Bilingual preschool in Singapore
- Bilingual vs trilingual preschool programmes
Published by ChildFirst Pre-school, Singapore.