Pat's Schoolhouse's National Day Celebrations

{Media Event Invite}

Last Friday, I attended a National Day celebrations party at Pat's Schoolhouse @ Claymore. Watching the pre-nursery to kindergarten kids dancing their hearts out, I couldn't help but feel warm and fuzzy. I miss my little ones when they were this young. This is AA's K2 year, and very soon, he'll be having his graduation concert, and then he'll be starting his primary school journey. Despite my wish for them not to grow up so fast, I know they are my babies, always, no matter how old they are. And yes, I will nag at them always too. :)

Look at these kids all dressed in red. Aren't they irresistibly adorable?

Besides celebrating National Day, Pat's Schoolhouse also took the opportunity to unveil a new logo, as well as an enhanced curriculum that supports bilingual immersion and is integrated with music. 

The new logo creatively uses shapes and colours to reflect a familiar preschool brand name that everyone has been so familiar with for the past 30 years. And with this, Pat's has injected some fresh ideas into its curriculum. One refresh is to ensure that for all lessons, there are always two teachers co-teaching English and Chinese at the same time. No matter what lesson it is, all children are exposed to both languages at the same time. 

I think this kind of bilingual environment is extremely important for the child to be used to both languages. It gives them the opportunity not only to hone their listening skills, but also their speaking skills, and ultimately the practical usage of the languages. Together with parental support, children's grasp of both languages is definitely a lot easier, and prepares them for future education.

The other curriculum refresh is the integration of music into the curriculum. It's not just about music lessons. Music here is integrated into all the lessons, and popular songs or rhymes can be creatively adapted to suit the particular themes that are being taught. For example, the rhyme Itsy Bitsy Spider may be used to teach about spiders one day, and the next, the kids may be asked to change the tune or lyrics to talk about the spider's diet. It's all about giving the kids the opportunity to creatively expand their thinking and challenge themselves.

Play is extremely important in a child's learning. As some of you know, I do try to infuse that into our home learning wherever possible. When this happens, kids naturally become curious and ask questions. Of course, as a FTWM, what I do can sometimes be rather inconsistent. And as EV is in formal education, the temptation to turn to assessment books is great, but I try to fit in fun science and craft projects where possible (check out our Instagram for pics!).

So when a school infuses such inquiry-based teaching, it definitely takes the load off busy parents. Just check out some of the learning areas at Pat's Schoolhouse. I wish I had the time, and space, to do such activities.

A wall dedicated to STEM - need to find me a wall at home now.

A thematic project on biodiversity, which the kids at Pat's did after a learning journey to Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve.

A board about plants in both English and Chinese. The mind maps were co-created by the kids. The carton box at the bottom right hand of the picture is actually sprouting mushrooms.

A little garden area, where different plants, other than green beans, are being planted.

My hands are itchy now... need to get some more home learning activities started and going.

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Media Invite: Canon Christmas Party

Recently, we were invited to Canon’s new office at Galaxis at one-north for a food styling and photography Christmas party. We were brought on a tour of the one month old office, feasting our eyes on a shelf full of cameras from the past, and on the Canon Imaging Academy facilities.

It is interesting to note that besides photo and video classes, the studio at the Canon office is also for rent for keen photographers, at $25 per hour - much cheaper than market rate, we hear.

Following this, we were brought to the really huge pantry for the event proper. Nugene Chiang, resident Canon photographer, brought us through the tips and tricks of food styling and photography. 

He focused on picture taking at buffets, and how to make buffet food look appetizing on camera. 

The trick, he said, is to focus on one, or the most two, items on your overflowing plate of food, rather than the whole plate. Not enough lighting? Use your camera flash, but shine on the food from the side, he says. 

Even food at the buffet table can look good. Just focus on a small portion of the whole tray, making use of the garnishing or decorations that is already around the table to add additional elements to the photo.

Everyone had a chance to loan a camera for the night and I had my hands on the Powershot G3 X. First impressions? Folks after stylish form factor can move on as the boxy G3X doesn't have much of it. To me, it's for those slightly more advanced amateur photographers who want to dabble more into the capabilities of a camera.

Here are some of the photos I took. Not too bad eh?

Thanks to Canon for the invite.

Disclaimer:  We received a media invite to the Canon Christmas Party. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions and images are my own, unless otherwise indicated.

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Media Invite: Asus ZenFestival

I’m selective when it comes to attending events I get invited to. But when it comes to anything related to tech and gadgets, I get itchy, naturally, since I was a former tech journalist.  There was absolutely no way I could say no to an invite to the Asus ZenFestival.

Held on Wednesday evening at Chijmes Hall, the event saw the unveiling of the brand's four latest ZenFones. Though Asus is mainly known for their laptops, they might just make some headway with the ZenFones. The model which attracted the most attention has to be the Zenfone Selfie. It’s got a great Beautification function that automatically adjusts selfies taken, whether it is to smoothen the skin tone, or even to make the eyes look a little larger. This function means that selfies will always look their best, and there’s no need to use any other applications to edit.

And while I was there, I also played briefly with the ZenFone Selfie’s macro, time lapse and slow motion video recording functions. It definitely seems quite a promising mobile.

Various camera functions on the ZenFone Selfie.

Trying out the macro function.

Having fun with the slow motion function.

The low light mode that can adjust shadows.

While at the ZenFestival, I also checked out the ZenFone 2, ZenFone 2 Laser and ZenFone Go, but I still prefer the ZenFone Selfie. I can’t wait to get my hands on a review set. Stay tuned for that.

Michelle Chong is the brand ambassador and here she is on stage.

I’m doubly glad I attended the event as I also met an old friend, who was the former editor of Straits Times’ digital edition. We had a great time catching up. It’s events like these that give me fond memories of the good old days. Thanks Asus!

Disclaimer: I was invited to the Asus ZenFestival event. No compensation was received. All opinions and images are my own.

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Media Invite: Times new concept store @ Marina Square - 5 things you want to know

Times The Bookstore. For some of you, you may remember how this iconic bookstore looked like in the past. I still vaguely remember the blue logo of the past, and these are sweet memories. Sweet because Times was where I discovered the beautiful world of books. Times was where I discovered classics like Little Women and Jane Eyre (abridged versions) during my Primary school days. Thanks to a certain tuition teacher who went to the extent of bringing my mum and I to Times to recommend books for me to read, because my mum was Chinese educated and had no idea where to start when it came to improving my English. This tuition teacher was a retired teacher from the older generation, who spoke perfectly articulated English and had such beautiful cursive writing. I will never forget her and her cat, and of course, our trips to Times to discover books.

Times has definitely come a long way since then. I admit, I’ve not been to Times for years. I don’t know why, I guess I grew out of it, and I was attracted to more independent bookstores and online bookstores. Times, to me, was an experience from the past. I knew they had a revamp, but it still wasn’t enough to entice me to walk into the store.

So when I was invited to check out the new concept store at Marina Square last week, I decided to experience it again. A key question I asked Anna Leong, marketing manager of Times was: what’s the new concept about? Because, as you can see from this photo, Times at Marina Square doesn’t look all that different from its other outlets from the outside.

Photo: Times

Here are 5 things I gathered from my conversation with Anna and my two hours of discovery around the store.

1. There is a good selection of children’s books such as picture books and early readers. I was glad to discover a whole shelf of Shel Silverstein books, and even numerous titles by Leo Lionni. 

There are also several shelves devoted to picture books by local authors. About 30% of the store is dedicated to children’s books and other merchandise.

2. The new Times doesn’t just sell books any more. There is a good selection of educational toys and games. Think board games and even Lego. 

There are also word card games, games like ‘Vowel Owels’, Play Doh and also science kits. There are even plant pot kits to let kids develop a love for nature.

3. I think adults, especially Star Wars and Star Trek fans, will be attracted to Times not just for the books. They can also feast their eyes on memorabilia from Star Wars, Star Trek, Game of Thrones and even The Walking Dead. I even saw a little Alien on the shelf, just next to Batman. The folks at the store put these items right at the front of the shop. Smart move I say. Get the adults in, and the kids will follow.

4. I also saw quite a number of other items that are related to books, such as poetry magnets, adult colouring books and even these tempting tote bags that feature classic children’s and adults’ titles. I really love these tote bags, but they’re a tad too expensive for my taste, at $69.90 each. 

However, I found an alternative - these four tote bags featuring Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, Picture of Dorian Gray and Sherlock Holmes, at $12.90 each.

5. The 2,800 square feet store is extremely bright and cheerful, and the children’s section has pastel ‘clouds’ on the ceiling. The kids might not immediately notice these ‘clouds’, because they are just so focused on the books in that area, so it’s good that the decorative details are subtle. I like the even brightness of the store - it makes reading more conducive and is better for kids’ eyes. The alleys between shelves and displays are quite wide, so kids can sit and read, and store patrons, as well as prams, can still move around comfortably.

Photo: Times

I like the new Times bookstore, I’m sure I’ll be back really soon. Yet, I fear stepping into the store. Why? It means I’ll most probably, most certainly, buy even more books, even though I don’t read them fast enough. Yes, I buy books faster than I read them, but hey! I do need books all around me for those sneaky me-times that I can steal.

There’s another reason why I dread walking into Times at Marina Square.

A whole section devoted to Disney! Eh…. I’m not sure whether I should let EV see this…..

Can’t wait for the biggest, 7,300 square feet Times bookstore to open at Waterway Point in Punggol in January 2016. The only thing that might keep me away? Distance. I got to stay far far away.

Disclaimer: We were invited to the launch of the Times Bookstore at Marina Square. We received a complimentary card and a $50 voucher. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions and images are our own, unless otherwise stated.

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6 must do activities this holiday season

The holiday season has arrived!! Here are 6 awesome activities to keep the kids occupied.

Disney Winter Wonderland Christmas @ Changi Airport

Photos: Changi Airport

Ok. We expect this to be super popular this holiday, and based on what we've heard, the first weekend of its opening has been crowded. And I mean CROWDED!! Think castle inspired by Disney's Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty (inside an airport!) and a Mickey Mouse Club House Bouncy Playground that looks set to attract all Disney fans young and old. The biggest attraction for kids must be the Playground, which allows them to cruise down a three-metre high slide, bounce off sticky Velcro walls and leap into the ball pit. There are also multi-sensory shows and special performances on certain dates. Because it's expected to be a squeeze, it's better to go on weekdays or weekend mornings. You at be able to get a better shot of the castle too. Otherwise, be prepared to be photo bombed.

Date: now till 5 Jan 2015

Multi-sensory show time on weekdays: 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm and 9pm.
Multi-sensory show time on weekends, Public Holidays and Eve of Public Holidays: 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm and 9pm.
Playground opening hours: Opens daily from 12pm to 10pm. To enter the playground, simply present any same-day receipt with a minimum spend of $30. Every $30 spend allows a single entry.
Mickey and Minnie Mouse meet-and-greet sessions: 19, 20 and 21 December at 1pm, 2.30pm, 4pm, 5.30pm and 7pm at Terminal 3 Departure Hall, beside Check-in Row 11.
Stage performances: Weekends from 6.30pm to 7pm at Terminal 3 Departure Hall, beside Check-in Row 11.

Character shows and meet & greet @ shopping malls

What's Christmas without shopping mall hopping to catch stage performances of favourite characters? Here are two of our favourites.

CBeebies Live! Countdown to Christmas @ Plaza Singapura


Say hello to Teletubbies and Super Numtum, as they sing and dance and keep kids entertained. The singing ZingZillas will be strutting around the mall to meet and greet shoppers. Everyone’s favourite Mister Maker will also be making special appearances via a special TV link.

Character shows
Date: now till 7 Dec 2014
Venue: Main Atrium Level 1
Time: Mon to Fri (no show on Tue) 1pm & 7pm; Sat & Sun 1pm, 4pm & 7pm
Spend min. $30 to redeem a photo pass with your favourite Teletubbies or Super Numtum after the show!
Meet & Greet Zing Zillas on 27 to 30 Nov and 6 & 7 Dec

Art & craft workshops
Date: 10 Dec to 21 Dec 2014
Venue: Main Atrium, Level 1
Time: 12pm, 2pm, 4pm & 6pm (daily) (Additional workshop on Sat & Sun @ 8pm)
Spend min. $60 in a single receipt to redeem a pass to the workshop!

Mr Men and Little Miss @ OneKM

New mall OneKM near Paya Lebar brings in Mr Men and Little Miss characters Mr. Strong, Little Miss Sunshine, Mr. Bump, Little Miss Hug and Little Miss Princess for the holiday season. The mall’s atrium will also be decorated as Dillydale Town, where kids can engage in activities such as sand art, wire craft, shrink art key chains and princess dress up. It's the latest mall in town, so all the more to visit!

Mr Men Little Miss Meet and Greet
Date: 11 Dec - 21 Dec 2014
Time: Weekdays 2pm, 7pm; Weekends 1pm, 3pm and 7pm
(No Meet & Greet on Wednesday)

Mr. Men and Little Miss Dillydale Town
Date: 11 Dec - 25 Dec 2014
Time: Weekdays 12pm to 8pm, Weekends 11am to 8pm
(No activities between 4pm – 5pm)
To qualify, simply spend a minimum of $80 to redeem a Game Pass.

Christmas Wonderland @ Gardens by the Bay

Yuletide in the Flower Dome

Photo: Gardens by the Bay

Christmas in a greenhouse? Oh yes! Walking through the scenic Flower Dome, taking in the sights of the beautiful flora, can be quite a therapeutic experience. This season, it becomes a winter experience too, as the Flower Dome transforms into a red and white floral winter village wonderland. Bring along warm clothes, because the temperature will be cool as well to match the sights. Fans of Miffy can also catch her in action over three weekends. Kids can also create Christmas cards for loved ones, inspired by the Italian Luminarie light sculptures, and by the unique, intricate patterns of snowflakes.

Date: now till 6 Jan 2015
Time: 9am to 9pm
Price: S$12 (Adult), S$8 (Child), S$8 (Senior) (One conservatory)

Miffy Meet-and-Greet
Date: 22-23 Nov (12pm, 1:35pm, 2:40pm, 3:45pm, 5pm), 29-30 Nov & 13-14 Dec (10:30am, 12pm, 2pm, 3:30pm, 5pm)
Venue: Flower Dome

Christmas Paper Craft: Stencils of Luminaries
Date: 20 - 21 Dec 2014
Time: 2pm - 4pm

Photo: Gardens by the Bay

Italian Luminarie

Over 30 intricate light sculptures will make their debut showcase to create a breathtaking evening garden scene. Handmade by skilled Italian craftsmen, the magnificent luminaries are made of white wood frames from the south of Italy and illuminated with lights of a myriad of colours. The Italian Luminarie also includes the Casa Armonica and Spalliera. The Casa Armonica is a beautifully lit mini capola measuring 7.5m wide and is 9m high. The gazebo will host performances such as Verses by the Garden Lights by Act 3 Drama Academy. The Spalliera is the largest masterpiece, at 31 m wide and 17m high – that’s approximately 5 storeys! It will also host Blizzard Time three times a day, weather permitting.

Date: 29 Nov - 1 Jan 2015

Time: 7pm - 12:00am
Venue: Supertree Grove
For more information, visit the Gardens by the Bay website.

Merry Fishmas @ S.E.A Aquarium

Photos: S.E.A Aquarium

Santa can swim? Only at S.E.A Aquarium! You have to see it to believe it. Santa appears up to three times daily to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and is sure to make any kid grin with glee, on top of seeing all the merry marine life there. There are also fun-filled Christmas themed activities, such as an adventure trail for children. While being part of the magical marine kingdom, do be considerate and take care of the marine life, such as switching off your flashlight when taking photos of those that are sensitive to light.

Date: now till 4 Jan 2015
Time:10am – 7pm
Price: S$38 (Adult), S$28 (Child), S$28 (Senior)
For more information, visit the S.E.A Aquarium website.

Holiday art classes @ Heart Studio

There are many holiday classes to choose from. In my opinion, the ones at Heart Studio is one of the better ones that I've sent EV on. This holiday, their signature holiday programme is back again, for kids aged 3 to 4, 5 to 6 and 7 onwards. Each programme is specially catered for each age group, and is designed to develop specific skills. For example, the programme for kids 3 to 4 focuses on drawing subjects such as bunnies, caterpillars, spaceships and Olaf using basic shapes. The programme for kids 5 to 6 focuses on colour blending and using different mediums, while that for kids 7 onwards focuses on different painting techniques such as dabbing and creating 3D effects. Besides these well thought out classes, what's more important is the teachers, they really do teach art with a heart, and are able to connect with the kids really well. Read our past reviews here.

Date: 8 Dec till 19 Dec 2014
Price: S$75 per class
For more information, visit the Heart Studio website or call (65) 6554 7563.

Taiko drum classes @ Hibikiya

Photo: Hibikiya

Now this is something different that the whole family can do together for great bonding! Learn to play the Taiko drums, which are Japanese percussion instruments commonly played at Japanese festivals and celebrations. As Taiko is best performed in a group, families can participate in a three-hour course to learn to play the drums together in unison. Combining vigorous movements with loud choruses of enthusiasm, Taiko drum-beating is not only great for bonding, but also a great workout. If the Taiko drum bug bites, then the family can even take weekly lessons with founder and instructor Namiko Sakai at Hibikiya, which is Singapore's only Japanese music studio.

Date: Arranged upon enquiry
Time: 3-hours for a family bonding course
Venue: 63 Jalan Pemimpin, #01-02 Pemimpin Industrial Building
Price: Available upon enquiry
For more information, visit the Hibikiya website or email enquiry@hibikiya.com.sg.

Happy holidays!!!

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Rise & Shine 2014: Win tickets to parenting workshop and children's trial classes

Rise and Shine 2014, the only parenting and children event that caters to children’s holistic development, is back for a second year.

This time, it is bigger and better, with over 6800 square metres of exhibition space dedicated to more than 8000 products, education programmes and services.

Not only are there sales of items of toys, books, learning resources and accessories, there are also exclusive programmes from pre-schools and enrichment centres such as Learning Vision, Lorna Whiston, Yamaha Music School, Ready Steady Go Kids and Gymnademics. Visitors can also sign up for trial classes offered by some of these schools, at $10, which includes a goodie bag worth $50.

And while the kids are enjoying their hands-on sessions, parents can attend workshops that aim to equip them with the knowledge on developing their children holistically, such as Creative Thinkers of the 21st Century – How You Can Help Your Child To Be One, Raising Smart and Also Well-behaved Child – Is it True We Shouldn’t Spare The Rod and Spoil The Child?, and Raising A Smarter Child: from Birth to Preschool. Workshop prices start from $15, which includes a goodie bag worth $50. More information can be found here.

Credit: Rise & Shine 2014

Rise & Shine 2014

When: 22 August (Friday) – 24 August (Saturday), 11am - 9pm

Where: Suntec Convention Hall 401-403

Free admission

Parenting workshop Giveaway!!!
Want to win two pairs of tickets to the parenting workshop Raising A Smarter Child: from Birth to Preschool by Dr Peter Sears. Held on 24 August from 3pm – 4.30pm, Dr Sears will share his insights on how parents can help their children reach their full intellectual and creative potential. He will cover topics such as building young children’s brain: what parents need to do from birth to preschool
 and 8 ways to nurturing smarter babies.

Enter by following the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget below, and don't forget to leave your email address. Good luck!

Trial classes Giveaway!!!

There are also two pairs each for the Ready Steady Go Kids and Brainy Moves trial classes!

Ready Steady Go Kids is Australia’s largest and most reputable multi-sport and exercise program for preschoolers, which includes exciting warm ups, focused sports skills and a fun challenge circuit. It is suitable for children aged 2.5 to 6 years old.

Brainy Moves is a Science-based holistic brain-training programme that makes use of exercise to boost the brains to keep it engaged and primed for strong focus and concentration in absorbing knowledge. Besides improving memory, it also enhances reading, comprehension and abilities to grasp math and science concepts. It is suitable for children aged 3 to 12 years old.

Simply follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. Good luck!

Special 70% for ToddlyMummy readers!!

Specially for you, there is a 70% discount on the Raising A Smarter Child: from Birth to Preschool parentin workshop and the Ready Steady Go Kids and Brainy Moves trial classes. Just key in the discount code ‘TODDLYMUMMY’ when you register.

Terms and conditions:
- Entries that do not fulfill the requirements stated will be disqualified without notice.
- Giveaways are open to Singapore residents only.
- Giveaways start on 12 August and end on 17 August (inclusive) at midnight.
- Winners will be announced on this post and my Facebook page by 19 August.
- Winners will be notified by email, through the email provided in Rafflecopter.
- Results are final. Prizes not claimed will not be redrawn.
- If the preferred time slots for trial classes are not available, winners have the option of selecting an alternative time slot, subject to availability.
- Terms and conditions are subject to change without notice, at the organisers' sole discretion.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Rise & Shine 2014 sponsored tickets to the Raising A Smarter Child: from Birth to Preschool parenting workshop and Ready Steady Go Kids and Brainy Moves trial classes for giveaway purposes. No monetary compensation was received.

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Vaby launch at Rochester

At the end of the June holidays, EV and I attended the official launch of Vaby, a monthly subscription-based box that is filled with sample-sized products and service discount vouchers for mummies, babies and toddlers. I had shared a bit about what it’s about here.

It was a great way to end the holidays. For me, I got to spend a leisurely afternoon with fellow mum bloggers. For EV, she got to play in the indoor playground at The Playhouse, which has a kitchen, a dressing up area and even a castle! I think it was a dream come true for her to have so many play things in one room. She probably wished our home is something like that.

While the kids were playing, the mums got to check out the July launch box. Mostly catered for mums-to-be or new mums, there are a couple of items that are suitable for mums of toddlers, such as a lotion for dry, cracked or burnt skin, and a beauty voucher.

Some of my favourite parts of the launch was the awesome balloon display and the instant photo booth by Cloudstaprint, which allowed us to instantly print photos that we uploaded using Instagram, directly on the spot.

I am looking forward to the August box. I hear that there are more items suitable for mums of toddlers! Yey!!

Keen to receive a Vaby box for yourself? Visit the website to register and subscribe.

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