Gao Fei, Senior Chinese Teacher from My First Skool at Blk 503 Bedok North, transformed the story ‘The Little Monkey Who Loves to Lose Things’ into an interactive classroom experience through the storytelling aid that she built. The Kindergarten 2 children that she teaches observed picture cards to identify missing items from the monkey, and used paper puppets to act out scenes from the book. Through these activities, they practised speaking, imagination, and self-expression.

Her thoughtful design helped her clinch first place in the 2025 Preschool Chinese Language Storytelling Aids Competition. This was Gao Fei’s second time competing in the competition.

“I want to nurture children’s interest in mandarin by listening to stories, telling stories, and acting them out,” she said. “With paper puppets, they can even adapt the story themselves, which helps them practise their expression.” She added that parents could also create simple teaching aids at home with recycled materials to encourage everyday use of Chinese through storytelling.

Organised by the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL) since 2017, the competition encourages teachers to use creative storytelling methods to spark children’s interest in learning Chinese.

This year’s competition drew 272 entries, from which judges selected winners for the top three prizes and seven commendation awards.

This is a list of our awards:

1. First Prize – Gao Fei
   (My First Skool at Blk 503 Bedok North)
   
2. Second Prize – Su Xiaoyu, Wu Xin and Sun Ning
   (My First Skool at Blk 541 Ang Mo Kio)
   
3. Commendation Award – Liu Yuhan, Wang Xiyun and Xi He
   (My First Skool at Blk 602 Choa Chu Kang)
   
4. Commendation Award – Shen Qian, Qiu Shuang and Yang Yang
   (My First Skool at Blk 487C Tampines)
   
5. Commendation Award – Xie Yuhua, Chen Pin-Yen and Wang Xiaohui
   (My First Skool at 50 Sengkang West Way)
   
6. Finalist – Wang Jing, Lim Xin Meang and Chou Ting-Fu
   (My First Skool at 2 Punggol Drive)
   
7. Finalist – Bai Shasha and Feng Dan
   (My First Skool at 51 Fernvale Link)
   
8. Finalist – Chen Xiaojun and Qiao Hui Zi
   (My First Skool at Blk 106 Henderson Crescent)
   

Media coverage:

Lianhe Zaobao Online (16 August 2025)

Lianhe Zaobao Print (17 August 2025)

Channel 8 (16 August 2025)