Mid-term Review at ThinkersBox

Sponsored Post

(Daddy takes stock)

Remember how we found out in November last year, that Ash's attention span was as tall as a hobbit and that Ayd's biggest weakness in completing school work was his lack of speed? It was thanks to ThinkersBox, who offered them a Full Learning Assessment where their skill sets would be assessed in order to find out more about their foundational abilities and learning profiles. Read in detail about the assessment in my previous post HERE.

The boys have started on its 10-month programme since January this year, and I was recently invited to sit in during one of their sessions to observe the proceedings.

There were 10 kids in the classroom and all were of different ages. Notice Ayd's personal workbook above? ThinksBox is unlike the usual enrichment centres, where kids are placed in a hotbed environment and constantly pushed to practice worksheet after worksheet.

Instead, the programmes that ThinkersBox offer are knowledge-driven and not product driven so each individual workbook is tailored to each child’s specific learning strengths and weaknesses. So while a child might be attempting Page 15 of his workbook, another will be working on Page 28 of hers.

And for the entire duration I was inside the classroom, I noticed that everything went like clockwork - all the kids knew what they were supposed to do! Then I saw it.

The tag that was hanging beside Ash, which every child had one as well. The tag mapped out the sequence of the three stations which each child had to complete in the 2-hour session. Obviously one of them was the workbook station where they had to complete a stated number of pages within a time limit.

The second station was computer quizzes that focused on linking themes or patterns. I would think both boys preferred this over the workbook station. Heh.

The last station was the most fun of the lot, at least to me. It was all about games that emphasized on logical thinking or quick mathematics and I would have given it a shot... if the trainers had asked me.

One particular game that Ayd was tasked to do was the red beans and soya beans challenge. The two types of beans have been mixed together and each child was supposed to separate the two kinds of beans into two bowls. Sounds easy enough right?

Well, not if the child is constantly being subjected to distraction by the trainers!

Throughout the task, the trainers will call out the child's name or attempt to speak to him/her. And if he/she looked up or responded, the separation task has to start ALL OVER AGAIN! How's that for intense concentration???

So after about 2.5 months of weekly lessons, did the boys show any improvement?

I found that Ash has been able to focus a tad better when it comes to doing his school homework, and Ayd has been picking up speed in completing his school assignments. So I would have to say progress has been steady thus far!

More importantly though, the boys are not vehemently protesting against their sessions at ThinkersBox so I would think that itself is the best testament.


For more information on the programmes available offered at ThinkersBox, kindly click HERE. Or if you are keen to send your child (5-12 years old only) for its Complimentary Learning Assessment, you can register via HERE. 

ThinkersBox
420 North Bridge Road 
North Bridge Centre 
#03-02/03 
Singapore 188727 
Tel: 6773 4886 

LG Optimus G: First Impressions

Sponsored Review

(Daddy blogs)

Having never used a LG phone my entire life, I was extremely excited when LG Mobile Singapore appointed me as a LG Blog Ambassador for its latest flagship smartphone, the LG Optimus G.

I got the phone last week and have been playing with it ever since. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will share in detail about the various features and performance of the phone. But my first impressions of the phone?

Neatly-built, the phone looks classy. It has an edge-to-edge sheet of Gorilla Glass in the front, which makes the screen scratch-resistant, and a back panel using crystal reflection material. For me, I felt extremely comfortable holding it in my palm, thanks to its subtly curved edges where the sides meet the back.

Display-wise, the LG Optimus G sports a 4.7-inch 1280-by-768-pixel True HD IPS Plus WXGA LCD that uses LG's new 'Zerogap Touch' technology - which is LG's way of saying that it minimized the air gap between the screen and the glass surface to improve the durability and clarity of the display.

And because of that, I have to admit I was very impressed with its touchscreen. Swiping left and right on the LG Optimus G was incredibly fast and smooth. And thanks to its powerful quad-core CPU, Snapdragon™ S4 Pro processor, the phone performance was very zippy and responsive.

I am using both an iPhone 4S and a Samsung Galaxy SIII and it may be early days yet... but personally, I have no qualms replacing either of my current smartphones with the Optimus G. So I guess that really summarises my impression of the Optimus G for now. Stay tuned for my upcoming in-depth reviews of the phone!

As for the boys, the notion of having a brand new smartphone in the house is always a tantalising prospect. For one, the name has already made the boys fall in love with it.... all thanks to a fave Transformer who share part of the same name as the phone!

10 Easter Activities for Kids 2013

(Daddy compiles)

Just 4 days into the new school term and another long weekend is upon us! If you still haven't shaken off the post-school-holidays blues (I know I haven't), then great news - here are some activities to enjoy with your kids this Easter long weekend!

Easter Eggs DIY

Make your own colourful Easter Eggs, which we have done so for the past few years. I don't think this year will be any different.

For a step-by-step guide on DIY Easter Eggs, click http://www.cheekiemonkie.net/2012/04/easter-eggs-diy.html

If going out of the house is what you want (and need), then look this way:

Easter Adventure @ Forest Adventure

On top of the usual zip-line fun in the treetops, kids will  be able to join in an Easter Hunt, meet Mr Bunny and unravel your creativity while painting Easter eggs*.

Venue: Forest Adventure, Bedok Reservoir Park
Dates: 29 to 31 March
Time: 9.30am to 6.30pm
Fees: Kids’ Course $30; Grand Course $40
Website: http://www.forestadventure.com.sg/?cat=1
Booking is essential - Call 8100 7420.
*Easter hunt is free for ticket holder while egg painting will be charged $5.

Easter Weekend Surprise at Happy Willow

Join us for a weekend of Easter activities and win FABULOUS prizes like tickets to Goldilocks & the 3 bears by SRT, Craft-kits and lollipops by Lollibox, Lotte Koala magnets and pouches. Catch LOTTE's Koala mascot at special appearances too!

FRI, 29 MAR
11am & 2pm - Lotte's Koala Mascot Appearance

SAT, 30 MAR
10.30am & 4pm: Easter Egg Hunt & Decoration Competition

SUN, 31 MAR
10.30am & 4pm: Easter Egg Hunt & Decoration Competition
11am & 2pm: Lotte's Koala Mascot Appearance

Venue: Happy Willow (1 Fusionopolis Way, Fusionopolis, Connexis Tower, #B1-06)
Website: http://www.happywillow.com.sg

Peek-A-Boo's Easter Party

Venue: Peek-A-Boo Playground, Kallang Leisure Park
Date: 30 Mar 2013
Time: 10am - 12pm
Fee: S$18 per child, S$3 for 2nd additional adult
*Pre-registration required; Goodie bags for first 50 children

The Great Easter Adventure

Venue: Downtown East
Date: 31 Mar 2013
Time: 10am - 7pm
For more information and to register, click here: http://www.explorerkid.com/activities_events/the_great_easter_adventure

Bras Basah.Bugis Arts Flea Market

BBB Arts Flea Market returns to National Museum of Singapore with more vintage and craft items, yummy snacks, adorable little treats and many more! There’s always a surprise for everyone at BBB Arts Flea Market. Get your retail fix at BBB Arts Flea Market. Indulge. Experience. What's more - you can also enjoy Free Admission to all galleries from 10am – 6pm on both days!

Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Concourse & Glass Atrium
Dates: 30 & 31 Mar 2013
Time: 1pm - 7pm

Star Wars Stamps and Collectibles Exhibition 2013

Be treated to an impressive display of Star Wars collectibles such as figurines, fleet of model ships, costumes and stamps. Exciting public programmes will be organised during the exhibition, such as making your own 3D Star Wars figurines, dress up as Star Wars characters, meet the Stormtroopers, and many more.

Venue: Singapore Philatelic Museum
Dates: Now til 30 Jun 2013
Time: Mon: 1pm - 7pm | Tues - sun: 9.30am - 7pm
Admission Fee: Adult $6 | Child (3-12) $4
*Free admission for students, children and senior citizens who are Singaporeans and Permanent Residents

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

This March 2013, SRT's The Little Company brings the well-loved fairy tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears to the stage.

Goldilocks, on a trip into the forest, ventures into a seemingly uninhabited house. In the process of making herself feel at home, she turns the place into a gigantic mess! Little does she know that the house belongs to a family of three bears, who will not be too pleased to witness her handiwork.

Venue: DBS Arts Centre
Dates: Now til 21 Apr 2013
Time: Various timings (Check SISTIC for more information)
Price: Weekday: $21, $18 | Weekend/ Public Holiday: $29, $26
To buy tickets, click HERE.

Fascinating Russia - Ice Skating Rink

For the first time, you'll get to enjoy Moscow's Red Square ice-skating rink experience at Changi Airport!

Venue: Terminal 3 Departure Check-In Hall Row 11 (Public area)
Dates: 30 & 31 Mar and 6 & 7 Apr 2013
Time: 12pm - 10pm
*Present a single same-day receipt with a minimum spend of S$40 (S$30 for Changi Rewards members) from any Changi Airport outlet to redeem one (1) activity pass. Redemption starts from 12pm and ends at 9.30pm or when the activity passes are fully redeemed; whichever is earlier. Each activity pass admits up to two (2) persons per session, regardless of spending amount.
*Minimum age to participate is 5 years old. Children under the age of 10 years must be accompanied by an adult over 18 years in the rink at all times.

Free Admission for kids at Jurong Bird Park

From now until 31 Mar 2013, it's FREE admission for kids to the Jurong Bird Park! Simply flash the coupon below at the ticketing counter to enjoy this offer!

For more information, click here: http://www.birdpark.com.sg/events-promos/march-school-holidays13.html

Preserving Playground Memories

(Daddy blogs)

It's funny how people start missing their childhood memories only when the stuff that they had grew up with are no longer around. 

I, for one, used to take the old playgrounds that I had played in when I was little for granted. And it was only the gradual disappearance of such playgrounds - and also the fact that both Ash & Ayd had taken a new-found special interest in these retro playgrounds - that I decided to bring them along on a crusade to hunt down the remaining old playgrounds in Singapore last year.

In fact, the boys weren't the only ones who were interested in the playgrounds of Singapore. Back in December last year, a reporter from Hong Kong's Eat & Travel Weekly magazine approached me for assistance as he was in Singapore to write an article on the many outdoor playgrounds we have here.

I directed him to the likes of playgrounds such as Jacob Ballas Children's Garden , Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, West Coast Park, Jurong Central Park and of course, the older playgrounds of yesteryears. 

Ayd even made a guest appearance in the article!

Through our conversation, the reporter expressed envy that our kids in Singapore have so many free (and amazing) outdoor playgrounds to play in, unlike in Hong Kong. Hong Kong does have her fair share of outdoor playgrounds but compared to ours, they are much older and often in disrepair. In addition, they are usually the normal play structures in a common playground and do not feature tall winding slides like those in Bishan-AMK Park or Jacob Ballas, Flying Fox equipment in West Coast Park, or innovative features like a huge Snakes & Ladders board game in Jurong Central Park.

So yes, it pays to count our blessings sometimes.

But that's not to say we can rest on our laurels. Certain memories are definitely worth keeping and preserving and it was with this in mind that a group of first-year students from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information in NTU decided to shoot a short video documentary on the old playgrounds in Singapore in a bid to try to raise awareness about these nostalgic places and their rapid disappearance.

They came across my blog post that I had written about the Dragon playground and asked me if I was interested to share my thoughts on the old playgrounds in Singapore as well as the memories and experience that I had with my family.

With such a perfect excuse to bring the monkies down to the Dragon playground once more, this time together with the SengkangBabies clan, it was a no-brainer. So while both Daddies were subjected to interviews - which may I add that we recorded in ONE take! - all six kids (Ale was blissfully asleep) were creating a boisterous atmosphere in a certain sleepy part of Toa Payoh.

No thanks to their cheekie antics.

I think the group of NTU girls found these kids too irresistible not to be interviewed. So it wasn't all play and no work for them too. Heh.

And as Andy of SengkangBabies had mentioned in his post, we spotted no less than 5 different groups of people dropping by the Dragon playground during our filming duration. Some were families with young kids, who looked to have enjoyed their time there as well. All I can say is that it was fortunate that our kids' havoc didn't scare them off.

All in all, everyone had fun and that was the most important bit. Thanks to the NTU girls for including our families in your meaningful project, and we look forward to viewing your documentary soon!

Interested to expose your kids to the old playgrounds in Singapore? Look this way then:

Dragon Playground in Toa Payoh -
http://www.cheekiemonkie.net/2012/11/singapores-old-playgrounds-enter-dragon.html
Dove Playground in Dakota Crescent -
http://www.cheekiemonkie.net/2012/11/singapores-old-playgrounds-seal-or-dove.html
Elephant Playground in Pasir Ris & Watermelon Playground in Tampines - http://www.cheekiemonkie.net/2012/11/singapores-old-playgrounds-elephant.html

Happy Hunting!

Fun with Villainy

Media Invite

(Daddy blogs)

Remember the book review I did for Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong last month? The one which had both Ash & Ayd itching to find out the whodunit ending. Well, it turned out the authors - Adan & Felicia - of the book were itching to meet the 2 boys as well and so they were invited down to a special writing workshop at the Arts House over the weekend.

Villains are always going to be the most flamboyant, intriguing and interesting characters of any story, aren't they? Think Darth Vader, Magneto, Megatron, The Joker, or even Dr Heniz Doofenshmirtz. So together with Andrew who is the illustrator of the book series, the authors conducted a Creating A Convincing Villain workshop where the kids got some pointers on how to create their very own treacherous kick-ass villain.

And I have to say, the response was rather overwhelming!

The kids were taken through the initial thought processes of fleshing out a character's three important aspects: Appearance, Psychology and Background.

Whether the desired villain is has four arms with a cape (Appearance), or plotting to take over the world (Psychology), or turned evil due to an unhappy childhood (Background), the boys certainly had loads of fun trying to inject some villainy into their very own characters.

Once they had completed the character sketches of their villains, they were then taught how to give a face to the characters. I too, picked up nuggets of drawing tips from the workshop - did you know you can make the character appear older or younger by varying the position of his eyes? When the eyes are closer to the forehead, he appears older while he looks younger when his eyes are closer to the chin. Interesting!

As for the boys, they definitely enjoyed crafting out their very own villains.

No names yet, though I'm pretty certain words like 'poopypants' and 'captain booger' would creep their way into their naming process.

Well, at least they thoroughly enjoyed the workshop... together with one of their buddies too! As well as getting to meet the authors of the Sherlock Sam book series of course.

And to top it off, they were gifted an autographed copy of Sherlock Sam's latest mystery adventure - Sherlock Sam and the Ghostly Moans in Fort Canning!

The boys can't wait to get started on the book... and yes, me included. Heh.

Both Sherlock Sam books are retailing at local bookstores for S$10.59 each. For more information, you can check out Sherlock Sam's website at http://www.epigrambooks.sg/?p=6406 or his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SherlockSamSeries

*Read my previous book review of Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong HERE.

Going Places: Uncommon Playgrounds

(Daddy blogs)

Thanks to URA and Andy of SengkangBabies, we had the opportunity to be featured on the latest edition of Going Places, URA's online magazine about appreciating our Singapore city anew. 

Tired of bringing the kids to the usual outdoor playgrounds, shopping malls and makan places? Seeking inspiration for more unique ideas on how to spend those precious weekends with your brood?

That's the premise of the article on Going Places, where 4 local Parent Bloggers (including us) share their uncommon fave haunts. And for us, I decided to showcase a certain off-the-beaten-track part on Singapore - Pasir Ris Mangrove Boardwalk:

Do you know that a Mangrove Boardwalk exists in Pasir Ris Park? Neither did I. The moment I discovered the existence of such a hidden gem, I knew I had to bring my three kids down for a good trek. The good thing about the Boardwalk is that it is suitable for people of all ages — it’s even stroller-friendly! This is a definite thrill for the families who are up for some crab or mudskipper-spotting.

Along the way, we spotted peculiar 'humps' in the ground made by mud lobsters, as well as the scampering tree-climbing crabs. Mudskippers, though, were a little more elusive. The kids (and even adults) needed some time before we came across one because of its camouflaging ability. But once we caught sight of one, it wasn’t too difficult to spot its friends lurking in the vicinity.

The end of the Boardwalk holds yet another gem — a jetty overlooking Sungei Tampines.

We spotted the most number of animals here! In the short span of 15 minutes, we saw herons, kingfishers, a water monitor-lizard, a gliding lizard (otherwise known as a 'flying dragon'), fishes like halfbeaks and archer fishes, and even a dog-faced water snake.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed trying to ‘out-spot’ one another, and it was all for good fun. And for that, it ranks as my family’s number one favourite place in Singapore!

If you are in need for more ideas, check out what places the other 3 Parent Bloggers had recommended here:  http://www.goingplacessingapore.sg/more/ThingsToDo/2013/FamilyFunPart2.aspx

A big thank you to URA for giving us the chance to share our uncommon 'playgrounds'. For more insights as to what makes our city tick, subscribe to the Going Places e-newsletter or visit their Facebook page.

*To read our original guided tour of Pasir Rise Mangrove Boardwalk, click HERE.

X-ploring Science in the Malls

Media Invite

(Daddy blogs)

The two boys have been increasingly fascinated with the world of science lately, to the extent of nagging the wifey and I to bring them down to the Science Centre during this March School Holidays. Of course, we were more than happy to cave in to their request but that's a blog post for another day.

Because if you are pressed for time, Science Centre Singapore will be bringing a snippet of its many exhibits, science performances, demonstrations and hands-on activities to a shopping mall near you! In conjunction with Earth Hour and the March School Holidays, Parkway Parade has partnered Science Centre to share the joys of science through its ever-popular biannual event - Science in the Mall.

This year’s theme, X-ploring The World of Energy, promises an entertaining and informative science carnival that will highlight the many interesting aspects of science connected to energy.

Unsurprisingly, the boys were visibly excited when told we would be making a trip down to the exhibition.

The most effective form of learning is always hands-on based and the science exhibition doesn't disappoint. Through various interactive exhibits, both Ash & Ayd were able to learn more about the different forms of energy, ranging from the likes of kinetic, potential, chemical, sound and heat energies.

Exhibits include a merry-go-round, basketball challenge, using sound energy to make a straw move, and a giant pendulum swing!

The boys also had the chance to flex their arm muscles and crank up three dynamos which were each connected to a different light source - LED light strips, compact fluorescent bulbs and incandescent bulbs. Through this activity, they learnt how much energy is required to power up the various light sources.

And if the kids are still in want of more hands-on activities, they can take part in the 30-minute workshop session where they will get choose to make a customized toy - Paper Catapult, Magnetic Pendulum or Shaking Gorilla - based on three different themes. (Details of the workshop are at the end of this post.)

Still need more time to do your shopping? Then keep the kids entertained with the Science Shows and Stage Games while you head off to use up some energy of your own.

So go ahead , convert the kids' potential energy to kinetic energy this school holidays at Science Centre's Science in the Mall - X-ploring the World of Energy exhibition. But be sure to hurry - the event ends this Sunday, 24th March 2013!

Useful Details:

Science in the Mall – X-ploring the World of Energy!
Date: 16 – 24 March 2013
Venue: Parkway Parade, Basement Atrium
Time: 11am – 9pm daily

The Amazing World of Energy Exhibits: 11am – 9pm daily

Stage Games: 1.00pm, 4.00pm and 7.00pm (daily)
Science Show: 1.30pm, 4.30pm and 7.30pm (only on 22, 23 & 24 March 2013)

Hands-on Workshops: 11.00am – 9.00pm (daily)
Shopper(s) with a minimum spend of $80 (max3 same day receipts) are eligible to register one child for any one of the three workshops available. Each workshop is guided by a facilitator and children will learn how to build thematic science toys from the workshop. Each child will also receive an activity booklet that explains the science behind each exhibit and retailers vouchers.

Parkway Parade Junior Club members get to attend one workshop FREE of charge! Limited to 5 members per session, one child is only eligible to register for one FREE workshop.

Each session is about 30 minutes and registration is on a first-come-first-served basis.

LEGOLAND Malaysia revisited

Can one truly ever get tired of LEGOLAND Malaysia? Definitely not di-di or me, that's for sure. 

In fact, the last time we were there was in December last year - yes, that infamous episode where di-di got lost in LEGOLAND Malaysia! - and one doesn't need to be a genius to guess how much the both of us begged and nagged Daddy & Mummy to bring us back.

Well, the clamouring worked.

We made a short stop over at LEGOLAND Malaysia last month after we visited Hello Kitty Town and The Little Big Club at Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park.

And compared to our previous visits, mei-mei was much more knowing this time around. And demanding too, as she sought to have her photos taken with any mascot/princess/man-in-funny-suit she could lay her hands on.

She even made us take the *cough*boring*cough* DUPLO Express at DUPLO Playtown with her.

In the past, that would be the be all and end all of her day in LEGOLAND Malaysia as that was the only ride that she was tall enough to hop on.

But the past 2 months had seen her shoot up a few centimetres and she has since discovered the joys of joining us on some of the rides... like going on a laser-blasting treasure hunt on the Lost Kingdom ride.

Or having the bounce of her life on the Beetle Bounce, which incidentally ranks as one of her faves currently.

No wonder she's feeling all so smug about her new-found ride licences.

But any fun at a theme park can be multiplied even further - when our buddies are involved!

That's right, the week-long March School Holidays gave all our parents the perfect excuse to bring us kiddos down to LEGOLAND Malaysia for a day of mayhem. Well, we actually only went down at 3pm... and that turned out to be a wise decision as the crowd was non-existent!

Which meant that we had a field day trying out almost all the rides that we possibly ever wanted, without having to waste time queuing.

I guess there isn't any need for me to say how much fun we thoroughly had.

And to up the FUN factor, LEGOLAND Malaysia is having Asia’s first LEGO Minifigure Swap from now until 31 March 2013!

What's the LEGO Minifigure Swap? It involves the trading of small LEGO figurines, usually referred as Minifigs. It is designed to encourage interaction between Model Citizens (LEGOLAND Staff) and Park visitors. The concept is that visitors are able to swap their Minifig with any staff member who wear the figurines on their name badges.

To help guests get started, a complimentary Build a Minifigure voucher will be given away with the purchase of a ‘Kids Meal’ at selected food and beverage outlets at LEGOLAND Malaysia.The vouchers can then be exchanged at three designated Minifigure Redemption Stations around the Park.

And to spice things up even further, an exclusive ‘Spot the Minifigure’ give-away will also be happening too! Every day, a custom-built Minifigure will be worn by a designated Model Citizen. Each time a lucky guest correctly identifies the Minifigure, he/she will be rewarded with a special prize and the custom Minifigure will be passed to a new Model Citizen ready to be spotted again. Prizes include LEGO toys and meal vouchers.

So what are you waiting for? Time to head down to LEGOLAND Malaysia and spot the Minifig today!

For more information on LEGO Minifigure Swap, kindly visit http://www.legoland.com.my/Plan/Minifigure-Swap/

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*Read our LEGOLAND Malaysia Reviews here: PART 1 and PART 2