YMCA of Hong Kong Christian International Kindergarten

At the YMCA of Hong Kong Christian International Kindergarten (‘CIKG’), we welcome children from all nationalities and abilities. We believe that every child is precious to God and therefore we do all we can to love and serve each and every one of them. Our most important goal is to provide a nurturing, enriching and loving environment where the children can grow, explore and learn. We want to see our children grow not only in terms of knowledge, but also in terms of character, discipline and spirituality. It is our aim to prepare each student to be ready for primary school by the time they graduate, and to be aware of who they are, who God is and how they fit in God’s wonderful plan.

The YMCA of Hong Kong aims to provide quality education, based on Christian beliefs and values, in stimulating, loving and caring environments which enable young people to grow and flourish. The YMCA of Hong Kong is dedicated to nurturing young people to become respectful, responsible and responsive contributing global citizens, who embody the CARES principles in their lives.

YMCA of Hong Kong Christian International Kindergarten is a non-profit private independent kindergarten registered under the Education Bureau, HKSAR.

In 1992, the YMCA Headquarters located at the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui was rebuilt.

During the planning stages of the building project, a vision of an international kindergarten that provides quality kindergarten education to the English- speaking children in Hong Kong was cast. Upon completion of the building project, Ms Winsor, the first principal, was hired to open an international kindergarten on the second floor of the YMCA building.

The kindergarten began at an opportune time when there was a lack of international schooling options for children aged 3 to 6 in Hong Kong at that time. In its first year, the kindergarten welcomed 20 students. Since then, it has grown from strength to strength as an important part of the YMCA education system. Today we have more than 130 children attending CIKG each year.

In the early days, the kindergarten followed an integrated play-based curriculum with thematic units. In 2004, under the guidance of the Head Teacher – Ms Susan Young, the kindergarten decided to adopt the UK EYFS curriculum and based its values on biblical principles. In 2016, the kindergarten was officially renamed from "International Kindergarten" to "Christian International Kindergarten", marking its identity and commitment to teach God's words and Christian values. At the same time, the kindergarten incorporated "A Biblical Foundation for Early Childhood Education" by University for the Nations as its core curriculum.