Review – IMPACT Comfort Spinal Protection Backpack ergonomic school bag

Most of the parents would have gone through the stressful phase of registering their kid for primary 1 especially those with first born or kid with a different gender enrolling in a different school from the older sibling.

Now comes the fun part, preparing your kid for primary 1. One of the most expensive purchases would be the school bag. I am pretty clueless as there are many brands to choose from and the initial decision whether to buy an ergonomic bag or a normal back pack. During my times, there is no such thing as an ergonomic bag and I was most happy whenever December comes. I am normally “awarded” school bag of my choice if I did well in school the previous academic year. So buying school bag is a happy occasion for me (as I was very studious), with new bags, new books and new stationery I was always happy to welcome the start of a new academic year. I do hope my soon to be going Primary 1 eldest son will share my same sentiments.

I had school friends who do not have proper posture and slouch from carrying heavy school bags. I hope to start on a right note by choosing a suitable bag start his formal education.

A quick market survey by me, ergonomic backpack weigh from 750g to 1.2kg , and the prices range from SGD 70 to SGD 259. As J’s height and weight is smaller than average kids of his age, I was hoping to get the lightest possible ergonomic backpack without breaking the bank.

(The general guideline from Health Promotion Board (HPB) is for children to carry no more than 15 per cent of their bodyweight. In practice, that would generally mean no more than 3.5kg to 5kg for a child in the first few years of school. And generally an ergonomic school bag weighs from 900g to 1.2kg.)

I came across the range of IMPACT ergonomic backpack which are the lightest and most affordable!

IMPACT is the only multi-awarded ergonomic brand founded in Singapore since 1997, and also the only ergonomic brand medically endorsed and recommended by both the Singapore Physiotherapy Association & The Chiropractic Association (Singapore).

These are the many models at the ERGOWORKS showroom which carries IMPACT backpacks. The complete list of their backpack models and colours can be found in this link.

at the marina square show room

I will focus my review on 5 bags which are suitable for primary 1 going kids. The first model that was introduced IPEG – 0086 which weighs at 750g and priced at SGD 69.90 which is very attractive.

photo credit: IMPACT

The second model which one of their best sellers is IPEG -0037A weighing at 900g at SGD 109.

photo credit: IMPACT

Even though it is a tad heavier, its back support system is vastly different from the first model (0086) . The 0037A back support system feature a curved spinal support system which provide better support to the child than 0086.

Orthopedic Spinal Protection System (“OSPS”) is an award-winning patented back-care system which provides accurate support to the exact contour of the back, while effectively distributing the weight equally on the surface on the back. OSPS assist the children in achieving correct posture and reducing stress on their growing spine.

IPEG- 0037A vs IPEG – 0086

Besides that, its boxy look gives more volume and has a very good organized system for books.Once you open the backpack, you immediately see all the books and items in the bag at 1 glance which is the mainly selling point of this model! It comes with book divider with inner suspension strap and non-slip base.

The model IPEG – 0050A and 0052 A are both slightly bigger than 0037A and priced at SGD 119. The 3 models are very similar in term of design

0037A, 0050A, 0052A (and comes in 3 colours shown)

And the only difference between 0050A and 0052A is the way the backpack is being opened. The only benefit of 0052A is once you open you are able to see the timetable at the top as compared to at the bottom. However, it really depend on your child which way he/she prefers.

0050A vs 0052A opening

All 3 models (0037A, 0050A and 0052A) comes with parachute ring for easy adjustments by the child.

photocredit: IMPACT

Besides that, these 3 models also feature

1. Chest Stabilization Strap

2. Fitted with USA 3M Scotchlite reflective materials and strap used for better safety at night or low light

3. Made of durable, water and UV resistant materials

4. Adjustable mesh side pocket designed for water bottle.

5. Side pocket provides extra storage of smaller items.

The final model which I thought was great for taller children above 110cm which has adjustability in height is IPEG-00220/221/222 priced at SGD 129. It has a cool feature whereby you can adjust the backpack according to the height of the user. However, it is a tad heavier at 1.1kg and is a longer in height bag than the previous models which is not suitable for J.

photo credit: Impact

The most important thing to note is that the bag should be align to the shoulder of the child. The backpack should not be significantly wider than the shoulders for a proper fit .The base of the backpack should be not lower than the top of the hip bone.

And you must always place your backpack at the same level as your back, never place the backpack at higher level than the child’s shoulder or to be worn from the floor level.And you must bring along your kid when you select the backpack so that the knowledgeable sales staff can assist you in making the correct decision and choice based on the height and built of the child.

J carried the sample bag with books in it, though it felt heavy (probably he hasn’t carried such weight before ever) but he said that it felt comfortable on the shoulder during the short time he was “parading” in the shop.

And J made his choice!

IPEG-0052A

cant believe my firstborn going to primary school

And the backpacks all come with a 6 month warranty which is registered at the shop.

Besides ergonomic backpacks, ERGOWORKS also sells accessories as such water bottles/ drink ware and stationery case which are great for school and also ergonomic study table and chairs for kids and adults. This is really a one stop shop to prepare for primary school education!

There are further discounts for the following

– trade-in of used Impact bags (20%)
– Passion (15%)
– Safra and Cordlife members (15%)

means you can even get an ergonomic backpack for less than SGD 100!

Do check out the wide range of ergonomic backpacks at the their showrooms

Marina Square

6 Raffles Boulevard #03-337 Marina Square

Opens Daily: 11:30am – 9.00 pm

Telephone: 6837 3370

Centrepoint

176 Orchard Road #03-36 Centrepoint

Opens Daily: 11:30am – 9.00 pm

Telephone: 6836 8488

Causeway Point

1 Woodlands Square #03-26 Causeway Point

Opens Daily: 11:30am – 9.00 pm

Telephone: 6893 8488

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Review – Soap making fun at Soap Ministry

Mypreciouzkids love hands-on activities, be it arts and crafts, baking and they even had a pottery making season at Ubud, Bali recently which they absolutely love.

I feel guilty of not indulging them in such hands-on activities be it in a home setting or outside attending workshops/classes

I chanced upon soap making workshop which is suitable for both kids above 4 years old and adults. Soap Ministry was previously located at Orchard Central and now they have a brand new shop at Liang Court on the second floor which could accommodate up to 50 participants at any one time and even host birthday parties. In fact, they just opened their new outlet a few days before our visit.

There are several methods of soap making such as Melt and Pour Method , Cold Process Method, Hot Process Method and Rebatching Method. For beginners and kids, they will be making soap using the Melt and Pour Method which will be shown step by step and in picture in this blog. The Basic Workshop (SGD 48) and the Basic Upsize Workshop (SGD 86) use the Melt and Pour Method. The difference between the Basic and Basic Upsize is that instead of a 250g soap base with 1 colour choice in the Basic, the Basic Upsize give a 500g soap base and 2 colour choices hence more soap (and 2 layer coloured soap) will be produced at the end of the session. The soap making process is entirely the same.

Step 1: Cut

There are 3 different type of soap bases that Soap Ministry carries – Goat Milk, Baobab extract (with honey, macadamia nut oil and shea butter )and Centella Asiatica Clear (each base give different benefit to the user of the soap, for eg Goat Milk base is very multi-nutrient, baobab is most moisturising perfect for dry skin and eczema, Centella Asiatica is for healing and firming by stimulating collagen production)

This is the setup and tools required by each participant for the Basic/Basic Upsize workshop.

The first step is to use the special knife to cut the soap base into small pieces.

The “knife” isn’t sharp however we must ensure that both hands are always on the wooden handle during cutting.

Step 2 :Melt

After that, the smaller pieces are transferred to a stainless steel jug for melting over a hot water bath.

Step 3: Measure

Firstly , the kids need to prepare a Glycerin mixture. The kids are introduced with a measuring scale and how to use it. They then squeeze 8g of glycerin into a heat safe plastic jug and along with some Vitamin E (to preserve the soap up to 1 year)

Thereafter they have an option to add 3 items, which are herbs, essential oil and colouring. (for workshop, there are 12-15 types of herbs and essential oils to choose from lists shown in pic which is for retail).

the different kind of herbs that can be added into the soap which will give the soap a brownish hue and little speckles

the different herbs and its benefits

soaps with herbs added

the variety of essential oils

essential oil and its benefits

The colouring will be the primary colours – yellow, red and blue. Kids will also learn about the different colour combinations like blue and red makes purple.

Using another small measuring cup, add the selected essential oils (and herbs which will make the soap more brown) and then the selected colouring. (if they are doing the basic upsize which allows for 2 colour selection, 2 portions of glycerin mixture and essential oil is prepared).

adding essential oil using pipette (like some science experiment) great for finger motor skill

adding colouring into the glycerin/vitamin E mixture

They repeated the same process using different measuring jugs and cups for the second colour mixture.

In between step 3 and 4, the kids were brought to select their silicon soap mold. There are more than hundreds of soap molds to choose from :- animals, cartoon, big, small and even merlion molds!

many drawers where the molds are kept

Step 4: Blend

The melted soap base is removed from the hot water bath and pour into the glycerin mixture.

And stir from bottom to top to mix the glycerin mixture with the melted soup base. Essential oil is added into the mixture, and then stir from top to bottom to blend the oil into the mixture.

Step 5: Pour

As the kids were making 2 colour layered soup, they only have to fill half of the mold using the first colour mixture.

As air bubbles tend to rise to the surface of the soap, ethanol is being sprayed to remove the bubble. And the soap is left to harden. You can pop it into the freezer to expedite the hardening process.

Repeat the same process for the second layer/colour (for basic upsize workshop)

mix 2nd portion

repeat the same for second layer after cooling

pour to fill the remaining half of the mold

Step 6: Wrap

Once harden, the kids removed the soaps from the molds and wrap with cling wrap and a sticker! And that is enough soap for 1 year , I trust..and these are soaps made from natural ingredients sans chemical.

The soaps can be kept for 1 year. If kept longer, the soap will lose its benefits and cleansing properties.

What I really like from this workshop, for the price you pay not only you gain the experience of making soap, you get to bring back the soaps that you made which can last you very long. And these are good quality soaps. A quick check at the shop , a small bar of handmade soap can cost as much as SGD 18.

some of the ready made soaps

Handmade soaps are free from any chemicals, hypo-allergenic, bio-degradable, SLS free, Paraben free and eco-friendly. These are the best soaps for sensitive and eczema skin. By using herbs and aromatherapy oil, the benefits ranges from relieve aches, relaxes the mind depending on the herb and oil of choice. You can consult the trainers to suggest suitable herbs and oil combination to be blended with the soap base to suit for your needs.

Birthday parties

They will cater for private events like birthday parties for a minimum booking of 8 basic workshop. There is no additional venue charges and you can bring in your own food and cake.

Charity events/CSR efforts

I am pleased to hear that Soap Ministry are supporter for charitable events and CSR efforts. Customers who wish to make soap for charitable causes can approach Soap Ministry (with proof to charity event details and documents) to obtain a discount which equate to supplier price. Soap Ministry will also do a shout out to its 3000 Facebook fans to create more awareness of the charity event.

Breast milk soap

Breastfeeding mothers can bring their frozen expressed breast milk ( for processing into breast milk soaps for mother and baby at cost ranging from SGD 75 for 500g of soap to SGD 240 for 2kg of soap. The method of making breast milk soap is the cold process method which involves a 2 month period of “curing”. Besides breast milk, avocado oil, palm oil, shea butter and lavender essential oil are the other ingredients in making one of the most moisturising and nourishing soup ever. For baby’s use, lavender essential oil is omitted. I did a smelling test of both mummy and baby soup. The mummy soap has a very nice fragrance from the lavender essential oil while the baby soap is unscented (there is no the fishy smell of frozen EBM).

Some of the benefits of breast milk soaps are preventing eczema in baby, promote healing and relief to diaper rash, boost baby’s immune system and for mummy’s, moisture and soften skin, promotes healing to cuts, infections and lighten pigmentation on skin.

1kg (using 500ml BM) and 2kg (using 1000ml of BM ) of breast milk soap

Soap making at home

You can also make your own soap in the comfort of your home. Soap ministry sells starter kits with materials to start you off on your own soap making. Once you have run low of any of the ingredients, you can purchase them at the shop, from oil base, herbs, essential oils, even cling wraps for the finished products. If you do not wish to do at home, you can also use the facilities and tools at Soap Ministry at an affordable fee of SGD 10 per hour (this is applicable to customers who have attended at least 1 basic workshop and ingredients have to be purchased from Soap Ministry) Customers can keep their unfinished ingredients in the cubicles provided at the back of the shop.

Lifetime membership

Once you have attended any workshop, you will get a lifetime membership which will entitle you to 10% discount on purchase of products and ingredients. For the home soap making kit, there is a 15% discount.

Current opening promotions

Now till 9th August (SG50)

Less $5 off any soap purchase & Workshop

Opening Special : Now till end August

30% Off 6 kg of All Soap Base

30% Off 50ml & 100ml All Pure Essential Oils

Buy 2 get 1 Free any In House Ready Made Soaps

And here taking the opportunity to wish all my readers a wonderful long weekend ahead and enjoy the jubilee celebrations!

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

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Review – Love to Swaddle UP 50/50 by Love to Dream

Truth to be told, my first born was never swaddled and was very poor in the sleep department. We even had a video of how he struggled and cried while being swaddled to convince his inexperienced parents that swaddling does not work for him. Boy, was I wrong?

Since my #2 child newborn days, I swaddled her using receiving blankets. Though it wasn’t very tight and her arms will always be out after a while, it improved her sleep in comparison to her older brother. From then on, I was convinced that all newborns MUST to be swaddled to get better sleep, whether the baby like it or not.

Then came no 3. I invested in a set of super soft and light aden & anais muslin swaddle cloths, which I still use for baby C now. But no matter how tightly I swaddled the baby, the swaddle will go into “bat wing” style (see pic).

Then came baby #4, baby C. I knew of specialised swaddling sacks like Woombie even during #3 time. But I was very much put off by the price and the short usage period (probably need to swaddle till 4 months old) And I thought it was more gimmicky than functional. Then during my boring confinement days, I saw a video produced by Woombie, a cartoon video showing how to swaddle sacks make happy babies and happy parents, so for my sanity to get more sleep as I am handling 4 kids now, I decided to go against my rational mind and just purchase it out on a whim. Even with the discount of 20% on Lazada, I still find a pinch as it cost me over SGD 40 plus especially the size could only hold up to 6kg. As i speak now, baby C has not even hit 2 months old, and he is already outgrowing his Woombie.

I do feel somewhat I get better sleep quality for him (and for me) after Woombie came into our lives. But with just 1 swaddling sack, it is not enough to go around as it need to be washed and couldn’t dry in time.

So I decided to look into other possible brands and I bumped into an even more versatile product by Love to Dream, one which is convertible into a sleeping bag when baby passes the swaddling stage. Love to Dream does have its pure swaddle range for newborn (ie not convertible). One major difference between Woombie and Love to Dream is the position of the arms. For Love to Dream, they believed the arms should be swaddled UP while most are brands including Woombie swaddled closed to the body including the traditional method of using swaddling cloths/muslin. Between either method, I am quite indifferent in terms of the quality of sleep and I am actually quite surprised baby’s arm can be swaddled in an upward position. With Love to Dream, the arms are free to move to a small extent without losing the feeling of security. Take a look at the video from Love to Dream.

https://vimeo.com/94282953

The version that i have gotten is the LITE version and it has the prettiest multi-coloured stripes (0.3 TOG) which is perfect for Singapore weather. Baby C normally sleep in non air-conditioned room and on warmer night air-condition is set around 26-27 degree Celsius. This LITE version is just perfect! My baby doesn’t perspire even if I just have the ceiling fan switched on for the night.

And the additional bonus for the 50/50 version it can be used beyond swaddling stage by removing the zippers on the arms to create arm holes for the sleeping blanket…double yay especially it cost between the range of SGD 50 to SGD 60 for an item which can be used for a few months. The versatility of it being a sleeping blanket can extend its usage for another few more months. I was given a size M which is from 6kg to 8.5kg. Even though baby C has not reached 6 kg yet, he fits really well on the upper part but it is just longer in length.

I really regretted not investing in specialised swaddle sacks for my other kids. Though it may have a short life span and it is quite pricey given its short life span, but for better quality of sleep for both baby and mummy, it is definitely worth every dollar its worth.

Love to Dream range of swaddles can be purchased online and at these retailers

Disclosure: I received a Love to Swaddle UP 50/50 by Love to Dream for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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Review and Giveaway …..totally WOW-ed by Zoom Park!

Given that my kids have visited other trampoline parks before (ie the first to introduce trampoline park in Singapore was AMPED), we do have certain expectations of a trampoline park.

With a number of trampoline parks in Singapore, I wonder how Zoom Park measured up as they claim to be the largest in Singapore.

It is housed in a huge single storey building in Pandan Gardens. Upon entering, there is an area with a small cafe selling drinks and snack bars.

One of the pre-requisites for entering is to have anti slip socks. I guess most people don’t really owned anti slip socks, but it is available for sale at SGD 2 a pair. And they have really small sizes even for small J!

It being a weekday when i visited there were hardly any crowd…just 2 other families were there…so we practically had the whole park mostly to ourselves.

Upon entering there was 2 pits for kids to just “jump” in just next to the sitting area/cafe.

There were many different sections. Besides merely jumping areas, they have incorporated dodge ball, basketball, rock climbing, foam pits into the different sections of the park. So it is not just purely jumping on a trampoline or jumping into foam pits, which i thought was way more fun than AMPED.

basketball

extreme dodgeball

foam pits

rock climbing

dodgeball

area for kids above 1.2m

My kids were practically all over the park trying out different sections. My 6 year old loved the slam dunk area and the rock climbing while my 4 year prefer the foam pits to jump into. As for my 2 year old, it is his first time doing this (though he did go to AMPED before at 11 months but that is not counted as he couldn’t even walk then), so he was happy just jumping and running around and also falling down. He fell down a couple of time on the padding between each “net”. As it was padded, he didn’t get injured though he does whine but i know he is not hurt at all. He learned to avoid the padded area to minimise falling but also learned to pick himself up after falling.

One thing I didn’t quite fancy was due to the vast space, it can be warm at some areas. The place had those super huge fans on the ceiling but it is not switched on as it will make it even warmer than cooling it down. The place had few portable air coolers in the park and the owner will be bringing in more air coolers to bring down the temperature.

My only gripe was it is a tad far from my house, I wish they could open another park nearer to my house. This is probably one of the best way to expend my kids excess energy.

And my 3 kids slept earlier and really well that night…i wish every bedtime is like that!

Zoom Park Singapore
200 Pandan Gardens,
#01-14
Singapore 609336
Tel: 6334-4615

Park Opening Hours:

MONDAY

3pm to 9pm

TUESDAY TO THURSDAY:
10am to 9pm

FRIDAY AND EVE OF PH:
10am to 10pm

SATURDAY:
9am to 10pm

SUNDAY AND PH:
9am to 9pm

For pricing, do check it on in this link.

Zoom Park Asia has kindly offered 4 free 30 minute passes to my readers.

1. Liked mypreciouzkids.com on Facebook

2. Liked Zoom Park Asia on Facebook

3. Liked, shared and tag 5 friend using this Facebook post

I will be picking the 4 winner using random.org . The giveaway closes on 2 Aug 201, 2359pm.

They are having a promotion for their Facebook fans whereby there is a free 30 minute extension for every 1 hour purchased. Especially those staying in the west, do check it out, it is way more fun that indoor playgrounds!

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

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Review and Giveaway – The one and only COMPLETE carrier by Lille Baby

6 years ago, when I had my first child, the only popular and well known brand was Baby Bjorn. I was gifted a black basic Baby Bjorn carrier and it lasted me for 5 years, over 3 babies, used between 1 month to 11 month old. I normally stopped baby wearing when the baby starts to walk…mainly due to the weight and baby who just started walking don’t wanna be carried.

I started to feel the weight on my back and shoulder especially as the baby weight gets heavier and during long hours especially when I had my third child. It isn’t the best Soft-Structured Carrier (SSC) in the market as it doesn’t have a hip seat and a proper back support system. The material was warm and the base is too narrow for proper hip placement of the baby.

Fast forward 2 years ago, the SSC market has seen many new entrants like Ergo and Manduca , boasting excellent support system and many has hip seat to reduce the weight on mummy’s shoulder and back.

And now the most popular is Tula as this range of SSC boast a variety of fabric , colour, texture and high resale value and it ranges from anything from SGD 200 to SGD 1k depending on the popularity and quality of fabric etc. (Tula fans please correct me if I am wrong as I am not a Tula fan)

To me, to be spending anything more than SGD 200 for an item that last me less than 1 year does not justify (Tula’s fan will say there is high resale value and demand)

My search for a replacement my old trusty but poor-in-support Baby Bjorn brought me to this little known brand in Singapore called Lille Baby. This SSC boast 6 different baby wearing position and comes in mesh which is suitable for Singapore weather and it costs less than SGD 200! For those who love special print, they also have in the tokidoki print (especially for Ju Ju Be fans…imagine having tokidoki Ju Ju Be bag with this carrier!)

Why is it called COMPLETE? The designer has design a SSC that is COMPLETE in every way, complete in comfort, functionality, safety and style! That to me, it is a pretty big representation, and to me it sounded like an almost perfect SSC!

What is great about the Lille Baby COMPLETE Airflow?

1. No need a special infant insert unlike some well known brand

For infant below 3 month old, for most SSC, they are required to buy an infant insert. Per the instruction booklet, for infant, it is recommended to roll a nursing blanket into a “seat”. No need to purchase additional infant insert which has a very short lifespan. The video shows how to use the carrier with a young baby with just any nursing blanket we can find at home.

2. An additional lumbar support attachment

This is a great feature not found in the more popular SSC. I think this lumbar support give me the perfect support to balance, maintain proper posture and spinal curve. Having the lumbar support bring babywearing to a higher level of comfort ! And it is created as an accessory meaning it can be removed if you are out on a hot sunny day so that you can have more ventilation.

3. Ability to change from narrow to wide seat base

The ability to adjust the seat between narrow and wide depending on the which of the 6 possible baby wearing ways. For now , I am doing the fetal carry which uses a wide base.

4. Harness strap in carrier (for infant)

Good to have for additional security but not a must have though.

5. Super padded straps

Having used the basic Baby Bjorn which has very little padding on the shoulder straps, using the Lille Baby is a much welcome change. After hours of babywearing, I don’t feel a slight strain on my shoulder. It maybe abit warmer due to the padding but I rather sweat a little more than to having strained shoulders.

6. An adjustable neck support and removable hood

It cradles baby’s head or heightens the torso by several inches. And with it comes with a removable hood (mesh material) which is great for sunny weather and also when I am nursing on the go. The hood creates a perfect cover up!

7. No baby wearing gap

It never occurred to me that my newborn and older toddler could use the same carrier, but with Lille Baby I can as it is suitable from 3 to 20kg! Hence, there is no baby wearing gap ie there isn’t a need to buy a baby carrier and a toddler size carrier.

8. Six carrying positions

credit:Lillebaby

I have only used it for a short while hence unable to form an opinion when the baby grows heavier and using the other 5 baby wearing positions , but I foresee I have a winner here which will see me through past 1 year. I am actually eyeing on the tokidoki carry on range which is suitable for 12 month and above. Since baby C is my last baby, I may babywear him a bit longer especially with an excellent SSC which supports the baby without having sore back and shoulder!

For my readers residing in Malaysia, Lille Baby Malaysia is doing a giveaway of their Purple COMPLETE carrier on their facebook page.

Click on this link. (ending 31 July 2015)

In Singapore, Lille Baby carrier models are available at

Takashimaya

First Few Years

Mothercare Harbour Front

www.vanille-et-chocolat.com

According to the Singapore distributor, there are 3 types of Lille Baby carriers. Airflow, Original and Tokidoki. Unfortunately Airflow and Tokidoki is out of stock and shipment will be in August. Only the Original in stock. For availability of stock, do email info@onenebula.com.

Disclosure: I received a Lille Baby COMPLETE Airflow carrier for the purposes of my review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

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Review: Sandbank – splashing fun, good food !

It was my first time dining outdoor with all 4 kids (baby C’s maiden trip out with the family). I had wanted to try Sandbank after reading about a restaurant with its own pool in the Straits Times. How cool is that…..I imagine myself dining while the kids are having splashing good fun at the pool.

As I wanted to avoid crowd especially with my big brood ( i made reservation for my 4 kids for the first time…sound scary and noisy yah) , so i decided to try to visit it on a weekday evening. Luckily, I was informed that the pool closes at 7pm, so i picked the kids earlier from child care so that they can “play water” for a good hour before dinner.I also found out about the depth of the pools to ensure that my 2 year old is tall enough to play on its own. There are 2 pools of depth 0.5m and 1m respectively and I specifically asked to be placed near the pool so that i can watch over them.

On the day of visit , my 3 older kids were the only ones using the pool. The restaurant allow the patrons to change the kids in their restroom but it is advisable to dry them after coming out from the pool. However, i used the public shower facility situated just next to the restaurant after the water play so that they are clean and dry for dinner.

That’s my older kids ordering by the pool.

It is a really family friendly restaurant with kids cutlery, kids menu and kid colouring activities. As the kids were hungry from their “swim”, they ate their dinner pretty quickly. I must say besides having a good attraction ie the pool, the food pretty good too. I love my roasted beer chicken which came with my favourite chilli sauce – Sriracha sauce! Pretty decent food and pretty decent prices and portions.Service was attentive too probably because it wasn’t very crowded yet as i was having an early dinner. My hubby mentioned beer prices were relatively cheap and the whole place was not fully air-conditioned as they allow the sea breeze to come in which was nice!

Disclaimer , some food pics taken aren’t full portion as I had to handle 3 older kids n take photo… .I am so glad baby C was largely cooperative so i had a pretty good and relaxing dinner almost by the beach! If my friends ever need a kid friendly venue for recommendation, this will be top of my list!

SANDBANK

920 East Coast Parkway, #01-28/32 Parkland Green

Singapore 449875

Tel No.: +65 6247 7988

OPENING HOURS:

Tue / Wed / Thu / Fri – 4 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Sat / Sun / PH – 9 a.m. – 12 a.m.

Plunge pool will be available till 7 p.m. from Tuesday – Sunday.

p/s there is a huge and free car park right outside the restaurant!

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Review (and a discount code): Kaboodle Kids where unstructured play is FUN play

I came across an article on Facebook that kids prefer unstructured play over activities like going to the movie or museum. I am one who always prefer to bring my kids for planned activities be it to the museum, meet and greet etc , outdoor excursions as I believe we need to achieve “something” from an outing. So the article let me sit back n rethink of activities I “planned” for my kids.

After a month of reduced outside activities (during my confinement) , I felt the older kids needed some time off from child care be it together or one on one with either parent.

Finally, confinement’s over. And the first activity with all 3 older kids was something unstructured which caught my eyes. A gym , a playground…not quite..i can’t put it in any of the category as I believe it is first of its kind in Singapore….. it is a place for ages 2 to 12 to just do about anything their creative minds take them. And as a parent, it is interesting to discover how my kids of different ages interpret Kaboodle Kids.

I have been to many kids’ play area, this place is pretty small and my first impression, don’t think my kids can play very long here. Boy, was I wrong, we played till it was closing time. (and it being small has its advantage for a parent with many kid, it was really easy to keep an eye on my 2 year old).

When I first arrived, I was given a folder of the background of this place and most importantly some past structures that were built by other kids. It is really useful for for me because I really don’t know where to start (as I am not a very creative person) but my kids were least interested in the examples in the folder…they just want to play the way they want to play it…unstructured. (I guess there were some truth in the article that i read) and I must not always need to achieve “something” from our outings.

Firstly, there was a ready structure where the kids could let the balls roll along the track. From there, the older two kidsds added more track and small J was happily feeding more balls into the track.

Small J found some random blocks like the one in pic and made it to be like a rocking chair! He truly found things to occupy himself and didn’t cling on me at all for the entire visit.

C was happily building simple structures and she most happy bringing blocks here and there building..nothing too complicated.

Big J didn’t really focus on doing any structure per say and was everywhere. I spoke to Jin, the founder of Kaboodle Kids, she mentioned kids J’s age play better with kids their age as a team, ie build together. And some daddies have as much fun as the kids!

This place not only let the kids unleash their creative minds and expend some energy (it takes effort to bring blocks from one place to another) , it also give me as a parent the opportunity to discover more about my kids at their different ages by observing how they play with the blocks.

I am totally against child care organising outdoor excursions to play gyms as I see no additional value add, however, a visit to Kaboodle Kids is different. There is much more to be achieved if there are kids of the same age building structures together and having mini competitions. How often do you have so many giant blocks for your free play (this place reminded me that I should retrieve my Haenim big blocks from the store for them to have more unstructured play at home!).

For my readers of my blog, Jin has kindly extended an 10% discount by mentioning my blog (valid till 30 September 2015).

Do check out the Youth day special which I thought was really value for money with the additional activities thrown in.

Kaboodle Kids

Block B 02-05B Big Splash

902 East Coast Parkway

Singapore 449874

Operating hours: 10am – 6pm daily

3 years old & above

Monday – Friday $25 unlimited hours
Saturday, Sunday & Public holidays $25 2 hours ($10 for every additional hour thereafter)

Below 3 years old

Monday – Friday $10 unlimited hours
Saturday, Sunday & Public holidays $10 2 hours ($5 for every additional hour thereafter)

They also do birthday parties for up to 18 kids for 2 hours from rates of $1000 to $1200 which includes food.

Now I know where I can park my kids whenever I have my meals at Big Splash or after a morning day out at the beach and I needed some Me-time! I am actually planning to do a foot massage (there is 1 at Big Splash) with baby in tow (I have been seeing many mummies latching baby while doing foot massage) and there is no prize for guessing where i can “dump” the older kids!

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

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Review and Giveaway: Worry-free luxury from Original Sprout – to me its just heavenly

The kind folks at Original Sprout send me a package right after I informed them the birth of baby C. The very next day , this was sent to me. (Its always nice to hear door bells bringing gifts for the newborn to break the monotony of staying confined at home 24/7.) Baby C is so blessed to be trying out this range of worry-free luxury.

Previously, I have used California Baby and Mustela for my newborns. I think being newborns they should only get the best in skin care (I dont really care about the price as the baby’s consumption of skin care is low especially with the cases of Johnson & Johnson) Most importantly it must be gentle and chemical free for their delicate skin.

How does these range compared to those i have used before?

Baby C started using the Hair and Body Babywash since he returned from hospital.

Here’s the baby C all ready for bath time…

As my mum worked up a lather, i can smell a very sweet and heavenly smell. According to the label on the bottle, its a mix of Calendula, Cucumber, Rosemary and Arnica. It is easy to rinse off on hair and body leaving the body feel clean and soft and smelling so good! (newborns smell great to begin with). According to the label, this wash is also good for clearing cradle cap and dry scalp. My other kids had this and i had to buy special hair shampoo to help manage the cradle cap. Crossed fingers for now baby C doesn’t seem to have it, but if it ever occur, i hope this wash will clear it too!

After bath, baby C tried the Scrumptious Baby Cream which leave the skin soft and moist. It doesn’t leave an oily residue on the baby nor on my hands. And similar to the wash, it smell heavenly.

My 4 year old girl uses the Natural Shampoo, Deep Conditioner and the Miracle Detangler for her long locks.

The shampoo is non-drying and with a small application of conditioner, her hair is soft and smooth. Frankly, there really isn’t a need to use the Miracle Detangler as the shampoo and conditioner make the hair really easy to comb. I only use it in the morning (as she has a messy hair after waking up) before tying her hair for school so that its easy to comb n tie.

Original Sprout is currently available at Watsons, Kiddy Palace, Motherswork and 1010 Mother & Essentials.

Disclosure: We were given Original Sprout products to review. No monetary compensation was received and all opinions here are our own.

In celebration of baby C’s full month, the good people at Original Sprout have kindly sponsored a hamper worth more than SGD 50 consisting of the products below:-

– Hair & Body Babywash 12oz (worth $25)

– Scrumptious Baby Cream 4oz (worth $16.90)

– Miracle Detangler 4oz (worth $16.90)

– Natural Shampoo 1.25oz

– Deep Conditioner 1.25oz

And the hamper will be hand delivered to the lucky winner! (Singapore address only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Review: Dyson Cordless Vacuum DC 62

Frankly, I hate doing housework and vacuum cleaners are things i wouldnt give my time of the day to analyse or review. However, the advertisement for this particular vacuum cleaner did catch my fancy. The advertisement was definitely targeted to the crowd like me who like things trendy, fashionable and IN!

Whenever I am hunting for electrical appliances for my new home, I do give a second look for this vacuum because it makes vacuuming look chic (ie not a household chore) So when i was given a chance to review this gadget, (and my first time doing something that i totally unfamiliar), i thought why not because i can finally use it instead of just ogling at it.

In the time of age when robotic vacuum seems to be THE vacuum cleaner of this decade, how does the Dyson DC62 fill the void for folks like me who has not jump on the bandwagon of owning a robotic vacuum cleaner.I will review this gadget not from a very technical angle (you can get that by googling for review of this model) but how this gadget has help me lighten my household chores.

Mobility with power but short usage

Probably more so for me, mobility of the vacuum is critical. I brought a SGD 100++ vacuum cleaner for my part time helper who comes weekly.She has to bring the vacuum cleaner around my home and find electrical output before she does her vacuuming. There is no such need for Dyson DC62 as it is cordless. That said , its not a device my part time helper would like to use as per charge, you can get a maximum of 20 minutes of very powerful suction. My helper takes a hour plus to vacuum and it takes hours to have it fully charged. Clearly the Dyson DC62 is not able to last that long. That said, for the days in between the home cleaning visits, I adore the fact that i can just remove from the docking station to vacuum under my dining table after a meal (without the need to fumble with the cord )or after my kids created mess on the floor.

Lightweight and easy to use

For this advantage, i let these pictures speak for themselves.Here my 6 year giving me a helping hand!

Powerful

I must say that the suction power as compared to conventional corded vacuum cleaner is about similar hence truly impressed something that is cordless and mobile can have such suction capability. I guess this is their main selling point.

Reaching places high and low

The other selling point of this gadget was it is able to vacuum not just the floors, but walls and ceiling. I particularly like this mobility for a quick clean here and there.

Pricey

The last I check it is retailing more than SGD 500. Frankly i would not pay so much for a supplementary gadget. That said, the gadget was a welcome addition in my house as it is a quick pick me up and “shoot”. Definitely will consider this if the price point was lower but I guess we pay for the design and its performance.

Now that i have tried the gadget of envy, I am eyeing on the new Dyson Pure Cool Purifier fan. It baffles me since when I started showing keen interest in household appliances but i guess it got to be because its a Dyson!

Disclaimer: We received this loan unit for purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.

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The long hiatus and my newest addition

In the last quarter of 2014, I found out that I am expecting my fourth baby and the better half of 2015 I was pregnant and busy. I didnt quite scale down the activities with my precious kids but i stop blogging and didnt do review etc. I simply didnt have the energy balancing work, kids and a major home project. My family was overseeing renovations on our new place and moving house twice (ie to the rented apartment then to the new house).After the move, i spent months unpacking, going for a babymoon and finally the month of May was to get ready for the arrival of our fourth precious kid. I am not sure if i can continue doing this while juggling with 4 kids under 6 but if i find snippets of time during my maternity to indulge myself in blogging, i may do so..and i have 2 reviews coming up this month. Stay tuned for it. Signing off by my latest addition, baby C

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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: Sandbank – splashing fun, good food !

Review (and a discount code): Kaboodle Kids where unstructured play is FUN play

Review and Giveaway: Worry-free luxury from Original Sprout – to me its just heavenly

Review: Dyson Cordless Vacuum DC 62

The long hiatus and my newest addition