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Hide and Seek Fun with Sam & Sally [A review + a giveaway!]

June 2, 2015

I am fighting a real battle limiting screen time these days. Everywhere there’s bombardment of the message – give your child an iPad! a smartphone! more TV! – and it’s hard to win the battle in this day and age with so many educational apps to download for free and the ever present temptation to chuck them a device to keep them quiet.

I confess. I forgot my activity book for Nat one of those days we were stuck waiting to be served at HDB (yes, we’ll be moving, but that’s for another day) and I had to give him my iPhone with the Bible stories app by Olive Tree. I was fascinated myself – the interaction, the graphics, the well-designed content – and it almost made me want to buy second hand iPads just to download the app for the kids’ bedtime stories.

But then I quickly chanted my personal mothering mantra: Let’s stick to the good ol’ and I was determined to banish that thought into the abyss forever.

I’m loving the folks at Scholastic Education because they totally understood my struggle. They’ve so kindly sent me the recently released new series of fun hidden puzzles for children, and I now have more activity books to keep my kids occupied while we wait at restaurants and during the children’s free time at home.

Sam and Sally are keeping my little Becks particularly thrilled, because colouring is her favourite thing right now. It’s making me thrilled too because I am getting her to recognise words to start her on her reading, and these books are coming in handy to help in the literacy bit. The series apparently aid in vocabulary building too since the puzzles are arranged by themes, and also help the child develop his spatial intelligence, since the reader has to be searching for the hidden items.

Here’s my little reviewer showing you how she bonds with Sam and Sally and not my iPad:

The 'Sam and Sally' Series come in a complete set of 3:

The ‘Sam and Sally’ Series come in a complete set of 3: Sam & Sally Go to School, Sam & Sally Out and About, and Sam & Sally at Home

Reading the words at the bottom of each page first...

Reading the words at the bottom of each page first…

Looking intently and pointing to each word

Looking intently and pointing to each word

Search and colour!

Search and colour!

Meeting Sam in his bedroom, and now, colouring the hidden items!

Meeting Sam in his bedroom, and now, colouring the hidden items!

I like that each book contains 28 picture puzzles and over 200 words, including a thoughtful challenge in each puzzle to encourage speaking and thinking. I like that even if I am not around to read the new vocabulary with my little girl, she is colouring on a page that’s print-rich. Most importantly, she’s exercising her ability to seek while the hidden puzzles hide, which could greatly aid in her spatial awareness.

It’s these things that my children should be investing their time in, and for their age, surely technological devices can wait.

And here’s a giveaway!

Scholastic continues to support teachers and parents as a trusted name in learning by remaining focused on encouraging children to learn to read and love to learn. The good folks are giving away ONE complete set of three Sam and Sally titles to one of Motherkao’s readers.

Simply launch the Rafflecopter app to qualify for chances in the draw:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One winner will be selected by the Rafflecopter app after the giveaway ends on 10 June 2015 12:00AM. By taking part in the draw, you are also agreeing to collection of your prize (should you win) at the Scholastic Education office at 81 Ubi Ave 4, #02-28, UB. ONE, Singapore 408830.

Let’s say yay to more reading time and less screen time for our children!

Disclosure: Motherkao received a set of Sam and Sally series for the purpose of this review and giveaway. She did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. All opinions here are her own. Of course, please feel free to differ should you believe that screentime and engagement with devices are necessary for your child. Activity books are cheaper, actually.

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18 Comments

  • Reply rina lim June 6, 2015 at 12:15 AM

    this book is great for my kid. it seem fun and he simply love colouring and activity book . . hope to win this book for him and he can exploring and learn new word too

  • Reply Robert Sim June 4, 2015 at 9:26 AM

    The books look very colourful and interesting and will probably attract my active second boy to do the activities inside.

  • Reply Wong Yuefen June 4, 2015 at 8:22 AM

    These books looks so fun and I hope to engage my 4-yo with short attention span, to get him seated for longer periods to learn.

  • Reply Carol Lim June 3, 2015 at 6:15 PM

    Hope to win for my four year old, to get him more interested in doing table work and learning new vocabulary. Thanks!

  • Reply Geraldine June 3, 2015 at 2:42 PM

    These books look fun to engage my 3 kids to love learning.

  • Reply Celyn Huang June 3, 2015 at 2:39 PM

    my boys enjoy finding those hidden pictures

  • Reply Jingxian June 3, 2015 at 1:09 PM

    My 5yo recently is into puzzles and playing “Find the difference”. He will love these books to bits.

  • Reply annie June 3, 2015 at 11:40 AM

    Hope to have these books so that I can cut down on the iPad times for the kids…
    thanks!~ 🙂

  • Reply Andrew lim June 3, 2015 at 10:19 AM

    These books are fantastic and would be good for me to keep my preschoolers occupied when we are out! Can teach him more words too.

  • Reply Winnie June 3, 2015 at 10:16 AM

    These books look so fun for my kids.

  • Reply theresa tay June 3, 2015 at 10:02 AM

    The books looks fun and great to entertain and occupy my preschooler when we are outside or on long car rides! At the same time i can also expand his vocabulary and play alphabet games with it 🙂

    Hope to win it 🙂

  • Reply Sharmaine June 2, 2015 at 11:55 PM

    Would like to inject new activity books to our existing collection.

  • Reply Sandra New June 2, 2015 at 11:33 PM

    Really helpful for my 5yo boy especially he likes colouring.
    He can learn new words and pictures with different themes.

  • Reply Leong Sook Ling Rosalind June 2, 2015 at 11:24 PM

    Fb name:Rosalind Leong
    hope to win these books as my 4 and 6 years old are getting engross with mobile game. Hubby even taught him how to play a marvel hero fighter game. While i hardly on tv and mobile games on weekdays, weekend I cannot control as well. Hope they could find books like this and enjoy themselves while I cook!

  • Reply Chris Ang June 2, 2015 at 11:13 PM

    It is quite a challenge to find such activity books. Most times, we find assessment books in major bookstores. Otherwise, there is always limited numbers available and not enough quantity to buy for 3 active boys. Most times, I will let my sister have it since she has one boy. My two boys love fun activity books. Hope I can win for them!

  • Reply Jaime chan June 2, 2015 at 10:33 PM

    my 4 yr old will enjoy this set of books

  • Reply Claudia June 2, 2015 at 9:06 PM

    These books look fun! Hope to win this for my girls. 🙂

  • Reply Ting June 2, 2015 at 7:42 PM

    I think theses are great books to start with my little boy to introduce more vocabulary and words to him thru play!

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