Review – and the Big Boy get Brolly Sheet! a potty training blog

Given that I have been through potty training 3 kids, my biggest revelation or word of advise to new parents who has not gone through this “process”….when the child is ready, the child will be ready. But then of course when the child is past 3 years old , maybe some encouragement/intervention from parents may be necessary especially if they are going to childcare as the child care expects them to be potty trained at N1.

For J and C, I didn’t wait until they were ready being first time parent/eager beaver/need to achieve milestone mentality. I started to potty train when they reach 2 years old. It was long drawn because they were not exactly ready. There were many accidents and many clean- up. At times, I will put them back on diapers and try again after a few weeks. I even bought a doll and a doll’s potty to explain to C the concept of going to the potty etc. Finally at around 2.5 years of age, both of them were ready and were off diapers. But with small J, I had it lucky as I had a much easier process. He was very willing to tell when he wants to pass urine. Whether is it for real or not, he was very willing to sit at the potty or visit the toilet. So for small J, there were just a few accidents (probably less than 5) before he was certified day time potty trained. I didn’t need to bring out the potty training reward chart etc and it was done. Soat around 2 years 3 months, he was off diapers in the waking hours at home and at child care. I was pretty amazed that he actually “beat” his kor kor’s and jie jie’s milestones. I had expected it to be slower as my time is very stretched between 3 kids and 1 baby. So I guess for small J , he was READY at an earlier age and hence, it wasn’t a need to “potty train”.

So, now i am embarking on a new phase of training, off diapers for nap times in the day or even more ambitiously even at bedtime. J and C were only totally off diapers at night at around 3.5 years so I guess there is still “time” but I am a bit ambitious given that small J was ahead in this milestone. I have heard of kids who are completely off diapers by age 3. Imagine the amount of money saved on diapers!!

One way is of course to leave the diapers during nap time, and after a few dry diapers, it is quite safe to not have diapers at nap time. However, there will be cases of accident and bedwetting, hence this is where Brolly Sheet will come in handy for parents, no need to wash bedsheet, just wash the Brolly Sheet and the mattress is also protected as the urine will not sip through pass the Brolly Sheet.

So small J (aka the Big Boy) get his own Brolly Sheet. I have heard rare reviews of this product from New Zealand and SMT Distributor, the local distributor for Brolly Sheet was kind to offer me a set to try.

I had order the King Single size in pink (SGD 65.90) .It comes in 3 different sizes locally, which are Single, King Single and Queen.

The difference between a King Single and a Single is additional 15cm in length of padding/coverage. A Single, the pink area will stop exactly at the edge of the mattress while a King Single goes beyond the edge (see pic below). On hindsight, there is actually no need to get a King Single as there is a SGD 5 dollar premium for the King Single over the Single.

This is how it should look all tuck into small J (aka Big Boy) on his single size bed.The wings at the side allowed for the sheet to be tucked into the mattress nicely and the sheet would not move out of place.

The outer material is made of cotton hence it does not fill like “plasticky” when sleeping on it. Also you may think it will have some “sound” given there is a plastic layer to render it water proof , but it is really soft just like cloth/cotton and feel just like lying on the bedsheet. You wouldn’t feel there is an additional layer or a non cotton layer. And it is not warm as the surface is made of cotton.. This is how the waterproof layer looks like…that is why as compared to those sold on Qoo10 , you can tell it is off better quality and soft to touch. The prices of Brolly Sheet are at a premium given the good quality, however, you can used it for many years and for many kids. And Brolly Sheet claims to be able absorbs as much as 2 litres of “liquid” over a period of 8 hours.

I did an experiment whereby i actually had the Brolly Sheet beneath the bedsheet and no one can actually tell there is an additional layer beneath the bedsheet. No sound, no additional thickness but ADDITIONAL PROTECTION from bedwetting.

Small J has been sleeping on the Brolly Sheet itself, and there is no complain from him as it is soft and comfy. But the real test how good is the waterproofing.

So one afternoon, I didn’t put on diapers when he was napping. And I had my verdict. There was a big patch of urine on the Brolly Sheet but the bedsheet underneath is still dry. So off the Brolly Sheet to the washing machine and it dries pretty easily in Singapore weather as well. So if it was soiled the morning , you can have it machine washed and dried for the night’s use (on sunny days of course).

So for now, for Big Boy, it will still be diapers for sleeping hours until such time diapers are dry, and off goes the diapers and pray and hope he doesn’t wet the bed. But even if he does, there is Brolly Sheet to protect the both bedsheet and the mattress!

A tip, if the kids is very much able to go diaperless, you can actually have the Brolly Sheet below the bedsheet for the very rare incidences if they do wet their bed on days when they are totally exhausted or very deep in their sleep. Until today, C sometimes wet her bed if she is in deep sleep for many hours at night. So, the mattress is still protected, but of course, we will have to wash BOTH the Brolly Sheet and the bedsheet. By having the Brolly Sheet beneath the bedsheet, you can actually leave it behind during each bedsheet change since it is clean to minimise work and wash (lazy mummy mode or rather time-saving tips!)

You can purchase the Brolly Sheet at the locations below or online:-

Motherswork at Great world city, Tanglin and I12 Katong

Baby online at Marina Square and www.babyonline.com.sg

Niche babies at Novena Square 2

Robinsons at Heeren and Raffles City

or online from their website Smtdistributors.com.sg

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

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Review – Creativity is BIG at Playeum

It was a long weekend for mypreciouzkids as the childcare was closed both on Thursday and Friday. As the haze condition was still uncertain, I was not putting any bets on outdoor activities , so I decided (on my behalf) of my kids to check out the latest “playground” for kids, Playeum.

This was not the first time that my kids had participated in Playeum’s offering. Previously, they did not have a permanent site, hence, they will hold their activities at different locations. The one that I had visited was part of the Affordable Art Fairs. It is not the typical art and craft structured activities and being creative is big at Playeum.

Finally, Playeum has their own permanent site situated at Gillman Baracks. Named, the Children’s Centre of Creativity , it is supported by the National Art Council. This is a dedicated creative space for children and families, the first of its kind in South-East Asia.

The current installation is The Art of Speed especially since the place was opened around the time when Singapore was hosting its annual Formula One Grand Prix. This theme explores speed, movement and cards. This installation will last until 3 April 2016. The Children’s Centre of Creativity will feature 3 different experiences in a year, each exploring different theme.

The experience is specially designed for children aged one to twelve with their schools or families. It is based on the Reggio Emilia Approach which is based on the concept where children are viewly as innately creative.Hence the Centre is designed to encourage open-ended, exploratory learning and play. It is very true that parents would like more structured play as compared to open ended and unstructured play in recent years. Stemming from my own experience as a parent, I have less confidence in conducting play in an unstructured manner. As recent visit to Kaboodle Kids which emphasised on unstructured play, the first thing I did was to look through their guide book on how to assemble the various structures.

Currently, Singapore is devoid of having such unstructured playing ground for kids (and adults alike). The Centre has four curated spaces.

The Main Space features interactive, open-ended installations. Currently this area is being filled which big and small race tracks and abundance of Lego for kids to build and create moving objects which can be used and tested on the tracks provided.

The Main Space

Mypreciouzkids didn’t spend much time here as it became pretty crowded as it was children’s day. The tracks were quickly filled up with kids who want to test their Lego creations.

The Play Maker space provide an area where children have access to a wide range of mediums and freedom to create any project they desires or maybe according to the theme ie The Art of Speed. Kids’ completed projects are left on display and they will be recycled in future.

The Play Maker space

Mypreciouzkids spent most of time here as most kids were busy with their Lego at the Main space. C even went on to create 2 different items on her own. J was spending all his time and effort to build a rocket back pack while small J was just happy to be playing with masking tape and checking out the different materials.

J had a hard time parting with his creation as understandably he has spend much effort and time on it. But after much persuasion, he agreed (with a very heavy heart) to leave his creation behind only if he can build one similar at home! yay, we have a home project after this visit!

Kids are welcome to bring home their creations, but Playeum would encourage the kids to leave it behind to be displayed for inspiration to other kids (like in the case of C, she pretty much went around looking at the displayed pieces and decided she will follow one that she fancy).

kids at play!

J’s rocket backpack

C’s creation….i gather its a mask !

The Dark Room is currently hosting the beautiful Shadow Play installation by Isabelle Desjeux. I was lucky as during the time of my visit Isabelle was in the dark room explaining in installations to the kids.

The Dark Space

The Workshop will host a variety of programmes to explore the theme even more. This space can also be used to host birthday parties and special celebrations. Currently this place is used for the holiday programmes which you can find more details in this link.

Besides these 4 main areas, Playeum has also prepared an area for the toddlers and a huge chalkboard. While the older kids were busy with their projects at the Play Maker area, small J was exploring the toddler area and the chalkboard.

Just a bit more sharing on Playeum. This organisation has been around since 2009 and it is a non profit organisation with a mission to promote children’s creativity and play. Though collaboration with public institutions like National Art Council and corporations, Playeum aims to inspire children of ages one to 12.Over the past 6 years, Playeum has conducted over 150 programmes all over Singapore , from void decks to museums. Parental involvement is also fundamental in the overall experience that Playeum is creating for the children.

My biggest takeaway from this visit was that open ended play can also be done at home. It doesn’t have to be some pretty craft that I saw on Pinterest which will pretty much be parent-directed and lacking in creativity. By giving the kids recycled materials and minimal instructions, sometimes parents can be surprised how kids can turn junk/trash into masterpieces!

small J outside Playeum after a fun day !

Playeum

Block 47, Malan Road

Gillman Barracks

#01-21 to #01-23

Singapore 109444

Children (ages 1 to 12) S$20

Accompanying adult: FREE

Additional adult:S$10

Prior to your visit, do check out their busy time at this link for a more enjoyable and fulfilling visit. They maybe running on a full house due to corporate bookings or school visits. For more information on Playeum, do visit their website at this link.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored review. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.

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Review & Giveaway -small in size, but BIG in FUN at Little Planet Playland

Mypreciouzkids have probably been to almost ALL the playgyms in Singapore, …you name it , they have properly gone there…Amazonia, Kids Amaze, Happy Willow, Petite Park, Hokey Pokey, Polliwogs, Fidgets, Go-go bambini, Cool-de-sac, the defunct Peek-A-Boo (this is one of the few closures of recent years and a personal favourite of mine as all my kids goes there when they turned 6 months old, its like a rite of passage for me as it was the first ever gym I had ever visited with my first born, and now baby C wouldn’t be able to go as it has closed down), etc.

I generally do not like to “indulge” them in indoor gyms, so they only get to do if its a birthday party celebrations or if its their birthday itself and outdoor activities are not ideal due to rain or haze. As a mummy, I preferred that we visit a museum (because its free and airconditioned) to any random play gym as it is not cheap bringing 3 kids and me having to crawl up as my 2 year old need some watching over still. So a playgym is not my preferred choice.

So I decided that children’s day was the perfect day to indulge them. Their child care was closed the day prior to children’s day and given the haze situation was still uncertain, I decided that visiting an fully air-conditioned play gym will be the safest bet!

The Little Planet Playland (“LPP) is the latest playgym in the saturated but lucrative Singapore market. It caught my eye as it is not the same as the typically run of the mill playgym. Not quite Hokey Pokey (there isn’t a single ball pit at LPP), not quite The City (too job-centric pretend play), not quite Royce Kids Gym (there isn’t abundance of toys), not quite Cool-de-sac (I get quite lost in their focus) …Let me introduce you to the different sections of LPP. The playgym isn’t big, sort of the kind where you see it all , which is good if you have a toddler which you need to have a watchful eye over (and on lazy mummy days which you just want to sit and relax at a corner), but there are many interesting sections which sustained their interest for hours (quite unlike all the other gyms that I have visited with my kids for the past 5 years!)

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the farm & garden

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kitchen/cooking

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bakery/market place

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castle/throne (there is a castle playground , not in pic)

fishing/sea

Mypreciouzkids were greeted by a colourful rainbow and balloons at the entrance which can be usedd for group photo taking when you have parties etc. As the kids were fooling around in the box/basket, C accidentally knock on a piece of the “wall”, and we discover that it was like a tiny trap door that links to the party room! That was a pleasant surprise to little party goers and definitely the birthday kid!

The first section that caught their eyes was the garden patch! It is filled with cassia seeds which I found out that it is safe if accidentally swallowed. You can “plant” root vegetable in this section or over at the farm area. The farm area is complete with the cutest wheelbarrow and hoe. This is the first time mypreciouzkids did pretend play in this manner ie farmer/gardener. And small J was most happy scooping and pouring the cassia seeds.

The next section that J and C ventured to was the castle area complete with a castle mini playground and 2 royal thrones with some costumes. C was donning two of her favourite costumes throughout our almost 3 hours play there!

The section they didn’t really spend much time as the kitchen area, probably stemming from the fact, we have something similar at home.

Then they also love the fishing area, with the cutest Melissa & Doug fishing rod with magnets at the ends and fishes and sea creatures all over the “sea”. They even have baskets to contain their catch!

And these is the part they looovvvvveeeee the most!

The marketplace and bakery section! The closest thing we have to the marketplace is the super market at The City or Kidstop (which is bigger complete with cashier etc). My only wish is that there is check out counter with bags etc to make the overall buying/marketing experience more real! The market comes complete with the Melissa & Doug trolley and very real fruits, vegetables, seafood , while the bakery has little trays and tongs just perfect for little hands (great for motor skills as well). The marketplace is great for small J going through the all the types of fruits and vegetables there just like what we do when we go grocery shopping at NTUC!

And small J’s favourite is the bakery, he played there the longest. Using the tongs, he tried to pick up a variety of bread and cakes and then sorting it back to its original rack. Sometimes, attempting to eat it or feeding me as well.

Check out how real the bread is! Small J almost had a bite until I had to quickly stop him…he even attempted to “eat” the sprinkles off the swiss roll!

If you are ever in Orchard, needing to put the kids somewhere while you shop, do drop by for a visit!

LITTLE PLANET PLAYLAND

176 Orchard Road, #02-21
The Centrepoint
Singapore 238843

Telephone: +65 6268 6595

Fax: +65 6268 6596

Email: contact@littleplanet.com.sg

Sunday to Friday: 10am – 7pm
Saturday & Public Holidays: 10am – 8pm

WEEKDAYS:

$25 per child (>1 year old) for unlimited play
Free entry for children <1 year old

WEEKENDS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:

$25 per child (>1 year old) for 2 hour play
Free entry for children <1 year old

You can also check out their party packages here

LPP is also currently having a fantastic promotion on their membership package which is currently at a 20% off discount which works out to be $200 for 12 play sessions, which is about $16.60 per session (vs $25). This is great savings especially for parents like me who have many kids!

IMHO, I really think that this place is perfect for birthday parties for young kids from age 1 to 3 and their older siblings so long they are below 7/8 years old. My 6 year old does enjoy his time doing a lot of pretend play and playing with his siblings.

And Jane, the lovely owner behind LPP has kindly sponsored 3 gym passes to 3 very lucky kids to become a farmer, gardener, cook, fisherman, knight/princess, etc all in 1 visit!

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I will be picking the 3 winners using random.org . The giveaway closes on 25 Oct 2015, 2359pm (SUN).

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored review. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.

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Review & Giveaway – personalised labels from Muakids

I have never used iron-on labels before…yes, like never ..and my eldest will be graduating from preschool in 3 months time. I don’t know how I manage to survive preschool years without iron on labels but i did. The idea of having to iron and hoping that the labels stayed on for a long time doesn’t seem something easy to me. Instead, I decided to do the easy way (which is actually harder on benefit of hindsight), I sewn some markings on the collar of my pre-schoolers’ uniform. I am really thankful that the teachers at the child care have put up with me for so many years, sewing some “symbols” on their uniforms. Frankly, who can decipher any of the symbols? …and to sew all 9 characters of my girl’s name is not something that i want to endeavour as well.

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sewn “symbols”

Then came the pretty labels from Muakids. I met Jocelyn at a Sassymama monthly gathering function and she even gave sample labels to all attendees. At the same time, I was looking for labels for my p1 going son and I saw how pretty the labels were . She created Muakids (Muak is the sound you make when you kiss somebody. Muakids can infer as Muaking our kids) after she started creating labels for her eldest child and had not look back ever since. Muakids stickers can be applied to almost anything as they are Waterproof, Tearproof and Weatherproof. I did do a quick check on the markets of the pricing for such labels, and Muakids pricing are one of the most competitive in Singapore especially if you are getting the value packs.

I received a mixture of labels from iron on labels, skinny labels , deluxe labels, dot labels, shoe labels and bag tags from the Jocelyn for my primary 1 going son and my preschoolers. For some one as clueless as me as to what labels you need for primary 1, just choose the school pack under the value pack category. It will pretty much give you a mixture of labels of different sizes good for primary 1.

lovely labels and bag tags from Muakids

Before creating the sticker labels , we will have to select the design on their website. This is a pretty straightforward process. I just ask my kids which colour and icon they prefer, as the font I will choose for them! So the kids were pretty excited to see the labels in the colour and icon that they have chosen when it arrived at my home!

And there is free delivery for every order irregardless of total order value!

Iron on labels

I was most excited to try on the iron on labels first. I bet that my child care teachers will finally be relieved of the guessing work from my style of “labelling”. With a set of instruction and a spare baking paper as part of the iron on labels pack, I tried on the preschoolers uniform. well, it is pretty easy actually. It actually fast as well. Ok its not rocket science after all….

iron once so that surface is flat and without any crease
place iron on label face up
place baking paper
iron for a good 30 second
remove baking paper after iron on label has cooled down

Let me show you the before and after photos of my pre-schoolers uniforms and iron on labels are really the way to replace conventional label by sewing! The uniforms are been given new lease of life! The best part, my kids were so happy seeing their names on their uniforms and are very happy donning their “new” uniforms.

After being more skilled in doing the iron on labels on the old preschooler uniforms (must test run a few times in case I burn the new school uniforms), I dared to try on my son’s new crisp uniform and PE shorts. I had the uniforms purchased ahead of schedule because I heard there is a snaking queue to buy uniform on the designated day. I rather purchased the uniforms at my leisure and try the sizes under no time pressure etc. (some mummies say its too early to buy as there is a few more months to go, but for me my son has been wearing the same childcare uniform from N2 to K2..I dont think 3 month will make any difference) So I got them from the uniform supplier directly, but I realise that I couldn’t buy the PE shirt (I couldn’t purchase the PE shirt yet as my son has not been given the house colour) . Nevertheless, I did let J tried the sizes so i can just purchase the PE shirts without trying once i received the designated house colour on orientation day. I feel so much satisfaction from labeling J’s new uniforms that I cant wait for the school term to start! And all it took was like 30 seconds per each label, that is definitely faster than i can ever sew 1 “symbol” previously.

Bag tags

I am sure there are kids who carries the exact same model and colour bag as J. So with a bag tag, J can clearly differentiate his bag from the rest. If you have missed the review of the ergonomic school back pack from IMPACT, you can read it from this post. I am actually worried that J is so careless and nonchalant about his belonging that he brings the wrong bag home.It is no longer child care days where teachers will take care of the items for the kids etc.

Shoe labels

I always admired the memory capability of preschool teachers and the assistants/aunties.They know which shoes are for which kids especially the younger ones who cant really talk etc. But with the shoe labels, there is no guessing work needed and my kids loves seeing their names everywhere on their belongings. Perhaps with labeling, they will be more protective of their own belongings (my wishful thinking for now). Please note every shoe label come with a clear protective stickers to further protect the shoe labels ( i nearly threw it away unknowingly).

And for all the other labels , you can pretty much label anything you (your kid) fancy……water bottles, books, pencil case (even pencils using skinny labels), snack containers, lunch boxes,

And I am saving most of J’s labels for his primary school’s textbooks and stationery. On the same note, there will be a Popular book sales in early December for you ( I will shared it my FB page) to stock up on stationery in preparation for p1 and extras in the events the kiddo loses most of it in the early months.

And here something I am thinking of getting in the future, multipurpose labels for labeling birthday goodie packs or even teachers’ day gift! And Muakids has gift voucher as well which can be given as birthday presents for those who are out of ideas what presents to buy.

photo credit : Muakids

And here something for mummies of primary 1 school going kids who are clueless about how to label for p1 kids’ belonging next year (only 3 more month to go…i am sure first time mummies are more kan cheong that the kids themselves), Jocelyn has kindly offered 5 set of school packs which consist of 20 Skinny Labels, 13 Basic Labels, 10 Deluxe Labels, 6 Dot Labels and 6 Multi-Purpose Labels to start the 2016 academic year (those who has no primary 1 school going kids, this pack is also good for preschoolers as well)

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I will be picking the 5 winners using random.org . The giveaway closes on 18 Oct 2015, 2359pm ( SUN).

Disclosure: I received 3 set of labels/bag tags from Muakids for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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Review & Giveaway – A revolutionary square milk bottle by Hegen ( yes, you heard me right, square!)

I have a love-hate relationship with milk bottles. When I had my first baby, J , I was inexperienced in latching and he had jaundice. So due to poor latching technique and advise from PD to go on 72 hours formula milk to conclude it is breast milk jaundice, he took to the bottle at an early age. Even though I managed to train him to latch fully at 3 months old, once I went back to work, he clearly preferred the bottle over latching. Hence, J took any bottle and any teats readily over latching.

When it came to the subsequent babies, I was adamant that latching is the convenient way (and lazy way, no washing, no pumping, no sterialising) especially with more kids to take care off. So there was no bottle for the first few months so as to reduce nipple confusion (I had my mum feed milk using a syringe). And when its time for me to return back to work, C and small J would refuse the bottle and latched extensively when I am home. I changed several bottles and teats for them until i found one that they didn’t mind so much.

Now that baby C is the fourth child, I was more relaxed in terms of bottle feeding even though latching will still take precedence. But I still waited till baby C is past 1 month before introducing milk bottle proper.

I was introduced to this range of revolutionary milk bottle created Singapore mum of 4, Ms Yvon Bock. I am sure she fully understand the challenges of breastfeeding in the Singapore context. And her brainchild created this set of revolutionary milk bottles so that mothers can carry on breastfeeding for as long as they want. The bottles are designed to minimise spillage and wastage as every drop of liquid gold is precious. And the bottle can be converted to snack containers once the baby outgrow the 150ml bottles, how ingenius!

photo credit:Hegen

I was so excited when these arrived at my home. I love pink packaging and the packaging for teats has the prettiest pink hue (ok, not a good reason to buy) but wait till you learn about the great features of this range of bottles!

photo credit: Hegen

PCTO Innovation

One of the benefits of Hegen is the Press-to-Close, Twist-to-open. This feature set them aside from the conventionary milk bottle. This revolutionary innovation means there is no screw thread closure. In order to open, it has to be snapped on and twisted off to minimise spillage. You can even use a single hand to open. (when you need to carry baby to make/warm milk)

Its SQUARE!

It is supposedly easy to hold for baby’s hands due to its revolutionary shape, however baby C has yet to show ability to hold bottles, so I cant vouch for this for now!

Ease of washing because its square

One of the main reasons for me being so insistent on latching the baby is simply because I am lazy. I am lazy to wash the pumps, the bottles etc. I dislike using the bottle brush cleaner to clean the milk bottles as I feel it is such a chore. So when I saw Hegen bottles, finally some one has cleverly invented a milk bottle that doesn’t require bottle brush for washing. I can have my whole hand with using a normal dish washing sponge to clean the milk bottle. Good riddance bottle brush cleaner!

Stackable breastmilk storage

The storage lids are made so that it is stackable and it can also be connected to ensure minimal use of space in the fridge/freezer. For mummies with poor organisation skills like me where my EBM bags are in different forms and sizes, this makes breast milk storage so tidy and neat!

photo credit:Hegen

Off-centre teat

Though it takes some getting used to, to insert the off-centre teats into the square bottle rim as compared to the usual round rim (as there is only 1 right way), the teats are created off-centre to enable baby to feed from a more upright position. This claim to lessen the risk of milk back flow which may cause mid-ear complications. The teats comes in slow flow, med flow and fast flow.

Same bottle for storing and feeding breast milk

The same bottle is use for storage and for feeding. That cuts down lots of washing time as there are less bottles to be washed and sterialised.

Push buttons on storage lids

I was also wondering what are the buttons for. With the buttons, you can interconnect the storage bottles, and you can transport many bottles at one go instead of fumbling with many round bottles from the fridge to the cooler bag. This is great if you need to “transport” baby and milk to infant care or care giver. That is another great idea to help careless mummies who need to pack baby and milk to go in the mornings!

Minimal bottle changing

Under international standards for feeding bottles, it is recommended to replace feeding bottles every 6 months. However, our Hegen bottles are designed mindful of sustainability and made to last. Hegen bottle is made of Tritan which is one of the safest and most resistant materials in the infant care industry. Hegen bottle is also uniquely designed without a bottle neck hence no need of any special brush which reduce the likelihood of scratches and abrasions on the inner surface of the bottle.

Currently these are price list of the bottles

Product Description	Price
Hegen PCTO™ 150ml/5oz Feeding Bottle	$24.80
Hegen PCTO™ 150ml/5oz Feeding Bottle (2-pack)	$42.80
Hegen PCTO™ 240ml/8oz Feeding Bottle	$26.80
Hegen PCTO™ 240ml/8oz Feeding Bottle (2-pack)	$46.80
Hegen PCTO™ 150ml/5oz Breastmilk Storage (6-pack)	$49.80
Hegen Slow Flow Teat (2-pack)	$12.80
Hegen Medium Flow Teat (2-pack)	$12.80
Hegen Fast Flow Teat (2-pack)	$12.80

Hegen adaptors/connectors are targeted to be ready by 4-6 weeks’ time by October. They will be sold separately.

Hegen is currently available at the following locations:

Takashimaya Department Store (Children’s Department, Level 4)

Motherswork Stores Islandwide (Great World City #02-16, Tanglin Mall #03-11C, 112@Katong #03-33, Marina Bay Sands #B1-58)

Motherswork Online Store

The kind folks at Hegen has kindly sponsored 2 sets of limited edition SG50 Hegen PCTO™ 150ml/5oz Breastmilk Storage (2-pack) up for grabs, for 2 of my readers.

Even for mummies who are no longer breastfeeding, the storage bottle is great for snacks and it is stackable!

photo credit: Hegen

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3. Liked, shared and tag 5 friends who are new to mypreciouzkids using this Facebook post . Pls comment “done” 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 will be disqualified.

I will be picking the 2 winners using random.org . The giveaway closes on 27 Sept 2015, 2359pm. The winners would be required to collect the prize at one of Hegen’s retail outlets. Detail of collection will be advised later by Hegen’s representatives.

Disclosure: I received a set of bottles/storage containers/teats from Hegen for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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Review – pottery making in the wild at Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle

I have always been keen to expose the older kids to pottery and clay. It probably stemmed from my own interest of knowing how it is done and the experiences of throwing at the potter’s wheel. J and C had their first very pottery making in Ubud, Bali with Susan Kohlik who owned Sari Api, which is actually quite well known (it will definitely appear when you search for things to do with kids in Bali). They had great memories of that experience and patiently awaited for their completed products after our trip (took more than 1 month plus for postal delivery).

these pieces reminded them of their first pottering making experience and Bali

After that wonderful experience in Bali, I started to look around for something similar in Singapore. My search brought me to Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle which organises kids (parents accompanied for younger kids) workshop on weekends, public holidays and school holidays (they are contemplating organising more weekday workshop classes during the school holidays). They even owned one of the last 2 surviving Dragon Kilns in Singapore for firing masterpieces done by master artists. Frankly i have not seen something quite like this , so it was an eye opener for me as well. As there wasn’t a tour of the dragon kiln, I am not able to explain in great details but I can share photos of the kiln. This is how the ceramic pieces are fired in the olden days before the modern electric kilns.

Like Sari Api in Ubud, Bali which was located in the middle of greenery and “in the wild”, Thow Kwang was similar but much larger as it houses their retail segment at the place.

lots of knick knacks

doesnt this place look like the good old kampung

Our instructor for the day and most kids workshop is Stella, an extremely passionate and well-liked young lady who is contributing her effort to preserve the family business and introduce pottery to the younger generation and public. There are 2 segments to the kids workshop – hand building and potter wheel. The most updated workshop timing and prices can be found on their facebook page.

We signed up package B which takes a minimum of 2 hours which I believe all the other participants also signed up the same on the day we went. Firstly, Stella did a demonstration of our hand building craft – a ceramic container/pen holder. Hand building techniques to mold clay is perfect to train kids’ motor skills.

Paints for glazing and tools required for hand builing

They spend a good 40 minutes building up the different layers of the ceramic container and its up to each creativity how they want their different layers to be. After that, their craft work is left to dry before glazing.

While their “masterpieces” are left to dry, Stella brought us to the potter wheel studio. Firstly, Stella demonstrated the art of throwing at the potter wheel. She make it look so easy and effortless. The kids were eager to try it after obtaining their aprons and a block of clay each. There are more than 10 potter wheels to try on. As the potter wheel can rotate at different speeds, adult supervision is required for younger kids as it can get quite dangerous.

the potter wheel studio

Of course, neither of us including myself successfully form anything from the block of clay that was given. I tried the potter wheel for the very first time and it was difficult with a capital D. It may look easy when Stella demonstrated but it takes years to reach her standard. Hence, every participant will be guided by Stella to throw a bowl at the potter wheel to take home after firing.

A video of this experience, can be found here.

After finishing their turn at the potter wheel, their hand building masterpieces are ready for glazing. They can choose a variety of colours and paint to their fancy.

The workshop fee includes the cost of firing their masterpieces. It takes about 1 month before you can return to collect the fired pieces. Attending the pottering making workshop at Thow Kwang is not just about learning about molding clay or throwing at the pottery wheel, but it is also an appreciation of the industry and an art that the founder and its family members wish to promote for the younger generations. I do hope that the 75 year old Dragon Kiln will be preserved for a long time to come. As I had to rush to feed the kids for lunch and the travel time back home, I didn’t linger much longer. I wished I had more time browsing through their finished pieces for my home decor or as gifts and for the kids (as retail pieces are fragile pieces so its not such a good idea with kids in tow), my friend told me there is an Eco Garden just next door. Though it was a long drive to this little heaven away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it was worth it! For a good 2 hours, I literally forgot that I was in Singapore but reminiscing my time in Bali as a tourist and the fresh air (thank god, it was before the haze). The next time I return to collect the masterpieces, I will definitely set aside time to browse through the retail area and maybe get some fresh outdoor air next door (haze haze, pls go away).

And you can also throw kids’ birthday parties at Thow Kwang, for more information, do PM their facebook page, Stella will be able to assist from there on.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored review. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own

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A new soccer in town – bubble bump or pool ball!

I had come across Bubble Bump and I thought (first impression) it looked rather silly for adults to be donning bubble suits and having a game of soccer. I am not quite sure of the fun factor until I myself had a try on Sunday afternoon at a Little Day Out event. I will go into this later in this post of my personal experience.

I was lucky enough to score some passes for Bubble Bump event organised by Little Day Out and met the kind folks behind this very informative portal, Geraldine and Lester. They have organised a 2 hours session of Bubble Bump and Pool Ball for some lucky families to enjoy on a Sunday afternoon at Kovan Sports Centre.

There was a short brief session on how to wear the bubble suit and how to stand up after a fall, and a short warm up session.

As Bubble Bump has a certain minimum height requirement, I hesitated if I wanted to bring the kids and be disappointed if they cant play, but curiousity got the better of me, so I decided to give it a try. who knows, they may be able to enjoy it.

True enough, even though J was allowed to play (ie need to be taller than the bubble ard 1.1m to 1.2m tall but the bubble suit was a bit heavy for him to handle.

So they switched their attention to pool ball also part of Bubble Bump Singapore. It is pool played soccer style, the numbered soccer balls are to be scored according to its number order. For young kids which may find it to difficult to grasp pool game concept, they quite happy with just free play and just scoring goals into one of the 6 “holes”. The bubble bump staff even invited games which are more suitable for their age group like colour recognition and even mathematics , and see which child can grab the most number of ball! (great for kids birthday parties). I must say that J and C totally enjoy the variety of games at the pool ball section.

While they were happily playing at the pool ball section, I decided I should give it a try at the Bubble Bump. It is also played like a game of soccer, divided into 2 halves of 5 minutes each. So carry the bubble suit, I was trying to navigate my way (I had to see the bubble) into scoring the goals. The fun part is when you bump into each other just like bumper car concept. Each half is short as it is quite hot to be donning the suit. I can see why this is a perfect corporate team building event with fun factor involved!

The younger kids got their chance to be in the bubble and be rolled around. It feels pretty much like the Zovb ball which originated from New Zealand where the person goes into an inflated ball and roll downhill. (we have that in SG now, this was the one with the longest queue at the SEA games carnival in June). So both J and C got braver with each attempt, and hence they rolling at a faster speed each time and kept asking for more! You can see sample video in this link!

Bubble Bump operates at 3 locations namely The Cage, Kovan Sports Centre and Zion Sports at Tiong Bahru. for more information , do visit their website for more information on corporate events and birthday parties.

On a side note, a shout out to an awesome compilation of fun activities in Singapore by Little Day Out , if you run of out ideas of what to do a day out with the kids or even this coming Friday after the parents have done their duties as Singapore citizens!

LITTLE DAY OUT’S BEST 50 DAYS OUT WITH KIDS IN SINGAPORE 2015

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Terrarium making at The Plant Story

I have never planted anything in my life or maybe I have but the plant didnt last very long. I believe that I do not have any green fingers and have no love for plants or gardening. However, I do not want my kids growing up like me having no love for plants and gardening. And the in thing now for urbanites are terrarium as there is little maintenance required to keep the plant alive. A terrarium is a low-maintenance miniature garden inside a clear glass case.And kids as young as 4 years old can also indulge in terrarium making as well (with some supervision of course). Hence, stemming from my own interest of wanting to know more about terrarium and to have some parent and child bonding time with J and C, I signed them up for a terrarium workshop with The Plant Story which is situated at Hort Park itself, how apt, a nursery cum cafe in the middle of a park.

To begin a terrarium session, the participants ie my kids have to choose a DIY Kit (they have mainly glass terrarium which is nicer than acrylic but for kids, they really need to handle with care and supervision).

DIY kit comes with all the basic materials (plant inclusive) for you to assemble your own garden in the comfort of your own home with instruction included which cost from SGD 45 onwards for the small glass jar. You can also pay for workshop fee of SGD 10 to have some one guiding you in the terrarium making process at the shop which was what I choose.

making a rainforest terrarium

After selecting their jar, they were brought to a table with a huge selection of coloured sands to begin their session.

The first layer being the drainage layer, the kids can choose coloured sands to fill the bottommost layer.

pretty coloured sand

guided workshop

After filling 2 layers of coloured sands, they used a compactor to “‘compact” each layer so that the layers can stay in place. Thereafter, another layer of grey sands which are larger than the coloured sands are added into the jar.

using a compactor

The next layer will be the soil.

The next step, which is to plant the actual plant into the soil layer. This is pretty difficult as I too as an adult find it difficult to nicely cover the roots in soil especially in smaller jar like the one that C chose.

Another thin layer of coloured sand is placed over the soil after planting (mulch layer). A piece of charcoal is placed inside to absorb excess moisture and purification purposes. And some stones for decorative purposes. You can also purchase decorative murano glass figurines to beautify the garden.

And finally a few squirts of water …..and we can cover it. And we have successful made a terrarium!

The experience doesnt end there. The kids/I will have to maintain the terrarium at hom. On a weekly basis, open the lid for a couple of hours. You only need to water the plant once a month and do not to place the terrarium in places with direct sunlight. I really hope that the plants will thrive under my kids /my care. For now, the terrariums are sitting very prettily above my shoe cabinet near my front door. In the event, the plant do not thrive under my care, I can always go back to A Plant Story and pay for the sand and plant cost to redo the terrarium as I/my kids already know the basic steps of making a terrarium.

And the DIY kits make great gift for kids and adults too!

The Plant Story
HortPark, 33 Hyderabad Road
(Off Alexandra Road)
#01-01 (Beside the Lawn)
Singapore 119578

Telephone:
+65 9722 0438

Email:
ihaveaquestion@theplantstory.com

Opening Hours:

10am – 7pm
Closed on Wednesday and major PH

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SeriousAboutPreschool.com – first of its kind enrichment centre portal for 0 to 6 years old

There was quite handful of enrichment centres in Singapore, ranging from music, Chinese, arts, right brain training etc. So when a parent decides on enrolling their child in an enrichment centre, often it is by recommendation or word of mouth. If not, it will be more like, just try, if no good then withdraw.

This is probably one of its kind portal in Singapore listing down an exhaustive list of enrichment centres in Singapore by genres for 0 to 6 years old. Besides that, it engages parents who have been to the centres to review it .

Before I go into the portal itself, mypreciouzkids were invited to the launch party held at Cool de Sac whereby seriousaboutpreschool.com invited 3 well known enrichment centres to give a taster/sampler of their programmes, namely Da Little, Julia Gabriel and Heguru.

Here are some photos of the launch party.

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fun with frame making by Da Little

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fun with frame making by Da Little

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completed with frame with instant photo print

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drama sampler by Julia Gabriel

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a taster of right brain training by Heguru

SeriousAboutPreschool.com is a portal whereby parents can search for preschool or enrichment centre by genre, age group and location. Thereafter , if the enrichment centre has been reviewed before you can click and view the comments.

Parents who have reviewed the centres will be awarded points for each review. And the points can be redeemed for Port of Lost Wonder tickets, Polliwogs tickets and MUA kids iron on labels to name a few.

Based on the reviews and ratings, SeriousAboutPreschool.com will be able to rank the enrichment centres by popularity and rating.

This is a wonderful portal for first time parents or parents who are looking to the most suitable enrichment centre for their child. For parents who have tried some of the enrichment centres, they are able to share their experiences and be rewarded! Parents can register for free here.

Disclaimer: We were invited to join in this launch party. All opinions and photos are solely ours.

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Review & Giveaway- Geronimo Stilton Academy’s Vocabulary Pawbook Set by Scholastic Asia

I must admit I have never heard of this mouse before I started buying this series for my son. The name is quite a mouthful but I realised that this mouse is pretty famous among the kids aged 6 years old and above. I googled a bit about the mouse before buying a few books for my 6 year old. Apparently, it is an Italian mouse created in year 2000 and since 2004, Scholastic has been publishing the English version of the many stories of this infamous mouse called Geronimo Stilton. I really like its content which combines colourful pictures, texts and even different font sizes for big words making reading more interesting for young readers like my son.

When I came across that Scholastic has also published English language skill workbooks using Geronimo Stilton’s story books as the key content, I knew this will sparked J’s interest completing the workbooks. As I didn’t sign J up for any primary 1 prep classes, the least I could do is to prep him with workbooks suitable for his level.

Currently, there are 2 set of workbooks under the Geronimo Stilton Academy. One being the Comprehension Pawbook (which comes in book 1, 2 and 3) and the very latest, Vocabulary Pawbook (also comes in book 1, 2 and 3). The set that I will be reviewing is the Vocabulary Pawbook set, mainly book 1 which J has attempted.

The Pawbooks 1 to 3 are suitable for children age 6 – 8 years old. However, it does not mean that book 1 is for 6 years old, 2 is for 7 years old etc. A 6 years old child can progress on to Pawbook 2 and 3 if he is ready.

When J first saw the workbook, his eyes sparkled as it was something familiar to him. He has read a few Geronimo Stilton’s storybooks and is familiar with the mouse and some of the other characters in the series.

at his ergonomic table and chair and 3M light, prepping for p1 🙂

Each Pawbook is based on 4 different Geronimo Stilton’s story books like what is shown below. There are 3 units and 1 double page activity dedicated to 1 story book. Do note that it is not vital to own that particular story book to be able to complete the units. Each unit also set out to teach vocabulary in clear and concise manner ( important for parents like me who need a refresher crash course in teaching English)

Each unit will start with an excerpt from that particular storybook and if “nouns” is the topic, all the nouns will be highlighted in colour for easy recognition.

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excerpt from the story book

Thereafter the nouns will be reinforced to the readers through activities like word search (my son’s favourite), scrambled words, matching words with meaning or filling in the blanks. After completing the 3 units, there will be a double page fun activity to consolidate and reinforce what the student has learned from the 3 units.

double page activity

The overall presentation and feel of the pages in the workbook mimic very closely to the story book , very colourful, lots of pictures of the mouse, and the excerpts are also similar in look and feel like a chapter off the story book. It makes readers of Geronimo Stilton feel that the workbook is an extension of their well-loved story book. For non readers of Geronimo Stilton, these workbooks also aim to interest and encourage students to read the rest of the story.

J completed unit 1 very much on his own, and there are answers at the back of the workbook for parents like me when in doubt 🙂

For more chapter walk-through, sample pages and information on the whole set, do visit www.scholasticgsacademy.com.

Pawbooks are retailing at all POPULAR bookstores and selected TIMES bookstores. Each book is selling at $9.40 (before GST).

Scholastic Asia has kindly offered 1 set of Vocabulary Pawbooks to my readers.

1. Liked mypreciouzkids.com on Facebook

2. Liked Scholastic Asia on Facebook

3. Liked, shared and tag 5 friends who are new to mypreciouzkids using this Facebook post . Pls comment “done” on the same post for my easy tracking. Do set your post to PUBLIC so that I can verify your entry.

I will be picking the 1 winner using random.org . The giveaway closes on 30 Aug 2015, 2359pm. The winner will need to collect the set of books from the publisher office at 81 Ubi Ave 4, #02-28, UB. ONE, Singapore 408830.

Disclosure: I received a set of Vocabulary Pawbook 1 to 3 from Scholastic Asia 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!

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Review – pottery making in the wild at Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle

A new soccer in town – bubble bump or pool ball!

Terrarium making at The Plant Story

Opening Hours:

SeriousAboutPreschool.com – first of its kind enrichment centre portal for 0 to 6 years old

Review & Giveaway- Geronimo Stilton Academy’s Vocabulary Pawbook Set by Scholastic Asia