A Hug for You!

About the Author

Dr Cheng Wan-Ni is a veteran early-childhood educationist with decades of experience in practice, policy and teacher training. An expert in regard to theory and practice, Dr Cheng specializes in early-childhood curriculum, child development, preschool management and child welfare. Currently, she serves as the dean of the Early Childhood Care and Education Department at the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL).

Dr Cheng, who is an award-winning writer, has in recent years begun to write children’s picture books. She has published several picture books that incorporate and explore elements of Singaporean culture. Dr Cheng authored the first teaching kit for early-childhood educators on multicultural festivals and celebrations in Singapore. She also organized a local preschool teaching-aid competition. Her book, which was shortlisted for the “Best Educational Book” category in the Singapore Book Awards, features an innovative approach to research and delivers a fresh perspective on local topics.

Dr Cheng has leveraged her passion for literature as well as her expertise in childhood development and games to augment the development of children's board games in Singapore. Her area of research, however, is not limited to language, pedagogy and cross-cultural adjustment for non-local preschool Chinese language teachers. Her recent research examines marketing, consumerism and pop culture in interactive games, smartphone devices and mixed media aimed at children. She also serves as a consultant for Taiwanese and Japanese gaming companies that design and develop products targeting youth.