Haze risk in Singapore: Preschools ready to move activities indoors if air quality worsens

Haze risk in Singapore: Preschools ready to move activities indoors if air quality worsens Some preschools are monitoring air quality readings as often as every two hours, while others have prepared indoor activities and air purifiers as Singapore faces a heightened risk of severe haze in the second half of the year. SINGAPORE: Preschools in Singapore are prepared to move activities indoors and step up monitoring of children’s well-being if haze causes air quality to worsen. Singapore is among several Southeast Asian countries facing a high risk of severe transboundary haze for the rest of 2026, according to think-tank Singapore Institute of International Affairs. The risk is expected to peak between August and September amid hotter and drier conditions. Some preschool centres are keeping a close watch on the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) latest air quality readings. EtonHouse Pre-School Upper Bukit Timah, for example, checks the readings every two hours. At the preschool, activities such as playing in the sandpit and sketching outdoors remain part of a typical school day. But should the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) enter the unhealthy range – where it exceeds 100 – the preschool will stop all outdoor play and move the children indoors. The preschool has several enclosed spaces available for children and is equipped with air purifiers in its classrooms and shared learning areas, said Ms Natalie Loh, its senior principal. “We currently have masks on standby for both children and staff, but it really depends on the situation,” said Ms Loh, adding that the preschool is ready to purchase more masks if needed. KEEPING CHILDREN ENGAGED INDOORS At Little Seeds Preschool, a range of indoor activities is being lined up so children can stay engaged even if outdoor playtime has to be suspended. “Staying indoors is not just to wait indoors. We’ve got activities prepared for children,” said Ms Dianne Swee-Seet, the preschool’s senior executive principal. These include music and storytelling activities, as well as learning centres and dedicated spaces for art and construction. Each classroom and activity room also has an air purifier. Children can also move beyond their home rooms to these specialised spaces, allowing them to have “a variety of experiences although children are indoors”, Ms Swee-Seet added. MONITORING CHILDREN’S HEALTH Preschools are also working closely with parents to monitor children’s well-being, especially those with respiratory conditions. Ms Mabel Lim, managing director of My First Skool, said teachers pay extra attention to such children and ensure that they have medication such as inhalers with them. Teachers also monitor children’s health on a day-to-day basis and will contact parents if a child experiences discomfort, she said. “If there's a need for parents to be informed of any discomfort by the children, then teachers do proactively contact parents during the day to let them know and ensure that the children do seek timely medical attention, if necessary,” said Ms Lim. In June, EtonHouse reached out to families to update its list of children with asthma and other chronic heart or lung conditions so staff can look out for symptoms and be aware of what action to take if necessary. Little Seeds Preschool has also updated its medical logs, and urged parents to assess their children’s health before sending them to school. Ms Swee-Seet said that while the preschool has air purifiers to maintain indoor air quality, children could still be exposed to haze while travelling between home and school. “Once you find that your child is … not feeling that well, or they have symptoms like watery eyes and they're coughing a bit more in the morning, please do keep them home because it's safer,” she said.