Kidzland – truly an amazing entertainment centre for kids!

In June, we hosted the joint party celebration for small J and small C at Kidzland and played many many hours at The Forest. You can check out the review of our unforgettable first visit to Kidzland. When we left0, we had not explored all the other areas including the arcade area and knew one day we will be back to explore the other areas.

So finally the term 3 assessments were all over and daddy wanted to give the kids a treat at the arcade. We are big fan of Time Zone and my kids have been going to the arcade many times (its daddy’s way to bond with the kids in the afternoon when its too hot to play outside). So for a change, I told them that we could pay a return visit to Kidzland as they have a huge arcade there too! We should give it a try as we always go to Time Zone.  Though it may not be as accessible as the Time Zone outlets but you will see why I prefer Kidzland arcade over Time Zone at the later part of review.

We decided to give a try to the different sections that we did not get to try before we do the  actual agenda which is the arcade! Do note you have to get a pre-loaded card first at the counter to enjoy all the activities mentioned below.  The pre-loaded card is also use for the arcade areas.

Magic Pen (SGD 5 for 20 minutes)

We did something similar at Mosh! in Sentosa . My younger ones love “colouring” and the very fun part of the Magic Pen is not just colouring and decorating the characters but sending it over to the big screen to see your creation “come to life”. Highly recommended for kids below 6, I think the 20 minutes session is not enough but I told them there are still many other section to explore!

The Beach (SGD 5 for 30 minutes)

This was a sandy play area to mimic the experience of the beach complete with projection of sea creature on to the sand. This is definitely a winner among the kids including my 8 year old. Of course, this doesn’t come close to going to the beach but I truly welcome this section as this is an added variety to the typical play gym. In fact at  around 4 plus pm the area became quite crowded with younger kids, I was glad we manage to try this at an earlier timing.

Do not worry as it is unlike the sand at the real beach where it is difficult to clean, it is relatively easy to clean off with the mat provided at the entrance of the area.

 

Battle Giant (Current Promo price SGD 5 for 5 minutes)

The first time I ever saw this was at a mall in KL last year. I think these are now common fixtures at outdoor amusement pop up as I saw them on the IG feeds. My kids had never tried this before I was also totally excited to see them in action. Initially, the two boys took the first ride. Small J at 4 years was unable to control the robot and as the robot is pretty big and heavy, it is quite dangerous (not for small J) but to people watching. So we decided that he cannot ride alone and did a tandem with big J. Big C at 6 year old is able to control it well so she is able to ride alone. Do take note, for younger kids below 4/5 , do sit together with the child. I am sure it is also fun for the parents too! Currently it is on promotion at SGD 5 for 5 minutes (which I think it is a steal, I think its priced at SGD 8 at the outdoor amusement pop up)

 

Arcade (prices from SGD 2 per game)

Finally, the moment the kids all have been waiting for –  arcade time! Most games were at SGD 2 and what I really liked (over Time Zone)is that all the arcade games are more for younger kids below 12 – (Time Zone catered for a bigger range of crowd include teenagers and adults, hence some games are not so suitable for young kids due to shooting and violence).  At KidzlandThere is bowling, driving, fire fighter, basketball, cycling, fishing – all very kids centric without any violence etc. I don’t think there is another arcade in Singapore which is catered solely for kids! The other part that I liked was that the machine issued tickets (in Time Zone, it all done electronically which is good , save the environment etc) but I still prefer the old school method of seeing the tickets dispensed from the machine  – the joy of kids’ faces anticipating the tickets coming out of the machine ( I do hope that the tickets will be some how recycled and reused)

We really had loads of fun, if we didn’t have a dinner appointment, we could have stayed there for hours but the longer we stay means the more damage to daddy’s wallet! In fact, we didn’t cover all the arcade games. After amassing a cool 316 tickets, the kids went over to claim their prizes. Kidzland does offer lots of fun for the younger kids crowd which is somewhat different from the typical playgym however, due to the huge space they have, they do seem lacking in staff  -but if you know your ways around, you wouldn’t be too bothered but for first timer , you may be a bit lost at time due to lack of staff to assist.

Kidzland

The Grandstand

Level  2 Unit #02-14

200 Turf Club Road

Singapore 287994

Tel: 65 67633773

Email: admin@kidzld.com

Free parking (hence no worry if you really spend the entire day there!)

Operating Hours: 10am – 9pm (Mon – Fri), 9am to 10pm on Saturday and 9am  to 9.30 pm Sunday.

Disclosure: We were given complimentary admission/accesss to the Magic Pen, The Beach and Battle Giant. We paid for our own for the games at the Arcade. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.


Share the article
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail
This entry was posted in place.

Snap! Entertainment Present David Walliams’ The First Hippo on the Moon – free printable included

It was only until recently that I got acquainted with books by David Walliams  and it was not his picture books but the novels for big J (which seems like the type of book he loves). So I bought a few of his books and I came to realise that David also has a few picture books under his penmanship. What versatile children’s book author just like Julia Donaldson who has books for the very young to young readers. So when I heard that Snap Entertainment has brought in a stage interpretation of one of his picture books The First Hippo on the Moon, I had pinned on my kids’ calender. I also had borrowed the book from the library and the kids loved this story too and there is a great message in it too!

David Walliams has taken the literary world by storm and his brilliantly funny stories are adored by children the world over!  He has achieved unprecedented critical acclaim and quickly developed a reputation as a natural successor to Roald Dahl. His books have been translated into over 45 languages and sold over 9.5 million copies in the UK alone.

From Number One bestselling Children’s author David Walliams comes an explosively funny space adventure for children of 3 and up. Two big hippos. One ENORMOUS dream. Who can make it to the moon first?

3 …2 …1 …BLAST OFF!

Adapted for the stage by acclaimed award winning theatre company Les Petits and hot off the heels of their hugely successful Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs tour and immersive hit Adventures in Wonderland, comes a fantastical adventure featuring puppetry, music, mayhem and a giant space race to the moon!

The hilarious story of The First Hippo on the Moon sees the incredibly rich Hercules Waldorf-Franklin
III and ingenious Sheila compete to fulfil their enormous dream – to be the first hippo to make it to
the moon. Can you predict who will make it to the moon first?

With powerful themes of aspiration and teamwork running through the story, the show
hopes to inspire the young and old. As concisely put by David Walliams, “Whoever you are you
should dream big, just like Sheila the hippo. Plus if you work together as a team, then you can
achieve so much more“. This is definitely a show all ages and family members will enjoy!

Recommended for ages 3 years old and up.

You can also download this free printable for The First Hippo on the Moon through this link

THE FIRST HIPPO ON THE MOON

Date:

September 22nd / Friday – 5pm
September 23rd / Saturday – 11am, 2.30pm, 4.30pm
September 24th / Sunday – 11am, 2.30pm, 4.30pm
Venue: SOTA Drama Theatre

Pricing: From $38 onwards

Duration: Approximately 55 minutes with no interval

Book through sistic using this link.


Share the article
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail
This entry was posted in event.

Promo code included: Stuck on You’s personalised bento box – join the revolution!

2 years ago when my eldest went to school, I went to Daiso and bought a SGD 2 dollar snack box. Coupled with the fact that he attend afternoon session school and he prefers to eat at the school canteen, I seldom need to a full lunch for him. After the mandatory snack break was implemented late last year, I brought out my SGD 2 dollar Daiso snack box to pack for his snack break which happens at 5pm.

In recent months, due to a popularity of lunch/bento boxes in the social media, my interest was piqued. It definitely cost many times more than the snack box from Daiso but I am attracted to all the pretty lunch boxes and bento boxes made by mummies (ie not some littlemissbento or domestic goddess). The ready-made compartments in the lunch/bento boxes make it easy for “plating” and you don’t need to make rice ball or elaborate cutting of seaweed sheet to create the look and feel of a bento box.

So when I saw Stuck on You newly launched its new range of personalized bento box (which is so so pretty) I need I need to join the revolution.

Its not just any lunch box as I see it with the personalized bento box from Stuck on You, I was given the opportunity (not much of a chef) to create a balanced meal that is pleasing to the eyes of the kids (especially fussy kids).

Given that the kids will be in morning sessions next year onwards, perhaps I could do some simple meals for their recess especially for big C aka miss fussy lee , I truly worry that she has nothing to eat, or rather she eats the same meal. Their primary school has gone forth to introduce healthy eating as part of their school canteen meals – introduction of brown rice, fruits as part of a meal. I truly applaud their effort to create a more balanced and healthier meals for their students, however, it does create any other issue for fussier kids. I heard that they often leave the fruit of the day untouched etc – creating unnecessary wastage. For kids like big J, there won’t be such issue as he is a fruits lover but it is not the case for big C. So I rather I packed things that she eat than for her to waste food.

At first glance

Ordering online through Stuck on You, is a breeze as there is a preview to see how the actual items will look like before ordering.

When the personalized bento box from Stuck on You arrived, (as I have yet to see a bento lunch box IRL)  I thought it was too big for my petite 6 year old. However, after making a full meal (see section Using it), any smaller in size, the portion will not be enough for the going to be primary 1 kid. Both the box and trays are made entirely of food-safe materials , BPA- free and Phthalates-free. Both the inner tray and outer box are dishwasher safe too.

If you were to pack a full meal, you would definitely need a lunch box carrier (instead of stuffing into the already heavy school bag). Stuck on You also have their personalized and insulated lunch box carrier. For those mummies who are “hoarding” Jujube bags (I am also guilty), I did a test, and it fits perfectly into the Jujube Fuel Cell as well (no need to thank me for giving your Fuel Cell a second life)

But what set it apart of the other in the markets , it comes personalized with your child’s name which makes it so so so pretty and one of its kind. There won’t be another similar bento box in the school canteen for sure!

Using it

After receiving it, I was raring to use it . I looks through my social media and stumbled upon a famous dad from Geelong, Australia (which coincidentally where Stuck on You originates as well) on Instagram who packs for his 2 daughters @schoollunchbox. From the various inspirations from IG, I realized that you don’t need to make very complicated food to make your own bento boxes look pretty.

Here are my maiden attempts for different meals – breakfast, lunch, snack, tea break.

The lid is lined with leak proof silicone seal that covers each individual compartment. That said, it is not advisable to put water or other liquid. The only recommended are yogurt dip and sauces. I did an experiment by putting yogurt and a sauce and tilting the bento box up and down. See this link for my experiment.  Clearly the yogurt and the sauce did not go into the other compartments. However, the yogurt and sauce does end up on the lid. This will not create an issue if the child finish the food in one go. If the child decide to continue eating at a later time,  the child would need to clean the lid before closing it else the remnant liquid on the lid may go into other compartments.

Loving It        

I like that the Stuck on You’s personalized bento box comes in only 1 size but option of 2 inter-changeable trays. The bento box comes with the 5-compartment plus 1 sauce food tray and you can purchase the sandwich tray  (3-compartment plus 1 sauce) separately (in you do not need purchase another bento box just to fit the sandwich tray).

The first time I made the bento (it wasn’t hard as its all ready materials – fruits, yogurts, green, sausages) , my girl went –  I will eat everything ………except for the raw greens. Ok,  none of my kids eat raw greens but big C only eat 2 types of cooked vegetables, yes two, in the whole wide world. The whole presentation (which doesn’t take too much time on my end) makes her a happier eater.

To make the presentation even prettier, get some pretty food picks (from Daiso) and from bread cutters and your bento boxes will look maybe 60 to 70% of the experienced bento makers.

One of the main uses of bento lunch boxes is for rationing and portion control for obese kids.  The compartments also act as a reminder to the mummies/daddies/helpers to pack the 5 main groups of food for a balanced meal.

It comes in 5 beautiful colours (Navy, Hot Pink, Light Pink, Light Blue, Mint) and there are many cute design icons and fonts to choose from. I am sure you will have a hard time deciding the perfect personalized design for your child ( I didn’t have such a hard time as OCD wanted the same matchy design with big C’s personalized school kit which was reviewed here. )

photo credit: Stuck on You

photo credit: Stuck on You

 

I did a few combinations for different colour bento boxes and the design icons just for the fun of it as they are all so pretty!

photo credit: Stuck on You

Stuck on You

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Promo code of 10% on all except value pack: soymypkids (valid till 30 Sept 2017)

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own. 


Share the article
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Giveaway & Review of Gakken Science Kits – fun home-based science kits from Japan

I had previously review two awesome products from Gakken Asia – the Go Go workbook series and also New Block. You can read the reviews here.

I am so happy that they have ventured into science kits means big J can benefit from the excellent product range from Gakken Asia. It will be less than half a year more before he will be doing science subject in primary school, but it is my biggest worry as he not only need to handle the current subjects but another subject which may seems foreign to him.

I know that science is all around but I have not done a very good job in exposing him to the wonderful world of science because I am not a very science person myself (though I did science all the way to junior college).

We have dabbled in some home-based science experiments through subscription boxes before and it is true that kids are naturally curious and wanting for more. I couldn’t be more glad when Gakken Asia send across three of their best-sellers science kits for my kids to try. There are many more of such science kits but these are the 3 sets that have been translated from Japanese for the use of the English speaking market.

Air Magic Experiment Kit

I chose to open this as I thought it offered the most hands-on interaction and seemingly most interesting of the 3 kits. All the materials are provided with the exception of 2 AA batteries. The set focuses on airflow and nature of air and its levitational ability. An easy to understand guidebook is also part of the kit to guide parents and child on types of experiments to try.

There are in total 15 types of experiments coming out from this kit.


Nature Observation Telescope Kit

This was the second kit that we attempted to do. It requires the child to build their own light weight telescope. So the first part of the “fun” is to assemble your own telescope.

The booklet that comes with the kit will give some ideas on how to do observation through this telescope. It is also advisable to prepare a notebook so that your child can jot down his observation.

3 Colour LED light

And the final kit, was the 3 Colour LED light. Another quick- to -assemble  science kit just like the telescope which is the part of the initial fun. Thereafter we have to wait for night time or a dark room to perform the suggested experiments.

The guide book that comes with the 3 colour LED light kit.


We waited till it was dark to do a few of the suggested experiments. The 3 primary colour torchlight can be used to lit transparent object and create shadow. One of the suggested experiment is to shine the light onto transparent object  and you will see a kaleidoscope of colours spreading after the object. We will be trying this next once i get some samples of transparent objects such as egg packs, transparent spoon or PET bottles.

did you know the interception between the 3 primary colours is WHITE! When you widen the dial on the torchlight, from the 3 colours, you will be able to found 7 colours too!

 

indulging in some shadow play too

Next we can also do shadow play with the 3 colour LED torchlight . It is more fun that the typical torchlight that only emit 1 colour. With the 3 colour LED torchlight, you can see an array of colours projected. There is an experiment to see the shadow in 3D , where we only use the red and blue lights. With home made 3d glass (paper pattern provided in guide boo)., you will see the shadows appearing in 3D.

As the science kits are original produced in Japan, the guide books have been translated into English, however, the English translation may not be at its best. That said, there wont any difficulty understanding the instruction and guide based on the translated English.

Even though there are a plethora of home-based science experiments that you can find on youtube or on the internet, we often lack the materials and initiatives to perform them at home. Hence subscription boxes and science kits are the next available option (lazy mummy) to do some science experiments at home.

These science kits are excellent for rainy days where we were stuck at home and we can indulge in some family bonding and at the same time discover some science and hopefully to fuel the kids interest in the science subject.

Currently the science kits can be purchased at the following locations:

Gakken Asia

Website

Facebook

Giveaway

Gakken Asia has kindly sponsored 3 Colour LED light science kit worth SGD 25.90 to 1 lucky reader.

  1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com
  2. Followed mypreciouzkids on Instagram
  3. Liked and shared this FB post publicly and tag 3 friends or more!

Please keep your Instagram profile public (as indicated in step 3)  in order to qualify so that I can locate your entry. I will be picking the lucky winner using random.org. The giveaway closes on 3rd  Sept 2017 2359pm (Sun).

FB: Winnie Low

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own. 


Share the article
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Review (promo included) – IMPACT IPEG-223 Comfort Spinal Protection Backpack ergonomic school bag

2 years ago when I started to source for an ergonomic bag for big J, I was introduced to Ergoworks’ range of Impact ergonomic school backpacks. See here for my previous review  and 1.5 years old on , due to the “abuse” by my 8 year old boy, I think it is still in pretty good condition and if I were to trade in due course, I will get a 20% discount of regular priced ergonomic bags at Ergoworks which is savings to the parents.

Now it is big C’s turn to search for a suitable school bag back to start her formal schooling and I didn’t have to look any further as I am happy with the quality of Impact school backpacks for the past 2 years. I was delighted to see a new range of adjustable ergonomic bags which wasn’t there during big J’s time and the bonus part, it comes with adjustable height as well which is the IMPACT IPEG-223.

IMPACT is the ONLY ergonomic brand internationally endorsed and recommended by Singapore Physiotherapy Association and The Chiropractic Association (Singapore) and is a receipient of many awards proudly displayed at the showroom.

Ergonomics is the process of designing or arranging workplaces, products and systems so that they fit the people who use them. This is especially critically for children as they grow in height and size and what is suitable for them now may not be the case say 1 year later. One way is to change the item every time the child outgrows it, which is costly, the other way is to have an adjustable feature in the item.

Even though I was quite set in getting the IPEG 223, I decided to look at the wall of school backpacks and see if there are other suitable models that big C can carry. I had actually forgotten to take the whole wall of school backpack, the photo below was probably 1/3 of the entire wall of school backpacks. I am sure you will be spoilt for choice but ultimately you need to see which backpack fits your child best!


So I narrow my choices down to these 3 models. We did try the similar model which is the boxy model that big J has been using and it comes in 2 sizes (the ones in purple) which is IMPACT IM-0037A and IMPACT IM-0050A (which also comes in navy blue – which is big J’s bag, royal blue, pink and the purple shown in pic).

The IMPACT IM-0037A was too overwhelming for petite big C (that was the same size that big J started with so I guess big J was slightly bigger and taller at the same age) but the IMPACT IM-0050A was really perfect for her size and it comes with the most beautiful pink lining. I actually would have preferred this model as it has been tried and tested by big J for the past year – roomy, see it all in one glance, but big C insist she wanted the pink IPEG 223. The only drawback of purple bags is that there is no height adjustment for the  IMPACT IM-0037A and IMPACT IM-0050A

bigger model, a tad too big for big C

smaller model, just perfect for big C now!

comes with the prettiest pink lining!

Next, we tried the IPEG-223 which is the newest model , one of the lightest adjustable height ergonomic backpack.

IPEG – 223 fits big C perfectly at the lowest height adjustment

Thanks to 4 steps multi-height adjustable buckles, the bag is suitable for kids from height 110cm all the way to 170 cm. Big C is at 110cm hence, she is at the lowest height setting for now. The next adjustment will be when you notice the waist padding goes above the child’s waist, which means the child has grown taller and require an adjustment to the bag.

The most important thing to note is that the bag should be align to the shoulder of the child. The backpack should not be significantly wider than the shoulders for a proper fit . The base of the backpack should be not lower than the top of the hip bone.

Adjusting the  4 steps multi height adjustable buckles is also very simple and you have to do it only once until your child outgrown the current adjustments.

photo credit: Ergoworks

suitable for kids from 110cm to 170cm in height

a 90 degree turn will remove from the buckle and to put it on, in opposing 90 degree turn

the bag also feature a slight spacing between the back of the neck and the backpack so that there is no brushing of the backpack again the body which is the improved feature in new bags

Parachute rings are to assist in the proper adjustment of the straps

photo credit: Ergoworks

Besides that, Anthony from Ergoworks had also patiently go through the correct method of wearing and adjusting your child’s bag. It is pointless having an ergonomic backpack but not using it correctly. Anthony advised never wear the school backpack from the height of the floor but to place the backpack on the chair/table before wearing the backpack and adjusting the parachute rings to tighten the straps thereafter. There is a also a chest belt to distribute the weight evenly on the wearer.

The IPEG 223 is one of the lightest adjustable ergonomic backpacks at 950g and with a height of 28 cm. Some of the other noteworthy features of the bag includes  Comfy U Neck Fit Back straps, USA 3M Scotchlite Reflective Safety Materials ,  Patented Chest Stabilization Belt and High Quality Self Repairing Recoilless Zipper with Loop Lock Design.

This is the main bag, the heaviest books should be placed at the back of the bag

this is the middle compartment with pockets

front most compartment for wallet etc

IPEG-223 comes in two colours – perfect for your prince or your princess!

Retailing at a special discounted price of SGD149 (original price SGD 169) and comes with a 180 days warranty and an option to trade in with a 20% discount off the future school backpack’s price.

Besides being one for the biggest ergonomic school bag suppliers in Singapore, Ergoworks  showrooms (details below) are also your one-stop solution on all things ergonomic – from ergonomic tables to chairs both for kids and adults. A visit to their showroom in Marina Square (which was the showroom that I visited), you will be in awe at the range of ergonomic products, from chairs, recliners, workstations for kids and adults, LED lights etc and even water bottles for kids! You may end up with items that you can improve your own livelihood as well as it is not just catered to students and children but to adults too!

Ergoworks

Website

Facebook

Instagram 

Marina Square

6 Raffles Boulevard #03-337 Marina Square

Opens Daily: 11:30am – 9.00 pm

Telephone: 6837 3370

Centrepoint

176 Orchard Road #03-36 Centrepoint

Opens Daily: 11:30am – 9.00 pm

Telephone: 6836 8488

Causeway Point

1 Woodlands Square #03-26 Causeway Point

Opens Daily: 11:30am – 9.00 pm

Telephone: 6893 8488

For the benefits of readers of mypreciouzkids, Ergoworks has kindly included a free gift with every purchase of IMPACT ergonomic bag at any of the 3 outlets. All you have to do is to print and present the image below when purchasing an  IMPACT bag between 2/9 to 30/9/17 to be entitled to the free gift. Its great for kids who are already starting to use laptop as part of the school curriculum.

 

 

 

 


Share the article
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail
This entry was posted in product.

Giveaway and Review of Yijan musical electric toothbrush

I don’t really have an issue with my kids not wanting to brush their teeth. In fact even the 2 year old loves to take the tooth brush to “brush” his teeth, or rather bite as he doesn’t really know how to brush. However, I do have an issue with the older kids brushing their teeth so fast within record time, probably in half a minute or less. Ok,  I am also guilty of it myself as I don’t think I spend more 2 minutes brushing my teeth.  How do I as a parents ensure that my kids does a minimum 2 minutes of effective brushing (which is the recommendation by dentist)?

While it has not been proven that electric tooth brush is better than manual toothbrush, one thing for sure, children who are reluctant brushers or have difficulty brushing with a manual brush, an electric brush may be easier or more comfortable to use. For the child like small C , who doesn’t really know how to brush their teeth, an electrical toothbrush will also help in maintaining his oral hygiene.

Most branded electrical toothbrush for kids requires an app to be installed in the smart phone as a timer and to encourage the kids to brush longer and more effectively. For the first few times, it may be fun to use as there is sound and visual, but after a while, I really worry that my phone goes swimming in the sink when I couldn’t supervise them in their teeth brushing process.

In replacement of having an app on the smartphone, Yijan has created an innovative electrical, musical and waterproof tooth brush has a brushing teeth song that guide little kids the correct way to brush their teeth.  Besides having the song, the toothbrush has  a vibration of 8000 strokes/minute to stimulate growing gum.  Besides that, each tooth brush come with a cute cap to keep the brush head clean from germs and bacteria.

My kids were to excited when they saw the Yijan toothbrush due to the cute design. Well, they didn’t really know what was it until the remove the cap. When they realise the toothbrushs play music, it was an even bigger surprise. They have been asking very diligently to brush their teeth every night all thanks to the song. Also thanks to the song they have been brushing their teeth for a cool 2 minutes.

I didn’t know that brushing teeth can be fun but my kids loved their new toothbrush. They get very tickled by the song too. However if the kids are brushing at the same time, I recommend one toothbrush to be on silent mode and while the other with music on.

Yijan musical toothbrush comes in 3 very pretty colours: Pink, Blue and Mint (Green)

photo credit : Our One and Only

For the starter Value Pack, it comes with 2 toothbrush head ( silicone toothbrush and small nylon bristle brush head). The silicone toothbrush is suitable for kids age 3 and below while a small nylon bristle brush head for kids age 3 years to 9 years old. For older kids between 9 to 12, they have medium nylon bristle brush head (purchased separately) All brush head can be bought separately  for replacement(prices below). Using just 1 AAA battery, it can last up to 2 months. It is recommended to change the brush head every 3 months.

credit: Our One and Only

Price of the musical toothbrush is $36.90 and comes with 1 year warranty on the motor.

Especially for the readers of mypreciouzkids , you can purchase the online at $26.90 instead of $36.90 using the discount code : jamiempk . For online purchase, you can opt for the toothbrush head size that you prefer.  You can also purchase at Bove by Spring Maternity.

You can hear the full song via this youtube video.

Replacement toothbrush can be bought from Our One and Only online store or at Bove by Spring Maternity.

Silicon brush head: $5.90

Nylon small brush head: $6.90

Nylon medium brush head: $7.90

Our One and Only

Website

Facebook /Facebook

Instagram

 

Giveaway

Our One and Only has kindly sponsored one set (colour of your choice) worth SGD 36.90 to 1 lucky reader.

1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com and Our One and Only and Yijan Singapore

2. Followed mypreciouzkids and Our One and Only  on Instagram

3. Repost this visual on IG (tag 3 friends ) (on my IG post, one tag per comment) with hashtag #mypreciouzkidsgiveaway.

Please keep your Instagram profile public (as indicated in step 3)  in order to qualify so that I can locate your entry. I will be picking the lucky winner using random.org. The giveaway closes on 6th Aug 2017 2359pm (Sun).

winner: @syasya101088

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own. 


Share the article
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Giveaway and Review of I-Study T120 ergonomic table – mypreciouzkids’ biggest giveaway to date!

Without a doubt this will be the biggest ticket item you will buy for your soon to be primary 1 child (in case you missed my p1 prep post, link here). That said it is not absolutely necessary as the cost and space the ergonomic table consumed may not fit every one’s budget or space. You do not need to buy it straight away once the child start school, but I would advise to cater a designated area/table for the child to do the school homework and revision.

The single most important question for most parents, is there a need to spend on an ergonomic table?

For me personally,  I see it as a long term investment, the ergonomic table and chair will see your child all the way to secondary school and beyond as the table and chair will “grow” with the child.  I remember when my parents bought me a proper study table complete with lights and a folding desk (definitely there is no ergonomic feature whatsoever). I was over the moon and I was very motivated to study and complete my homework. In fact that very same study table is still in my parent’s home –  its probably over 30 years old. I hope that with a proper and ergonomic study table, this will inculcate better habits and sitting postures.

The diagram below shows how an ergonomic table will help in creating a good and correct posture as compared to fixed height table and chair. Even if the table and chair is at the correct height, once the child grow, you will need to change another set else creating a wrong posture. This problem is cleverly resolved with ergonomic table and chair which height can be easily adjustable.

I am not expert in ergonomic tables, but 2 years ago, when big J started primary 1 both myself and hubby agreed we should invest in a proper table and chair albeit it being very pricey some even cost more than SGD 1k for both table and chair. At that point in time, there were a few prominent sellers which have their brick and mortar store in the shopping centres hence easy for viewing , touch and feel of the actual product. We finally settled with an ergonomic table and chair set from a German brand which burn a big hole in our pocket. We bit the bullet as we saw it as a long term investment and as we have multiple kids, they could take turns to use it doing their school work (all the way up to college!)

Fast forward 2 years later now that it is now big C turns to enter the world of formal schooling next year. As she is the only girl in the family, she also get to have her own room, and I thought it will be wonderful if she has her own ergonomic table so that she can do her work in peace and quiet away from the other boisterous and distracting boys. Even at this age of 6, she shows diligence and traits of a good student, and I am sure the table will be very much utilized by her when she starts primary 1.

I was blessed to come across a brand called I-Study in my recent search of ergonomic table. Their tables and chairs are manufactured in China using German patented technology for adjustable height table and chair. In the past, when I was comparing German brands and China brand, I often dismiss China brands as inferior in quality and make when I compared the tables at the brick and mortar shops 2 years ago.

I was skeptical of -I-Study’s table at first given that it was made in China but when I actually met Paul from I-Study and saw the actual product at the exhibition they were participating in early this year, I was sold. Being familiar with an existing ergonomic table that big J is using, I am better position to compare and contrast what I owned and i-study’s. Using high quality products and the German patented technology, the set is assembled in China.

Having to own a German brand for the past 2 years and comparing against big C’s brand new PINK ergonomic table and chair, in fact I preferred I-Study table much much more for its usability, ease of use and top quality finishing. To give an idea why I preferred the new set over big J’s current table, I will share the picture of the German brand table that we bought 2 years back.

Pardon the mess, but there is zero shelving, zero drawer and the only pull out compartment below the table has organisation sections. You will see later why I appreciated the I-Studytable much more later on it the blog, and price wise big J’s set cost $300-400 more than the I-Study table set.

The model big C is currently using now is T120 which is 1.2m long. It also comes in the 1m version called T100 which has all the wonderful features except that it is 20cm shorter in length.

At first glance 

The table top is made of premium Formica laminate which meets stringent US and European standard. Even with permanent marker or highlighter stain on the table, it can be easily clean with wet cloth. Paul , from I-Study actually did a demonstration when I met him at the exhibition early this year where he used marker to draw and it was easily resolved with a damp cloth.

The legs and table frame are made from medium carbon steel , durable , strong and rust free. The whole structure will sturdy and strong and definitely not flimsy or light-weight.

The most two most important features of an ergonomic table is a tiltable table top (which is a German patented technology) and an adjustable table height.

The table top can be tilt from 0 to 60 degree to cater to different purposes. For reading you can tilt it at higher degree and for doing homework, you can tilt it at a lower degree of slant. The technology used is German patented premium hydraulic system.

The table height can be adjusted from 50cm to 70 cm good for kids from height 120cm to 175cm.

The chair is also adjustable in height good for kids from height 110cm to 188cm. The seat comes with a free seat and back cover which is of waterproof material and machine washable. ( I didn’t have that for my German set :() It has a self braking system where the chair will not move when there is weight on it.

Using it

It is pretty easy to tilt the table – your child would be able to do it on her own. If you are worried of hands being caught, there is a holder area to place your hand while the other hand uses the lever located at the bottom of the table. As for the table height and chair, you can do a one time setup during installation. Of course as your child grows taller, you will need to make adjustment yourselves.

There are no sharp corners, rounded edge to ensure safety for kids.

Loving it

To me, what I really like is that besides being an ergonomic table, it  also has shelving and drawer compartments that will come in handy and keeping books and stationery organize. If you run a google on more famous ergonomic table brands in the Singapore market including the German brands, most do not have much shelving  or drawer options. For those, you have to buy your own table organizer and magazine racks to do the organization which will add to the cost of the already very pricey table and chair.

My previous German brand ergonomic zero shelving or drawers. As we were first time user, we didn’t know that there is a need for shelving and drawers but as the days go and big J using it, I realise the importance of having shelves and drawers. Hence, I even had to buy plastic magazine racks from Popular to be placed on the table to create some book shelving and some form of organization for big J. If not all the books are just piled up vertically waiting to be toppled. So when I compare the German brand table to I-Study, I am all praises for all the additional shelving, compartments, drawers etc. It is so user friendly and there is even an area to run the table light cord through it so that it looks neat and tidy –really thoughtful design.

One night, I was lying on C’s bed and I spotted another wonderful fixture of the table – a bag hook, rather inconspicuous as it was below the main table ( I didn’t know it for many weeks)  but another brownie point for I-Study! Big C can hang her bags from her enrichment classes etc or even her little handbags etc. Given that primary school kids bag in Singapore weighs a ton,I am sure it will also hold up well though I worry the bag’s handle will give away due to the weight.

The foot rest (SGD 29.90) and table light (SGD 39.90) can be purchased separately. For the bundle set, both the foot rest and table light will be given as part of the bundle set. The foot rest gives support to the kids feet for better blood circulation will improve the child’s concentration.

 

The T120 model comes with blue (with white), pink (with white) and gray (with woodgrain). Gray (with woodgrain) is a more gender neutral colour and maybe look like less kiddish when the kids get older and would have been my preferred choice but since its in the girl’s room and big C gets almost exclusive use – so she chose pink! All I-Study products come with free delivery and installation and 3 year warranty

I-Study are located @ Woodlands Bizhub, 190 Woodlands Industrial Park E5, #10-05 S757516.

At their showroom, do bring along your child to try on the different models of table and chair that they carry.Open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Look for Paul at 9101-7370 for any non-obligation discussion.

Website 

Sister website

Facebook

Giveaway

Paul from I-Study has generously sponsored the same bundle set (colour of your choice) worth SGD 788 which includes a T120 Study Table with book shelf, Type F study chair with protective  cover, foot rest and also the LED lamp.

1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com and good.leh

2. Followed mypreciouzkids

3. Repost this visual on IG(tag 3 friends  – on my IG post, one tag per comment) with hashtag #mypreciouzkidsgiveaway for the IG giveaway and liked and share this FB post (tag 5 friends) for the FB giveaway.

4. I will also need you to share an additional post which is my FB post on the primary 1 preparation as part of the giveaway as well.

Please keep your Instagram profile public or the Facebook shared post public (as indicated in step 3 and 4)  in order to qualify.

I will be picking the 1 lucky winner using random.org. The giveaway closes on 20 August 2017 2359pm (Sun)

 

Winner: Honey C Javier

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own. 


Share the article
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Review – Red Riding Hood 小红帽 – you don’t want to miss this one!

As a parent whom myself is not very strong in Mandarin (apologies if I cant give a review in Mandarin), I am always on the outlook for Mandarin productions to expose my not-so-bilingual kids. I do know that there are not many Mandarin productions in Singapore. Often they are catered to older children, hence kids as young as 5 would not be able to comprehend especially if it is not a well-known story, it makes even harder for the child to understand (I myself may also be lost as my command of Mandarin is also sub-par)

I am thankful whenever Singapore Repertory Theatre’s  The Little Company(“SRT TLC”) stages its Mandarin productions often after their successful run of its English production albeit a year or 2 later. I do hope that in the coming years there is an equal weightage of English and Mandarin productions by SRT TLC –  in recent years SRT TLC stages 3 English and 1 Mandarin production annually.

5 reasons why you shouldn’t miss Red Riding Hood

  1. A story that every kid knows hence they won’t be too “lost in translation”

One of my biggest worries when I bring kids to Mandarin productions is the level of understanding. Firstly, they are not expose to many Mandarin productions (as there ain’t that many as compared to English). What I like about SRT TLC, they don’t use new story or unknown stories, they used stories that all kids will know – The 3 Billy Goats Gruff, The 3 Little Pigs , Goldilocks and the 3 Bears and of course the latest to be interpreted – Red Riding Hood 小红帽. And often their keep quite true to the story line and definitely at the end the moral of the story and a heartwarming end.

photo credit: SRT TLC

  1. Not your typical children production – a different kind of Red Riding Hood – a plot with a twist (no spoiler included)

I asked the daddy whether he enjoyed the show . I expected him to say “ok lor” but I was surprised that he said it was good, in fact very good. Then, of course I probed further ( I am interested to include the review from an adult’s perspective) why he gave it a very good rating, he said that it is not typical of children’s production. It had a twist like in the movie or maybe Channel 8 drama serial which makes the story telling more appealing to the older audiences who will not appreciate that merely a straight-forward story line. Actually at the very beginning when the wolf made its appearance,  the wolf already hinted that in all fairy tales, all bad characters have bad endings, why does it have to be so? I hope I didn’t give away too much.

I shall not do any deeper if not  I will divulge the twist and the end. That said for the youngest audiences like my 4 and 6 year’s old there is a need to explain the twist after watching the show as they had formed many questions. I would like to share what the director has to share about this production and this is truly one for the family!

  1. Stellar cast – with some  serious singing chops

For those who are not familiar with Sugie Phua, he played the lead actor in Lao Jiu to rave reviews and he played the forgetful wordcutter in Red Riding Hood. I guess given any one else, who would have taken this role, it would be more of a supporting role, but boy did he captured my attention, he was so so so so good ! I must also give due credit to Rick Liu’s interpretation of the very smooth and suave wolf and I thought he came close to my personal favourite (George Chan’s portrayal of the big bad wolf in The 3 Little Pigs in 2013) And the 3 ladies –  who played Red Riding Hood, mum and grandma are brilliant actresses and singers in their own rights too!

photo credit: SRT TLC

  1. Comical relief for both kids and adults

There are some slap sticks comedy to provide some comical relief to the kids – not too much but adults are not forgotten. I can hear my other half laughing to the jokes that were pitched more at the adult level. Thank you SRT TLC for not forgetting half of the audiences who may have doze off during the matinee show. There was one and only 1 English word used in the whole entire production – “Highlight” that word had the adult audience bursting into laughter (you have to catch it to appreciate it) . I am not sure if it was part of the script but Sugie Phua was so so smooth and he has such excellent command of Mandarin, that he does tongue twisters and a whole paragraph in 1 single breath. How can he possible remember all the words without getting tongue twist!

photo credit: SRT TLC

  1. Impressive background and props

With all SRT TLC’s production, I expect beautiful backgrounds, props and music to give the entire production a well-rounded and memorable performance. The scene changes from the bakery shop (Red Riding Hood’s family owns a bakery) to the forest and to the grandmother’s house effortlessly. The scene where the grandma was being gobbled up by the wolf (my younger ones were slightly afraid not sure why) was also done so smoothly even I can’t tell where is the escape route for the grandma.

photo credit: SRT TLC

If there is one Mandarin children production you need to catch this year, this has to be it. I am expecting another sell out run and I don’t know how long more I have to wait for another Mandarin’s performance by the SRT TLC.

Red Riding Hood 小红帽

Dates
20 July to 1 Sept 2017

Weekends and Public Holiday : 11am and 2pm
Weekdays: 10am

Venue

KC Arts Centre Home of Singapore Repertory Theatre

20 Merbau Road
Robertson Quay
Singapore 239035

Ticket Pricing

(Excludes Booking Fee)

Weekdays: S$28, S$25

Weekends (Sat & Public Holiday): S$48,S$38,S$35

Book here

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own. 


Share the article
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail
This entry was posted in event.

Review – FIVE Square’s Saturday Family Fun is just too awesome!

My hubby and I love Saturday nights when we will go bar hopping and enjoy a beer or two and just to chill and relax after a hectic week /to recharge for the coming week ahead, but most places ie bars aren’t the most kids friendly places – high stool, crowded, I’d be lucky if they provide baby chair and we often leave the kids home for our night out.

Now we may no longer have to leave the kids behind on Saturday nights  as we found a gem right in the heart of CBD but away from the hustle and bustle of city on a Saturday night (how ironic!). Those who are working in the CBD will be familiar with FIVE Square as it is one of the more popular and crowded lunch venues on weekdays and  also for after work drinks.

Comes Saturday, this same place takes an entirely different feel and crowd – the family crowd! Yay! Kudos to the people behind FIVE Square for thinking of parents who want to chill and have a drink or not but not leave the young ones at home!

What I found at FIVE Square on Saturday family fun goes way beyond my expectations,

Baby/high chair – checked

Bouncy castle – checked

Ball pit – checked

Good selection of food for kids and adults -checked

Beer – checked

Bar snack – checked

Pool table – checked

Dart board – checked

Air-conditioning comfort – checked!

There are many restaurants in Singapore that will bring out the bouncy castles on weekend to attract the family crowd, but often the bouncy castle is placed in the outdoors. FIVE Square has so much space that they have catered a space indoors for the bouncy castle (on weekdays this space is where the live band will play -excellent use of space!). Given the hot & humid weather, I really do not really like my kids to be jumping outdoors.

So on ALL SATURDAYS, from 11 am to 8 pm, FIVE Square will set up their kids section/ play area complete with bouncing castle, slide with ball pits and motorised vehicles.

For the “bigger” kids’ entertainment, they have this!

Finally, I managed to pry the kids away from the play area to order for dinner. We were given a cosy corner with ample space and high chair, with the view of the play area too!

The food wise, it doesn’t disappoint at all but super friendly on the pockets too! I had ordered my food from cin.qo tapas which serves pizza, pasta, paella and tapas.

It is a no brainer as all my kids are huge pasta fans. There are 2 types- classic pastas at $9.90 which are your typical carbonara, bolognese, lasagna etc and DIY pasta for $7.90 where you can choose your own pasta base, type of pasta and a selection of 1 main and 2 vegetables.

So I ordered bolognese penne for missy C which came with shaved cheese while I DIYed two pastas – aglio olio spaghetti with tiger prawn with broccoli and mushroom (I know its not typical pasta ingredient but I love it that it is a more balanced diets and all the ingredients that small J likes) and I had white wine spaghetti with squid, asparagus and broccoli (I loved my greens).

For the presentation and taste it surely did not justify the price tag. Typically, such portion and presentation will cost me anyway between $15 to $20 plus in an Italian restaurant.

The older boys had a peperoni pizza to share. We ordered several tapas to share  – calamari, truffle fries, pork belly and my favourite – garlic cockles! It is a pity they didn’t have chicken wings as it is a must with our beer.

This garlic cockles is not a regular dish at such establishments, but this is a winner. Cooked just nice ( I hate overcooked cockles ) with tangy mix of garlic and lime and for the extra kick, the sambal belacan! And having it with beer is the best combi ever! I will return to FIVE Square just for their garlic cockles!

For those who are not a big fan of Italian food, you can hop over to Teppei Syokudo for its huge range of donburi and of course their very famous kaisendon minus the queue at their main outlet! Besides Japanese, there is also a Western food stall serving all kinds of grilled meat, Vietnamese food and a Malaysian cuisine stall (which opens on Mon to Fri).

As this is a kids friendly blog, I shall not delve so much into the variety of drinks ie beer and liquor , all I can say the list was 5 pages long  – beer, wines, sake, cocktails, shorts, spirits and 1 page just for whisky selection(for whisky lovers out there!). No worries, you can order fruit juices for the kids and there is your typical drinks stall just like in the foodcourt serving can drinks , kopi and teh.

the bar

After dinner, my kids had round 2 at the play area shortly before the play area  closes at 8pm (the place closes at 12 midnight!), by then there were  only a few families left and we almost that the whole play areas to ourselves. My family are crowd adverse people so we really like FIVE Square for the space and lack of crowd in the CBD on Saturdays.  My husband self entertained himself at the dart board and the pool table. There is really nothing to fault about this place, we all had a good  and pocket friendly dinner, the kids had fun and the adults too! This is also a perfect and comfortable place for large group gathering (with or without kids) due to the ample space.

As this place operates like a food court, you will need to place order of food at the self-ordering kiosks and key in your phone number so when the food is ready for collection, an SMS will be sent out to notify you.

If you are there for Saturday lunch, you can come by as early at 11am as the play area will be setup at 11am and for dinner, you may want to go ard 5ish so that the kids can have their bouncing fun before dinner. The play area will be closed at 8pm though the whole place is opened all the way to midnight.

Did you know that FIVE Square is also the home of Arsenal supporters in Singapore, so for those daddies/mummies who are Arsenal supporters,  they screened all Arsenal matches live there too!

FIVE Square also host events such as baby showers and birthday party on Saturday all thanks to the play area setup. Starting from $25 ++ per pax (Min 40 pax) which includes a 10 course catering food selection. The 3 hours party slot are from 11 to 2pm or 3pm to 6pm . In fact the day that I visited FIVE Square for dinner,  the afternoon children’s party was ending and they are totally booked for this month already. Do write to kelvin@fivebar.sg to arrange for your party. How have I missed on this venue for my party hosting, but alas I am done with my children’s party for this year. You have to visit the place to see for yourself the space that they have – it is a huge 13,000 square feet ! Now you know why there is ample space even to place the bouncy castle indoors!

cheers to a great Saturday!

FIVE Square

1 Pickering St

#01-03 Great Eastern Centre

Singapore 048659

Open from Monday to Saturday 10am to 12 midnight

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Which is also part of the FIVE Bar group which also has outlets Collyer Quay, Changi City Point and Cuppage Terrace but the Saturday family fun only happens at FIVE Square at Great Eastern Centre.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own. 


Share the article
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail
This entry was posted in place.

Review – Marshall Cavendish Education’s Conquering Comprehension

I had friends who had attending Marshall Cavendish Education (“MCE”) ‘s parent workshops on Saturday which were 6 hours long and had raved about it, ie money and time well-spent. Saturdays are extremely busy days for me as the kids have classes and swim classes, so I never didn’t want to take time off from parenting duties just to attend a 6 hour long workshop.

However, as big J’s home work and review papers are no longer walk in the park, I came to the realisation that I am not equiped to guide him at home effectively, the best way forward it so to “upgrade” myself. It is just like work, what I am lacking I need to find information, attend course etc. And like what my friend put it I will reap the most value out of these workshops as I have 4 kids and they will gradually would go through the system and sitting for PSLE.

They had many workshops during the June holidays which were beneficial to me, however due to parenting duties on Saturdays I procrastinated until July and finally I took time off from my parenting duties and attended my first ever workshop with MCE which focuses on  Conquering Comprehension.

During term 2 review, big J lost most of his marks in the English paper in comprehension (and it wasnt even open-ended), but after I had a read of the comprehension passage, I faulted the boy less. Even at the level of understanding of an adult, I had a double/ triple take at the questions and answers – which all require Higher Order Thinking (“HOT”) which will be further elaborated below. I even thought the correct answer was wrong. I guess these are the types of questions that differentiate the better ones over the others.

Only recently as well did I realise that unlike Chinese comprehension, the child cannot just lift off the passage. It clearly show me that I do not possess the knowledge nor strategies to properly guide big J through his comprehension section of the English paper.

The workshop was conducted Chitra Pillay- Chua who was once a HOD of the English Department of a primary school and currently focuses her work solely on comprehension making her an expert in comprehension questions and strategies.

At the start of the workshop, she asked the participants what were the most common problem faced by us.

  1. Most were unsure of the level of understanding of the child after reading
  2. The child reads but cannot answer
  3. Improper sentence structure (during PSLE no marks will be deducted for grammatical error made in comprehension section, however this may not be the case during school reviews/test)
  4. Complicated questions which required Higher Order Thinking (“HOT” – will be further elaborate below)

Chitra told us the story of 2 word cutters- one a young woodcutter and one an elderly woodcutter. The young woodcutter work through lunch and chop wood incessantly non stop while the elderly woodcutter had a lunch break. At the end of the day, the elderly woodcutter had chopped more words than the young one. The young one asked the elderly woodcutter, how did you manage to chop so much wood ,and even took lunch break! The secret was that he spend some time during lunch break sharpening his axe.

So we parents who gave worksheets and drills after drills (I am also guilty of this) are liken the young woodcutter. However, if we had known the proper strategies and techniques to “conquering” comprehension, it is liken to a sharpened axe of the elderly woodcutter, ie you may not have to do many drills to get the results you want.

I also wonder how are the students in school taught composition in school. Apparently most schools test rather than teach composition. The difference lies in testing comprehension involves asking a series of questions to ascertain the level of understanding while teaching comprehension focuses on equipping students with a set of comprehension skills to assist them in understanding the text thoroughly.

The workshop was broken down into 3 components, what does reading comprehension means, common comprehension strategies and Higher Order Thinking (“HOT”).

Reading comprehension

Reading does not equate to understanding. A voracious reader may not necessarily do well in comprehension.

All the participants were given this passage to read. How much do you understand of this passage after reading? How would we be able to understand this better?

The answer:  Background knowledge

If we had knowledge about galaxies or astronomy subjects, we would have a better understanding of this passage. However, none of the participants had a clue what this paragraph means as we have little or zero background knowledge to the subject in this paragraph. Many a times the child is able to read the passage but unable to comprehend the passage given due to lack of background knowledge.

There are some factors which could assist in understanding what you have read

-Knowledge / background to assist comprehension

Most of the times, the child may just be focusing on recognising the words , blending the letter sounds to read the words ie decoding. Those who are weak in comprehension do not make connections between what they read to what they already know (ie background knowledge) and they do not think deeply what is being read which bring to the next point. Some of the ways to mitigate this to accumulate a variety of knowledge and experiences through reading, exposure through travels, trip, outings, museum, etc.

-Good readers think while they read

One of the best ways to encourage this is to model our thinking. Reading a comprehension and articulating our thinking as we read along  is one way to improve understanding of the content. So instead of just reading the comprehension passage with child, articulate your thoughts throughout the passage so that when the child does the same during his own reading.  .

– Annotations

This is a good practise to make little notes, arrows or even emojis – sad face, smiley face, question marks etc  as the child read the passage to activate the thinking process as the child is reading.

The participants had a hands-on practice on annotations while reading through the passage

Common Comprehension strategies

There are many comprehension strategies, Chitra shared the 4 more common strategies.

1.Make connections with background knowledge

Throughout the workshop, much emphasis has been given to the importance of background knowledge. For example while reading a passage about going to the beach, you can relate an experience of  a recent beach outing so that they can make connection to the words/passage that they were reading. If you make a connection to yourself, it is called a text-to-self connection; if you make a connection from the story you are reading to another story you have read, it is called a text-to-text connection; and, if you make a connection to something you have seen on the news or to an experience someone you know has had, it is called a text-to-world connection.

2. Inferencing ie reading between the lines

This strategy requires readers to evaluate or draw conclusions from information in a text. Authors/ writers  do not always provide complete descriptions of, or explicit information about a topic, setting, character, or event. However, they often provide clues that readers can use to “read between the lines”-by making inferences that combine information in the text with their background knowledge.

3. Summarise

Somebody…..wanted….but….so….then. Doing a short summary of the passage after reading also improve understanding and for parents a way to test the level of understanding. For example the story of The Little Read Riding Hood could be summarised as a somebody wanted to visit her grandma but met a wolf along the way and told him about her grandma, so the wolf ate grandma , then the woodcutter manage save the grandma and her.

4. Ask questions

If the child ask questions about what is happening in the story, a character’s feelings, or wonder what will happen next, the child will be engaged in his reading, and that will help him understand on a deeper level.

Higher Order Thinking (“HOT”)

There is a difference between answer that can be found in the text or in my head. Answers that can be found in the text falls in the lower two level of Bloom’s taxonomy which are more on remembering and understanding typically for p1 and p2 level.  For more difficult questions which requires application, analysing, evaluating or even creating, this require HOT. For such questions, the answers are in my head  , is not located in the text and can be obtained by making inferences. Some questions may requires your own opinion/experiences which is the highest level in the Bloom’s taxonomy – creating!

Hence for one same passage, can be used for lower or upper primary depends on the type of questioning. For lower primary, the questions will be more in the text, while in upper primary, the questions will require more HOT and in your head.

It was a very informative 6 hour session as I learnt skills  to teach (not test) my son in doing his comprehension and most importantly, how to improve understanding when reading (not just for comprehension but any form of reading). We also had many hands-on practices to further apply what we have learnt with hope that we can guide our child more effectively at home. At least, now I have a clearer picture on how to use the comprehension strategies to teach comprehension to my p2. There was also an article on Straits Time early this year on parents attending tuition to help the kids. I believe such parents (myself included having attended my first tuition) would like to be avoid the tuition route , to be more involved and hands-on in our child’s education and to better understand the MOE syllable.

Marshall Cavendish Education is currently working on the second half year schedule and relooking at the formatting of the workshop . Do bookmark this page for their future workshops that you maybe interested in. Below as some of the type of courses that they have organised for parents of p1 to p4 and PSLE preparations for parents of p5 and p6.


Marshall Cavendish Education

No.1 New Industrial Road
Times Centre
Singapore 536196

T: (65) 6213 9300
E: marketing@mceducation.com

Website

Facebook 

Instagram

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.  No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own. 


Share the article
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail
« Older posts
Newer posts »