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Versatility, uninterrupted: 10 reasons why you need to get that Philips Airfryer NOW

December 19, 2013

Ever since I started sharing on social media about my new kitchen wonder-tool, I’ve been getting quite a number of questions from friends, relatives and readers of this blog if the food that’s been cooked by my Philips Avance XL Airfryer tasted as good as they looked. And ever since my user experience post of the Philips Airfryer went live last month, I’ve gotten even more questions about the functions and specs of this versatile cooking machine, and if it’s really as good as I wrote it to be. Most of the people that’s approached me mainly have one huge doubt looming above their heads:

“Will it be worth my money? Does the air-frying really work?”

I am still very amazed by how technology has progressed to the point Rapid Air can be used to fry food similar to deep frying (but way much healthier), and how a kitchen gadget like this can achieve so much with so little effort that I’ve decided it’s time to answer all your questions in this post.

So here it is: ten reasons why you absolutely need to go get the Philips Airfryer for your kitchen and experience Rapid Air Technology for yourself.

1. The Philips Airfryer lets you INDULGE in fried treats guilt-free

Yes, it really cooks WITHOUT the oil. I don’t know how many incredulous gasps I’ve heard whenever I talk about the Airfryer and tell people you don’t need to add oil. Nobody seems to be able to come to terms with the fact that you can fry food without using profuse amount of it. And have the food still taste crispy. And cooked tenderly on the inside.

Let me share with you how it’s done. The Airfryer emits hot air from the top which is circulated rapidly and evenly within the device to cook the food and this is what goes into its unique design:

And so the secret is this: it’s the temperature you select that helps make the food crunchy and crispy à la deep fried style. At a temperature of up to 200°C, the air moves quickly and forcefully within the Airfryer to add that perfect crisp to the exterior of the food that’s being cooked.

Recently airfried for dinner: tau kwa, shishamo and batang fish

How’s that for technology. It doesn’t just remove the need to put an excessive amount of oil to eat things fried, it takes away every single drop of guilt too, especially for fried food lovers like me.

2. It’s a solid helper you can count on especially when you need to host

We host friends for dinner quite often and I am so, so glad for a kitchen tool that can help me cook food fast! Although I have to cook in batches with the Airfryer, I can now make different things in a shorter amount of time compared to using just only my stove and oven. Just last month, we had Fatherkao’s wine buddies come over for dinner, and thanks to the Airfryer, I could make Cajun fried wings in it (something spicy for the adults!) which would otherwise be impossible, while grilling honey wings that’s non-spicy for the kids in the oven and preparing aglio-olio and chowder on the stove. And because the wings can be airfried really fast (8 minutes at 200°C, and only 16 minutes if you have 2 batches), I was able to airfry two batches of shrimp toast with caviar for the guests as appetisers while we wait for the rest of the food to be prepped.

Cajun airfried wings: rub with salt, pepper, cornflour and Cajun spices and airfry for 6 minutes at 200 deg C

Pulse frozen shrimp, 2 slices of ginger, 2 cloves of garlic in the food processor; season with salt & pepper; spread paste on toast or slices of baguette, airfry to crispiness at 195 deg C for 4-5 minutes

Shrimp toast with caviar: pulse frozen shrimp, 2 slices of ginger, 2 cloves of garlic in the food processor; add dash of salt & pepper; spread paste on toast or slices of baguette, airfry to crispiness at 195 deg C for 4-5 minutes.
Serve with a dollop of Thousand Island Dressing and a little caviar or flying fish roe for decadence.

Takes awesome and healthy cooking to a whole new level, and increases the number of dishes you can place on the table for your guests too! Needless to say, our guests enjoyed all the food, including the airfried ones!

3. The Airfryer lets you grill, roast and gratinate too

FAQs and recipes in here, and more from www.kitchen.philips.com

Besides airfrying, the Philips Airfryer lets you grill, roast and gratinate. Once again, it’s knowing how to set specific temperatures and timing with your preferred recipes of glazed, marinated, or dipped-in-batter food that helps you do that.

Philips gives you a collection of Airfryer Recipes with every purchase of their Airfryer to start off your culinary adventures and the recipes come with recommended timings and temperatures. Once you get the hang of it, you are basically set to create on your own and cook up a storm!

4. Yes, air-baking is also possible

The type of heat transfer used in the Airfryer is that of convection, and this appliance allows you to leverage prolonged dry heat by this method of heat transfer to bake too.

To be honest, I was sceptical when I learned about this. Make that very sceptical. I bake a lot and it really makes me uncomfortable to know that Rapid Air Technology can be used to bake my desserts. Huh, like how is it possible?

So I had to try it, see it and taste it for myself.

I recently put a batch of Red Velvet cupcakes in both my Airfryer and my Ariston oven. My main gripe about using the Airfryer is that the space is tight and if I’ve got lots of batter, it’s gonna take me forever. But having said that, I could always use my oven to bake my stuff and let the Airfryer handle the leftover batter (which I often have) – and that would work perfect too!

I mentioned the tight space…

Anyway. Here’s the Red Velvet baked in the Airfryer (on the left) and in the oven (on the right). This was before they were frosted.

Airbaked to the left, from the oven on the right

As you can see, the one that’s airbaked is more fluffed and uneven. My mum-in-law, whom I was baking this batch of cupcakes for, thought I was making huat kueh (chinese fortune cakes)!

I wasn’t able to use the normal paper liners in the Airfryer. I had to use the more sturdy muffin cases, hence, the larger size for the airbaked ones. Before I frosted the airbaked ones, I also had to trim away the fluffed up bits to level each one for the cream cheese frosting (read: MORE work).

Frosted: the airbaked one’s on the right now with a red glazed cherry, while the one baked in the oven is on the left with a green glazed cherry

Cupcakes ready and waiting for Grandma!

Taste-wise, I was surprised to find that the airbaked cupcake wasn’t cakey at all but instead tasted softer and fluffier than the oven-baked ones! I must say, I didn’t expect myself to prefer the taste of the ones baked in the Airfryer, but I did. I’m definitely sceptical no more.

It’s gonna be perfect for churning out small chiffon cakes and I’m thinking of making some for Christmas with my Airfryer already!

**5. It’s got super size benefits, yea, the XL kind**

The Avance Collection Airfryer XL is 2100W and has a a larger cooking capacity at 1.2kg compared to its 0.8kg, 1400W Viva Collection counterparts. This means that if you’ve got a large family to feed, you get more capacity and enhanced performance in terms of power and speed. I LIKE! I have three tiny mouths to feed and three adults to cook for, and this big black mama is just perfect for its size and volume for the amount of food that needs to be prepped for the family.

6. It cooks your food with precision and is designed to look futuristic cool

The digital touch screen on the Philips Avance XL Airfryer allows you to control the time and temperature of your cooking in a more precise way, which is a huge improvement from its Viva (HD9220) with its turn timer and temperature control (but Philips has also recently launched the digital version of the Viva). It also has a unique starfish-grooved pan which is designed such that you don’t need to turn your food at all while it’s cooking in the fryer, plus a cool sleek exterior that shouts futuristic sophistication which makes all the other kitchen gadgets (at least the ones I have, some of them) look terribly ancient.

Sleek, sophisticated, cool

The future is already here.

7. No more running, scrambling or toiling

Three of the best things that’s ever happened when the Airfryer came into my life are:

(1) I no longer need to make a 1-metre dash whenever I fry something (think sliding a pomfret into a pool of hot oil – you run too, like me, don’t you?),

(2) I no longer need to scramble to take the laundry out when the frying begins, and

(3) I no longer need scrub the kitchen after the frying is over

My kitchen is a pathetically small space which means that oily deep-fried cooking smells get trapped in the confines for a long time whenever we attempt to fry our food. Before the airfryer came, one of the reasons why we hardly deep fry food is the ridiculous amount of cleaning that needs to be done just to have a plate of fried fish. There’s the stainless steel backing to wipe, the floor to clean and the oil stains on the wall to scrub. And every time we want to fry something, it has to be on a sunny day where the laundry can be hung out. I once tried to pan fry some salmon fillets with marmite on a wet day and our freshly done laundry hanging indoors ended up smelling so stinky we had to wash everything again when the meal was over.

Which explains why I never allow any frying to take place on a rainy day (I can’t hang the clothes out!). And why we would pay for deep fried almost anything from calamari to grouper to pork ribs when we eat at zi char stalls. And why we’ve been mostly slow-cooking and steaming our food.

The Airfryer comes with an integrated air filter to dissipate unwanted cooking smells. As the air inside the Airfryer takes only a short time to heat up, you can even open up the device even in the midst of cooking to check on the food / add seasoning / remove items, something impossible if you’re deep frying anything in hot oil.

I’ve placed my Airfryer close enough to the kitchen windows so that the hot steam can find its way out of my house (you’re advised by the user manual to leave at least a 10-cm free space at the back, sides and top of the appliance). Even then, that’s usually minimal and lasts a short while.

Placed near the window so the steam and fumes can dissipate quicker!

Placed near the window so the steam and fumes can dissipate quickly!

The last I checked, my kitchen floor is not greasy and there is no smell on my wall. My domestic helper is forever grateful.

8. No assembly required, just open and use

There are only three items that make this device: the cooking basket (with a basket handle) where you put your food (this is the 1st piece), the pan that collects the excess oil and food remnants (this is the second), and the main fryer unit complete with a control panel in front, air outlet openings and air inlet on top, and a drawer that holds the pan and basket which glides out to stop at a maximum distance like a sturdy tray table (this is the third).

No assembly required (clockwise): the Airfryer body unit; the Airfryer even when in use can be pulled out to a maximum distance (and nothing falls off); and the pan & frying basket

Yea, that’s pretty much it. Completely uncomplicated.

9. It’s easy peasy to wash and clean

You know how deep-fryers are, they are notoriously difficult to wash and clean. But not the Airfryer. There’s basically only the frying basket that needs a little scrubbing, and the non-stick starfish-grooved pan to clean. Some hot water, washing liquid and a non-abrasive sponge would do the job.

What’s more, you can place aluminium foil paper or baking parchment in it so the scrubbing is really minimal. Just make sure you give enough room for the air to circulate and not foil the sheets all around too tightly. If you’re worried about having to scrub off skins that stick to the basket, lightly brush the basket with a little olive oil and you pretty much would have an easy life cleaning up.

10. Fret not, you’ve got support

So even if the day comes and you’ve exhausted all the possibilities of creating food with the Airfryer, don’t throw the Airfryer out or banish it to some deserted shelf space yet! You can find hundreds of recipes to push your creative boundaries with the Airfryer by joining the ‘I Love Philips Airfryer’ social media community on Facebook, which is followed by 10,000 over fans from all around the world.

It’s really fascinating, the things that have been created and cooked by the Airfryer. You will definitely get some inspiration yourself, as have I. You can also ask questions and connect with people who are using the Philips Airfryer from all over the world.

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Chef Dable Kwan, the founder and owner of the ‘I Love Philips Airfryer’ community and pick up tips on how to develop unique recipes with the Airfryer at the Philips Airfryer Launch last month. She AIR grilled, baked, fried, gratinated and roasted five dishes for us to sample, and I was totally blown away. That woman is now officially my cooking inspiration! Do check out the recipes on the page to see what Dable and other fans of the Airfryer have created.

I got to watch a cooking demonstration and a cook-off, plus overeat (again) at the Philips Airfryer Launch

I got to watch a cooking demonstration and a cook-off, plus overeat at the Philips Airfryer Launch

With Chef Dable Kwan, my Airfryer inspiration!

I totally love the idea that it’s now possible to get so much “support” from people who are so willing to share their experience using just one kitchen appliance with social media, and being able to maximise that one versatile appliance to its fullest!

~~~

There you have it. I hope the huge doubt looming above your head is gone. Yes, the Airfryer really works. Really.

Cook with Air today! And here’s a discount code for you!

Cook with Air today! Quote [MotherKao] and buy the Philips Viva Digital Airfryer at $399(Usual price: $459 | FREE $50 SHOPPING VOUCHER) and Philips Avance XL Airfryer at $479 (Usual price: $539 | FREE $50 SHOPPING VOUCHER) at the PHILIPS EXPERIENCE SHOWROOM*.

This promotion is valid from 1st December till 31st January 2014.

*Limited to 1 Airfryer per person. IC must be produced.

The PHILIPS EXPERIENCE SHOWROOM is at 620A Lorong 1 Toa Payoh Building TP4 Level 1 S(319762) | Tel: 6882 5800

Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9.00 am – 7.00 pm | Saturday: 9.00 am – 1.00 pm | Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays

The Philips Viva Digital Airfryer and Philips Avance XL Airfryer are also available at regular prices in leading electronics stores, department stores and supermarkets island-wide.

Disclosure: This post is the part of a series of sponsored conversations with Philips Singapore. I was given the Philips Avance Collection Airfryer XL for the purpose of this review and paid to cook and eat 100% guilt-free by the good people at Philips but all opinions here are my own.

23 Comments

Learning fun! Milestones and growing up The real supermom

The kiasu mother strikes

December 18, 2013

We’re all set for next year!

Weekly schedule prepared and learning wall updated – check.

Individual learning outcomes for Ben and Becks for 2014 – check.

Learning spaces organised, materials for next year researched, purchased and tested – check.

I’m a scary, kiasu mother, I know.

In other news, I’m taking a break from blogging for a while (except for some of my scheduled posts which you would be seeing – look out for the Airfryer one tomorrow!) because I’m off to saranghaeyo (drama)land where melodrama prevails and love always triumphs all.

Need.to.escape. before a new year begins!

2 Comments

Becks Kao Ben Kao Enrichment Invites & Tryouts Learning fun! Reviews

Learning the Eye Level way

December 14, 2013

When I received an invitation from Eye Level to learn more about their programmes, I almost wrote back to say that my children did not have myopia (thank God!) and wouldn’t be needing programmes to help them improve their eyesight.

I mean, a place called Eye Level must have something to do with helping children tackle their vision woes, no?

Clearly, I was mistaken. And boy was I glad not to let my assumptions get the better of me.

Prior to their international rebranding last year, Eye Level Learning Center was widely known as E-nopi. Eye Level is a leading enrichment education provider that has its origins from South Korea and operates in 15 different countries with over 2.5 million students. It has established a significant presence here in Singapore since 2011 with 9 centres around the island and an enrolment of over 900 students providing enrichment in the areas of Mathematics and English for children between the ages of 4 and 14.

Eye Level holds steadfast to the educational principle of seeing things from a student’s perspective – hence, eye level. The name is inspired by a story about a teacher who was found kneeling down to look up at every painting he saw at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC. His reason for appreciating art on his knees? He was an elementary school teacher and would be bringing his students to the museum the next day, so he wanted to know how they would enjoy every painting from where they stood.

At Eye Level, students learn at their own pace and are taught the invaluable skill of self-directed learning. Programmes are systematic and individualised to cater to each child’s learning needs and abilities, and customised using their unique methods of teaching and learning.

I was really curious how this would all translate into actual mastery of skills and concepts for my preschoolers, and since I almost never say no to outsourcing (a tired home-teaching mom also needs a break, yes?), the Kao kids (Ben and Becks) and I accepted their invitation to find out more about what this enrichment centre has to offer. The teacher in me also badly needed to know how it’s possible to get my three- and four-year-old to do self-directed learning.

We visited the Eye Level Learning Center at City Square Mall which I have walked past several times thinking it was an optometry shop with a designated play area for kids (yea, I thought that was really cool). What I immediately liked about the place: the environment was bright and cheery, and space appeared to be well maximised. I liked the bright colours, the fact that it wasn’t claustrophobia-inducing like some learning centres I see in some malls, and the cosy play area outside the centre with math games and English books that were within reach. The classrooms were spacious and the environment looked inviting enough for a child to sit down to learn.

I learned also that there’s a lot of flexibility and individualised learning taking place in each classroom. At Eye Level, there is no structured lesson where the teacher conducts teacher-talk. The uniqueness in their programme lies in the quality of their materials and the fact that each student’s learning is customised for them by the levels determined by these materials (more on that in another post). The student turns up for the time slot he or she has chosen every week (or twice a week) to complete the assigned work with a certified instructor who would then guide and provide feedback. This means that a range of students of different ages can be in the same classroom but the students are all doing different assignments acquiring different skills and concepts. There would be no more than 8 students for the older age group in a class at one time but students as young as Becks (3 years old) would usually get one-to-one attention.

What is also interesting is that there is also no fixed duration for each lesson. Every week, work is assigned (with a skill / concept to master) and the child will be trained to do self-directed learning (with guidance from the instructor available) according to his or her own pace. The activities in the materials are designed to be completed in an hour, but there is no rule that says the student has to leave after one hour or stay till the hour is up. Each lesson is flexible in that it follows the child’s pace, and keeps the big picture in mind: that the student has a concept / skill to learn and that the objective of the lesson is that the student learns it well no matter how long it takes.

Ben and Becks enrolled in Eye Level’s Math Programme and Play Math Progamme respectively early this December after taking their diagnostic tests (that is why you are seeing pictures of them in the classrooms!), and I am pleased to be taking on ambassadorship for Eye Level and to be sharing with you more about Eye Level, come next year. I will also be writing updates on the Kao kids’ progress, as well as show you a glimpse of some of Eye Level’s very excellently designed learning materials.

The kids have gone for two lessons now, and so far, it’s been something they look forward to this holidays. They are, surprisingly, getting very proactive in their learning, which I’m glad for, and picking up some mathematical concepts which is otherwise quite difficult to learn from their math-dumb mom (another post, another time about my inability to handle numbers). We’re all looking forward to more meaningful learning next year, so do watch this space!

More details:

For more on Eye Level’s Math and English Programmes, visit their website or connect with them on their Facebook page. To find an Eye Level Learning Center near you, check out the locations of their centres here.

AND JUST FOR MOTHERKAO READERS:

Eye Level is extending a promotional offer to all Motherkao readers! For $10 (usual price $60), your child can take the diagnostic test, attend a trial lesson (30-45 min) and get a complimentary study skill analysis.

Simply quote [Motherkao] to enjoy this offer via walk-in to any of the Eye Level Learning Centers island-wide. You can also leave a Facebook message on Eye Level’s Facebook Page or make a telephone enquiry to any of the Eye Level centres.

Disclosure: Ben and Becks have been invited to attend Eye Level’s Math and PlayMath for a term of three months. Motherkao has accepted sponsorship for her reviews of their programmes and endorsement of the centre. All opinions here are Motherkao’s own (with input from the two Kao kids).

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Christmas happiness Food, glorious food! Invites & Tryouts Motherkao loves... Product Reviews

Eating up a Winter Wonderland

December 13, 2013

You know Christmas is here when the kids got to experience a winter wonderland in a totally new way.

Last week, the kids gathered around the Winter Wonderland Cake that the good folks at PrimaDéli sent over, and squealed with delight as they drooled over a fresh cream-covered blackforest sponge adorned with strawberry snowmen, chocolate mushrooms, white chocolate snowflakes and sugared Christmas trees!

The Winter Wonderland cake from PrimaDéli’s Christmas Collection this year was such a treat for the eyes and oh so pretty! Just hovering around the cake for three minutes got Ben, Becks and Nat very, very, thrilled. They couldn’t wait to eat what they were seeing.

And chomped down those sugary treats they did. They were on an all-time sugar high after savouring all the things that made up the winter wonderland.

And so was I. There was also a little hut made of yummy dark chocolate which I made the kids stay away from – cos’ it was mine to indulge in. Hurhurhur. That, plus the awesomely light and decadent blackforest cake wrapped in fresh white cream. Mmm…mmm.

We cleaned up the wonderland in a matter of minutes and had ourselves a truly merry time picking (from the cake), licking (the sweet treats) and laughing (at our cream covered faces).

Oh what a night! Is Christmas here already? Merry Christmas, everyone!

Thank you, PrimaDéli, for letting us experience winter wonderland with our senses this Christmas!

Christmas makes a great reason to feast, have a party and be merry! Excite the kids with a colourful array of PrimaDéli’s sweet treats this holiday and get everyone in the festive mood for the coming Yuletide.

The cheery Winter Wonderland cake (approx 760g) is available at PrimaDeli at $45.90. Other treats suitable for children also include The Gingerbread boy and girl sold individually and priced at $2.50 each; Christmas Cupcakes (in a set of nine, of any one flavour which includes Chocolate Divine and Vanilla Cinnamon amongst others) priced at $27; Merry Cookies (a selection of Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate Tarts or Deluxe Almond Cookies) at $14.80 a tin; and Chef’s Supreme Pie (16cm diameter) priced at $11.90.

The PrimaDéli Christmas Collection 2013 is available from 21 November to 25 December 2013. The closing date for all Christmas orders is 20 December 2013. Check out more on PrimaDéli’s Christmas Collection here.

Disclosure: We received the Winter Wonderland cake with compliments from PrimaDéli. No monetary compensation was received for this post and all opinions here are our own.

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Christmas happiness Happy days Invites & Tryouts Nat Kao Product Reviews

Getting BIG HUGS this Christmas (featuring Sesame Street’s Elmo!)

December 10, 2013

It’s Christmas time!

Nat goes to the stores. Nat sees Elmo at a toy fair.

Nat sits down to watch promo clip. Nat is fascinated.

Nat wants a picture with Elmo. No, make that a picture with many Elmos.

Nat goes home. Mama’s not buying any.

Hasbro Singapore sends the Kao kids an early Christmas gift!

And…

The kids are thrilled. Nat is MOST thrilled.

Elmo asks for a hug and Nat gives it.

Elmo asks Nat to hold him tighter. Nat obliges.

They have a conversation. They laugh. Elmo sings. Nat giggles.

Best Christmas present so far!

Big Hugs Elmo is an interactive and educational plush toy that invites preschoolers to cuddle, pretend, sing, dance, and explore while learning the alphabet, numbers, shapes, colours and more. Your child can give and receive hugs from the Hasbro Playskool Sesame Street Big Hugs Elmo who would move his arms to return a hug, plays songs, dances with your child and engages him or her with four fun imaginative activities, including playing astronauts and playing rabbits.

Disclosure: Christmas came early for the Kao kids when Hasbro Singapore sent over Big Hugs Elmo on behalf of Santa. We received the latest offering from Hasbro for the purpose of this review. Motherkao received no monetary compensation for this post and all opinions here are my own.

P/S: Pardon the poor picture quality from my S3. We were all so entertained by the giggling pair (Elmo and Nat!) that we couldn’t stop shaking while snapping pictures of them!

1 Comments

Family life as we know it Milestones and growing up The darndest kid quotes and antics The Kao Kids

Sound bytes of our lives: the darndest things we say (II)

December 9, 2013

You know that things have gone one full circle and return to bite you back when your kids say these to you:

Me: I want you to listen to me. Follow my instructions. Do this now.

Becks: (whining) No…. I… don’t…want…

Me: Why?

Becks: Because because because.

Me: -_-

~~~

Ben: Can I please, please, please have another Transformers toy?

Me: No.

Ben: Why? But I like Transformers.

Me: Just so you like it doesn’t mean I have to buy everything for you.

Ben: Why not? You want me to lose my temper?!

Me: -_-

~~~

Ben: Ugh. I don’t know how to transform the toy back la! Mama, can you help me?

Me: I don’t know but I’ll try. (fiddles with it) Here you go.

Ben: Aiya, Mama. LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE! This flap cannot close back now. Haiyo, you ah. You must try harder.

Me: -_-

~~~

And in other news

Ben: I know that Santa isn’t going to be putting our presents under our tree. You and Dada are going to be the ones who will wrap them up, and put them under the tree. Right? There’s no such person as Santa Claus.

Me: Yes, that’s right.

Ben: Then why do all the children think that they will get a present from him? He’s not real what.

Fatherkao: Am I talking to a four-year-old here?

~~~

Hey Santa, are you real?

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Homelearning fun Learning fun!

Teaching the Kao Kids: Raising a Reader (Part 3) – Graded Readers

December 8, 2013

Graded readers are books with language simplified to help learners read them. The language is graded for the complexity of grammar structures, vocabulary and also by the number of words. They are designed to cater for all levels of language learning from beginners through to advance, and are an excellent teaching and learning resource. Learners are not presented with language way beyond their level which would make understanding the book difficult.

Here at home, I’ve started using Keywords with Peter and Jane to help the kids along in their reading. The Key Words scheme is based on a recognition of the fact that just 12 words make up one quarter of all the English words we read and write, and that 100 words make up a half of those we use in a normal day. William Murray’s system of teaching reading using key phrases and words is basically about teaching children these key words first. If these words are learned well, they will be on their way to making some sense of most texts.

The readers introduce these key words step by step, page by page and these words are introduced and repeated as the length and difficulty of the texts increase.

If you’ve read Peter and Jane too as a kid, you would be glad to know that some of the Peter and Jane titles have been repackaged and some of the artwork have been revised. (Apparently, Daddy now plays a more active role in the affairs of Peter and Jane in the 1970s revision as compared to the 1960s version where he was more of an onlooker by the sidelines.)

I searched the net to find images of the 1960s covers but couldn't till I chanced upon them here on this blog: http://big-picture-stuff.blogspot.sg/ (Picture credit: Big Picture Stuff)

I searched the net to find images of the 1960s covers (which was almost impossible) and chanced upon them here on this blog:
(Picture credit: Big Picture Stuff Blog)

The collection with revisions and revised artwork

Hmm, it’s funny that I read the 1960s versions (which are now collector’s items, by the way) as an 80s kid. Must have been hand me downs from cousins.

Anyway. I love this series because it HAMMERS the keywords to reinforce a child’s learning. It doesn’t just repeat the keywords once or twice. By golly, no. The text in each reader does it like nagging. Which I like (hurhur…). I mean, it can be exhausting for a mom to nag her kids to learn the words, so why not let a book do it? I know the incessant repetitions is one of the many reasons why children find these readers off-putting, and parents hesitate to use them (I’ve heard ‘boring’, ‘outdated’, ‘not engaging’) but I for one am not going to subscribe to these excuses just to please my child or entertain myself. I mean, if over 80 million children since the 1960s have learned to read with them, William Murray must have done something right, no?

The keywords are repeated throughout each reader

The kids, for now (at Series 1a, b, c and Series 2a, b, c) love the illustrations that accompany the readers, although I must say, by the 6th time Ben is reading this aloud, he’s got a sian look (a Hokkien adjective which conveys boredom, weariness, frustration and emptiness) plastered all over his face. He’s more keen to be immersed in his Transformers world than to read about Peter and Jane looking at fish, buying sweets and going to the beach. But this is a necessity in his learning, and he (and Becks, and Nat) would have to befriend and grow up with Peter and Jane for a while longer.

The kid reading Peter and Jane: for the younger ones, it’s more of looking at the illustrations

The other set of readers which I like (and the kids too, much more than Keywords with Ladybird) is the Well Being Series by Joy Cowley. The Joy Cowley Well-Being Series consists of 24 stories that promote physical, emotional and social well-being among children and cover pertinent issues like handling anger, showing respect, taking care of our eyes, saying no to drugs and learning to love oneself. The readers inculcate in children values that will help them learn responsibility and understand themselves, people and the world around them. They are also printed in Chinese.

Joy Cowley’s Well Being Series

There are graded readers aplenty everywhere (and we ourselves have gotten quite a number of them over the years) but not all of them can offer you as much mileage (and value for money) as Keywords with Peter and Jane and The Joy Cowley Well-Being Series, in my opinion. When it comes to teaching young kids at the age of 3, 4 and 5, I’m thinking, having these two collections in your library is already an investment and more than enough.

Do you have recommendations for graded readers that have worked well for your child? Share them with me in the comments below!

Previously in the series: Teaching the Kao Kids (Preamble) | Raising a Reader Part 1 | Raising a Reader Part 2

Coming up: The games we play for Math

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Family life as we know it Milestones and growing up The darndest kid quotes and antics The Kao Kids

Sound bytes of our lives: the darndest things we say (I)

December 5, 2013

Becks: Mama, you know, I love you but you don’t love me.

Me: Huh? I love you.

Becks: You don’t love me. Cos’ you scold and cane me.

Me: -_-

That’s called discipline, my love.

~~~

Naughty Nat smacks Gentle Ben. Gentle Ben cries.

Naughty Nat smacks Feisty Becks. Becks smacks him back.

Nat: (sobbing) TELL…MAMA!

~~~

2 am, the whole world concussed

Nat: (whining) …Mama… Mama… I WANT… Mama… MILK!

~~~

While having breakfast

Ben: I need a fork for this.

Becks: Sure, I’ll take it for you.

Ben: I don’t want a metal one.

Me: Just use it la!

Ben: If you say so.

Becks: Well, I think I need one fork too.

Me: Wassup with this formality?

For the record, besides using ‘Well’ to begin her sentences, Becks has started calling me ‘Mother’.

~~~

Becks: Hey kor kor, look. It’s painful here. (points to a superficial wound)

Ben: Deal with it.

~~~

Becks: I can’t find my penguin bolster.

Me: Let’s look for it.

Becks: Hey, Mama. It’s under the sofa.

Me: No, I don’t see it.

Becks: There, it’s there.

Me: Oh yes, I see it.

Becks: Mama, why you didn’t see it at first? Where is your brain?

Me: -_-

~~~

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Enrichment Homelearning fun Invites & Tryouts Learning fun! Reading fun

An Alphabet Zoo by Julia Gabriel [Book Review + Giveaway]

December 3, 2013

Phonics plays a very crucial role in helping a child build his literacy skills. Phonics teaching is very important because it teaches a child the links between the sounds of speech and the letters, and letter groups which are code for those sounds. Systematic and incidental phonics learning help equip a child with alphabetic code knowledge and forms the basis for the technical skills needed for reading, spelling and writing.

Here at the Kao household, besides getting their phonics instruction through the lessons in their kindergarten, the older kids also learn from watching educational programmes like Word World and LeapFrog. I don’t exactly know how to deliver phonics instructions, and so I usually outsource this part to the experts.

Last month, the folks at Julia Gabriel Education very kindly sent us their very own book and CD set titled An Alphabet Zoo Phonemic Adventure with Rainbow Bear. In true Julia Gabriel style, this book was created by her to teach children aged 3 to 4 the most common sounds of each letter in the Alphabet and to give them a start to phonemic awareness and decoding letters into sounds with lots of songs and story telling.

An Alphabet Zoo Phonemic Adventure with Rainbow Bear

The CD is voiced by actors and teachers representing characters in the book who use Standard English, and is a good resource to play even on its own, like in the car. It has catchy tunes and familiar refrains with carefully distinguished sounds pronounced clearly and proficiently.

The book can be read with the CD or without the CD, and Julia Gabriel herself provides a guide at the beginning of the book to help parents use the book and CD set with suggested activities and prompts. Each page in the book is like a huge hide-and-seek activity, with captivating illustrations by Kathy Creamer of animals and things related to each letter in the Alphabet.

Captivating illustrations of things starting with the letter F

The older kids love the book, especially for the fascinating pictures which allow them to find and identify. They talk about each page with me and between themselves when we read it together, which also allows them to develop their language proficiency.

Lots of things to look for for each letter!

Check out the letter S with Santa and a woman in sari!

An Alphabet Zoo Phonemic Adventure with Rainbow Bear is a great book that takes the little ones on a lively journey through the Alphabet Zoo and making the letters of the Alphabet come alive for young minds that are ready to get acquainted with phonics.

*And we’re hosting a GIVEAWAY on the blog!*

Julia Gabriel Education is giving away THREE sets of An Alphabet Zoo Phonemic Adventure with Rainbow Bear book + CD set to three of Motherkao’s readers, so you and your child can journey through the Alphabet Zoo too!

To stand a chance for the randomised draw, simply leave me a comment here telling me who you’d like to win it for, with your name and email address. Giveaway closes on 16 December 2013. It’ll be a neat Christmas gift for your little one, that’s for sure!

AND THE WINNERS ARE…

Thank you everyone, for participating! Congrats to the winners! You’ll hear from the folks at JGE soon!

Disclosure: We received the book and CD set from Julia Gabriel Education for the purpose of this review. Motherkao received no monetary compensation for reviewing this and all opinions here are my own.

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Christmas happiness Going Out! Invites & Tryouts The Kao Kids

Riding into Christmas with Thomas & Friends at City Square Mall

December 1, 2013

Christmas came early for us with Thomas the Number One Tank Engine, and his hilarious, fun-loving friends!

We were invited by City Square Mall to celebrate Christmas with Thomas and his friends, Sir Topham Hatt, Dusty and Rusty – the boisterously merry station duo – and a mischievously funny orange cat at their live show, which ran its first performance yesterday. I hear that this musical production of song, story and dance is a never-before-seen worldwide Christmas performance brought specially to town by City Square Mall just for this festive season!

This was the first mall show that I felt was really worth the jostling in the crowd and waiting on a weekend. We waited close to 40 minutes along Kitchener Road in the carpark queue and it was a crazy long wait in the heavy rain and sheer torture being in a car with restless, noisy children who couldn’t wait to meet Thomas the Train.

The production was really solid nonetheless; it wasn’t just a la la la song and dance thingamajig – it was a good half an hour of excellent story telling with a timeless life lesson of learning to make one’s mistake right, exemplified by Thomas the Train. In addition, the characters also shared some eco-tips, teaching the audience how to segregate waste for recycling.

At the end of the show, there were shrieks of laughter and excitement all around as the Christmas journey ended with “snow”!

The Kao kids had lots of fun. There were *finally* no people in costumes to be afraid of and no shaking hands with huge cartoon characters that’s come alive during the meet-and-greet. Even the littlest one loved the show, which makes all the torturous waiting for the carpark queue worth it.

Thank you, City Square Mall, for inviting us to yet another great mall show and Meet & Greet Session once again!

More details:

Christmas with Thomas & Friends Live Show and Meet & Greet Session is happening from 30 November to 15 December daily except Mondays at Level 1 Atrium of City Square Mall!

Time: Tues to Fri 2pm & 7pm | Sat & Sun 1pm, 4pm & 7pm
Shoppers can redeem an exclusive pass for the Meet & Greet session with a minimum spending of $50 (50 passes will be given out 45 minutes prior to each show).

There’s also a Christmas Carnival at the Level 1 City Green Outdoor Park with a beautiful carousel and many other rides, as well as exciting game booths with exciting prizes. You can redeem a Thomas & Friends mini cushion and Christmas Carnival coupon for a ride/game when you spend $200 at the mall. Check out more details of the Christmas celebrations at City Square Mall here.

Disclosure: We were invited to join the Christmas festivities at City Square Mall. No monetary compensation was received for this post and opinions are all Motherkao’s own.

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