Heart Studio Term 1 2021 – It was wild fun at the circus

After complete the stacked burger art work , Little Dali had a two week technical drawing to learn to draw all Chinese Lunar New Year inspired drawing – lion dance, firecracker, couplets etc. 
 
 
Quickly they move on to their next 4-week project – another theme that small C loves  – Circus ! Pre-covid, we had attended to two circuses which came to town – Cirque du Soleil and The Great Moscow Circus with fond memories and to recreate it through drawings , it was really a nice recollection of memories
 
As with every new art project, Teacher Jay will introduce all the possible components of the circus – elephants, animal, big top, human cannon ball , clown, jugglers etc. For the first week, the kids were exposed to drawing and sketching the components that the kids wanted to include into their artwork. 
 
 
 
Week 2 is to have it all on the actual art paper, followed by painting
and detailed painting on the fourth week. Some may think it is slow to only churn out 1 art work over 4 weeks, but it is the process of appreciating each step of drawing and painting that is more important than churning out completed art work week after week.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I think I said previously the stacked burger was my favourite to date, sorry, I just had a new favourite! 

Do check out  Heart Studio March holiday programme, many are full already due to small class sizes, but I am sure there are still slots here and there to slot it for your child. 

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Heart Studio

1 Charlton Lane #01-04, Singapore 539631

(65) 6554 7563

info@heartstudiosg.com

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


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Ergoworks – Ergo-Stars Healthy Kids Desk and Chair ES-8803-GY accompanying my child’s growth through his schooling years

Without a doubt this will be the biggest ticket item, you will buy for your primary school child would be an ergonomic table. With his older siblings having their own study table and space, small J now currently in primary 2 should also be encouraged to have a proper table and space for his increasing demands of school work and also one that will cater to his growing years. 

this was his desk and chair previously, which is not ergonomic at all

The single most important question for most parents, is there a need to spend on an ergonomic table? For me personally, I see it as a long term investment, the ergonomic table and chair will see your child all the way to secondary school and beyond as the table and chair will “grow” with the child.  While we can’t change the chairs that are used in school or the demands of a computer era, I can provide a more ergonomic-friendly environment for my children at home.

The term “ergonomics” comes from the Greek words ergon (meaning “work”) and nomos (meaning “rule”) and is defined as the science of human work. In order to safeguard children’s health and ensure they learn well, rather than have them adapt to their furniture, their furniture should adapt to them.

The diagram below shows how an ergonomic table will help in creating a good and correct posture as compared to fixed height table and chair. They should not be leaning over excessively or have a rounded neck while they are seated at a desk. Ideally, the seated posture for kids follow a ‘90-90-90 degrees rule. 

Even if the table and chair is at the correct height, once the child grow, you will need to change another set else creating a wrong posture. This problem is cleverly resolved with ergonomic table and chair which height can be easily adjustable.

I have been using Ergoworks ergonomic school bags for the past 6 years for all my school going kids and I can vouched to its good quality and durability. These are my ergonomic bags review post for the past 6 years , post 1, post 2 and post 3

When I decided to source for an new ergonomic table and chair set for my third child, I didn’t need to look any further as I trust their quality and make as I have been using their products for the past 6 years.

A bit about Ergoworks 

They are Asia leading brand in holistic ergonomic, posture care, and wellness solutions for the past 16 years. They offer an extensive range of high-quality, comfortable, and user-friendly ergonomic products, which is renowned for its functional features, health benefits, and professional services delivered to our customers. They provide total wellness and comfort to a diverse range of users across all age groups who desire maximum care for their body structure and posture. Their extensive range of products is professionally endorsed and recommended by both The Chiropractic Association (Singapore) and the Singapore Physiotherapy Association. 

The set I chose for small J is ERGOSTARS – ES-8803-GY – Grey Healthy Kids Desk And Chair Set

Ergonomic features:

A good set of ergonomic furniture is one where the child sit with the feet supported (on ground or foot rest) and their knees forming at 90 degree. With incorrect posture, it will lead to all kinds of pains – abnormal bone growth, abnormal breathing, poor circulation, digestive issues, headaches and back and neck pain. By practising ergonomic from an early age, this will ensure good posture as they grow older.

The table’s height can be adjusted from 58 cm to 80 cm.The table should not be too high, otherwise they will be resting their hands awkwardly on the
table and putting unnecessary stress on them. If the table is too low, they will be leaning forward too much and more likely to round their necks or hunch their backs.

When adjusting the table’s height, make sure your child’s feet are supported, meaning that your child’s feet should touch the ground. If it is not possible, consider buying an ergonomic foot rest (for the same chair model in this set, the foot rest come attached to the ergonomic foot rest as well). The adjustment to the table height is a very simple process using the detachable lever handle. 

Beside table height adjustment, ergonomic table also feature a desk that tilts. This minimises the kids natural inclination to lean forward when writing or drawing, as it allows the desk to be brought closer to them. Desktop tilt angle adjustment is from 0 to 25 degrees to eliminate slouching and strain in neck and to cater to different tasks, such as reading, writing or drawing, as it requires a different angle for the posture (0-5°  for drawing and similar activities ,approx. 10° for writing, 20°-25° for reading). Adjusting this angle depending on the task will provide your child with a better neck position, which will result in less tiredness and stress. 

tilt angle for reading

tilt angle for writing and drawing

lever for desk tilt – adjustable by child

tilt angle for reading

tilt angle for writing

Extra features:

Based on personal experience, you should try to get an ergonomic table with a spacious functional integrated bookshelf. Else you have books pilling up messily or you need to buy book rack to organise the books. A study table need shelves for all the books, stationery etc else you will need another dedicated book shelf etc.  

integrated book shelf  (to me, this is a must have)

more storage

The surface non reflective prevents light and sun rays from reflecting into the child eye. With the light from the desk light reflected the light rays into the eyes can increase risk of astigmatism, myopia etc.

The table edges are design to be child safe with rounded edge bumper. Some other additional features to this table is the easy mobility ,accessible  stationery storage , bag hanger , wrist support pad that holds book and laptop and you can request for tablet/book holder as well (additional charges applied).

rounded edges

stationery storage

bag hook

tablet/book holder (additional charges applied)

Certified E1 European Safety Standard, the sets are assemble locally with high quality parts sourced overseas, desk board- European standard MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) & quality powder coated cold-rolled steel, PP & ABS plastic.

Ergonomic chair 

The DUOREST DR-289SR Junior Collection Ergonomic Chair  is based on Original Germany Patented Design & Technology. Its dual backrests design is professionally endorsed and recommended by both Singapore Physiotherapy Association & The Chiropractic Association of Singapore. The dual backrest design reduces pressure on the spine, follows the curvature of the spine naturally. 

This chair features adjusted to the seat depth and back rest, seat height adjustment but up to 90kg in weight. The height adjustment is similar to that with the table. If the chair is too high, they won’t be able to rest their feet flat on the floor, applying excess pressure to the back of their thighs. If the chair is too low, this puts them at an awkward position and causes unnecessary strain on their knee joints.

The best part I totally loved is the detachable circular type foot rest which is removable when the kid’s feet can touch the ground.  Instead of getting a separate foot rest, this is attached to the chair itself – ingenious! 

It is made of high density form to provide constant good support, high quality fabric materials to last many years, industrial grade steel & PP plastic parts, ISO certified environment friendly manufacturing facility and class 4 high quality gas cylinder for 100% safety and durability.

dual back rest

adjustable seat depth

adjustable footrest

detachable footrest

Beware of copies outside of Ergoworks, as they are the only company selling DUOREST in South East Asia market.

The ES-8803 table model comes with blue, pink and grey. As for the DUOREST DR-289SR chairs, it comes in blue, pink and green. I chose the combination of grey table and green chair for  a more corporate look and a more gender neutral colour which will look less kiddish as the kid grow older. Buying it as a set will also be entitled to a free gift  Philips LED Eye Care study lamp (worth $79 ) and a Made In Germany Floor Protection Mat  (worth $129 and for prevention against possible scratches & better hygiene). This value bundle set is a complete set up for the children study ergonomic workstation, value for money and hassle free for all parents.

free: floor protection mat

The prices quoted on the website includes 7% GST, delivery (no stair case charge) & installation (by our in house logistic and installation team) with no hidden costs or charges. Ergoworks only provides genuine ergonomic products and sincere services to customers as I am their customers for the past 6 years. 

All Ergoworks products come with free delivery, installation, responsive and a full suite on-site warranty against manufacturing defects and breakdown (excludes surface wear and tear / abuse) , for this value bundle, the warranty is 3 years. 

They have a 3000 square feet full ergonomic concept retail showroom, conveniently located in Marina Square Shopping Mall with friendly and professionally trained Ergonomic Specialists providing correct knowledge and information. Their showroom opens daily (inclusive of public holidays) from 11.30am to 9pm. I would advise to bring your child along to look at the many different models of ergonomic table and chair that they have to find the most suitable model for your long term investment. For picture of their spacious show room, you can see a quick tour here.

MARINA SQUARE

6 RAFFLES BOULEVARD #03-140/141 MARINA SQUARE (ONE LEVEL ABOVE MCDONALD’S)

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

 


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Learning Beautiful Singapore – learn coding without screen in the comfort of home

Coding has been one of the more popular enrichment classes in the recent decade. Benefit of coding are aplenty –  promotes logical thinking , help in creativity, perseverance , improve communication skills , problem solving skills.

However, most if not all coding classes entail looks at the screen though some programming language Scratch etc. So when there was a beautiful home learning wooden kit that is developed at MIT and tested in Montessori classrooms, to teach children ages 3 to 9 computer science without screen, I was most intrigued to try this with my younger boys. With the use of this kit, the children are introduced to computational thinking without computers. 

My eldest did a term of coding through primary school, my no 2 has done it for a holiday camp before but my younger 2 boys have little idea what is coding is about. With a full weekly schedule for my 4 kids – sports, music,  art, enrichment there is simply no time to add on coding to their enrichment classes but it is definitely on my wish-list if the kids or myself can afford the time, typically on during the school holidays if any. 

Very often myself as a parent lack the resources nor strategies to teach computer science or coding as I am not an IT graduate. With the Learning at Home set, I can now confidently plan and engage my younger two boys to explore the world of coding and computer without the use of screen- introducing many concepts such algorithm, binary, encryption, pattern and mapping. 

I totally love the idea how such simple and beautiful hands on materials ,  marrying Montessori Methods,  this kit can break down fundamental of computational thinking to be simple enough for me to guide and teach and to be understood by children as young as 3 years old. 

Let us explore what is in this Learning at Home Set comprising 3 books and 4 tactile sets.

1. Binary Tree Playbook

Exploring the concept of binary and exponential growth, even as an adult who is not in the IT field, I may vaguely understand this but how do I explain it to the kids at their level of understand. This beautifully illustrated book did just that bringing the concept of binary and exponential growth to kids as young as 3. I must say my 8 and 10 years understand it more easily than my 6 year old but I have definitely i prefer money that grow exponentially than linearly. 

2. Binary Tree

To further enhance this concept, what better than hands- on activities and this beautifully crafted binary tree did just that and more. Starting from a single trunk to 2 branches, which gave 4 branches, then to 8 branches – this exponential growth concept cannot be better illustrated than when building this binary tree.

3. Pixel Board Playbook

This play book gives a good introduction to the concept of pixels and computer representing images with numbers. Thereafter, using the pixel cork boards, you can follow the design cards to form the images or even create your own images .

4. Small Pixel Board

More suited for younger kids , this 4×4 pixel cork board, allows children to place white tiles (represented by 0) and black tiles (represented by 1)  into the pixel boards. After finishing the design cards, children are encouraged to try to create own images too! 

5. Medium Pixel Board

For older children, this gives a higher level of difficulties but also more room for creativity as there are more empty squares to build a more refined image. Comes with its own set of design cards as well to build according to given codes. 

6. Alphabet cards

There are many ways to play this  -matching, classification  (the first chapter of science in primary 3!) or even sorting algorithm (which is the core of coding). All these activities are guided in The Learning at Home Handbook. 

7. The Learning at Home Handbook

Consisting many activities using of the above tactile sets and playbooks, this handbook also introduces new concept like mapping, grid coordinates and polar coordinates which are all fundamental concepts to computational thinking. 

My younger children from 6 to 10 years old do not have much coding experiences, so I am surprised how easily they get to learn abstract concepts like binary, exponential growth, pixel, etc through the playbooks and tactile sets.  I love that I can be their teacher to engage them on concepts that I am not familiar with personally, all thanks to this home kit and with zero screen time.  

This is one beautiful home learning kit like no other and one of its kind introducing coding to young children (recommended age 3 to 8 years old)  without the use of computer. This set is available at www.learningbeautiful.com.sg , get 15% OFF when you sign up for their newsletter with free shipping. 

There are also many free home based activities to download from their website too. https://www.learningbeautiful.com/learning-at-home

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


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Going into 2021 with Heart Studio

Small C was over the moon when I managed to slot back his favourite class at Heart Studio  in the my kids’ 2021 weekend schedule. He totally loved the first theme of the year, stacked burger!

Over 4 weeks for the first art project of the year, Teacher Jay will introduce all the components of the burgers and the kids will get to choose what ingredients they want to include in their burgers. I realised that the choice of ingredients was very much dependent of what they like to eat. I have seen a burger artwork with zero greens, hence I guess the kid doesn’t like his greens. 

I am glad that small C was open to suggestion to include not just ingredients he fancies but some other that he does not eat ie onion and pickles for more colour variety of the entire art work. 

This artwork is different from the past as there are lots of cutting after the drawing and painting. After cutting out of all the ingredients, now it was time to stack them on a black paper/background and you see all the colours and components popped up! I think this is my  favourite Heart Studio art piece from small C now! 

If you are thinking of adding an art class for your child, I cannot recommend Heart Studio enough as I can see a different small C whenever he is drawing and painting at Heart Studio

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Heart Studio

1 Charlton Lane #01-04, Singapore 539631

(65) 6554 7563

info@heartstudiosg.com

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


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Sudio NIO – affordability without compromising quality, comfort or connectivity – time to experience #sudiomoment

I have a big fan of Sudio and had own many Sudio wireless earphones. It was Sudio that introduce me to the world of wireless earphones. This time I will be reviewing the Sudio NIO earphones. Undeniably one of the best wireless earphones makers currently, come the latest SudioNIO for those who value superb sound quality, versatility and high-comfort fit at a comfortable price.

At first sight

What is also  unique about this latest edition is a new colour – their newest neutral hue colour: Sand.

Why Sand? Sand is solid, versatile, and light perfectly representing Sudio NIO’s sound performance with flexibility and inclusivity. 

The latest design also features detachable wing tips with 4 sizes for custom fit for any ear. I must say the fit of this pair is the best among the many pair of Sudio that I own. 

A quick side comparison of the charging case vs ETT and TOLV,  NIO’s charging case is clearly more compact than latter.  

Using it

Just like the Sudio ETT and TOLV, it is an automatic switch on and pairing upon removal from case – gone are the days you need to click to pair it with your phone. NIO offers up to 5.5-hour play time that can be extended for up to 20 hours with the charging case. 

It also offer reliable IPX4 rated protection which means the music is uninterrupted even with presence of sweat or rain, making NIO perfect for commuters, runners, and music lovers.

Loving it

The sound quality is amazing as always, even though I am not an audiophile, I can definitely tell a good and crisp sound streaming to my ears! The audio quality of Sudio products has always been its selling point and of course its nifty design –  fashionable and functional! You have to own a pair to truly appreciate Sudio at its best.

And this is truly made for the cost conscious consumers who still need good sound quality, as the pricing is most affordable of the entire range of Sudio wireless earphones without compromise to the sound quality, make or seamless pairing.  

 

There is no better time to invest in a pair of wireless earphones from  Sudio especially if you have been holding out due to price. Frankly, holding it next to ETT or TOLV I cant really tell price wise which is the cheapest. 

As always, all Sudio wireless earphones comes with 3 years international warranty with all products on the websites, free shipping and no questions asked. 

Sudio NIO comes in 4  colours – black, white, green, and sand

Quote mypreciouzkids15 for 15% off,  Sudio NIO is priced at SGD119 after using discount code, it will be at SGD101.15. What a steal especially if this is your first Sudio ! Stay tune for their launch on 11 January. 

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


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One-of-a-kind experience of creating your own perfume with Maison21G – discount code included (for all last minute gifting)

Media invite 

I have owned many brands of perfume, hits and misses, some were memorable, some were just left on my shelves even before finishing the bottle. Of late, I tend to steer towards smaller bottles ie 30ml/50ml so that I can have a variety of scents for different occasions and time of the day too. 

When the invitation by Maison 21G to create my own perfume, I couldn’t be more excited as this is my first time creating and my own perfume. 

Maison 21G  is a House of Scent Designers, they believe that no matter your age, race or background, everyone is able to create their own unique individual scent. Their perfumes are also safe as they are made with essential oil blends, it’s great for expectant mums and mummies with babies and young kids as there are no preservatives or chemicals and at the highest concentration of 21% in the industry. 

You can also design and customise your own perfume online based on personality, perfume preference or ingredients, but I would recommend you doing it at their boutiques (addresses listed below) especially if you are a first timer like me – I totally enjoy the one-hour doing something different for a change. 

I dropped by at Maison 21G flagship boutique at Duxton Hill and had the most amazing experience of creating my own perfume with Amanda. Their flagship shop is a sanctuary in the middle of the leafy and lush Duxton Hill – stepping into their boutique was a reprieve from the busy street of restaurants and cafes. 

There are so much more to perfume creation than how lay man like me appreciate it – purely which scent I prefered  ( I will share more later what I learnt from Amanda after 1 hour spend creating my own perfume) 

There are an extensive range of 34 scents  for you to pick, choose and blend. It may get overwhelming for the creator ie you and your senses , so there is always a perfume expert like Amanda who will need to find out more about your preferences and usage pattern so that you can narrow to between 2 to 4 essential oils to mix and blend. For my creation, I only tried less than 10 scents before narrowing it to my own blend. 

Of course you don’t need to know all these to be able to create your own perfume as Maison 21G will have perfume experts like Amanda to introduce and explain all these but these are the little interesting facts of a perfume which totally make me sound like a perfume expert in an afternoon.  

All perfumes, regardless of where, are made with 3 notes. 
Top Notes: First thing you smell when you spray any perfume. Most volatile molecular structure, lasts for about an hour

Heart Notes: Makes up the body/character of your perfume. Lasts longer, 6 – 8 hours
 
Bottom Notes: Most complex molecular structure, what you smell at the end of the day. Basically lasts for 18 – 24 hours.
 
You will also need to decide if you are creating a day perfume, night perfume or one that takes you from day to night (for eg, if you want a day to night perfume,  you will need to load more of the bottom notes as it lasts the longest) 

For myself, after making my sense of smell do the work and some suggestions by Amanda, my perfume’s formula is a below 

Top Notes:
Muguet  1.5g – positivity, anti-depression and improves complexi

Heart Notes
Patchouli  1.0g -enhances weight loss, relaxing and calming
Rose 1.0g – anti-aging , aphrodisiac, harmonising

Bottom Notes:

Tonka 0.5g – relaxing, aphrodisiac and alleviates anxiety

Next we moved on to this laboratory-like setup – complete with weighing scale, pipette to fill up your very own bottle of bespoke perfume with alcohol as a base, and adding the above formula and letting it set for a few minutes.
 
 
The final step, is to have your name and blend printed on the bottle at no additonal charge. Now that I created my own perfume, I do not think I will ever purchase a store bought perfume any more.
 
The experience of creating my own perfume is truly a unique experience and probably the highlight of my December! And I get a new bottle of my very own bespoke perfume.
 
 
Here is a quick tour of this beautiful sanctuary and the steps for creating your own bespoke perfume.
 
 
Besides individual creation session like the one I tried, there are many other packages for bigger groups – couples , family, bridemaids etc. I am most keen in exploring the family atelier as you get 2 full size bottles and two smaller bottles for the kids (additional SGD 55 for additional child) and apparently kids will ask for the most out of this world scents like chocolate, vanilla, marshmallows etc. I am sure my little missy at home would love to have her own bottle of perfume too.
 
 
This overall experience (a first for many I would reckon) and the  personalised end product makes this a one-of-a-kind gift for family and friends this Christmas and the recipients get to take home their very own perfume – complete with their name and blend. 
 
For all products quote M21Gjaime15 (to enjoy 15% discount on all products) 
 
For for perfume workshops quote M21WSjaime21 (to enjoy 21% discount for all workshops) – no appointment required, just drop in at their boutiques (listed below)
 
 
Address
Flagship Store, 77 Duxton Road, Singapore 089536
ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, #B2-48, Singapore 238801
BHG Bugis Junction, 200 Victoria Street, Singapore 188021

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Review: Term 2 with Heart Studio – small C’s happiest time of the week (part 2)

This is a continuation of term 2 review , see part 1 here 

After completed the first  4-week project and a 2-week technical drawing, the Little Dali went on to explore carnivorous plants. There is a bit of science being injected into art as well. The kids were introduced to 3 common carnivorous plants – Venus flytrap, pitcher plant and sundew with week 1 bring initial sketching and exploration. The art teacher shared fun facts about carnivorous plants and about anything that will piqued their interest in the new theme.

Week 2 , will be translating it into the actual art paper , choosing with carnivorous plant to feature, small C only had place for 2  -Venus fly trap and pitcher plant, and to add colours into the back ground. Small C had used chalk for the clouds.

Week 3 will be to paint more colour details on to the subject and even outlining with paint. There is no handholding, no dictating what is the right colour or how it should be drawn. However, the art teacher will advise on using different colour tones to differentiate the different plants

Finally, to put it all together on the final week, here is another masterpiece done and completed by small C at 5 years and 5 months, his 4th from Heart Studio – ending his second term with Heart Studio.

Next week, I have enrolled big C and small J for their holiday classes, as they do not have the luxury to indulge in regular art classes like small C.

If you are thinking of enrolling your child for a regular art class or even for holiday art classes,  look no further, details are as below. 

Heart Studio 

1 Charlton Lane #01-04, Singapore 539631

(65) 6554 7563

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Review: Harry Potter Science School by Newton Show , amazing camp for potterheads and science enthusiasts

updated May 2021

Quote summer5 for 5% of all Newton Show and Maker 2021 Summer Camp 

Media review 

If you have been following my IG closely, during the circuit breaker, my middle 2 kids started reading the Harry Potter series and got all the rest of the kids hooked on Harry Potter even my 5 year old who is not able to read the books yet. They went on to watch the many  movie installments on repeat mode that they can even memorised the dialogues, characters and all the spells and I can officially declare them as potterheads! We have even earmarked Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio in London as our next holiday destination when we are allowed to travel again. 

yes, i brought the uniforms in all 4 houses – taken on children’s day 2020

With zero overseas holiday and frankly nothing much to look forward to for this long 6-week year end holiday, I came across Newton Show which has been offering Harry Potter holiday camps for years. 

Newton Show is international science camp, started in Europe In 2011. It was started by couple, they noticed their young boy being interested in science, but at that time it was nothing on the market, which fits their child’s needs. They created unique holiday program and become very popular in Europe. In December 2016,  Newton Show open first branch in Singapore with more 10000 happy customers including my 4 kids. 

My 4 kids were so fortunate to be able to join the almost sold-out Harry Potter Science School by Newton Show (one of the 3 Christmas camps for this year end holiday)  on the first week of the school holiday. Targeted for kids from 3 to 13 years old which was the perfect age range for my 4 kids age 5 to 12 to attend a camp together for the first time! 

With the main focus of science which is the core of Newton Show, they have used Harry Potter as the main theme for their activities. This is a sample of the content of the 5-day camp but the activities may be swapped around between the days. 

 
These are what my kids experienced during the 5-day Harry Potter Science School last week. Every day, they get to be totally immersed in the world of Harry Potter and also dabble in many science experiments to pique their curious minds. 
 
Day 1
 
-storytelling of mythical creature- unicorn, mermaid, cerberus, hippogriff
which appears in harry potter whether the exist in real life
– make mythical creature using styrofoam balls
– transfiguration class where they can “turn” their friends into animal/thing
-fire bubble science experiment 
 
 
 
Day 2
– aerodynamic -how thing fly
-how water bends light rays
– make magic potion using glitter and get to name their own potion
– glowing in the dark painting
-3-D art work
 
Day 3
– making artificial snow 
– make own wand
– making mandrake using clay
 
Day 4
– studying different types of stone  
– experiment using liquid nitrogen 
– experiment using dry ice 
– divination class using plasma ball 
 
day 5
-making star constellation using spaghetti and marshmallow
-making lucky charms
-duelling club
-finale- award ceremony
 
 
These are some photos taken during camp by the facilitators which were shared with the parents daily (photo credit: Newton Show) 
 
For social media sharing of some of the mind-blowing science experiments and classes done in camp so that parents get a better idea, I had the privilege to witness a repeat of the some of the activities conducted in camp earlier on the same day for photo taking and video recording purposes as part of this blog review. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I have collated the review of the camp from all my kids of different ages and their takeaways as best as they can describe to me:- 
 
Big J, 11
 
After a heavy academic last quarter , this was a welcome change to indulge in a literary world with science involvement, something different and more exciting than local school classes. This was probably his last break before picking up the pace before PSLE revision starts soon. I would have thought it may be a tad boring for him given he is seemingly “old” for such camp but I was wrong.  He was most excited to see the science experiments as he can make sense of it all more than the rest of the kids and of course, he made many new friends of his age group. 
 
Big C, 9
She enjoyed the camp tremendously as she enjoyed science as a subject (this year being the first year it is introduced at primary 3). So she has more appreciation of the many science experiments conducted in camp. She is also love to tinker hence the camp gave her lots of opportunity to do things, arts, craft that she hardly had time for during school days. 
 
 
Small J, 7
Being the biggest potterhead of them all, he read the first few books during circuit breaker and is totally immersed in the world of Harry Potter. He will just donned on his cloak and pretend play at home. He totally loved all the art and crafting sessions featuring all the Harry Potter related items – mandrake, magic potion, deathly hallow (using 3D pen art). He also totally enjoyed playing chess during the social interaction and games time in the morning.  
 
 
Small C, 5
This was first ever outside camp that he had ever attended and he was a lucky boy as he wass not really alone as he had his older siblings with him. He learned to make new friends out of his comfortable setting. On day 1, he told me that he missed his childcare friends but by day 2 he already was so used to the new camp friends, he totally “forgotten” about his child care friends  (so much for missing them on day 1). He enjoyed hands-on session like making mandrake out of clay, making his own magic wand and playing chess. What a fun and memorable first camp of his life thanks to Newton Show. 
 
All 4 kids had wonderful memories of this holiday camp , totally believing they had graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (they also received certificate of completion and also passed their O.W.L examination) and are full fledged wizards now! They have also forged friendship with campmates and all the engaging professors/facilitators! 
 
 
 
Given a typical year where we have our usual year end holidays, this camp would be just 1 of the many holiday activities but this being the unusual year, this camp was THE highlight of their school holidays that just began. I am glad they started their holidays with this awesome camp, and I am sad that I do not have anything better to offer them for the remaining 5 weeks.
 
Now you know which camp you can send your kids too if they are too bored at home or you just want to have 1 week reprieve and let your kids will have a blast on their own! 
 
For the camp fee of SGD 630, it is an all-inclusive camp – all materials, 2 snacks, lunch, t-shirt, photo, certificate and prizes included and they will provide daily video (the only camp in Singapore that sends you a daily video). I totally appreciate their effort to compile and update the parents on a daily basis of the happenings in camp so that we can talk about it at the end of the day and share their excitement too! 

Besides the super popular Harry Potter camp, if you are not so much of a potter head like my kids there is Santa Science  and Mythbusters Science  camps at 3 location – Center, East and West (address below)
,

Most of the camps have been sold out or with very limited places remaining, for latest information and camp availability, pls click here

CENTER: 6 and 9 Mohamed Sultan Rd, 02/02 238959 Singapore

and 221 River Valley Road

WEST: 887a Bukit Timah Road

EAST: 229 Joo Chiat Road

For more information or registration, 

email: info@newtonshow.com

phone: +65 8264 6655

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Favflorist – of freshest blooms and unique flower domes , online florist offering flower delivery in Singapore

I don’t think there is any lady who does not love fresh blooms, Favflorist , is an  online florist in Singapore  famed for its fresh flower bouquets from as low as $21.90, using only the latest and freshest flowers, free of pesticides and each creation is intricately designed by experienced florists. 

Flowers are for all occasions, coincidentally my anniversary was round the corner, hence I thought a flower and cake combination would be a lovely anniversary gift. My anniversary celebration had been always been an after thought, but we do want to do something we remembered by. One year, we had a staycation and celebrated over dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. Last year, was the most memorable as it coincided with my business trip in HK, so my husband flew over and we had a romantic dinner overlooking the HK harbour. 

This year being the unfortunate year (even dining, we have to be on separate tables as we are a family of 6), I wasn’t really in a mood to plan an extravagant dinner nor staycation so I was really looking forward to this arranged gift from Favflorist (thank you for making my anniversary a memorable one) to commemorate our wedding anniversary.

I was about to choose a pink bouquet until I saw their unique flower dome. Very often I feel sad when my bloom withered and dried up. I never own a flower dome before, so I thought instead of the usual fresh blooms, I opted for a flower dome bundle with a 6-inch cake to commemorate my 13th wedding anniversary. They have more than 10 types of flower domes, I had a hard time choosing the flower dome that I like as they were all so pretty. After deciding on my choice of flower dome, next I had to choose the cake (more than 30 types to choose from) of my choice – so being a chocolate lover – this was easier than choosing the flower dome! The cakes are sourced from Whyzee , which I also reviewed it before here , no-frills good quality cake. 

Their preserved flower domes has been beautifully created.. The best part of this flower dome is the beauty can be admired for a long time. They even have LED lights to bring out creation and can be a home decor piece in itself. So I have kept it by my bed side as a decor piece and even as a night light! 

come in a beautiful black gift box

really pretty at night by my bedside with LED lights switched on

mightily pleased with my choice

 

my kind of cake – full chocolate!

 

pretty much sums up my wedding celebration, flower dome and cake from Favflorist and hubby bought me a fresh bouquet for dinner

The delivery was within a 3-hour time frame and it came during the assigned time slot, good service delivery. The flower dome came in beautiful black box (perfect for gifting) and cake arrived still chilled.

They also have different bundles like fresh flower with  cake, or flower with balloons beside the bundle I had ordered, if you prefer fresh flowers instead of flower dome or balloon instead of cake. They offer free same day  flower delivery in Singapore  for all orders even for the cheapest of orders, so if you don’t really want to splurge they offer very affordable bouquets., 

Favflorist

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Andsoforthjr’s Around the World in 80 days – not to be missed amazing sets and experiences for the entire family

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This was our fourth time catching production by Andsoforthjr (since 2017) and I do come with very high expectations as their shows had always been memorable especially from the eyes of my precious kids – there is nothing quite like this in Singapore.

Taking a trip back to 2017, we had our very first unforgettable immersive experience  with Wonderland exploring all the characters of Alice in Wonderland. In 2018, they explored the stories by brother Grimm’s through Tales of Grimmsneyland Then they went big with 22 Stories, a massive sets of 22 Stories and many hours of fun like no other but I missed the more intimate settings like the previous 2 installments. 

With this year almost ending (we watched a grand total of 1 show that was in January),   I am so glad there is 2020 edition and a live event (frankly I had quite enough of virtual experiences at the comfort of home). They are back to the intimate setting (same location as the first 2 installments) with single theme immersive experience and if you have missed the previous immersive productions for kids, this year’s Around the World in 80 days has set the bar so high, that even myself  who had been to their sets in the past 3 years, I am so impressed and blown away and waiting to reread the classic all over again. 

Analysing the famous classic by Jules Verne, there is no better time to explore the topic of travel (I am having huge cabin fever no thanks to Covid) for some bitter sweet nostalgia. Following the journey of Phileas Fogg as he try to win a wager through 5 locations and experience (kids edition, the adult dinner edition has 2 more locations):

Location and Experience 1:

The set looking just like in the 19th century, West End Theatre in London, as the narrator tells the story of Phileas Fogg especially for the young and some old (like my husband) who has not read the classic, and the kids get experience handling money and purchasing their own tickets at a ticket booth. 

Location and Experience 2:

On board The Mongolia as the ship travelled from Suez to Mumbai, in a replica ship cabin completed with ropes and candeliers, my kids learnt some sailors’ language and learn to tie a sailor’s knot!

 

Location and Experience 3:

Arriving in Mumbai, India and through the jungles of Calcutta , we got to see life sized elephant puppet and 3-d craft provided (this is to be done at home)

 Location and Experience 4 (my personal favourite):

In the Kowloon Canton Railway in Hong Kong , complete with Chinese music streaming into the cabin and the experience of a moving set using video projection. For the brief moment of 15 minutes, I actually momentarily thought that I was in a train but the moment ended too briefly (making me realized how much I have miss travelling). The kids get to learn a write on a postcard and Victorian language. 

Location and Experience 5:

Arriving in the coal mine of Japan, to pay homage to coal which were the main sources of energy for transportation in the past and this was the very fuel that allowed Phileas Fogg to travel around the world. The kids did charcoal sketching and also played with shadow. 

I shall not spoil it too much here as this was a wholesome experience bringing a classic to life from a workshop perspective, still very immersive in nature, the amazing narrators who brought the each location, story and experience alive especially to the young one and credit definitely goes to the amazing set (no detail spared), the best of Andsoforthjr doing this classic its due honour. After the show, my husband said that he now must read the classic and each kid had their own favourite location and experience. I am also hoping this would be  a great introduction for my older kids to pick up the classic even if it is the abridged version. We booked the afternoon slot and it was just the perfect post exam family bonding for my family (not weather dependent too). With no travel in sight, in the words of my kids we “travelled” the world in 1 afternoon. 

I do have more video on my IGS, however, if you would really keep the elements of suspense, surprise and experience it for the first time with your kids, I prefer you not to unless you are sitting on the fence and wanting to know more. 

Weekends from now to 20 Dec ( numerous slots but cap at 10 pax per slot) 

$48/pax 

For Ages: 3 to 10

Parent or adult must accompany children who are 7 and below.
All attendees are required to purchase tickets.
Children 2 and below come for $1

Duration: 75mins

Book here, some weekends are already sold out.  


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