Archives for November 2008

Family time

November 18, 2008 · By ·
Dh took some time off today to spend some family time with us and we had an enjoyable afternoon together. After a scrumptious lunch at Akashi Tanglin, we went into Kenko Fish Spa at Tanglin Shopping Centre, as dh was certain that K will be very thrilled to watch fishes nibbling the soles of his feet. I was not too keen to join in, since I did not enjoy my last experience at the fish spa. I much prefer scrubbing my own feet with feet exfoliator, than experience the strange sensation of fishes nibbling at my feet.

The fish spa experience kept K occupied for less than 10 mins, since he was quite thrilled by the fishes in the pool. After which he just wanted to leave the shop to “walk, walk”.


Dh tells me that I should just come by in the late mornings to get a foot massage and bring K along. Sometimes I think Dh over-estimates his son and thinks that this 19 month old will be able to stay occupied and quiet somehow, while I get a 45 min pampering treat. Dh, how about trying it out one of these days? Then tell me whether it is possible to enjoy your massage and not be distracted by an active toddler.

I might get a pleasant surprise again and dh may not encounter any problem having a foot massage with a toddler in tow. The last time dh surprised me with a passport photo of K, when he brought K to the nearby mall to buy lunch back. Certain things just seem so effortless for fathers, while moms struggle to get the same things done.

After dh’s fish spa session, we sent K home for his afternoon nap and returned to Kenko for 90 mins of foot reflexology and shoulder and back massage. It was heavenly! The last time I had a foot massage was almost 1 and a half year ago. Dh and I used to frequent Kenko almost weekly. Now it’s so hard to find any leisure time to do any of these sort of pampering activities.

In the evening, we went to the club to let K enjoy some water play, while dh spent some time at the golf driving range.

K loves water fountains and always exclaims loudly whenever he sees them in malls. I am hoping for good weather this coming friday as L and I have planned a playdate for Alex and K at IMM water fountain area.

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Companions

November 15, 2008 · By ·

I met a long time friend, M with her 8 month old son Cayden for lunch this afternoon. M and I went a long way back. I have known her since we were in primary 5, went to different classes in secondary school, lost contact while we were in college, then met again in Melbourne during our university days. Despite not keeping in touch frequently these past few years, we always seem to click really well with one another and have endless topics to talk about.

Somehow our paths always crossed and it is great to be able to maintain this friendship.

K met Cayden for the first time this afternoon and he did not seem too sure how to approach a baby much younger than he is. I got K to pose for the camera with Cayden and his expressions seem to have implied these responses:

Mum: : “K, hold Cayden’s hand.”K : “Do I really have to?”

K : “I am holding his hand now, hurry and take the picture.”

Mum: : “K, smile for the camera.”

Just one of his many variations of a smile.

Probably K was thinking that baby C is not very interesting, since he seemed to be sitting in his stroller the whole time.

I think it is great to provide this socialisation opportunity for K to get up close with a younger child, since he only gets to interact with other toddlers around his age or older children. So M, we really should be meeting up more often :)

I am still not convinced that it is time for dh and I to “have another child to be K’s companion.” I like status quo and don’t plan to change anything for the time being. Besides, I want to be able to have the freedom to travel with dh and K, go back to playing golf and diving, starting an exercise regime (my lousy excuse for this is that I cannot find any time). Now I just find it impossible to squeeze in any of these leisure activities, when spending quality time with K is my priority.

In other words, I have no leisure life to talk about when I am just a mother of one. Some parents make it seem so simple to have so many children. I am simply just not a very good multi-tasker and life will only get some leisure balance once K starts nursery.

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Learning playstations

November 13, 2008 · By ·

Just wrapped up one of the most important modules for Early Childhood Education; Learning through Play. Its been real hard work but I never had so much fun doing any project, extremely tedious but strangely therapeutic.

My team’s final product : 3 learning playstations for the theme Food for K1 childre

1) Maths Corner with the pizza activity.
Objective :
– Learn numeration, counting, matching
– literacy skills by recognising the words of the various pizza toppings.

Extension : Socio Dramatic play can be encouraged by throwing in some plates, cutlery and toy cashier machine.

2) Science Corner with i)Textures of different types of Bread, and ii)Smell and match the Spices activity

i) Textures of different types of Bread
Objectives :
– Literacy objective : Learn the names of the different types of bread
– Explore some texture words for bread; soft, hard, rough and flaky
– Match the shapes of the bread with the texture

Extension : Visit to the bakery, or a cookery activity to bake their own bread

ii) Smell and match the Spices activity
Objectives :
– Explore the sense of smell by smelling 10 different types of asian spices
– hand eye coordination to match the correct spices with the numbers
– literacy skills encouraged through learning of the names of the different spices and the scents
– Learn about the types of food that use these spices

Extension : Visit a spice garden, taste different types of food with the various spices

3) Dramatic corner with Fun with fishing and barbecue
Objectives :
-Encourage socio-dramatic play and engage in literacy acts
– Counting and sorting of ‘pretend food’
– Practise fine motor skills while fishing and barbecue-ing

We had a fishing pond complete with fishes and prawns, fishing rods attached with magnets and pails for collecting the catch.

A child sized barbecue pit with trays of pretend food, all labelled to achieve literacy objectives.

Kudos to my team member Pam, who painstakingly created the ‘wire mesh’ of the barbecue grill by gluing together rolls of aluminium foil.

I can’t ask for a better team, we had great team dynamics and I must say we are a group of fairly creative and inventive people. Thanks Phebe, Pam and Tan Tin for a job well done!

There were a total of 6 teams who presented their learning stations, and our team were one of the three that presented a dramatic corner. It takes alot of creativity and effort to create a dramatic corner in a preschool class, but the benefits acquired from the children interacting with it is well worth it. Children learn pro-social skills, interaction skills, cooperative skills, engage in literacy acts and math activities and learn about the topic of interest, while at the same time, having alot of fun. Who ever said that playing is a waste of time?

Really liked this other dramatic corner; a Mama provision shop using recycled boxes for shelves and used cartons of real products, this team’s theme was Recycling. Maybe it’s time to keep the used milk cartons and cereal boxes when I am done with it.

Another dramatic area of an airplane for the theme of transportation.

Another team even went to the extend of bringing their pet dog, hamster and goldfish for the theme on animals. However, the content of their play activities was not anything new that felt that I could learn from.

Some other teams chose to go with the route of ‘if you are not so sure how to score points with the content, confuse with the elaborate backdrops and games.’

I really hope to see more of this sort of effort put into actual preschool classrooms, not too confident that they are many teachers who will make that effort for their children in their class. Well, I am certain to have learning through play activities as a key philosophy for my school (if ever, I do open a kindy or enrichment centre in the future). Only teachers with passion for their jobs and want kids to play will need to apply.

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