RACHEL JOHNSON is the School Director at Leapfrog Kindergarten. Surrounded by forest, this preschool in Sai Kung Country Park takes the concept of experiential learning and outdoor play to another level. Rachel tells us more.
Tell us about your background and your Hong Kong story.
I’m originally from the UK but came here in the 1990s and stayed for several years. I left in 2002 and spent seven years in the UK, the Caribbean and the Middle East before returning to Hong Kong with our two girls. We have happily raised our children here, living in both Sai Kung and now Stanley. So, all in all, 21 years and counting!
How did Leapfrog Kindergarten get started and what were its aims at the time?
It was founded in 1992 by six parents who started a little playgroup in the Sai Kung Community Centre. In 1997, Leapfrog moved into renovated premises in Pak Tam Chung, thanks to fundraising, volunteers and donations. In the years that followed, parents and staff established a registered kindergarten. I joined Leapfrog in 2011.
How has this preschool in Sai Kung grown and evolved since then?
What was once a collection of boxes stored in the Sai Kung Community Centre evolved into a thriving registered kindergarten and playgroup. Today, we are proud to be the only preschool in Hong Kong offering Forest School programmes that have their own onsite forest, to foster a love for nature and experiential learning.
Our families are a huge part of Leapfrog and our identity, with a strong parent committee. Over the past 33 years, we have become part of the fabric of Sai Kung. Parents and children alike have formed lifelong friendships. Families become close while attending Leapfrog, and this contributes to our ever-growing community
What does the campus look like today? Give us an insight into the location and the key features?
Our preschool campus is set in the scenic beauty of Sai Kung Country Park, offering a spacious, safe and natural environment. Features include indoor and outdoor classrooms, gardens, a playground with a large sandpit and water pumps and mud kitchens. Our forest and woodland provide shaded spaces for rest and reflection as well as a treehouse, rope swing, zipline, fire pit and a nature trail and sensory walk. The campus design encourages outdoor learning and provides ample opportunities for exploration and physical activity.
What is the curriculum or approach to learning at Leapfrog Kindergarten? And how do you incorporate your beautiful natural surroundings into this?
We’re an accredited Forest School and our curriculum is based on the British EYFS; it’s designed to foster creativity, curiosity and a love for learning, with an emphasis on hands-on experiences through our Forest School programme that nurtures independence, self confidence and risk-taking.
We offer a holistic and play-based curriculum for ages zero to five years that emphasises experiential learning and outdoor exploration. The focus is on developing cognitive, social, emotional and physical skills through activities that integrate nature, along with immersive Mandarin language instruction in our kindergarten classes too.
Give us an insight into a day of learning at the preschool.
A day at Leapfrog is designed to be engaging, nurturing and educational. There are Structured Learning Activities, Play-Based Learning, Social Interaction, and Creative Expression. Overall, the aim is to create a warm, stimulating environment where children feel happy, secure and excited to learn.
What do you think the kids enjoy most about attending Leapfrog Kindergarten?
The freedom to explore and learn the fundamentals through nature. The environment is set up to cultivate children’s curiosity, and it allows them to develop skills through active learning rather than “chalk and talk” learning. Parents tell us that their children and friends can communicate, work together and solve problems and that they love coming to school.
Why is outdoor play and embracing nature so important for children?
There are several reasons for this; it can be beneficial not only for physical health, but also mental wellbeing, and supporting emotional resilience, cognitive development, social skills and sensory engagement through the wealth of textures, sights, sounds and smells in the forest. It also helps to enhance their creativity and imagination and build environmental awareness.
Fundamentally, it’s about holistic development – physical, emotional, social and cognitive – within outdoor play and embracing nature, while also nurturing a lifelong appreciation for the natural world and learning.
What’s new and notable at your Sai Kung preschool right now?
This year, we’re continuing with our Saturday morning Forest Camps that are open to children aged three to seven years. We’re also enhancing our outdoor facilities with new eco-friendly play equipment and expanding our garden spaces to include more native plants. These initiatives aim to deepen children’s connection to nature and promote environmental responsibility from an early age. We’re also hosting Forest Schools from the UK who will conduct their training here in October.
Is there anything important for parents to know about admissions and applications?
Our school accepts applications year-round. We enjoy meeting both parents and children to get to know you better, although we do not conduct formal interviews. We pride ourselves on being an open and inclusive community welcoming students with varying learning or language abilities.
11 Pak Tam Chung Village, Sai Kung Country Park
2791 1540 | leapfrogkindergarten.org
This article on a preschool in Sai Kung first appeared in the Autumn 2025 issue of Expat Living magazine. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe so you never miss a copy!
