Wooden toys (i dare say) that last till the next generation – Janod by My Miracle Baby

I have a love and hate relationship with electronic toys..i guess more hate than love. When I had my first kid, I brought lots of toys, electronic ones mostly. It doesn’t help that that a particular well-known imported toy brand had many warehouse sales making the toys a bargain so my house was filled to the brim with electronic toys. I love them as there is so much light and sound effects coming from it and it sounded like the real thing, however, over the years I find it difficult keep track or remove the batteries when not in play for a long time. I also noticed that kids often are very attracted to electronic toys but the span of attention is often shorter and they lose interest in such toys very fast. So with many instances of batteries leakages etc, I have stopped buying electronic toys or any toys that requires batteries in the past years as I do not have the time or energy to keep track of the batteries and also my kids lose interest in it very fast too.

Lately, I am in more into free forms toys – toys like Lego and also wooden toys. I came acquainted to a French brand called Janod.

Janod is a brand which specializing in wooden toys for the past 40 years. They are recognised for their striking range of children’s wooden educational toys, each beautifully designed with bright bold colours with children’s learning in mind. In Singapore, Janod is exclusively distributed by My Miracle Baby

There are many wooden pretend play toys by Janod carried exclusively by My Miracle Baby, I had to think really hard as big C is a little past the age of playing for kitchen sets and I have 2 younger boys. Do I get a “boy” toy for the sake of the 2 younger ones like the tools set or a kitchen set?  Finally I decided I should not segregate what is consider boy’s or girl’s toys but one that they would be most keen in and I always seen them gearing to a particular pretend play set at play gym etc –  a kitchen set. No one say boys can’t play kitchen set, or that it is a girl toys – in fact my 8 year old boy plays with it too!

The kids were so excited when they saw their latest toy. All toys will give the same effect however, a good toy is one where they are use their imagination during play and many hours of play thereafter, that is when parents feel that its money’s worth and on my part, I do not have to worry about removing the batteries in case of leakages!

There were a few kitchen/cooking set by Janod carried by My Miracle Baby but the French Cocotte Maxi Cooker caught my attention as it doesn’t look too girly..the other set was all pink and sweet.

Let me spam you some pictures how cute is this set. The detailing is superb right down to the “feet” which are  like chicken feet.

love this wooden clock, perfect for teaching the middle two about time

these stick on with magnet!

even the pot handles are in chicken motif and the dials are shaped like eggs!

comes with a hook to hand the red mitten

really cute!

 

 

even the handles are rooster motif

Enough on how beautiful is this set as kids probably can’t appreciate it as much as the mummy. To them, it will be how much fun hours can they get out of it – especially there is no light and sound effect.

It is interesting that my 2 year old seems to be enjoyed the kitchen set the most of my 4 kids. He will spend a good time playing with it…pretending to wash his hand at the sink, cooking, cleaning etc. He will also make the water flowing sound when he “washes” his hands at the sink -pretend play at its best.

I also added the existing fruits and food set so make it more fun to play as there are more things to be “cooked”.

 

Besides pretend play toys, Janod has puzzles, musical instruments, blocks, magnetic books, pull along toys etc, not a single toy by Janod require batteries. So if you are ever looking to invest in some toys or buying as a gift, do look into buying such range of toys and from reputational brands like Janod. I am sure some of the toys can be even pass on to your kids’ kids in future. You can view the full range of Janod toys here.

Besides Janod, My Miracle Baby also carries mummies and kids related products such strollers , swaddles, car seats from reputable brands all over the world –  a one stop webstore for mummies and mummies-to-be too!

My Miracle Baby

Website 

Facebook

Instagram

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


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Post event review : ACT 3 INTERNATIONAL PRESENTS ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favourites’

A quick raise of hands (though i cant see them), how many of you have not read The Very Hungry Caterpillar to your child or you have not heard of this story. I hope there is none but if there are parents who have not heard of this story, you must have been living in a cave!. This is THE MOST famous story by Eric Carle and most preschoolers in Singapore would have known this story through their parents or the childcare. (Other book which comes close to this popularity would be Brown Bear , Brown Bear, what do you see? which also by Eric Carle. )

I had read this story so many times over to 4 different kids over the course of 8 years! All my kids loved this book in their younger days and now it is my 2 year old’s favourite bed time story. I can’t be more excited for my youngest as he will be meeting The Very Hungry Caterpillar (actually the older kids had yet to catch this production before even though they staged it before some years back).

ACT 3 International presents The Very Hungry Caterpillar; Little Cloud and The Mixed Up Chameleon by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, Canada. It will be presented using black light theatre and its suitable for ages 3 to 6 years old , however, if you have a 2 year old like mine who loves the story through and through , this may be one of the best productions to introduce your child to the wonderful world of children’s theatre productions.

You must be wondering what is black light theatre. It uses UV lighting, a dark stage, black curtains and fluorescent costumes to create a magical visual feast. ‘Black light’ enables puppets and props to appear on stage as if they are animated on their own (see video below)

Besides featuring The Very Hungry Caterpillar (which i do not need to elaborate on the storyline) , there are 2 more stories by Eric Carle as part of the productions – Little Cloud and The Mixed Up Chameleon.

After following the metamorphosis of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, join bored Little Cloud who decides to stray away from his fellow mates to go on a thrilling adventure transforming himself into an airplane, a sheep, a clown with a funny hat and even a shark!

And lastly, follow The Mixed Up Chameleon who doesn’t think he’s special changing colours everyday. He finally embraces his uniqueness only after an identity calamity happens when he decides to emulate the different animals he meets at the zoo.

Post event review

I do have high expectation of this show as I know some of the stories inside out and the show  did not disappoint at all. With the use of black light theatre, even as an adult watching the show, I often wonder how did the puppeteer weave such magic into the production, what more for the children watching their favourite characters coming to life for a whole 1 hour!

The show started with Little Cloud followed by The Mixed Up Cameleon. And saving the best of the last was The Very Hungry Caterpillar which I am sure most of the audience are waiting for!

All the kids in the audience (I know for sure would have known the stories by heart) were calling out the names of the cloud formations in the Little Cloud, the animals in the zoo that The Mixed Up Cameleon visited and all the food and fruits that The Very Hungry Caterpillar ate!

Yes, it was a more rowdy audience than usual but understandably they are all enthusiastic children enchanted by the magic of the puppets and the Eric Carle’s stories.

During the q&a session after the show , I was surprised to see only 2 puppeteers . The sheer amount of work through the 1 hour show, I was amazed that it was only handled by 2 puppeteers and 1 stage manager. They unveil some of the magic behind the show during the q&a session. One of the kid in the audience wanted to see how the cocoon was created and the puppeteers were most glad to show how they create the cocoon from the caterpillar – simply ingenious.

This is one production that you do not want to miss for your younger kids (recommended ages from  3 to 6) growing up with all Eric Carle’s favourite. Even my 2 year and 3 month old was glued to his seat for most of the show even though he only know The Very Hungry Caterpillar story only. The show runs till this Sunday , 15 Oct 2017.

This is definitely the perfect Children’s Day treat for all kids growing with Eric Carle’s stories!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favourites

Fri, 6 – Sun, 15 Oct 2017

Weekdays: 10am

Weekends & 6 Oct 2017 (Children’s Day): 10.30am & 2.30pm

Some shows include a 40 min backstage tour to see how a black light theatre works and how the characters come to life!

Venue: Victoria Theatre
Tickets prices start from SGD 18 (Excludes Booking Fee)
Book through this link
Giveaway (ended)

ACT 3 International has kindly sponsored 1 family  package of 4 tickets for the 10.30am show on 7 Oct 2017 1 lucky reader

1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com and ACT 3 International

2. Followed mypreciouzkids and ACT 3 International on Instagram

3. Liked and share this FB post (tag 3 friends) publicly.

Please keep your Facebook shared post public (as indicated in step 3)  in order to qualify so that I can locate your entry.

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

FB winner: Shawn Quek


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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.


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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.


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Giveaway of a set worth more than SGD 150 – Can’t get any more natural and organic than Cherub Rubs

Cherub Rubs was founded by an Australian mum of 3 who couldn’t find safe and natural skincare for her babies. When her second baby developed severe nappy rash, she decided to develop her own products to treat him given her background as a naturopath. She created Cherub Rubs , a 100% natural and organic skincare range for infants and kids with sensitive, dry atopic skin or eczema.

Cherub Rubs contains

No synthetic or genetically modified ingredients

No petrochemical

No pesticides

No chemical fertilisers

No chemical preservatives

This brand has 7 products in total. All products are suitable from newborns to adults and even pregnant women (with the exception of Skin Guard Plus which are targeted for kids above 3).

 

Organic baby shampoo

Using lemon oil and orange oil (the smell does need some getting use to but the kids did not complain), this is a super gentle formula to keep big C tresses shiny and soft. I find this formulation gentle especially after exposing her hair to harsh elements such as clorine from the public pool. Given its no more tears with natural sulphate-free foaming action, I also use this on small C as he is in still in the stage of unable to close his eyes when washing hair. I do not want the hair shampoo to leave stinging sensation on their  eyes.

Baby safe hair and body wash

The composition is largely similar to that of the organic baby shampoo (hence the smell is quite similar to that of the organic baby shampoo). I really like the combi of a single bottle for both hair and body especially for boys hair. They only need a small small amount for their short hair, so I preferred the hair and body wash combi for them. I am particularly careful when choosing their body care especially for small J and small C as they have eczema prone skin. However, given that Cherub Rubs is a 100% natural and organic skincare, I didn’t have any worry. What makes it even more wonderful it consist of a blend of essential oils rich in Vitamin A-C-E!

Skin Balm

I always bring skin balm as a cure it all during my travels. I can’t be bringing a bottle for each ailment so skin balm are a quick fix it. From nappy rash to dry skin (due to changes in climate and humidity during travels), Cherub Rubs skin balm contains sandalwood, calendula and chamomile oils to soothe the dry skin while the organic butters and macadamia oil help in the regeneration process. As small C is already off diapers, I wont be able to test this as  a diaper cream. However, I did use it as a moisturizer during travel mode which works wonderful.

Skin Soothe

Small J often feel discomfort when he does out into the hot sun due to sensitive skin.  Using a concoction of aloe vera, centella and calendula oil, the lotion has a cooling effect on irritated skin. Given that only small J has this issue, this bottle is solely for his use. He often cut short his outdoor activities or fall into his grumpy mood when he start scratching due to heat. This product is dual purpose in providing him relief from the itch and also soothe his eczema.

This formulation also works for stings, bites and rashes too!

there are my must- haves for outdoor activities

Scatterscreen

This is Scatterbugs plus UV protection. This is a 3 in 1 outdoor protection against UVA, UVB (SPF 8), bugs and dry skin. I love how versatile this solution, with just one application it protects my children against UV rays and also keep the mozzies at bay! This save me the trouble of bring a bottle of sunscreen and a bottle of insect repellant during outings. High SPF also generally implies a high level of harmful chemical filters, which are absent in Scatterscreen which is only at SPF8.

Scatterbugs

This uses lemon eucalyptus oil which is gentler than the usual citronella oil found in most insect repellent. This is definitely one for the newborns and babies. I am often at lost when I bring my babies outdoor as I know most insect repellent are only meant for kids above 1. So I normally will only use mosquito patch for those below 1. With the Scatterbugs, you can apply this even on newborns too!

Skin Guard Plus

This is the enhanced version of the Scatterbugs hence this is recommend for kids 3 years and up, adults including pregnant women. What it has is more lemon eucalyptus oil as compared to the Scatterscreen or the Scatterbugs which I get means more protection for the older kids!

Cherub Rubs

Website

Facebook

Where to buy

Giveaway

Cherub Rubs has kindly sponsored the same full set (with the exception of Skin Guard Plus) that is being reviewed worth SGD 150 .

1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com and Cherub Rubs 

2. Followed mypreciouzkids  and Cherub Rubs on Instagram

3. Like and repost this IG post with #mypreciouzkidsgiveaway (tag 3 friends or more , one tag per comment)

Please keep your IG shared post public (as indicated in step 3)  in order to qualify so that I can locate your entry.

I will be picking the 1 lucky winner using random.org. The giveaway closes on 17 September 2017 2359pm (Sun)

Winner: @leemiyaki

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


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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. 


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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. 


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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.

 

 

 

 


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Review – D-Link AC1750 Extender DAP-1720 – no more dead wi-fi zones ever!

From beauty blogging, now I venture into tech blogging. Ok, I am not technologically savvy though i graduated from Nanyang Technological University (ok, i know corny but i just had too). I seldom using the word technological in my blog (unlike the word parenting) so it kind of reminded me of my uni’s name. Even putting up this blog on wordpress platform etc has been an uphill task for me even. However this product that I will be reviewing (besides my DSLR, this is probably the next gadget that I really need in my life) is a life saver especially for some one like me that is ALWAYS connected to the social media.

I moved into my new place ( a bigger home) some 2.5 years ago using the same old router given by Singtel. This also means that I have been plagued with dead wi-fi zone areas for more than 2 years since moving in.  So instead of looking to solve it (I don’t really know if an extender would solve my problem and not willing to splurge on a router) I switch to use my 4G signal instead of the wi-fi signal whenever i am in the dead wi-fi zone. My husband is also not tech savvy as he graduated with same degree and same uni as me and he is not in gaming nor like me into social media etc, so he wasn’t concern at all for the lack of wi-fi in certain areas in the home. He just need the bare minimum to go his office work and some news reading online.

I have a data package of 10GB and I will exceed  every single month! And the biggest contribution besides using it during my mrt commute, would be home! Else I am always connected to free wi-fi, office, gym and SOME parts of the home.

It is really ironic when I have wi-fi connectivity at home but I had to use my 4G data package. I did consult the IT manager in my office on how to solve my home issue however, as I wasn’t sure  and confident that a wifi extender could solve my connectivity problem at home.

Dlink introduced me their latest extender the D-Link AC1750 Wireless Range Extender (launched in June 2017 , making me one of the first few home users to review this). I crossed my fingers that it help solved my 2 years plus connectivity problem at home and I hope it is user friendly enough for a tech noob like me!

A quick intro how D-Link AC 1750 works to extend an existing wireless network

At first glance

Basically this is a plug and play device. It is very small and compact but do not belittle by its size, it supports Wireless AC Speeds up to 1750 Mbps(450 Mbps on the 2.5 Ghz and 1300 Mbps on the 5 Ghz).

There are a few ways to setup this up as shown in the video. I preferred to use the Dlink QRS mobile app to help me with the installation as I didn’t use my home PC.

Using a one touch configuration (there is only a switch one/off button by the side as the main power outlet button is concealed by the device) using a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (“WPS”)  push-button (the circle button in front), the light will turn amber in search for wireless network signal.  The WPS light will turn solid green once the extender has connected successfully.  I used my smartphone for the setup . I was required  to connect at first to the default wi-fi name and password found in the wi-fi configuration card that come with your device (you can change the wifi name and password later at setup). Thereafter, the D-Link QRS mobile apps will prompt you to rename the dual band wifi networks and its respective passwords

Using it

What I really like it that is really compact and light. As it is a plug on device, you don’t need to place in on any table,  just any free available power outlet will do. If you compare it again the power outlet , its roughly twice the size of the power outlet. Even for a tech noob like me, setting it up it really a walk in the path especially if you use my method, use the mobile apps (ie dont need to a PC to setup even). Else the other method is similarly as easy for some one with no IT background what so ever. The trick is to find a sweet spot to be able to get a strong wi-fi signal in order to extend its range to cover for the dead spots (with the help of the Smart Signal LEDs – elaborated below).

Loving it

So in the room (room A) that I have zero connectivity, I had the extender placed just outside that room, and voila…full bar connectivity.

There is another room (room B) whereby I also wish that the network can reach as well, but as it is on another floor compared to the room A and the location of the extender, I do not get the full strength however, it is much better than before. I am still searching for the sweet spot to place the extender with help of the Smart Signal LEDs so that both room A and room B can sufficient wi-fi .

The extender comes with a Smart Signal LEDs which will assist home users to locate the optimal location to place your extender. So 1 bar means weak while 3 bars means very strong signal.

credit: Dlink SG

It comes in dual-band either on 2.4GHz or 5 GHz. The main differences between the bands – the higher frequency ie the 5 Ghz provide more bandwidth and faster communication while the 2.4 Ghz are for devices with lower bandwidth requirements. Things that require higher bandwidth are like streaming of high quality video, online gaming and internet/video calls.  So I guess I will choose the 5 GHz band for my kdrama on my smartphone.

The device also comes with an Ethernet port for those want to extend their wireless network using Ethernet instead of wi-fi.  For household with wireless surveillance camera, baby monitors etc, this extender will remove the need of installing Ethernet cable for each of the device.

credit: D-Link SG

For those who is looking for a very technical review with speed test etc, I do apologise that I am unable to review it from that angle. Having said that, the D-Link AC1750 Extender DAP-1720 has done its job well in extending an existing wi-fi signal so that I can get signals from most part of the home and no longer need to rely on my 4G data package. So if i were to average out the cost of additional charge that i pay for my additonal 4G (approx SGD 20 a month) vs the cost of the extender, I will break even in less than 6/7 months. I guess it will make sense to own one.

D-Link AC1750 Extender DAP-1720 retails at SGD 139 at all Challenger outlets.

D-Link

Website

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Youtube

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


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ACT 3 International presents The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio by Lyngo Theate

I have never been to any Lyngo theatre before hence I do not know what to expect of it. I knew it was a one-man show and one scene backdrop show and I had my skepticism how is it possible to keep entertain the audience especially kids for almost 1 hour, but Patrick Lynch who is also the artistic director of Lyngo Theatre did just that.

There are lots of imagination involved which is superb for my older kids .Though the recommendations was for 5 year old and above, my 4 year old was wildly entertained and was glued to the actor and the stage for a good one hour. However due to his age he will not be able to fully understand the entire story and make full use of his imaginations unlike the older kids.
While many has read the story of Pinocchio how many has read the original Pinochhio story entitled The adventures of Pinocchio by an Italian author Carlo Collodi. Lyngo Theatre interpretation stay true to its original story which may not be familiar to many however it is quite easy to follow.
It was a simple setup a table full of books and a story teller/actor who played all the characters in the original Pinocchio story. It started with woodcarver Gepetto obtaining a block of wood which was carved into a wooden puppet called Pinocchio. At the very beginning the audience was introduce with a little bit of magic where they saw the wooden block moved much to the delight of kids. Patrick has used the elements such as books to portray dialogues or swapping of simple props like the sunglasses to differentiate the speech of the blind cat and the cunning fox.
The use of ice cream cone to signify Pinocchio long nose when he lied and Patrick crushes the long stack of cones to signify the curse was gone was simply ingenious. He also uses the pages from the books to mimic sea waves which i thought really fuels the imaginations of the younger audience. As the back drop was black, many effects were done using gold, silver foils, feathers, bubbles and water.
The audience was literally brought on an adventure with Pinocchio as he skipped school, got tricked by the cat and fox , healed by the turquoise fairy, turned into a donkey, saved by the tuna, and ultimately became a real boy which was the original story written in 1883.
At the end of the show, Patrick spent 10 minutes to whoever who is curious about any “magical” effect that were used during the show. He also explained the use of books as props as we lived in the day and age of technology where tablets and smartphones dominate over books. He hoped through this production, Lyngo Theatre can bring back the appreciation of books and bring back the magic of theatre. We also had the opportunity to take a photo with Patrick as a memory of our very magical afternoon with him.
As an adult watching this for the first time, I am amazed at the power of theatre production. It doesn’t have to be a one with many backdrop changes, musical effects or a huge cast to make one successful production. Thank you ACT 3 International for bringing such world class productions to the fortunate children in Singapore. It is only showing till end of this week, do bring your children to uncover the simple magic of children theatre productions.

When: 25 July to 6 August 2017| Mon – Fri: 9am | Sat & Sunday : 10.30am & 2.30pm

Where: Drama Centre Black Box

Who: 5 years and above 

Ticket Pricing : Standard $28 Weekdays, $38 Weekends (Excludes Booking Fee)

Duration: Approximately 60 minutes no interval

Tickets available through:
SISTIC Website
SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555
SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide

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


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