Kindergartens in Hong Kong offer a vibrant array of options for young learners, with both public and private institutions providing unique pathways to education. Children generally start kindergarten between the ages of 2 years and 8 months to 3 years, embarking on a three-year journey through K1, K2, and K3. Hong Kong’s diverse education system includes both public and private kindergartens, each with its own set of pros and cons. Some private kindergartens are part of larger school networks, offering seamless pathways up to Year 13. Moreover, many kindergartens provide international streams, ensuring a global perspective from an early age.
Whether you’re new to the city, a new parent, or both, we want to help you navigate these options to find the best kindergarten in Hong Kong, where your child can thrive.
FIS Chai Wan Campus — Chai Wan*
Situated within the esteemed French International School Hong Kong (FIS), the Chai Wan campus offers a comprehensive educational journey for families. Fully renovated in 2022 to be converted into a kindergarten campus, it stands as a cornerstone of academic and holistic development for children from kindergarten through to upper secondary. The Chai Wan campus is part of FIS’s network of schools across Hong Kong, providing a seamless educational pathway from kindergarten to Year 13.
With a student body of 250 across 12 classes and a dedicated faculty of 20 teachers, each child receives personalised attention. The kindergarten offers both French and International streams, ensuring diverse educational opportunities.
A bright veranda sets the stage for a fulfilling kindergarten experience. Their play-based classrooms and expansive outdoor playground encourage active learning and exploration. The campus also features well-equipped sports facilities, a stocked library, and outdoor reading areas, ensuring a proper educational environment for every child.
FIS’s commitment to excellence in education assures parents of a consistent educational experience for their children. This kindergarten is an ideal choice for parents seeking stability and excellence in education for their little ones, ensuring a smooth transition from kindergarten through to upper secondary education.
Location: 1 Cheung Man Road Chai Wan, Hong Kong
Contact: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Phone Number: +852 2975 1503
Email: secretaryCW-FS-primary@lfis.edu.hk
Discovery Bay International School — Discovery Bay*
Located in the tranquil suburb of Discovery Bay, Lantau Island, Discovery Bay International School’s dedicated Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) campus is an incredible place for children aged 3 to 5 to begin their educational journey. DBIS EYFS is unique among Hong Kong schools in terms of the space available to young learners. DBIS views the environment children learn in as the third teacher; therefore, its EYFS campus is purposefully planned to develop and nurture dispositions such as resilience, problem-solving, confidence, and creativity — all crucially important not only to support learning, but also to enable children to respond effectively to their unfolding futures.
DBIS’s philosophy is centred around the belief that all children are infinitely capable, creative, and full of potential. The school’s EYFS phase identifies each child’s strengths and then supports their development from individual starting points. DBIS follows the National Curriculum of England, with EYFS specifically designed for children to begin exploring the building blocks of continuous learning in the Primary and Secondary phases of the school.
Location: Discovery Bay, Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Contact: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Phone Number: +852 2914 2142 (EYFS Campus) or +852 2987 7331 (Main Campus)
Email: admissions@dbis.edu.hk
Good Time International Play School & Kindergarten — Shatin*
As a leading international kindergarten since 1986, Good Time International Kindergarten adopts an Inquiry Approach to learning based on the EYFS framework of the UK. Their aim is to cultivate the next generation of individuals who can express themselves fluently and confidently in both English and Chinese. Through their innovative YouTuber training, students are given the chance to discuss various topics in front of cameras, helping them build the confidence to speak in front of any audience. Language is not taught, it’s used: Tuesdays to Fridays are dedicated to English immersion, while Mondays are solely Putonghua immersion.
As a leading kindergarten in STEM learning, students also learn basic coding as a language for an AI-dominated future. Good Time’s vision is to transform children into leaders who excel in communication, creativity, and who care for their neighbours and the world.
Catering to ages 1-6, their programmes range from Play Groups to K3, with facilities including a concourse, cafeteria, drama studio, STEM lab, and more. They focus on equipping children for future success over the next 10-15 years.
Location: L4 Blocks C & D, Shatin Plaza, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong
Contact: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Phone Number: +852 2601 3278, +852 9445 5085 (WhatsApp)
Email: info@deikindergarten.org
Guidepost Montessori — Multiple locations*
Guidepost Montessori is a network of schools across Hong Kong that aims to guide and empower children as they develop their independence and ability to think and do things for themselves. Their unaccompanied classes for children aged 2–6 years old will help each child realise their limitless potential.
The half-day Toddler class (2-3 years old) focuses on learning through free movement, helping children go from two-word phrases to full sentences, and supporting independent toilet use. The full-day Children’s House (3-6 years old) programme places emphasis on building independence through practical life, and provides individualised guidance with writing and reading.
Guidepost Montessori also has Enrichment Programs (2.5-6 years old) in which children get the opportunity to explore various interests and develop mastery over them, such as cooking, gardening, DIY activities, and creative classes. The schools also offer seasonal on-campus and international camps that children can attend at Guidepost campuses in Hong Kong or at locations in Mainland China and Bali.
Location: Causeway Bay, Chai Wan, Clearwater Bay, Discovery Bay, Happy Valley, Kennedy Town, Pok Fu Lam (view addresses here)
Contact: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Phone number: +852 9126 6211
Email: admissions@guidepost.hk
Malvern College Pre-School — West Kowloon & Sai Ying Pun*
Malvern College Pre-School Hong Kong (MCPS) is an international pre-school for children from 2-5 years old. The school offers an Educationally Harnessed Play Programme based on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, engaging children through both structured and free play and emphasising their inquisitive nature through hands-on activities. Following the successful launch of the Coronation Circle campus in West Kowloon in August 2017, the school opened a second campus in Sai Ying Pun (Island West) in August 2019. Both campus designs are inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, making the environment the third teacher. The pre-school is one of Hong Kong’s first to operate a Forest-Beach-School Programme.
Location: G09-12 Coronation Circle, 1 Yau Cheung Road in West Kowloon or G/F and 1/F Viking Court, 165-166 Connaught Road West in Sai Ying Pun
Contact: Website | Facebook
Phone Number: +852 3898 4688
Email: mcpsadm@malvernpreschool.hk
ICHK Hong Lok Yuen Kindergarten & Primary — Tai Po*
ICHK Kindergarten empowers children to be creative, confident, caring, resilient, and respectful. Educators believe play is central to learning, fostering creativity as children discover the world around them. The green location in Tai Po, paired with a strong outdoor education programme, provides regular opportunities to engage with nature. Their IB-PYP emergent curriculum sets learning goals based on children’s interests, helping them develop communication, self-management, and research skills. Instruction is in English, but children are immersed in Mandarin daily through stories, songs, and games. Graduates automatically progress to ICHK Primary School on the same site, adding convenience to parents.
Location: 3, Twentieth Street, Hong Lok Yuen, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Contact: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Phone Number: +852 3955 3000
Email: info@ichkhly.edu.hk or admissions@ichkhly.edu.hk
Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong — Sai Kung*
Part of Nord Anglia Education’s global family of over 85 international schools, Nord Anglia International School Hong Kong is a through-train international school offering an Early Years Programme for Nursery to Reception (ages 3-5) based on the English National Curriculum EYFS framework, tailored for an international environment. At their Early Years waterfront campus in Sai Kung, children engage in structured play opportunities using a range of materials to become capable, confident learners at their own pace. Students are introduced to Mandarin Chinese from Nursery, while programmes like STEAM with MIT and Performing Arts with The Juilliard School foster holistic wellbeing and a strong academic focus.
Location: 285 Hong Kin Road, Tui Min Hoi, Sai Kung, New Territories, Hong Kong
Contact: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Phone Number: +852 3958 1488 (General) or +852 3958 1428 (Admission)
Email: admissions@nais.hk
Tutor Time — Multiple locations
Tutor Time is a bilingual international kindergarten focused on native English and Mandarin education. The programmes are tailored to the children’s social and academic painpoints based on teacher observation, and the goal is preparing toddler and parents for admission to the most esteemed primary schools in Hong Kong. Their proprietary LifeSmart curriculum is based on Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory, where activities are based on developing 10 life skills, including setting goals and making plans, visual arts, social studies, math, nature and science, and social-emotional development. Tutor Time has a low teacher to student ratio (1:8) and colourful, modern facilities at four campuses.
Location: Central, North Point, Kowloon Tong, Yuen Long (see locations)
Contact: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Phone Number: (+852) 9123 6889
Email: info@tutortime.com.hk
Les Petits Lascars — Central & Tseung Kwan O*
Created in 2006, Les Petits Lascars French International Preschool offers French, bilingual and trilingual programmes (French/English/Mandarin) for children aged 9 months to 6 years. Emphasising a love of learning, their personalised teaching approach allows each child to develop at their own pace and thrive in a caring and stimulating environment. 14-15 children maximum per class. 7 for baby classes.
Contact: Website
St. Paul’s Church Kindergarten — Central & North Point
St. Paul’s Church Kindergarten, a public school founded in 1950, is an iconic institution located in Central with another campus in North Point. Using Cantonese, alongside English and Putonghua, the school offers holistic education. With a student-teacher ratio of 1:8, it features classrooms, a music room, a reading corner, and playgrounds.
Contact: Website
St. Anthony’s Kindergarten — Central
St. Anthony’s Kindergarten provides exceptional early childhood education, preparing children aged 2-6 for future challenges. The curriculum promotes exploration, experimentation, and problem-solving, while fostering personal-social competence and innovative high-order thinking. With no school fees for half-day K1-K3, it supports non-Chinese speaking students.
Contact: Website
Choosing the right kindergarten in Hong Kong is not an easy task, as there are plenty of options available and parents’ needs differ from one family to another. Read through the following links for more information:
- Overview of kindergarten education in Hong Kong (Education Bureau)
- Kindergarten education schemes and subsidies (Education Bureau)
- List of kindergarten and child care centers per district (Education Bureau)
- How to choose a kindergarten in Hong Kong (Hong Kong Government)
FAQ about kindergartens in Hong Kong
Is kindergarten mandatory in Hong Kong?
No, kindergarten is not mandatory in Hong Kong. Kindergarten is three years long, starting from the age of 2 to 3. Mandatory education starts at the age of 6 and lasts until the age of 15.
How long is kindergarten in Hong Kong?
Kindergarten is three years long in Hong Kong, starting anywhere from the age of 2 years and 8 months to 3 years of age. A general guideline is that K1 is for children turning 3, K2 is for children who are 4 turning 5, and K3 is for children who are 5 turning 6.
How can I choose the best kindergarten for my child?
There are so many kindergartens and pre-schools in Hong Kong with public and private options. When considering which one to place your toddler in, consider the school’s location, facilities, learning values, the student-teacher ratio, and obviously, the cost. Also, don’t forget to go for school visits, called “open days” to visit the facilities.
What is the difference between public and private kindergartens in Hong Kong?
Public kindergartens are typically more affordable, adhering to government guidelines. Private kindergartens offer diverse curricula and facilities, often with international streams and pathways. Your choice depends on budget, educational philosophy, and whether you’re seeking a local or global perspective.
How much do preschools cost in Hong Kong?
Kindergarten costs in Hong Kong vary widely. Private kindergartens can charge between HK$3,000 to HK$10,000 per month, depending on whether it’s full-day or half-day and other considerations. Public and subsidised kindergartens are more affordable, with fees generally less than HK$2,000 per year.
Are there schemes and subsidies for public kindergarten?
Some public kindergarten offer free options under the Free Quality Kindergarten Education Scheme, while subsidies exist should you need financial help with the Pre-Primary Education Voucher Scheme (PEVS) and the Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme (KCFRS).
What is the difference between half-day and full-day kindergarten in Hong Kong?
Half-day programmes typically last around 3-4 hours, either in the morning or afternoon. Full-day programmes often include lunch and nap times, making them ideal for working parents seeking comprehensive care and learning.
How does Montessori education differ from academic-focused programmes?
Montessori education emphasises self-directed learning, independence, and mixed-age classrooms. Academic-focused programmes are more structured, prioritising subject-based learning with a set curriculum. Choosing between the two depends on whether parents prefer a child-centred or curriculum-driven approach for their child’s early education. Montessori programmes are more common in private kindergarten.
Do Hong Kong kindergartens have after-school programmes?
Parents who work long or irregular hours and don’t have the support to look after their kindergarten-aged children while they are at work can enrol them at after-school care programmes at centres across Hong Kong, which are not located on kindergarten premises.
Header image credits: Woodland Pre-Schools
* This article was done in collaboration with the above-mentioned kindergarten. Reach out if you’d like to be included!
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