Especially now more than ever, going to the cinema seems to not like in the past- vaccinated halls vs non vaccinated halls, where do kids go to, a whole load of protocols which makes the whole theatre going experience a very daunting one. And with Disney +  and Netflix, frankly perhaps going to the cinema will be a thing of the past especially with the projectors from LUMOS who is set to revolutionised home theatre experience at a fraction of the cost , starting from $199, what!!!  This is the price of my family of 6 going to the cinema the most 2 times only. 

LUMOS is a game changer to the cinema lovers having all essential specs at an amazingly low price from only $199 ($298 for smart) vs international brands at $600 

At First Sight

LUMOS Ray is unlike normal projector in terms of look and feel, much smaller and nifter than your regular projectors. Weighing at 1.2kg and , no one will know that this little device is a projector. 

Seeking a minimalist look, it will suit any house ID design and perhaps no one would have guess that this is a projector. At the back, there are a total of 6 ports  – HDMI, USB 3.5mm headphone jack, which are compatible with many devices such as laptop, tv set up box, headphone (if you want to watch into the wee hours ), game console like your Nintendo and PS.

Using it

The LUMOS Ray projector is super suited for non tech savvy people like me or my husband, as this is plug and play at the get go with its inbuilt andriod apps (for the SMART version). Built for small spaces and also bedroom of HDB and condo, a 3m distance will project a screen of 100 inch ( you can go up to 150 inch!!) Thanks to its portability, you can use in any part of your home – this wherever you want, your living room, master room, bedroom, kids’ room – practically anywhere. I have actually place in my extra room which was previously used for storage.

At 3000 Lumens (measure of brightness), the colours are so vibrant and vivid. At 720P, as the screen size that I am blasting at around 100 inches due to the size of my room, I have no complain over the sharpness, as good as it gets frankly. I will gladly watch this vs the inconvenience of going to the cinema (more so now) . Unless you want to blast to the size of the cinema screen or beyond 150 inch , then you need to get LUMOS AURO which is at 1080P and 6000 Lumnes for more sharpness and better picture quality.

With two inbuilt Dolby Audio speakers for surround sound quality , I am very happy with the sound quality though I am speaking as an non audiophile. Of course if you want to level up the sound quality, you can connect to your own powerful speakers via bluetooth or cables.

While the projector comes with its own remote control to help you navigate around, you can also attach a USB mouse or a USD keyboard so that it is easier to navigate the menu especially for the SMART version which comes inbuilt andriod apps.

Loving it 

I am using the SMART version which cost $99 more than the regular version but I highly recommend you to splurge as this version comes with inbuilt WIFI and apps like Netflix, Youtube and Android 6.0 operating system, and my husband downloaded the Singtel app to stream his favourite soccer matches!

Also on SMART, there is also the wireless mirror casting using  pre-installed apps known as Miracast and AirScreen where you can cast what you have on the smartphone on to big screen, so can play mobile games, use spotify and even do zoom call on huge screen – in fact there is no limit what you can blast. Works for Android phones like Samsung as well as iOS like Apple.

After using this for just 1 week, I realise what I have been missing out in my life. With the SMART version, this can completely revolutionised the world of home cinema. Who says we need to spend thousands of dollars building your home cinema, you can do it from as low as $199.

Enjoy a selection video clips showing your the resolution and sound quality – not too shabby for a projector in this price range! 

The LUMOS RAY is priced at only S$199 and the RAY Smart at S$298 with 1-year local warranty and free delivery. 
Customers who needs an adjustable projector stand can add the RIZE Adjustable Stand for only S$55 (this is super handy for height adjustment else you need to find the correct height to prop the projector)

The LUMOS RAY Home Cinema Projector is now available for purchase directly from LUMOS Projector via their website at www.lumosprojector.com/ray.

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

This happens to every one who owns a smart phone-  spam and scam calls! They are super annoying and a great nuisance and even my kids who see ” +” in front of a phone number, they first reaction it is a spam call! 

It is so prevalent now but the scammers have been so good at their game that it is pretty difficult to spot a scammers especially if they purport to be representing some government agencies  which you trust especially for elderly folks who are less wary and more trusting. 

With CallApp, you can solve all such caller ID spoofing problems by using one app! 

Featured on Google Play, CallApp is a FREE android app that is trusted by more than 100 million users and supports over 200 countries. It has not only been chosen by Google as one of the top Android apps, it has also won several awards and is highly recommended by many top-rated tech magazines worldwide.

How does CallApp able to do that? 

CallApp can instantly identify any number that is calling you, even those that are not saved as a contact in your mobile phone. This includes any individual or business, hence helping to identify potential telemarketers, harassment or fraud calls. CallApp also has the unique ability and technology to verify numbers against Caller ID spoofing, a feature that is not available in most Caller ID apps.

Never ever receive spam or scam calls ever

CallApp combines their tech capabilities with their creative techniques to give their users the ultimate call blocking app. While it can recognize a scammer or spammer when they call you, it also allows you to prevent these calls from coming in from the get-go. Any number can be blocked with just a click, and they’ll never know too! With CallApp, you will never receive a spam or scam call again. Besides blocking spammers, CallApp also allows you to block phone calls from private and hidden numbers instantly.

I don’t have this number in  my contact directory, this app is able to identify the caller’s identity through their database. 

I have successful block a number see below as they have been incessantly calling me to make donation. 

Ability to record mobile phone calls 

Sometimes, if is ever a need to record your phone conversation, be it an interview or doing a business deal, one of CallApp’s most unique features is its ability to record both incoming and outgoing phone calls. While respecting the right of privacy of both their users and others, they also provide the option of sharing your phone call recordings on various social media platforms.

Full Experience

Beside the core features , there are also many other features that are seamlessly integrated into one application, to provide its users with the full experience. These include an advanced contact book, backing up your contact lists, phone number search, personalised video ringtones, incognito mode, who viewed your profile, call reminders, analytics and insights and car mode. 

Premium Packages

The basic version of CallApp is free to download, but premium packages can also be purchased either on a monthly basis or a lifetime subscription from not more than USD1 per month, both of which offers an ad-free experience, unlimited call recordings, and access to CallApp plus (the ability to identify messages from unsaved contacts), unlocks all your profile views and data insights, store items for free and even provides you with premium support with a faster response rate.

This app will make you have a peace of mind, download CallApp now  especially to protect your loved ones.

My youngest child really love to doodles and he will take random paper or note book to doodle and draw and most time I will have to throw away as it will pile up even though it is sometime a pity as some of it he has put in a lot of effort to draw and doodle . myFirst Sketch Book is a brilliant invention for kids who loves to doodle and parents like me want to keep all in digital copy. 

At first glance 

Looking like a mini tablet, and weighing 335g, it is excellent size for my preschool and it comes with a free leather case to protect the tablet against rough usage on little hands. What is included – Sketch Book , Smart stylus ,Pen tips set, Free leather case, Charging cable and Quick Start Guide

Using it 

In a single charge, the tablet can be used for 50 hours or 2 weeks  while the stylus for 200 hours for endless drawing and doodles.  With a built-in memory, it can now save your child’s every single masterpiece and transfer to your phone via bluetooth conectivity using myFirst Sketch Book app.

What is revolutionary about this stylus is that you can adjust the font thickness, tip size to create different masterpieces on this digital sketch pad. Using the app, there are simultaneously remote drawing with colour too  on your smart phone. 

Loving it 

This is perfect for dining out or on road trip so instead of digital time, kids who love to doodle can use this and save all the thing they drew to keep them entertained!  

In fact this is not just for my kids, I have been using myFirst Sketch Book can also use it for my own work meeting where I need to note some down note or to do list and easily saved this too and transfer it to my smartphone immediately via bluetooth connectivity so that I would never lose the information, unlike the little notes that I have written, I often cannot find my little note or my outstanding list. 

I even use myFirst Sketch Book  to solve my p6’s son Math problem as I sometimes want to send the solution to him and we can keep this also for future reference. Definitely this also help to save trees as I don’t need to look for paper to do the workings. 

A device for both kids and adults, I cannot rave enough about how functional this sketch book is , for further saving, you can quote mypreciouzkids15 when ordering online here. 

Another interesting theme as we start Term 3 and it is open to interpretation by the little artists. Basing on wooden mannequin, the kids first learn how to draw a human in the correct proportion and then interpreting what they want the mannequin to represent, perhaps what they want to be growing up.  It is really fascinating to see all the different interpretation with some favourites like army and soccer players for boys and for girls ballerina and teachers. From small C’s art work, i learnt that small C aspire to be a chef! 

The first lesson was drawing of the wooden mannequin and the potential details that could be added to make the subject and the entire artwork more interesting. Thereafter 3 lessons would be to have it done on the actual art paper, with layers of paint and different objects added and finally for the final lesson is to put the final details to complete the masterpiece. Small C managed to complete the first art work of term 3 before shifting to online classes from next week onwards due to Phase 2 Heightened Alert. Having done the online classes before (review here), I am sure small C will be able to continue his weekly art classes at home with ease.

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Heart Studio

1 Charlton Lane #01-04, Singapore 539631

(65) 6554 7563

info@heartstudiosg.com

Wed-Fri: 10:00am to 8:30pm, Sat: 9:30am to 6:00pm, Sunday: 9:30am to 4:30pm

This is a biennale affair that I need to pay a visit to Ergoworks Flagship shop at Marina Square to choose an ergonomic bag for my children as they enter primary 1, so here I am again now with my youngest child small C with less than half year to go.  It is a no-brainer as I have used Ergoworks ergonomic school bags for all my kids since my eldest started primary 1 and the quality has lasted many years

Perhaps an update on big C bag of almost 4 years – still in pristine condition and she has not outgrown her bag as she is petite built so I have not change her ergonomic backpack since P1, you can read the review here and 2 years ago, this is the review for small J’s bag too. 

Why do I choose Ergonomic School Bag?

They are designed to distribute weight across the back, shoulder and neck, along with a good back care system, ergonomic school bags ensure sturdy support for the child’s spine and shoulders. This encourages healthy posture. As most bags also come with specialised compartments, allowing for books to be kept upright, this stabilises bag’s overall gravity.

Given that the Ergoworks ergonomic school bag can be used for many years, it is by far my best investments especially it helps to ensure kids overall better posture and can be used for many 2 years! IMPACT is the ONLY ergonomic brand internationally endorsed and recommended by Singapore Physiotherapy Association and The Chiropractic Association (Singapore).

With a whole wall of ergonomic school bags, you are definitely spoilt for choice. Do bring your child along so that your child can try for the best fit. The easiest to start is to ask for a few recommendations based on the size and built of your child. 

These are the final 3 backpacks that we have shortlisted.

After trying and deciding, small C decided to choose Impact IM-00706-NY – Ergo-Comfort Spinal Support with Magnetic Buckle Backpack which is one of the latest models. It comes in an overall print of robots (check out the girl’s version – it has the sweetest pink with mermaids! )

Weighing at 900g, the key feature of this ergonomic bag is S-type multi-directional support system to follow the curvature of the spine. Using light weight, water repellent, abrasion and UV resistant, it uses three-layer material design provides enhanced protection and durability of schoolbags for schoolchildren

I like the elastic compartment design to fix the book into position without shifting left and right. The bag also spots a ventilated side pocket on the left is for water bottles or rain gear and a zipper pocket on the right for storing small items. The bottom of the bag is also made of non-slip rubber surface, wear and dirt resistant and very stable.

left side pocket

right side pocket

front compartment

elastic compartment

The feature i like most is the open and close top using a magnetic buckle (unlike older design which uses a zipper). 

Here is small C all ready for primary 1! 

The next item that you may want to check out is an ergonomic table and chair set from Ergoworks, here is my review of a set I have gotten them early this year. 

Here is a short video of Ergoworks huge flagship located at Marina Square which not only houses ergonomic back pack, ergonomic table and chair but also all ergononomic needs for adults too – chair, table, workstation, sleep especially for our endless period of WFH. 

Giveaway of 2 Ergo Comfort Causal Backpack (Colour of choice)

1.  Like and follow @ergoworks

2. Like and follow @mypreciouzkids

3. Tag 1 or more friends (1 tag per comment)

4. Like and share on IG tag us

5. Bonus 5 chances, comment on this blog post why you would like to win this. 

Giveaway ends 15 Aug 2359. 

ERGOWORKS SINGAPORE

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Marina Square

6 Raffles Boulevard #03-140/141 Marina Square

Opens Daily: 11:30am – 9.00 pm

Telephone: 6837 3370

Do you know that 12.5% of kids between the ages of 6 and 19 suffer from loss of hearing as a result of using earphones turned to a high volume!

With HBL and online classes are here to stay, ensuring that my kids have the correct devices and gadgets for their online learning is utmost in my agenda especially since the start of this pandemic. I am so glad I found the award winning headphones and a global leader in SafeAudio headphones for children and young adults – Buddy Phones 

Catering to different age group of kids , BuddyPhones has many different models catering different age group , I will be focusing my review the 2 models –  Play + for my older 2 kids sand Explore + for my younger 2 kids 

The key feature of BuddyPhones is SafeAudio built in which uses a built-in, always on, sound control circuit to cap the volume at levels recommended for children by the World Health Organization at 85dB. BuddyPhones only uses BPA- and phthalate-free materials, which means we eliminate any exposure to harmful plastics that are known to cause illnesses. Not only that, the headphones come in fun, colorful stickers so that kids  can decorate and personalised their own set. Both models are foldable into their own travel bag (provided) perfect for flight too! 

Play  +

The flexibility of having it wireless and wired make this truly a wonderful product as kids don’t always remember to charge the battery before online classes and you still use it wired and not having to panic before class if the headphones are not charged. 

It comes in 3 SafeAudio™ levels to choose from to suit the child’s age or noisy surroundings. Their patented StudyMode® helps isolate voices from other sounds, producing crisper, clearer vocals for studying or watching lessons.

94dB (max) : TravelMode   
85dB (max) : KidsMode
75dB (max) : ToddlerMode

With a 20 hour battery life and a 20m wireless range, comes with built in microphone and foldable design making this the perfect head phone for my older kids as they have more online classes to manage.

Explore + 

New to the range of BuddyPhones head phone with its brand new look,  Explore + improved ergonomics featuring a wider more comfortable headband, and new soft protein PU leather fabric with audio is capped at 85 dB (ie there is only 1 volume level). This model comes BuddyJack audio splitter for sharing purpose up to 4 devices which I thought was ingenious! 

Same as the Explore+, it is foldable, with adjustable headband size and super durable especially in the hands of young kids and pre schoolers. The only other difference is that this model cannot be wireless. 

Sharing the same audio source using BuddyJack

Both models come in 6 superb colours -light blue, dark blue, grey, pink, white and yellow  –  4 colours as above. Available on Lazada 

Thank you for gifting each kid their own BuddyPhones so that they don’t have to fight over the headphones. As a parent, I am assured that my kids’ hearing are taken care off by using BuddyPhones and this will see them through their primary school year and beyond

Giveaway of 2 Explore+ to 2 lucky parents who want #safeaudio for their child

  “like” and “follow” @buddyphonesg and @mypreciouzkids on IG 
 “like” and “share” IG post and tag us
  tag friends who are keen on this (1 tag per 1 comment) 

Bonus: Comment why do you want to own an Explore+ in this blog post 

Giveaway ends 15 Aug 2021 2359

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After the highlight of 2020 year end school holiday of the Harry Potter Science Camp by Newton Show, my boys were back for another Harry Potter camp but this time with Maker.sg which is the sister company of Newton but focuses on coding and stem based activitiest

With the plethora of camps offered by both Newton Show and Maker.sg , my boys still insist to be potterheads and continue their obsessions of Harry Potter. No thanks to phase 2 Heightened Alert, instead of attending on the first week for the local June school holidays, they only managed to attend the camp on the last week of the school holiday. Thank god for phase 3 Heightened Alert which started 1 week before the school holidays ended, not going holiday is already depressing enough, the pandemic almost took away their summer camp.

Instead a science based camp over at the Newton Show, Maker.sg offers a more stem based  and robotic camps for kids age 5 to 14 years old and their current summer camps run til 27 August offering 2 different camps – Harry Potter and Hands and Brain Camp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 4

 

-robot kingdom of the world

-Hogwarts map with ozobot 

-Quiddith ozobot

 

 

Day 5

 

-camera obscura

-newton’s cradle

-optical illusion

 

 

These are some photos taken during camp by the facilitators which were shared with the parents daily (photo credit: Maker.sg) 

My 2 boys had once again had graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and learn about about code, tinkering, robotics, engineering and many more stem related activities. In fact, my boys said that they prefer this camp over the science camp as there are more hands on activities and many of their creations can be brought home. They also get to use premium equipments during the entire course of the camp! 

Besides the Harry Potter camp, if you are not so much of a potterhead like my kids there is Hands and Brain camps at 3 location – Center, East and West (addresses below) or the 5 summer camps (3 new ones – Tomato Cooking School, Drama Lama and Visualize Art and Design happening over at Newton Show too .

Quote summer5 for 5% of all summer camps at Maker.sg and Newton Show .

For more information or registration, 

email: info@maker.sg

phone: +65 8264 6655

232A River Valley Road
175 Thompson Road
887A Bukit Timah Road

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We only managed to start the first lesson of the final 4-week for term 2 when phase 2 heightened alert started.  Given that this was not the first time we did home based lessons, I was not apprehensive about having term 2 completed online. Given that small C is very familiar with Teacher Jay and vice versa, it was actually easy executing the art lessons online. Having picked up the unfinished art work and some materials from the studio, we were all set to finish the remaining 3 art lessons for term 2. Term 2 theme was the underwater world, and small C drew a shark as the main focus of his artwork. 

The first lesson was drawing and painting of the shark which we managed to do to in class while the remaining 3 lessons of this 4-week artwork were done online – completing the details on the sea creature, painting on the cardboard background pasting the cut out of the shark on the background. 

If there is anything I needed to help was pouring and mixing the paint to minimise mess, or than that, small C was pretty independent, taking instruction from Teacher Jay and executing on his art work. Even though the kids are painting at different level of completion , Teacher Jay was very experienced and organised ensuring progress in every kid. I do hope that the kids are able to go back to the studio by term 3, but said from the online classes,  I was very heartened to see small C painting almost independently at home , how he has grown by being able to focus and take take instruction on a virtual setting – all these comes from the no hand-holding concept that Heart Studio focuses very much in their art classes. 

This was how we did it all at home! 

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Heart Studio

1 Charlton Lane #01-04, Singapore 539631

(65) 6554 7563

info@heartstudiosg.com

Wed-Fri: 10:00am to 8:30pm, Sat: 9:30am to 6:00pm, Sunday: 9:30am to 4:30pm

True story, I have decided to take some time off from work in quarter 3 this year to be by big J side to “support” him in his PSLE revision in the afternoon when he is back from school. I have a very supportive boss and he told me that I should also use my time off to cook some nutritious food for my boy as well. I didn’t cross my mind as you know I am no domestic goddess and I cannot cook for the life of me. That said, I can always procure nutritious supplements to see him through the next 5 months and especially during the final weeks to ensure he is in his optimal health condition entering the exam hall.

I think it is no secret that Asia mothers will prepare/buy chicken essence for their kids who are going for the exams. I was no exception as my mum always made sure that I had essence of chicken before major examinations. Now it is time for me to be that mum as I prepare my eldest boy for his biggest examination to date. 

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), chicken broth is used to nourish the energy (qi) of the body, invigorate spleen and stomach, and strengthening the bones and joints. Typically, they used the traditional dripping method which time consuming and nutrients maybe lose during the process.

With over 90 years of experience , Lao Xie Zhen Premium Boiled Essence of Chicken exclusively distributed by Hao Yi Kang uses their 8 hours unique slow-boiling method which allows a more comprehensive extraction of nutrients, making very drop of essence truly precious. Lao Xie Zhen Premium Boiled Essence of Chicken has been voted the Best Chicken Essence for Nourishment for 4 years consecutively. 

What make the taste of their Premium Chicken Essence truly superior is the used of only 2nd generation free range hens that are at least 12 months old which has the highest nutritional value, paired with small amount of premium pork ribs to create a different dimension of taste and enhance nutritional content of the chicken essence.

One of the main reasons why  I have not introduced any form of chicken essence as I do not like the taste personally and I don’t think my kids can tolerate this taste either. However, this is not the case with Lao Xie Zhen Premium Boiled Essence of Chicken. This chicken essence tastes just like chicken soup. I had given this to all 4 of my kids (suitable for kids above 2) and all approved of the taste and asked for more!

Preparation is super simple, just dipped in hot water and within 3 minutes, it is all warmed and ready to serve. As the essence comes in 42ml sachets, it is also more convenient to be brought out and also warm up way faster than glass bottles. I will have a pack ready before he head to school on exam days and for long revision days. Besides having this on its own, you can also include in dishes like steam chicken, braised fish, noodle soup etc. 

For students, working adults, athletes, chicken essence is a perfect supplement to combat fatigue, boost energy level, improve concentration, strengthen immune system and aid in recuperation for people recovering from sickness. 

It is also very beneficial for pre and post natal as it helps with baby’s growth and development, promote post-natal milk secretion and enhance quality of breast milk, and also speed up wound recovery. 

It is recommended to consume 1 pack  daily before meal in the morning, do not have it at night as you don’t want to stay awake the entire night. 

After 2 weeks break, small C couldn’t be happier to be back at Heart Studio for another term. His weekly Sunday art classes with Heart Studio are undoubtedly his favourite class of his entire week (he does have quite many classes for a 6 year old, swim, badminton, Chinese, phonic and abacus, but all these do not give him the same joy as what he gets from Teacher Jay class at Heart Studio)

For the new term, the kids in Little Dali start with a 4-week project to the neighbourhood theme, something relatable to them. As with every new art project, Teacher Jay will introduce all the possible elements that you can find in a neighbourhood – roads, buildings, vehicles of different shapes and sizes. It was very interesting to see Among Us shaped buildings, animal shape buildings -all up to the creativity of the each kid. 

Week 2 is to put all the ideas and elements into the actual art paper. This time, small C is exposed to the use of watercolour as most time they use acrylic paints instead. Due to the smaller details, it is easier to paint using watercolour than acrylic for this artwork. As for the smaller details, small C uses marker to outline the details so that all his imagination will come to life.

This theme may not be as interesting as the circus or the stacked burger, but this is definitely something closer to heart and more relatable as kids are love transportation especially, and having roads as base give him more room to expand on his imagination and creativity.

Almost 1 year update: In the blink of an eye, it is almost 1 year since small C start his journey with  Heart Studio since middle of last year and this current term is small C’s fourth term! I still remember when small C started Teacher Jay mentioned that he was raw in terms of motor skills and maybe more suited for a younger class. However, given that Small C was able to focus in class and the small class size ratio, he was always able to catch with the older kids in class and draw and paint independently. I noticed that he has improved in his motor skills development and also his focus and concentration (though sometime he still chit chat with kids from his class). The most heartening to see him doodling what he has learnt in class during his free time. He is very much into art and drawing, so the art classes at Heart Studio  were able to truly explore and expand his interest and potential. 

Do check out  Heart Studio wholesome art classes for kids as young as 3 and you will know why this is small C’s favourite class of the week!

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Heart Studio

1 Charlton Lane #01-04, Singapore 539631

(65) 6554 7563

info@heartstudiosg.com

Wed-Fri: 10:00am to 8:30pm, Sat: 9:30am to 6:00pm, Sunday: 9:30am to 4:30pm