Little Passports – Science Expeditions (latest !)

Previously big J and big C had reviewed the World Edition and Early explorers. You can find my review post here. In last quarter 2016, Little Passport launched their first science based subscription box – Science expeditions targeted at kids age 9 and above. Even though none of my kids have not crossed the recommended age, they were most curious and intrigued by the box that came by post. All kids love mails in the mail box. There isn’t a right age to start kids with science as there are science in everything they do. The younger ones may not be able to appreciate the reading materials that came with the subscription by my 8 year old can but their level of enthusiasm in participating in the experiments were no less than big J. So on weekend when we are having our down time at home and it has been raining and we were forced to stay indoors, instead of bumming around, I will bring out the home science kit and do it with my older 3 kids as part of family bonding too! I can also tell

First month’s pack: Forensic Science.

Besides the essentials for the topic of the month, in the first box come a very roomy bag to keep all the experiment equipment for future month’s projects and also a journal to log down or draw your observation going forward.

Each month’s pack comes with 3 experiments. One of the experiments in the first month’s pack is to analyse on your fingerprint. The kids came to realise that every individual has unique fingerprint and forensic investigator using fingerprints to identify the guilty party.

Each month’s pack also comes with a 16-page magazine with comic-based stories to further increase understanding of the topic of the month.

Parents will also have access to online video. I find this most useful as my kids are more visual so they can to have an idea of the experiments before embarking on their own.

Second month’s pack:Caves and Crystals

Crystal is being introduced in this month’s pack. And what make science as interesting as it can get by growing your own crystal at home.

As part of this month’s topic, the pack also cover stalactites and stalagmites. I never could remember which comes from the floor and which comes from the ceiling. And finally after returning all my knowledge to the science teachers, there is an easy way to remember.

Stalactites has a C in it and Creeps down from the Ceiling.

Stalagmite has a G in it and Grows up from the Ground.

Ingenius! If only i knew this method of remembering in school, I wouldn’t had such a hard time differentiating the two during Science class. This month’s pack came with two experiments, one is to form stalactite and one is to form stalagmite.

growing your own crystal at home

a page from this month’s magazine

Third month’s pack: Northern lights

I am most excited about this part personally as going to see the Northern Lights is on my bucket lists. As this phenomenon does not happen in my part of the world, my kids are unable to appreciate or relate to this. Hence, firstly I had shown them photo of the Northern Light as witnessed by people living in the Finland, Ireland etc.

As the box is reused for this experiment, I need to ensure that the kids doesn’t rip the box opened prior to the experiments. I also think this is the MOST interesting experiment from the kids’ perspective too as there is light effect.

The Aurora in the box experiment is the most fun experiment by far. Actually this month theme on magnetism is also most interesting as the kids dabble in magnet and electromagnet. Little Passports Science expedition comes in monthly, 6 or 12 months subscription. You can subscribe through this link

You dont have to wait for your kids to turn 9 to enjoy this latest subscription from Little Passports. I would say primary 1 and primary 2 kids will be able to appreciate and have early introduction to science and science experiments at the comfort of home and it is also excellent family bonding on weekend when its raining cats and dogs or simply too hot to venture outdoors!

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

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Giveaway: Olive Oil Skincare Company – natural goodness in skincare and bodycare (for everyone in the household)

I have always been in search for the most natural skin care and body care for my kids. What about for myself? I am not loyal to any particular body care or skin care range. But due to a recent scare of flare up (which never happen to me before and I am the one in the family without skin sensitivities or allergy), I have been very careful in the selection of skincare and body care. And for my older kids with no or minimal sensitive skins, I hope to be able to share the same bottle of body shampoo or hair shampoo with them. But I am sure what I am using now it is a bit too harsh for their skin and scalp.

There are 2 ingredients that I put on high regards – coconut oil and olive oil during my search to cure my kids eczema and skin sensitivities. I remember once I actually purchased pure coconut oil to apply on C’s dry skin in the bid to prevent her flare-ups. As it wasn’t a skin care per say, application and usage has not been ideal and it ended in my kitchen. At that point in time, I have not heard of 100% coconut oil based skin care or 100% olive oil based skin care products.

I knew that I had to give the wonderful products from Olive Oil Skincare Company a try even though C’s eczema is under control and has not flare up much in recent months and also an alternative for my own skincare.

Manufactured in Australia , using olive grove situated in a totally pollution free environment, the closest town is 30km away with about 200 inhabitants. The olives are grown in the cleanest of air imaginable. Hence, the products from Olive Oil Skincare company are suitable for all skin ages from babies right, sound like something for me and my older kids.

Introducing some of their bestsellers

Soothing balm – Original (SGD 26.90)

I am currently using another brand of balm for all skin’s ailments, I find it a chore to have a remedy for each and every skin’s problem. I loveeedddd quick fixes in 1 bottle just like this balm. Sometimes, the kids just feel skin discomfort and I couldn’t pinpoint the exact cause of it, so i just reach out for the safest remedy – my soothing balm as it is gentle even on baby skin and yet it is effective.

Especially when I am on travel mode, I loved to bring all purpose balm for all emergencies – rash, bites, skin discomfort, diaper rash, dry skin, etc instead of carrying differing tubes of oilment. I am now using Olive Oil Skincare soothing balm which has been created to cure any skin discomfort. When its an insect bite, a dry skin, or even on chapped lips! It works wonder for my kids and myself too. I have been reaching out for the balm for any skin discomfort.

I do hope they can sell in smaller tubs too for travel purposes because the tub is a tad too big for travelling purpose. Of course I could always scoop into travel tubs for travelling purposes too!

Soap – unscented and goat’s milk (SGD 9.90)

My husband is as traditional as one can get. He doesn’t like to use body shampoo. I once heard a comment in those days when our parents were using soap bars, we seldom hear of skin sensitivities and eczema. I did use soap bars growing up too. And my husband still uses it now , so old school!

And there is another person in my household uses soap bar too. In bid to keep C’s eczema at bay and under control, I made a point to her to natural soap bar (made with no preservative) and some of my breastmilk soap bars that I made previously. And so far, I am not sure if she has outgrown it or the soap is working wonderful for her. So I am always looking out for good quality soap for the 2 persons in the household that using soap bar. The idea of switching C from body shampoo to soap was during my kids’ soap making session with Soap Ministry when the owner shared how their zero-preservative soap was useful to cure her girl’s eczema.

I am open to using soap bar, however, human are creatures of habit and I am very happy using body wash, not because it gives me a cleaner wash (in fact, i feel using soap bar is cleaner) but I am used to body wash for most of my life. Habits die hard, so I probably won’t be using soap bar anytime soon.

So I was given 2 different soap bars to try – unscented and goats milk. One for each of them.

Finally, hubs get to try to do a product review for my blog. His comments (after using brandless soap bar, I really don’t know what old school brand he use) after using it for a few weeks:-

“It’s odourless and very organic yet cleanses well giving a refreshing after-shower feel.”

Ok, I shall supply him with this soap going forward instead of the nameless brandless , unknown content soap bar that he has been using for the longest time.

As for my girl, but frankly the goat milk didn’t really have much of a smell either.

I am assured that every block of soap is made with 100% Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. They do not contain palm oil, sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), preservatives, colouring agents or additives of any kind.

What assured me the most was when I was reading the content of the soap on their website, it mentioned that the soap has been shown to manage symptoms like eczema, I knew my method for managing’s C eczema was on a right track which means she will never use the body wash (except when on travel mode as it is really tough carry soap bar in my vanity case) .

Hair shampoo and conditioner (SGD 32.90)

Finally I get to review some products on my own. First up, is the shampoo and conditioner combi from Olive Oil Skincare.

Currently, I am using hair products from the hair salons which are often burn a hold in my pocket. I am not loyal to any brand of hair shampoo as well.

Blended with Rose Geranium Essential Oil to provide a wonderful floral fragrance, I can smell the refreshing scent during my hair wash. I have been using it for a month now and I feel my hair is softer and more manageable and the biggest assurance I have is the products are all natural ingredients at very affordable prices too.

Face wash (SGD 26.90)

For my own face wash, I have been using a variety of brands. Once I had the cleanser that came with the Clarisonic facial brush and then sometimes I will just get my facial wash from my facial salon. I am not really fussy when it come to my facial wash as I think that my facial brush does the trick in giving me an effective wash. Hence, I am quite happy to use the Olive Oil face wash with my facial cleansing brush as well. The Extra Virgin Olive Oil content provides nutrients, polyphenols and Vitamins A and E which promises to be super nourishing for my skin.

For the complete range of products including their baby range, please visit their website.

Their items can be also found at Vitakids outlets, 10 10 Mother and Child Essentials, Naiise and Maternity Exchange. For online order, you can purchase it from Agape babies, Naiise and Maternity Exchange and on their website as well.

Of the products that I have tried, I particularly liked the soap and the soothing balm. I will definitely reorder them for my household. Thanks to the kind sponsor, I have a set of Olive Oil Skincare Company goodies comprising two of my favourite products – Soothing balm and Soap bar to be given away to 1 lucky reader (Worth SGD 50).

1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com and Olive Oil Skincare Company

2. Followed mypreciouzkids and Olive Oil SkinCare Company

3. Repost this IG post with hashtag #mypreciouzkidsgiveaway and tag 3 friends on the same post (1 tag per comment)

Please ensure your IG post is 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 19th March 2017 (Sun), 2359pm.

Winner on IG @limsuzanna

Disclosure: I received the above products from Olive Oil Skincare Company for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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KimKids Shop – a good selection of books at very good prices too! (giveaway)

If you have been following my blog, you may find this shop’s name familiar. Yes, I did feature this shop as one of the retailers for the Gakken Go Go Activity workbooks which my kids love , see review here. By the way, small J has been working on the books every night and love this too bits and the books keep him occupied while I concentrate on the older kids. Highly recommended for 2 year plus onwards!

I used to buy kids books locally (via online) many years ago when J was born, but in recent year I have relied heavily on Amazon and Book Depository for books for the older kids. I have not been buying any new board books or lift-the-flap books in recent years but I remember buying Fisher Price lift-the-flap board books for J when he was younger through sprees and motherhood forum marketplace. I never knew if the board books I purchased were genuine as I purchased from unknown sources online.

I have always loved Usborne books and I can’t really find them on Amazon or Book Depository. Many of the Usborne books are lift-the-flap version (which are the popular ones) and if you are ever lucky to borrow one from the library you will know the state of such books. Recently, I came across some titles suitable for my younger kids. I didn’t have to search further as KimKids, besides carrying the full range of Gakken Go Go books, it also carries a good range of Usborne books.

I had used the Shopee platfrom to purchase books from KimKids and it was simple and straightforward. Frankly, this is my very first time buying from Shopee, I guess this platform is similar to the more famous Q0010 in term of concept. They will hold the money until the customer has confirmed receipt for the items before releasing it to the seller.

I always relied heavily of sample pages before making a decision to buy the book. We can see sample pages of the books and also the complete description of the book using the Shopee platform. KimKids also show the price comparison between her price and retail price at the bookstore. Rest assured, you get it cheaper from KimKids.

And it is a flat SGD 2 dollar delivery to your door step irregardless of how many books you purchased. So it is worth purchasing many books at a go especially if you are buying as gifts for birthday or for Christmas.

These are the five books I ordered from KimKids through Shopee. I really loved books, new books, books arriving at my doorstep, and it was just before Christmas! Especially the Usborne Lift-the-Flap books, they are very good quality book with excellent contents. And they made great birthday gifts too instead of toys.

And I ordered to 2 Julia Donaldson’s books because because of this event. So I just had to buy a few more than what we already had at home and not to mentioned my kids looooovvvveeee stories by Julia Donaldson. I shall not elaborate any further on Julia Donaldson’s books are they are bestsellers on its own rights already! Hope that she will carry more of her book including her books with songs!

I also took the opportunity to order two board books for small C. Only big J had the luxury of having new board books. The subsequent kids had been using the hand-me-down board books during big J time but I thought its time to refresh my collection of books for the younger kids especially for the baby(ok he is 19 months old already so technically he is not a baby).

So I chose Let’s Get Dressed by Caroline Jayne Church and Usborne’s Lift the Flap Counting book. The baby is not able to articulate yet so I show some pictures of him “enjoying” the books that I chose for him. He was clearly enjoying putting on his socks as part of the dressing up process in Let’s Get Dressed book and was busy lifting all the flaps in the Usborne book. They are such hardy books that I am not worried that small J will rip a page off the book etc (he has a history of doing that before and to some library books too, I was actually warned by NLB before:( )

Leaving the best first for the last, my FAVOURITE book of the five books has to be Usborne’s Look inside your body. When I saw the content in the sample pages, I already knew it was a good book. But when I actually received the book and start lifting the flaps…the book is “interactive”. There are many layers to lift and there was a section where you can move the knee bone too! super cool and its not an apps or on the ipad, its from a book! I don’t think I can elaborate by words, so I did a video of all the beautiful pages in this book!

Kimkids

A bit about KimKids Shop, it just started half a year ago by a mother who has left the corporate world to become a full time stay at home mum. In search for good quality book for her little one, she started this home-based business to provide a wide range of amazing children books from renown publishers such as Usborne, Scholastic Asia , Gakken and 童悦坊.

Targeting at age group 0 – 7, KimKids provides a wide range of amazing children books including:

Board books including those for the very young (since birth), touchy-feely books that develops baby’s senses, lift-the-flap books for toddlers, and toy books that children and play with (Usborne Wind-up books)
Story books, picture books
Flash cards to learn basic math and alphabets, Chinese words
Activity books including Gakken Go Go series

Why purchase from KimKids Shop?

* All books are GENUINE copies (quality assured and safe for kids)

* CHEAPER than traditional book store as no rental cost, warehouse storage cost etc

* Books purchased will be delivered to your door step at a low flat rate charges ($2 flat rate, as books are heavy, those postages exceed $2 will be absorb by KimKids!)

* KimKids Shop is a registered entity in Singapore (COMPANY REGISTRATION NO.: 53327602X)

There are 3 platforms to view and purchase books from KimKids

Carousell: https://carousell.com/kimkids_shop/
Shopee: https://shopee.sg/kimkids_shop
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimKidsBookShop/ (Currently the owner is updating the product listing in Facebook Shop! Full listing at : https://shopee.sg/kimkids_shop)

NEW PROMOTION with Shopee

The promotion given by Shopee to KimKids Shop customers (valid 9 Feb – 9 March):

For NEW Shopee users : $5 off with min purchase of $20 (promo code kimkids5)

For existing Shopee users : $3 off with min purchase of $10 (promo code kimkids3)

So I guess this is no better time than now to shop at Kimkids using the Shopee platform. https://shopee.sg/kimkids_shop

GIVEAWAY

KimKids has kindly sponsored a very beautiful books from Usborne especially to toddlers experiencing their life’s first experiences to one lucky reader. Trust me the illustrations are so beautiful with hard cover, some books like this one, you will never give it away even when your kids outgrown them.

1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com and KimKids

2. Followed mypreciouzkids on Instagram

3. Followed Kimkids on Shopee and Carousell

4. Liked and shared this Facebook post and tag 5 friends.

Please ensure the Facebook shared post is public (as indicated in step 4) 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 26th February 2017 (Sun), 2359pm.

The lucky owner of this beautiful book is Chengling Tan.

Disclosure: I received a set of books from Kimkids for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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The Ant and The Grasshopper – ITheatre’s first production to kickstart 2017 (giveaway)

I must say kids living in Singapore are one of the luckiest lot, there are so much to see, do and watch throughout the year. Kidsfest 2017 starts in January, and in February, I Theatre will kickstart their 2017’s lineup with the perennial favourite, a very famous Aesop fable, The Ant and The Grasshopper.

One of the first shows that my kids or at least the older kids caught with ITheatre was The Ant and The Grasshopper back in 2014 when C was just turned 3 and watching one of her first live theatre shows. I was worried about her level of understanding or if she will be distracted, but my fears were unfounded. She was mesmerised by the puppets and the songs even though she may not fully understand the moral behind the story which is the essence of any Aesop fable.

I Theatre always have a meet and greet after the show with the cast , it is great compilation of the shows we have watched throughout the years

So when I saw the 2017’s ITheatre lineup featuring this show, I have already ticked this on my t0-watch-list more for the benefit of the my younger kids (who didn’t get to watch it in 2014) as a fun and musical introduction to Aesop fables.

Once there lived an Ant – a hard-working and ever-busy Ant who never seemed to have time for play or relaxation. And then there was Grasshopper, with time on his hands and nothing much to do all day.

And visiting from time to time, there is Caterpillar!

Somehow they were friends. All day long Ant would work hard, without stop or rest, collecting grains of wheat and storing them carefully in her larder.

And Grasshopper would laugh, and say. ‘Why do you work so hard, dear Ant? Come, and rest awhile, listen to my song. Summer is here; the days are long and bright. Why waste the sunshine in labour and toil?’

Whilst Caterpillar calmly carried on, doing what caterpillars do best…

But Summer does not last long – and soon Winter and the frozen cold will come…

What will happen to Grasshopper then?

What exactly will Ant do?

And where will Caterpillar go?

These are the stills from the 2014 productions , after watching the show you will feel like its the summertime in the garden! Watch it and you will know what I mean!

The Ant and The Grasshopper
Presented by I Theatre
Dates:

Sat, 18 Feb – Sun, 19 Mar 2017
18 Feb – 10 Mar 2017, Thu – Fri: 10.30am
14 Mar – 17 Mar 2017, Tue – Fri: 10.30am & 2.00pm
Sat & Sun: 11am & 2.30pm

Venue: SOTA Drama Theatre

Recommended for three year olds and above
Ticket prices: $32 (excluding booking fee)

Tickets available from SISTIC.

And to kickstart my blog’s 2017 giveaway, ITheatre will be giving out 2 set of family package (4 tickets each) for the 19 Feb 2017 (Sun) 11am show.

1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com and ITheatre

2. Followed mypreciouzkids on Instagram

3. Repost this visual on IG(tag 3 friends) with hashtag #mypreciouzkidsgiveaway and like and share this FB post (tag 3 friends).

4. Comment on this blogpost which is your must watch show from ITheatre this year.

http://itheatre.org/index.php/category/2017-season/

Please keep your Instagram profile public and the 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 lucky winners using random.org. The giveaway closes on 5th Feb 2017, 2359pm (Sun). I will pick 2 winners( 1 from IG and 1 from FB).

Winner on FB – Elly Tan

Winner on IG – Vivilover2

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Smart Mathematicians – maths magazine for primary school (giveaway)

From the publishers of the ever popular Young Scientists magazine (read my previous review here), come the latest magazine targeting at mathematics concepts, Smart Mathematicians. The magazine was launched early this year and similar to the Young Scientists magazine it is divided into lower primary and upper primary version. This is the only comic based mathematics magazine that complies to Singapore MOE syllabus in Singapore.

I will share some sample pages of the magazines. I am sure all kids will take a liking into the colourful pages and simple script of the comic and yet it will deliver some mathematics concepts at the same time. Even C is able to read this as the scripts uses simple English, and yet beneath the story, some mathematical concepts are introduced in a subtle way.

Especially for the school holidays, when making J do mathematics workbook seems to make me look like a tiger mum, I am sure he will see this as just fun reading not knowing that he will probably be learning some of the new maths concepts in primary 2.

What I like about this is the introduction of mathematics concept through stories and comics. Some concept like division and fraction may look alien and uninteresting if merely taught by mathematics symbols and numbers,but once the concept is weaved into a comic, the understanding becomes easier to relate and understood. It helps that the pages are so full of colours , make it more attractive to read also unlike their primary school textbooks.

Besides the comics, in the middle of the magazines are pages of worksheets for primary 1 ,2 and 3. For J, he does the primary 1 worksheets to revise and strengthen his understanding and the primary 2 to see how much he knows. He may not know all of it but it was a good try. However, primary 3 is beyond him, so we will leave it for later.

There are even pages for Olympiad Maths standard for kids who wants to be challenged further.

Do subscribe to next year’s edition via this link to enjoy the current promotions. For those who do not want to wait for the monthly copy in 2017 and want to have an early read especially during the school holidays, you can also subscribe to the full set of the 2016 which is the one that I have reviewed via this link .

The publisher has kindly provided me 4 set of Smart Mathematician 2016 edition (you can choose lower primary or upper primary) to be given away to 4 lucky readers. I hope that it will reached the winners before the holiday ends for some fun reading and learning. The usual drills of my giveaway……

1. Liked FB pages of mypreciouzkids.com and The Young Scientists

2. Followed mypreciouzkids on Instagram

3. Repost this visual on IG(tag 3 friends) and FB post (tag 3 friends) with hashtag #mypreciouzkidsgiveaway

4. Comment which set you prefer on my blogpost

5. Please keep your Instagram profile public and the 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 lucky winners using random.org . The giveaway closes on 20th Dec 2016, 2359pm (Tue). I will pick 4 winners( 2 from IG and 2 from FB).

Disclosure: I received a set of Smart Mathematician lower primary 2016 for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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Gakken New Blocks and Gakken Go-Go Series work book (giveaway)

You may find the Gakken Go-Go series familiar when you are browsing and stocking up books at Popular, but I am sure if you have not heard of the Gakken New Blocks.

And I am sure you didn’t know that they are from the same companies and its from Japan.

Gakken New Blocks

Recently , I opened a new toy for baby C, a birthday gift which obviously I forgotten. It was those battery operated toys and baby C lost interest with it within 5 to 10 minutes. Many a times, I will end up with battery leakages on those battery operated toys which is one of my pet peeves. So I have stopped buying battery operated toys in a long long while. I preferred non battery operated toys and with no fix way of playing ie open-ended. Of course , the first type that came to mind are the Lego blocks. Recently, I got the kids Magnatiles and they spent endless hours building whatever they come to mind. So I am always looking out for such “toys” and when I came across the Gakken New Blocks , I knew it will be something that my kids will indulge for many hours and I wont be plagued by future problems like battery leakages.

The set that I gotten for the kids is the mixed sets meaning this set includes parts to create vehicles, dinosaurs, etc. Gakken New Blocks are comes in sets with specific themes like vehicle, tools, flower and even based on The Hungry Caterpillar. You can find the full series here

What I really like is that the blocks are soft and made using safe materials (no PVC or Phthalate plasticizer is used in a block )

Even if baby C is in his nasty mood, and threw the blocks to his older siblings, they would not get hurt by it. The size of the blocks are big enough for young children to play with it and big enough not to be “swallowed” by the baby. Yes, he is now in the phase of putting non-food items into his mouth too!

The set comes with instruction booklets more for clueless and uncreative parents like me , who does not have an ounce of creativity but wish to impress the kids by my creations. But frankly as this is an open ended toy sets, it is best to let the child unleash their creativity and imagination and you will be amazed by their creativity.

Even the lid of the set is designed to hold the pieces and the kids’ creation!

I initially thought that J, being 7 years old all would find the blocks big and kiddish, but he enjoyed building with them too. I guess there is no age limit to such blocks just like Lego I guess. This is probably one for few toys in my household that all my 4 kids (age ranging from 1 plus to 7 plus) can play together.

Gakken Go Go Series workbook

Besides the Gakken New Block, the company also produces a wonderful series of preschool activity books. The Gakken Go Go series may not be as popular as the Kumon books (in my opinion) but after going through several of the Go Go workbook with small J, I dared say its actually more packed with activities for about the same price as Kumon books. Actually , the Gakken workbook has a big as a market share in Japan as Kumon books as I found out from the local distributor. I guess the biggest difference is that Gakken workbook are target at the preschooler aged 2 to 6 years old while Kumon goes way beyond preschool.

Let me share some sample pages of the Go Go cutting and pasting book which involves cutting, pasting and folding.

15193681_10154350789854143_94844101570311275_n

so apt for the upcoming year end festivities

I knew that small J would totally love this particular book as he has finished practically all the Kumon series book for cutting/pasting.

15107198_10154350782379143_7534435915494206108_n

a few of the small J “masterpieces” from the Go Go Cutting and Pasting

There is also a sticker sheet and a write and erase page included in the book as well.

The pictures below show the pages from the Intellectual Skills and Life Skills book. I would say that Gakken Go Go Series books are perfect for the 3 years olds who are learning how to read which is the stage where small J is right now. He absolutely loved all the activities in the workbooks and insisted on completing it every night.

I loved this series so much that I actually purchased these books as Christmas presents for my friend’s preschoolers. I hope they will love this book as much as small J does.

I can’t rave enough of the wonderful products from Gakken Japan. And if you are scratching your head what makes a good (and educational) Christmas presents for your kids or your friends’ kids, you are looking at it! KimKids (link below) is having Christmas promotion too! Do check it out for bundle prices.

The Gakken New Blocks and Go Go series activity books are available on sale at the following

All Popular Bookstores (https://www.popular.com.sg/catalogsearch/result/?q=gakken)
Openschoolbag (USE GAKKEN10 for a 10% discount when checking out) https://www.openschoolbag.com.sg/search-products?keys=gakken
Times The Bookshop (http://www.timesbookstores.com.sg/Search?s=gakken)
KimKids Bookshop (https://www.facebook.com/KimKidsBookShop/) Christmas promotion now on!!!

You can also download the digital trial version (IOS only) on https://itunes.apple.com/sg/app/gakken-go-go-educational-interactive/id1091487932?mt=8.I am unable to test the Apps out as I do not own an Iphone. So I hope they will have an Andriod version soon!

Thanks to the kind sponsors, 4 lucky winners can win Gakken Go Go Series Workbooks for their kids.(1 workbook for each winner).

1. Liked mypreciouzkids.com on Facebook

2. Followed mypreciouzkids on Instagram and regram this photo using hashtag #mypreciouzkidsgiveaway and tag 5 friends on IG. Please ensure your IG is on public view.

3. Followed mypreciouzkids on Twitter (no worries if you don’t have Twitter account)

4. Liked Gakken on Facebook

5. Like and share this Facebook post. Pls comment “Done, Twitter: ?? , IG:??, and the age of your child and which workbook interest your child , see website for complete list of book here ” on the same post for my easy tracking. Do set your post to PUBLIC so that I can verify your entry. Entries that are not shared publicly on your timeline will be disqualified. Giveaway ends 11th Dec 2016 (Sunday) 2359.

Disclosure: I received the Gakken Go Go series workbooks and Gakken New Blocks from Gakken Asia for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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Reading right with world first smart bookstand – BookBuddy

When I come across a kids related product that is made or conceptualised by a local Singaporean/ company, my radar goes up! Often enough , most kids related products are from the US or like the best wooden toys from Germany etc, seldom we do we see kids related local products which are made for us local and urban kids in mind. So when I saw BookBuddy, I knew I had to try it out in the name of supporting local products and of course most importantly to cultivate good reading habits!

Since young, I have tried to reduce screen time for my kids in the bid to delay myopia. As my older two kids are already starting reading on their own, many a times I cannot ensure that they are reading in conducive environments as I need to tend to my younger kids. They will normally grab a book and read just about any where in the house, on the sofa, on the floor etc. I can nag and nag as much as I want but I am unable to cultivate good reading habits and I hope to solve this with the BookBuddy.

I was a bookworm when I was young and often I will lie on the bed to read with no proper lighting. To no one surprise, my myopia was as high as 600 plus (though it was corrected by the wonderful technology of LASIK in my adult years).

The 3 most important elements to proper reading and healthy eyesight are light, posture and time.

With BookBuddy, kids are reminded to maintain good posture, read in sufficient light and take sufficient breaks in between read to rest the eyes with the use of light sensors. These 3 very important aspects are often overlook which is also the cause of increase the myopia in kids in Singapore. With the BookBuddy, kids are reminded to maintain all the 3 elements by the inbuild light sensors. Besides functioning as a book stand, the BookBuddy will act as my “nagging persona” especially when I am busy with my younger kids.

There are 2 light sensors indicating when its too dark, too near or too long. For example, if the child is reading too near, one of the light sensor will beep to tell the child that they are reading too near and need to be readjusted.

The BookBuddy also offer 2 reading angles – 60 degree and 22 degree . The 60 degree is more for general reading while the 22 degree is more for referencing when doing school home work.

It is also very lightweight and you can bring it along for outings or for travel. It is also very slim and fit easily in my kids’ ergo table’s pull out drawer so that it does not take up any space on the desk when it is not in used.

It may a bit early to say whether the BookBuddy will be able to cultivate a lifelong habit of correct reading habits, but it better to start earlier than later.

Check out this video where books, papers and tablets of differing thickness and sizes fit well using the BookBuddy. Most importantly, parents please ensure the battery are charged fully to make full use of the light sensors.

Powered by 2 AA batteries (which are provided with the set), BookBuddy comes in 3 colours, Brainy Blue , Perky Pink and Groovy Green. Each set comes with a 1 year warranty.

The BookBuddy is priced at SGD 84.90. It may seems a tad pricey for a “reading aid” but there is really no price to pay to maintain good eyesight and keep myopia at bay and for kids which already have myopia to slow down the increase of myopia. And for now there is a 20% discount if you were to order online here

Disclosure: I received a Groovy Green BookBuddy for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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Eco-friendly baby range from ecostore -safer for you, kinder to our planet

ecostore has been in the Singapore market for sometime now and are very popular with their range of laundry and household cleaning products . Recently, they introduced the baby care range into the Singapore market. For those who are unfamiliar with this brand, ecostore is from New Zealand founded by a husband and wife team back in 1993. They had been using sustainable and organic gardening practices on their property for many years but realised they were still being exposed to many toxic chemicals through the cleaning and body care products they were using. As a result, ecostore was born.

All parents want to give their best to their newborn and babies especially their skin are not fully developed and more vulnerable to harmful chemical. So when I select baby care products for my newborn for my younger kids, I often choose ones which are does not have harmful chemicals especially some of my kids have sensitive skins and are eczema-prone. I am constantly looking for the most gentle of body care products for my kids.

newest range of products from ecostore in SG

On first look, I am already impressed when they even proudly announce their bottle are environmental friendly. Their 200ml bottle is made from renewable sugarcane plastic, which is 100% recyclable and helps to reduce your carbon footprint. I have never since such a commitment from similar product companies before. Which manufacturer actually pay so much attention to the “make” of the bottle and probably choose the cheapest material for it to reduce production cost.

proudly proclaim that even the bottle is good for you as it is made out of sugarcane to reduce carbon footprint!

The first promise that is made by ecostore are the products are safer for use. The second promise is that by using ecostore products, we are kinder to mother nature as the products and packaging used are sustainable and biodegradable. A total win win situation for consumers!

Currently in Singapore, ecostore has brought in 4 baby care products – baby moisturiser, sleepytime bath, baby body wash and baby shampoo and 1 baby essential mini pack which contains mini size shampoo, body wash, moisturiser and laundry liquid (perfect for travel mode!)

baby essential mini pack

You may think that eco-friendly products cost a bomb, and I found out it is not the case for ecostore baby range. Their regular sized bottles comes in 200ml are priced at SGD 14.90 each. It maybe a small bottle, but it is due to the fact that you do not need a lot for each bath/usage.

Baby body wash & Baby Shampoo

Using plant-based ingredients, the body wash matches the oils and amino acids found naturally in babies skin. I realised unlike other body wash, a small 10 cent coin of liquid is enough to lather the baby. Hence, 200ml bottle will go along way.

The scents are similar for the all products in this range which is the scent of lavender and geranium. I have been using it on C’s long locks. After shampoo and rinse off, it leaves the hair tangled free without the use of conditioner.

Sleepytime Bath

Even though baby C is much older now, I still very much follow his baby routine (ok, I still consider him very much a baby being the baby of the family) In the bid to improve his night time sleep quality, he has a wipe down before bed. This product is just perfect and a welcome addition to his bedtime routine. It is a soothing plant-based infusion with a gentle blend of Lavender and Geranium oils to be added into the bath water. Even as I was preparing his bath and smell the lavender coming out from the oil, I already felt calmer from inhaling the scent.

Baby Moisturiser

Baby C also has sensitive skin. For the first 6 months of his life, he is prone to dryness and patchy red spots. All his baby photos before he turn 6 months had red spots/patches all over his face and body. Thankfully, he went away probably his skin got more mature as he grew and able to adapt to the weather. It also helped that we constantly moisturise him. After shower, I always use moisturiser on him to protect him from dryness and irritation.

It smells great too with the hint of lavender and geranium. Especially at night when the air-con is switched on due to unbearable Singapore heat, skin gets drier and moisturiser is a must. Even small J has to do his moisturising routine as he is also very prone to dry skin.

To satisfy my own curiousity, I compared the ingredients in ecostore baby wash against a well known baby wash made in Canada which I am currently using for my kids. Frankly I do not really pay attention to ingredients as I am brand (ie marketing and advertisement sells) and cost conscious but for the very first time after see this list of ingredients on the ecostore website , I got really curious to check the ingredients in the products that I am currently using.

According to ecostore, one for the ingredients called Cocamidopropyl Betaine is considered a harsh and harmful ingredient which has been excluded in ecostore baby range but I found it in my current wash. Well, I am not going all paranoid and throwing all that I have but since it is not causing any “known” after effect on my kids and it is safe for use (it is in the Singapore market), probably this will be my last bottle as I have found better alternatives in ecostore’s range of baby product.

Using ecostore is not only safe for our skin, it is also in support of their cause. After using their baby care products, I am slowly become a convert. I hope to be able to try their other range of products and in due course change the products I use in my household which are safer for me and my family and kinder to the environment. I guess I can be more “green” and environmental friendly not just buy bringing own carrier to the supermarket, by also using products which do not have harmful afterwaste be it the ingredient or the packaging.

Currently, the ecostore baby care range is available at Watsons and online.

Disclosure: I received the baby care range of products from ecostore for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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The latest sun & swim care range for kids from Pout Care!

My kids have been exposed to swimming at an early age -3/4 years of age (nothing to do with the Schooling effect). Of all skills to be learnt, I am most particular about swimming as it is a survival skill and a very good form of exercise. Kids who are asthmatic are also encouraged to take up swimming lesson. There are many reported cases of children drowning often due to lack of adult supervision. I am not saying that when kids know basic swimming skills adults can supervise less, but kids should know be afraid of the water and have some water confidence if faced with water hazards to reduce the chances of drowning.

However, that said swimming is the most “harsh” of sports. Not only does my kids get exposed to UV rays , they are also exposed to the chlorine in the pool. As my kids swim regularly, I am often on the lookout for good sun and swim care products formulated for kids specifically. There aren’t many in the market , and I am glad to have found it in Pout Care. Not only are they specifically designed for kids , the packaging comes in the prettiest labels , which kids wouldn’t want to use it. They are have matching stickers with bottle labels. Pout Care is made in Australia using natural ingredients without any harmful sulphates and parabens to clean and hydrate. Pout Care also add a variety of organic plant and flower extracts, such as Alfafa, Sage and Rosemary, to help enrich and strengthen children’s hair. Hence, their product is specifically formulate for children as they tend to have sensitive hair and skin.

Besides the ingredients used, Pout Care also has carefully designed the bottle packaging which are represented by the 7 different fairy tales characters. Each character represents a different products from their range. Each character are the one printed on the stickers as well which accompanying every product purchased. Each character/product features a fun poem describing the adventures of the character associated with the product. My kids were first attracted by the pretty packaging, then the wonderful smell when using the products! First time, my kids took notice of the products they are using (because no other children’s products is so pretty!) I wouldn’t bear to discard the bottle once they finish using it! Once you have collected all 7 bottles, it can create a pretty carousel just like the picture below!

Not only they come with the prettiest labels, they smell really fruity and nice!

SUN & SWIM CARE

what’s in my kids swim bag now!

Orange Float Sun & Swim Protection

This spray which represented by orange sea diver helps protect the hair from UV rays, chlorine and salt water. It creates a protective barrier to minimise the exposure when the kids going outdoor for sports especially water sports. The main ingredients in this bottle are calendula (which soothe sensitive scalps) , rosemary ( encourages healthy hair) and comfrey (condition and nourishes the hair). All it takes is a free spritz on the hair and massage all over the hair before going for the outdoor activities or swim. So not only my kids are protected by sunscreen for the body, now I have an excellent product to protect the hair too from the harsh sun and water be it the sea or the swimming pool!

Grapefruit Island Swimmers’ Top to Toe

This product is represent by the pirate is a specially formulated for remove chlorine and salt water from hair and skin after swimming. It helps repair and protect hair and skin from chlorine and salt water damage. Its main ingredients are sage (encourages hair growth), comfrey (nourishes hair) and parsley (anti bacterial benefits) and contains Vitamin B5 to help regenerate hair and skin. Big J is always very indifferent about the shampoo that he uses as he is only one in the family who is less sensitive , so he can use any random shampoo (unlike the other 3 which has sensitive skins , all have their own shampoo). When he first used this, he actually commented that it smell very very nice! Besides smelling heavenly, I am glad that I am using this after their weekly swimming session to remove all the chlorine residue from the swim!

Huckleberry Sorbet Natural Hair Wax

Besides the new swim care range, I will also be reviewing the hair wax. I don’t think there is any other hair wax in the Singapore that is specifically formulated for kids as I have been looking for it myself for the longest time! I always have to “steal” the hair gel from my husband for big J! I don’t normally use hair wax for my kids, but on special occasion such as dinners , photoshoots and their performance arts recitals, I will be “stealing” hair gel from my husband. Now, the boys will be sharing this tub of hair wax specially formulated for kids.

Mad scientist is the character for this hair wax. It is made from organic Bordoch root (decrease breakage), rosemary (encourages healthy hair) and yarrow (for treating dandruff, itchiness and scalp irritation). The wax gives a medium to firm hold and a matte finish to the hair styles!

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sporty hair do all thanks to the Huckleberry Sorbet Hair Wax from Pout Care

Green Apple Whoosh Hydrating Conditioner

I do not use hair conditioner for my girl’s long hair often. But I do tend to use it after a swim to manage the hair and give it a tangled free after shower. The green witch represent this product which contains organic alfafa (strengthen hair and scalp) calendula (soothe sensitive scalp) and elderflower (condition scalp). It smells so good that i use my own conditioner smells so good too! After hair wash, my girl’s hair stays tangled free!

The remaining 3 characters/products from Pout Care are the peaches and cream natural detangler (fairy) , strawberry magic natural shampoo(princess) and blueberry potion natural shampoo(knight).

Do check out Pout Care’s complete range of products here….they are so so pretty!

Do try them out especially they are offering at 15% discount for their new sun and swim care range!

Disclosure: I received the above products from Pout Care for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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All thanks to Baby Charleston Bondi 2.0 Stroller, I survived my HK trip with 4 kids aged 1 to 7 !

You may think that I am an expert in stroller given that I have 4 kids. Let me tell you the story of the strollers we had in our family. I have lusted for many fancy strollers but my husband doesn’t believe in buying a stroller that cost 4 digit as cheaper strollers can do the job too. My first ever stroller was a hand me down Graco stroller which came with a bassinet for newborn which serve me well for 2 kids. It was sturdy yet bulky though it has stand the test of time, used for more than 10 years!

Then came no 3 , I had another hand me down light weight Graco stroller and within a few weeks of his birth, we lost it! We lost it at a HDB car park as we forgot to unload it into our car. It was lost forever. Finally, we were forced to purchase a stroller after being parents for 4 years and for kid no 3. We brought a Capella stroller at Robinsons with minimal research (I was still harbouring hope for a fancy stroller, but hubby was wiser) which can be inverted as we thought it will be cool to face the crying baby as we never had that function in our previous hand me down . However after using it, the baby didn’t stop crying even though he is facing me. After the baby got bigger, we transited to lightweight umbrella stroller more for travelling purposes as the umbrella stroller collapses to take up a slimmer/ smaller part of the boot than the Capella.

As my family continues to grow, the boot space whenever we do our road trip is a hard squeeze. I remember we had to collapse of the one of the back row seats in our MPV just to squeeze in the long but thin umbrella stroller, else we would have to leave the stroller behind. And here is stroller no #5 and I am sure the last one of my household!

Unboxing it

The Bondi 2.0 comes in 5 unique colours – I chose turquoise as I feel it is more gender neutral. Every stroller purchase come with a cup holder, mosquito net. rain cover, cooling straw mat and a detachable front safety bar.

Dimension of the Bondi 2.0

Storing it

fit at the foot rest of my car

And let me tell you my greatest pet peeve. We owned an MPV by no choice due to the large family size This means that once we have reversed parked against a wall, we are unable to open the boot. So we have to come down remove the stroller, and then reverse all the way. The same goes for storing the stroller, drive out to open the boot unlike sedan, where we can open the boot without moving the car.

And when I saw how compact the Baby Charleston’s Bondi 2.0 stroller when folded, can actually placed it at the leg space at the baby seat (ie not the boot) I DO NOT EVER NEED TO OPEN THE CAR BOOT to store the stroller. How convenient. It is SO COMPACT that the stroller can be carried to the cabin in the airplane as well. So we do not have to wait for the airport staff to retrieve it from the baggage storage – picture and elaboration below.

And now whenever I go for road trip, the boot shall be solely for the luggage. I do not ever need to consider some space to put the stroller. My only regret why didn’t I discover such a stroller before. My husband who asked me why do we need another stroller when I first got it is also a convert today because it is not just another stroller, it makes our lives so much easier and convenient minus the bulk and storage.

cabin size

Picture speaks a thousand words, see how come the Bondi 2.0 vs my Capella or my umbrella stroller.

Using it

As it is light weight and narrow, it is really a breeze strolling around the town, on pavements, we can push through tight spaces and gantries (at the immigration) which is unthinkable for my older strollers.

For the first time in my 7 years of parenting and 7 years of travelling with kids /babies in tow, I carried a stroller on board the plane! Typically, we will have the stroller all the way until the gate where it will picked up to be stored in the airplane’s baggage area. When we disembarked, some airports will have it ready at the door of the airplane itself or at times, at the baggage collection. It is not a long wait but when you have many kids and a sleeping toddler, the short wait can feel like its forever. With the stroller up in the cabin, this means I have instant access upon disembarkation which was a god send. We came back into Singapore at 1am and my 3 year old no matter want just couldn’t wake up, so we had the stroller opened at the door of the plane. So we had to carry him a short distance from the seats to the door of the plane and we can proceed ahead to the immigration and baggage collection.

The basket at the bottom is quite roomy too. Here is after my Lillebaby carrier (folder) and a Jujube fuel cell for baby milk etc.

Sometimes i prefer to hang it all up , the Jujube fuel cell and Super be diaper bag.

Loving it

I have been using it for more than 2 months now on weekend outings and a staycation and a vacation.

For my staycation, it was 2 adults vs 4 kids and at one point my eldest was pushing the stroller while my no 3 was napping inside. It is very easy to maneuver. Despite it being light weight, it does feel stable and not going to topple easily especially if its a 15kg plus toddler.

However, do be careful as some of us parents have a habit of hanging lots of bags /barang on the stroller’s bar and when the “light -weight ” baby (like my #4 who is barely 10kg) is asleep , the centre of gravity will shift backwards and hence the overall weight will not be balanced with all the bags hang at the back of the stroller, and risk of toppling is exist.

If the baby is sitted up right, it is more balanced with the bags/barang at the back of the stroller, hence it is very stable despite the weight at the back of the stroller.

For my vacation, I travelled with all 4 kids without husband but with my parents. I needed to travel light with as minimal luggage and a light weight stroller. I do not need to consider very much which stroller would follow us on the trip – the one that is easiest to maneuver, lightest to carry and take the least amount of space when folded.

all thanks to the stroller I survived HK Disneyland with 4 kids!

On our way back to HK airport, as we were near the Airport bus terminal ( I didn’t want to fuss looking for a taxi as we were just 15 min away from the airport), we took the Airport bus with 2 luggage bags , 4 kids and a stroller. As the stroller comes with a shoulder strap and I was carrying my baby using my Lillebaby , I am totally hands-free to even help my parents with one of the luggages to board the bus.

Though mine is a sponsored set, but when my husband was told the price of the stroller at the baby fair, he went “I told you, you don’t have to get a 4 digit price stroller to do the job and more!”

All my other strollers have been kept in storage as they do not serve my current lifestyle any more.

Now in conjunction with the up and coming baby fair, there is a pre-order promotion

Baby Market Pre Order Promotion at $199.00

Suitable from Newborn onwards as it can be reclined flat and up to 15kg of weight.
Freebies Freebies:
Mosquitos Net
Cup Holder
Cooling Straw Mat
Rain Cover
Front Safety Bar

**while stock last

Self Collection during 14-16 Oct, For order please see this link here

All Baby Charleston comes with 1 year local warranty.

Disclosure: I received the Baby Charleston’s Bondi 2.0 Stroller for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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My Preciouz Kids

Sharing the fun, the fashionable, the functional for kids in Singapore through the eyes of my precious kids!

product

Little Passports – Science Expeditions (latest !)

Giveaway: Olive Oil Skincare Company – natural goodness in skincare and bodycare (for everyone in the household)

KimKids Shop – a good selection of books at very good prices too! (giveaway)

The Ant and The Grasshopper – ITheatre’s first production to kickstart 2017 (giveaway)

Smart Mathematicians – maths magazine for primary school (giveaway)

Gakken New Blocks and Gakken Go-Go Series work book (giveaway)

Gakken New Blocks

Reading right with world first smart bookstand – BookBuddy

Eco-friendly baby range from ecostore -safer for you, kinder to our planet

The latest sun & swim care range for kids from Pout Care!

All thanks to Baby Charleston Bondi 2.0 Stroller, I survived my HK trip with 4 kids aged 1 to 7 !