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Review: Worry-free Luxury by Original Sprout

March 10, 2014

I like brands with an ethical philosophy, especially those that pledge to be environmentally friendly and are free from sulphates and parabens. I am big on labels, and scrutinise them whenever I buy anything to make sure that I get those which are free from harmful chemicals, and I am extra, extra particular whenever it comes to buying things for the kids.

So it did feel like Original Sprout picked up my thoughts by telepathy, because they sent these to my doorstep:

Original Sprout is a Californian-based family brand that’s already gotten a large following by Hollywood celebrity moms, and is recently setting foot in Singapore with their top 5 products. I’m not so won over by the Hollywood part as much as I am by the fact that the brand’s ethical philosophy is one of promoting an environmentally-friendly lifestyle by using ingredients that:

are free from synthetic hormone disruptor
are free from oestrogen disrupting ingredients
are free from sulphate
are paraben-free
do not use Lavender and Tea Tree Oils, Phthalates, Clove or Musk
are 100% vegan; no soy, gluten, honey, peanut or dairy
use parfum with only natural extracts
are environmentally responsible and bio-degradable
are eco-friendly and not tested on animals

I didn’t know about cosmetics with lavender and tea tree oil causing estrogen enhancing effects until now. I mean, what’s not to love about the smell of lavender! But I guess it’s now not so good for the boys cos’ studies have shown some correlation between cosmetics with lavender and boys developing breasts (read more about it here). Eww. Glad that Original Sprout also took care of that.

I don’t know about you but whenever I use products that have sulphates, parabens and a long list of chemicals, I am always extra careful not to use too much. Which is why I’d rather read a long list of what a product DOES NOT have any time. It’s so apt that Original Sprout calls themselves “Worry free luxury” because the more a product tells me what it doesn’t contain, the less worry I have, really.

So last weekend, I passed the kids the Original Sprout’s Hair & Body Babywash (354ml, SGD$25.00) and told them to go ahead and make their own day.

And they did. Liberally.

After her bath, I asked Becks how she liked the Babywash and she said that it smelled nice and “feels soft”. It was, indeed. The last I checked, the Babywash did leave her skin super clean and moisturised.

After her bath, Becks proceeded to slather the Scrumptious Baby Cream (118ml, SGD$16.90), mimicking the way I would slap on my moisturiser and hand cream after my bath. The multi-benefit cream is infused with natural Zinc for Environmental Protection and organic Rosemary for sensitive skin. It’s non-greasy and is a good protective barrier that keeps skin soft and velvety smooth.

Becks liked it so much she ran after her little brother to slather some on him.

Becks also tried the Miracle Detangler (118ml, SGD$16.90) that’s been created to make combing hair effortless and painless with organic ingredients like Rosemary, Calendula, Cranberry and Vegetable Glycerin. This girl is blessed with silky, straight hair with close to zero frizzies on a bad hair day, but that certainly didn’t stop her from spritzing the Miracle Detangler on her hair to make it even smoother.

The kids like what they’re using with Original Sprout, and I like what I’m smelling after their bath. It’s always good to be supporting socially responsible businesses and what more those that promise to provide safe and ethical professional solutions to our children’s skin and haircare needs.

Original Sprout is now available at 48 selection Watsons outlets islandwide. For more information, visit Original Sprout’s website here.

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

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Invites & Tryouts Learning fun! Reading fun Reviews

To NoQ for more books

February 27, 2014

We’ve been given credits to shop online … for books again!

Yipeedeedoo!

The Kao kids and I have been really thrilled these days – like who’s going to say no to more books? Hurhurhur.

This time, we’ve been given the opportunity to shop here:

NoQ boasts of having 14 million titles at up to 50% off

The NoQ Store (= No Queue, as in, don’t have to queue, no need to queue) is part of the Times Publishing Group, one of the most reputable names in publishing, printing, distribution and retail in the Asia-Pacific. At NoQ, we are talking about browsing at an online book store with millions of titles at really low prices. I couldn’t wait to as I was told to expect a solid variety of books from the Children’s Section spanning across different genres ranging from fiction to education and general knowledge.

The opportunity to shop and review NoQ came at a perfect time – we’ve just finished reading the entire Mr Men Collection, and are at the point of doing repeats. I’ve also been searching high and low for the complete Little Miss Complete Collection so we don’t have to do repeats of Mr Men at tuck-ins. The kids are such huge fans of Roger Hargreaves’ characters that they can’t get past one night without meeting one of them for their bedtime story. I went to the major bookstores to hunt for the Little Miss box set but the search was usually futile at the heartland malls. I did, however, find the complete set at the Popular bookstore at Bras Basah and of course, online at Amazon, but the prices were so ridiculous I could feel my pockets burning up before I could even place an order.

The kids love Mr Men and want one every night

The kids love Mr Men and can’t wait to meet one every night

So.

What better way than to put NoQ to the test.

If you have Little Miss at a bargain, I’d be very impressed, NoQ.

So I went to NoQ, clicked on Books – Special Feature – Box Sets for Kids and crossed my fingers.

Found it! Cheaper by so much!

Yipeedeedoo! *doing the happy dance*

I would have loved to add to my shopping cart the Peter Rabbit Library, Dear Zoo Library, Guess How Much I Love You Library, Magic School Bus Box Set which I found under Special Features / Box Sets for Kids – if only there wasn’t a budget constraint! These are wonderful classics to be introducing to the kids, and ugh! Guess I would have to save up some more for those!

There was indeed a dizzying array of books at NoQ to look at and within each genre and section you would find a couple of sub-categories that would certainly make any book lover hyperventilate at the sheer number of available titles to choose from. Having to navigate around can be pretty daunting given the extensively huge number of titles, not to mention so many bargain books to check out for as low as SGD$3. NoQ also highlights their bestsellers on the right sidebar so you know what everyone else is buying, as well as shout out their latest promotional offers big and loud right on its home page.

My only complaint was that the prices can sometimes be adjusted upwards instead of down. You kinda expect prices to be slashed more often than they are increased like all other book stores – but I found the Little Miss Complete Collection to have experienced a price hike after I ordered mine at SGD$87.21. It’s now going for $142.03, which is great news for me who ordered but probably not that great a bargain for someone else searching high and low for the same thing and not wanting to leave a hole in the pocket. I actually wrote in to ask them why, and the folks at NoQ say that because they draw their prices directly from suppliers, book prices at NoQ get adjusted automatically when suppliers adjust prices on their end.

Bummer. It’s not so nice to see something on your wishlist get more expensive the next day, eh. I was so very fortunate indeed to have gotten the Little Miss Complete Collection at 50% off. Just glad I clicked on it fast and paid up when it was such a bargain.

That said, you can wait for their promotional offers like storewide discounts or check out the Bargain Section periodically to get the best book deals. Afterall, if you look at the deals they offer, most books are slashed to almost half their original price. For their wide selection of books of every genre in book-dom, and for letting me find the Little Miss people my kids have been wanting so much to meet at bedtime – and at a steal – I am still going to be adding NoQ to my list of favourite haunts to hang out online.

Just for Motherkao’s readers!

If you like what you see at NoQ and are going to be buying some books, get 15% off all purchases made via the NoQ Store website and Mobile App by entering the promotional code “Motherkao” under the “Voucher & Promotion Code” tab during checkout.

This promotion is valid till 30 April 2014 and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers and discounts. Only one voucher code per transaction and not applicable to shipping and tax charges.

And I’m giving away one $20 gift voucher on the blog, courtesy of NoQ Store!

If you’d like to win a $20 NoQ gift voucher, simple leave me a comment here telling me what’s one thing you like to have from NoQ Store. Do also remember to leave your email address so the folks at NoQ can email you if you win.

Giveaway ends 6 March 2014.

And the winner is…

Congrats, Tiffany! I hope Jamie Oliver would give you lots of inspiration to create healthy quick meals for your family!

Disclosure: The kind folks from NoQ gave us $60 worth of credits to shop. Topping up the balance for the box set from pocket of mine. All opinions here are also mine.

UPDATE as of 2015: NoQ has since closed down and ceased operations.

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Invites & Tryouts Reading fun Reviews

This Giraffe’s too Groovy – Singapore’s first online remainder bookstore

February 19, 2014

Growing up, I would make my father take me to the bookstore and leave me there to read for hours. My favourite hangout was the MPH at Robinson Road, where I had spent many hours of my childhood devouring the Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl classics.

There’s something about holding, touching, feeling and smelling new books that thrilled me then. The best part about going to a bookstore – and not the library – with my dad was that it was almost always a given to return home with new books to add to my book collection. (Dad, I’m sure you knew I always pretended I couldn’t put down a book so you could buy it for me, right?)

If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you’d know that I am on a quest to make avid readers of my kids. I’ve shared that we should by all means borrow, but nothing beats being able to have our own books so that we can read and reread them.

Last year, I discovered The Groovy Giraffe, Singapore’s first official online remainder bookstore which sells heavily discounted new books that are overprints. The prices of books here are discounted up to as much as 85% and this giraffe is oh-so-groovy alright. So groovy that buying new books ain’t going to be burning a hole in your pocket anymore.

I recently shopped at The Groovy Giraffe again with the credits that the kind folks at The Groovy Giraffe gave me and managed to find the Read at Home First Experiences Series. The series is written with the aim of introducing young children to new situations and I am glad to have found them because these books are great starters to get the kids to talk about their feelings of their first experiences:

TGG_First Experiences Early Reader Books

We’ve been on a plane and to the pool, so these readers will be used as a springboard to get the kids to talk about how they felt.

The books arrived promptly within 3 working days after I checked out and paid, and I can’t wait to share them with the kids.

There is a decent variety of books for babies, toddlers, children and adults at The Groovy Giraffe. They even have assessment books and educational guides that are heavily discounted and sections for bargains and gift ideas. I particularly enjoy browsing at the Children’s Early Reader Books Section to check out titles that would interest the older kids, as well as the titles under Activity Books to see if I can find anything that wouldn’t cost me a bomb for the youngest to work on to keep him meaningfully occupied.

A screenshot of some of the bargains under Activity Books for Children - I'm thinking of getting 100 Stickers Series for some sticker fun for Nat!

A screenshot of some of the bargains under Activity Books for Children – I’m thinking of getting the 100 Stickers Series for some sticker fun for Nat!

There are also tips under ‘Babies’, ‘Toddlers’ and ‘Children’ to help you choose titles for children of different age groups and reading abilities, which is definitely helpful before you begin shopping!

Tips for choosing books for Preschoolers and Young Readers

If holding, touching, feeling and smelling new books thrill you – as it still does even now for me – you may want to consider popping by The Groovy Giraffe to shop for your books. Check out using the code “MOTHERKAO” to get a 5% off your purchases (except for Bargain books). There’s no expiry date to this code, so you can use it any time, whenever.

My dad would have loved to meet this giraffe when he had an avid reader of a little girl that was me. I’m pretty sure it would have saved him so much money buying me new books so often.

Disclosure: I received credits to purchase some books from The Groovy Giraffe for the Kao kids. All opinions here are solely my own.

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Homelearning fun Invites & Tryouts Learning fun! Reading fun Reviews

At Home with bilingualism! [Read With Me Mommy’s “My Home (我的家)” Book Review]

February 13, 2014

I’m always searching for bilingual books with local content so my children can learn the vocabulary that’s associated with their daily lives. I mean, how many books can you find in the market that can effectively teach preschoolers names of items and places found in a typical home and HDB neighbourhoods in Singapore? Places like the community centre, HDB void deck and sports complex are unique to our country and hardly feature in Chinese or English picture books and graded readers for preschoolers.

So when Read With Me Mommy, a local online Chinese bookstore approached us to do a book review for this made in Singapore book-set, I couldn’t be more thrilled.

Finally! A book my children can identify with:

My Home (我的家) is a set of bilingual books written by local authors, Rayne Ngoi and Cheng Pei Yee, and illustrated by Wang Lu Bo. It comes in a set of 2 books – a picture book and an accompanying activity book. The book follows Jason, an adorable boy who is looking for somebody to play with him (haha, it really is Ben in disguise – always looking for someone to play with!). But everyone at home is just too busy. And so together with his dog, Jason investigates every room in his HDB flat to find a playmate.

I got Ben to review this book with me during one of our once-a-week ‘Chinese Day’…

As we followed Jason through each room as he sought a playmate (and Ben seeing so much of him in the book as Jason, hurhurhur), we started discovering the many items and places that were all too familiar to us – places like the kitchen, the bathroom, the living room, the void deck and the HDB-neightbourhood playground.

And so we learned how to name items and places in both English and Chinese while enjoying the story (written like a poem) with vivid illustrations that were oh-so-very engaging. Ben particularly enjoyed lifting the many little flaps in this 40-page book which is beautifully illustrated.

The bilingual activity book complements the picture book and is specially written for children aged 2 to 6. The activity book contains vocabulary practices, hanyu pinyin learning aids, picture cards, interactive games, DIY handicraft, and sticker matching activities to make the process of learning fun and enjoyable. Here’s a sneak peek of some pages in the activity book:

This book-set is such a wonderful resource for keeps, and I would definitely introduce both the picture and activity books to the younger ones as soon as they are ready. The gem of a book retails at Read With Me Mommy for SGD$32 and is great to be read again and again especially with those flaps that would keep little hands busy!

And I have a giveaway here on the blog!

I have 5 book-sets of My Home (我的家) to give away to 5 readers! To qualify for the random draw, all that’s needed is FOUR SIMPLE STEPS:

1) Like Read With Me Mommy on Facebook

2) Like Zenru Publishing on Facebook

3) Like Motherkao on Facebook (if you haven’t already done so)

4) Leave me a comment here telling me who you’d like to win the book-set for

Giveaway closes on 20 Feb and winners will be randomly picked and announced on the blog.

Do also check out Read With Me Mommy for more Chinese and bilingual titles!

And the winners are…

Congratulations! I hope the people you’d like to win this book set for would have a smashing time reading!

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Going Out! Invites & Tryouts Reviews The Kao Kids

The epic Lego Movie experience (warning: contains spoilers!)

February 6, 2014

When he found out that we were going to catch the movie premiere of The Lego Movie, Ben couldn’t contain his excitement for days. He loves, loves, loves Lego and everything he can create with them (although it is still more of Duplo for now) and is a huge fan of the Lego Star Wars – The Movie (he’s watched it like 6 times, I think) ever since we showed it to him at home.

We watched the premiere of The Lego Movie at Golden Village Vivocity in 3D on Monday, and I must say… *beep beep spoiler alert*

<cue to close page if you don’t want to know>

…that I was pleasantly surprised by the twist and the very heart-warming ending. I went in with zero expectations – I really don’t know what to expect from Lego blocks and Lego people, y’unno – but came out a really happy movie-goer.

So beyond the anyone-can-be-a-hero / the-ordinary-can-be-extraordinary message, I think what warmed all our hearts that evening was that the love between father-son was the overarching theme that ran through the computer-animated movie. And I have to say I liked that part best (the heartstrings-tugging part, although the action and humour were also great) – especially since Fatherkao was also there to watch the movie with his sons, and even more especially since the boys (big and small) love, love, love to play with Lego together.

I did wish, however, that the management / logistics folks from the cinema would think about the kids and distribute a couple of kid-sized 3D glasses whenever they are screening a kid-friendly movie in 3D cos’ my kids absolutely hated putting them on. They were heavy and kept falling off; Nat couldn’t even wear one and had to watch the movie unfocused the whole time. Bah.

No like these glasses, say Ben and Becks!

Nonetheless, the kids liked the show and Ben couldn’t stop going on and on about how “everyone can be a master builder” and that certainly is inspiring him to play with Lego more. Thank you, Golden Village, for the kind invitation to experience such an awesome theatrical adventure!

Looks like more Lego it is for the boy who would be turning five in a few weeks. I don’t have to think too hard about birthday presents this year.

Disclosure: We received tickets to watch the premiere of The Lego Movie from Golden Village. All opinions here are our own.

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

Learning the Eye Level way: Math Programme Review

February 3, 2014

Ben is enrolled in Eye Level‘s Math Programme and has been attending their once-a-week Math lesson for two months now. At each lesson he attends, he’s basically exposed to two things: Basic Thinking Math and Critical Thinking Math.

For about an hour or so, he would complete the two tasks (two booklets for each lesson that his teacher would give him) under the close supervision of his teacher. Teacher Emily reads him the instructions in the booklet, guides him when he needs help and teaches him the key concepts for each lesson. However, unlike in a private tuition setting, she doesn’t hover over him for the entire time he’s there. She also attends to other students in the class who may or may not be at the same level and standard as Ben, and together with other kids, everyone present engages in self-directed – but heavily scaffolded – learning.

Ben in class with his teacher and another older student

The classroom setting: Ben in class with his teacher and another student

I was told the ratio of teacher to student for the Math Programme is 1:8, but at Ben’s timeslot, Teacher Emily usually handles 2 to 3 students (including Ben) at one time. Which is great, I think. Not too many to distract him (he can get very distracted, alright), but enough to spur him on to sit down and concentrate, just like them. It’s also good that the kids are also older, and he learns from their example.

This setting, which he’s exposed to once a week, is proving to be extremely beneficial for me at home. At home, Ben is now able to sit down on his own to complete his work (he gets homework to revise the concepts he’s learned at Eye Level). He doesn’t need me to accompany him anymore (*finally*) and is able to cancel out distractions from his siblings all by himself to complete his work.

Ben completing his work at home

Hurrah for self directed, independent learning, I say.

Eye Level Learning Center’s Math Programme is designed to help students improve their mathematical thinking and problem solving skills by enabling them to master concepts each step of the way as students progress through the curriculum. For now, Ben has got his numbers 1 to 110 all settled in terms of counting (in order and in tens), writing, ascending and descending orders and simple problem solving (involving counting). He’s moving on to addition and subtraction this month – something which he is already acquainted with – and I can’t wait for the programme to extend this learning for him, simply because I am really bad with teaching anything beyond simple math. Hurhurhur.

He also tells me he enjoys Critical Thinking Math more, because it’s “more fun and interesting”. For critical thinking, he gets his spatial sense, depth perception and problem-solving and reasoning skills developed with puzzles, blocks and shapes and math games that are very well designed to engage young minds.

$Basic Thinking Math at Level 10 (counting from 1 -20): Ben did these in December$

Basic Thinking Math at Level 2 (counting from 1 -20): Ben did these in December

$A glimpse from the pages of one of the Critical Thinking Math booklets: Ben learned patterns here$

A glimpse from the pages of one of the Critical Thinking Math booklets: Ben learned patterns here

Like I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, the kids really look forward to going for Math enrichment every week – Becks is at Play Math (and I shared my review of the programme here) and Ben at the Math Programme (SGD$120 for a once-a-week lesson, and SGD$150 for twice a week). I’m just really glad they’ve been offered this opportunity because it has gotten them interested in Math, all thanks to the fact that the programmes at Eye Level are so thoughtfully designed to engage the little ones. I don’t remember being so happy learning Math at preschool – what with all the forced memorisation of multiplication tables and assessment books – and I am heartened to have my preschoolers like numbers and even finding it fun to count.

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 Centres 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 Play Math 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 Ben).

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Fatherkao loves... Food, glorious food! Motherkao loves... Motherkao's recipes Product Reviews Reviews

Red wine ribeye seared with love, with compliments from OBE Organic

January 24, 2014

My husband and I love to watch Top Chef and MasterChef together. We get our inspiration to bake and cook from these reality shows. Besides being grippingly entertaining, they are really educational for noob cooks like us, and I always fantasised being able to serve up gourmet looking food all prettily plated and all some day.

Recently, OBE Organic sent us some Australian ribeye steaks, minced beef and beef cubes. Ooooh, how we love our beef! It didn’t take long before Fatherkao jumped into action, got into the kitchen and worked like a chef, taking inspiration from all the reality TV we’ve been watching.

And then single-handedly, he transformed this…

To this…

In a matter of minutes! Looks like somebody’s gonna beat me in fulfilling that crazy dream of mine sooner than I think!

The ribeye steak seared perfectly by him and drizzled with the sauce he made was heavenly. Every bite melted in my mouth and the huge cut that Huber’s Butchery sent us for each portion was so huge it was truly satisfying. I am so not looking at my husband the same way again – man, this man can make a mean plate of steak, and with so much luuurrvve.

Talk about the way through a man’s heart. This woman’s heart has been won over and over with every time he steps into the kitchen. *swoon*

I tried convincing him to share his recipe on my blog, and although he’s pretty hazy on the details and not giving me precise, exact measurements, I managed to make out what went into his red wine sauce.

Here it is; and oh yes, remember to get OBE Organic Beef which is certified 100% organic and natural, free of chemicals and growth promotants, and delivers amazingly great flavour.

Steak in Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

Ribeye steaks
knobs of salted butter
shallots and garlic
olive oil for frying
bottle of red wine (we used a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot South African wine, Nederburg)
a dash of red wine vinegar
a ladle of chicken stock (we make ours with carrots, onions and chicken bones)

Instructions:

1) Fry shallots and garlic with olive oil till caramelised, then add a dash of red wine vinegar.

2) Add 4 glasses of red wine. Let the pan’s contents bubble until the wine has reduced by three-quarters.

3) Now add a ladle or two of chicken stock, butter and reduce the rest of the wine, 1-2 glasses at a time. Regularly skim away any impurities by weaving a small ladle in and out of the top of the sauce. Taste regularly and check for seasoning.

4) Heat a grill pan to sear the steaks with oil and cook them, turning once, 4-5 mins for rare, 7-8 mins for medium, 8-10 mins for well done.

5) Serve the steaks on a bed of greens and pour the red wine sauce around. Remember to pass the sauce through a sieve to remove fine impurities.

You can get premium quality organic beef from OBE Organic at Huber’s Butchery. Shop online till the cows come home at Huber’s or visit their Butchery and Bistro @ Dempsey.

Disclosure: This post was made possible from the kind folks from Huber’s and OBE Organic who fed the Kaos really good stuff from really good cows.

P/S: Just cannot resist the pun!

Also linking up with:

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Becks Kao Enrichment Invites & Tryouts Learning fun! Reviews The Kao Kids

Learning the Eye Level way: Play Math Programme Review

January 21, 2014

The kids have been attending Math enrichment classes at Eye Level Learning Center at City Square Mall for more than a month now and they are always looking forward to their lessons. It’s like a routine they anticipate weekly, with us either driving or taking the NEL down to Farrer Park followed by an engaging lesson with their respective teachers, complete with getting their fruit reward stickers and some play time with blocks and counters at the centre’s play corner after class, and then have the day end with a treat of Hongkong Egglet from our favourite stall at Basement 2.

Becks attends Eye Level’s Play Math Programme where she gets to experience mathematical concepts in a fun and engaging way. Play Math is a programme specially tailored for ages 2.5 to 4 years old and is aimed at laying the foundation for developing a preschooler’s understanding in Math. The child learns how to sort, match, classify, count and recognise patterns at Play Math.

And the best part of this progamme? It’s a one-to-one lesson (about 30 -45 minutes) with the teacher, and done through story-telling and lots of sticker fun!

At every lesson, Becks receives an activity booklet which is filled with colourful illustrations that follow a story. Each activity booklet is designed to help her advance in her understanding of mathematical concepts like correspondence, sorting and classifying, comparing and counting according to levels, and the level for her to begin with was first determined using their diagnostic assessment which she sat for in December.

$Eye Level_Play Math Fun for Becks 2$

Becks getting ready for class and having her lesson with her teacher. Every lesson involves counting, tracing, cutting, glueing and lots of stickers!

$Fun times (clockwise): Becks playing after class while waiting for Ben and peeling off stickers for her reward chart$

Fun times (clockwise): Becks playing after class while waiting for Ben and peeling off stickers for her reward chart

The girl started at Level 33 and has now progressed to Level 38.

Here’s a glimpse of what’s in the activity booklet that she gets to do with her teacher at Eye Level Learning Center. I had the opportunity to take her through one activity booklet at home recently (she was given homework for one of the public holidays as the centre was closed) and we had a fun time together with it.

In this activity booklet, Becks learned the numbers 1 to 3 through a circus story about unicycles, bicycles and tricycles:

$Eye level_Play Math Stories$

Very captivating illustrations to engage a preschooler, I say

The activities that follow include getting her to group items, count, and put the corresponding number of stickers for the things she’s counted:

$Eye level_Play Math Activities$

Becks favourite part has got to be peeling stickers off and putting them in the book

She also got to practise drawing lines and strokes which would help her develop good hand-eye coordination and better control when she starts writing her numbers:

$Eye level_Play Math Activities_Join the dots$

This ‘follow the circle to the the square’ kind of activity appears several times in one booklet – this is to teach the child to read and write from left to right, help in hand-eye coordination and strengthen the finger muscles so she gets better control when writing her numbers

We had a good time doing this together. I sat next to her and read her the instructions and she proceeded to do every task rather happily, although she did say her teacher was more animated when reading the story than I was. I can tell she really enjoys doing every booklet – from the one time we did it together at home, and from my interaction with her after every class. She gets to bring home the activity booklet after every lesson and would sometimes come home to erase some of the things she’s done so she could do them again at home. That’s how much she likes it!

I would say that Eye Level has scored some wins with their Play Math Programme, which I find engaging and value for money (at SGD$140 per month). Firstly, the lesson is conducted in a one-to-one setting and an experienced teacher is assigned to the child to take her through the booklet in a fun way. Secondly, the booklet itself is designed to keep the child engaged for at least 45 minutes with its colourful illustrations, stories and activities. Thirdly, the child gets to bring the materials home so she can revisit what she’s learned from the week’s lesson, thereby solidifying the learning and keeping the interest alive, at least till the next week where she gets to read another story, meet new characters and work on different activities.

Who would have thought we could learn Math this way? I’d thought my counting lessons were quite fun, but I have to admit that Becks is having a fun-ner time at Eye Level, and I’m really glad that she was invited to attend lessons there for a term (hurray for the opportunity to outsource!).

Note to self: must.find.more.creative.ways.to.teach! but until then, thank you, Eye Level Learning Center for the kind invitation!

AND JUST FOR MOTHERKAO READERS:

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Becks Kao Ben Kao Invites & Tryouts Nat Kao Reviews The Kao Kids

去拜年! In pretty clothes by Fox Kids and Baby!

January 15, 2014

Chinese New Year was always a bittersweet time for me as a child. I remember the excitement going around visiting and being able to gorge on goodies which I would otherwise not have access to at other times of the year, but I also remember that come this time every year, my parents would scrimp and save and even buy nothing for themselves just so my siblings and I could all have new pjs, shoes and outfits. Even then we headed to JB to buy them because things there were much cheaper.

I know the Kao kids would probably never experience CNY this way, and it’s my job as their mother to remind them constantly of how very blessed they are. These days, their grandparents buy them new clothes all the time. Our friends send us vouchers to get them new outfits for their birthdays. And for this CNY, Fox Fashion invited the Kao kids over for a private shopping spree and got them to pick any two outfits of their choice for the first two days of Chinese New Year.

Talk about being extremely fortunate.

So to City Square Mall we went (oh, how we love this mall!) last Saturday. Needless to say, the kids were extremely thrilled. Becks is finally dumping her tomboy image (I really don’t know how that happened) and finally taking a liking to dresses and skirts (I really don’t know how THAT happened!), and so I think she was the most excited when we were there. The latest Fox Kids Spring / Summer 2014 Collection featured many chiffony-flowy dresses that had all her favourite colours – pink, purple, green – the little girl had a really hard time picking.

Ah, she’s woman already at such a young age – she was so indecisive that morning!

Shopping!

For Ben and Nat, they basically left their decision on what to wear to their stylist (ha, me!) who made suggestions as to what went well with what, and there were quicker decisions made when it came to them. Oh, how I love my boys for letting me coordinate their fashion. No debate, no fickle minds, no fuss.

And here they are: the kids in their CNY outfits, sponsored by Fox Kids and Baby! We can’t wait to be spending our 2nd Chinese New Year together as a family of five, and go visiting in these pretty clothes!

We’re ready for CNY! (Photo credit: Canon Singapore)

Vote for the Kao Kids here! (Photo credit: Canon Singapore)

Vote for the Kao Kids here for the Fox Fashion Online Contest! (Photo credit: Canon Singapore)

Thank you, Fox Fashion for the kind invitation, and Canon Singapore for the photographs! We have been very blessed indeed!

If you’d like to win a Fox CNY outfit for your kids and a Canon Selphy CP900 Compact Photo Printer, vote for any photo you like in this album (containing pictures of pretty children in pretty clothes by Fox at the private shopping spree). You stand an additional chance of winning if you leave a comment on the pictures you like. Voting ends 23 January 2014. Check out Fox Fashion’s FB Page for more details and their website for their latest Spring / Summer Collection.

Disclosure: Ben, Becks and Nat were invited by Fox Fashion to pick 2 outfits of their choice at a private shopping spree. No monetary compensation was received for this post and all opinions here are my own.

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Happy days Invites & Tryouts Motherkao loves... Reviews

Frumpy no more, thanks to Salon Vim

January 7, 2014

When I was working full-time, a good facial, some pretty work clothes and a new hairdo were mandatory items on my to-do list before I started a new year at work. As a stay home mum, these things are luxury.

Just so you know, I haven’t had a haircut in a year.

No money anyway, no time anyway, nobody’s gonna be looking anyway. It’s sad, but I tell you it’s really easy for a mom consumed by motherhood to think this way all the time.

Turns out God was more interested in the way I looked than I was about myself. Before the year ended, I was invited by Salon Vim by Chez Vous to review their services and try out anything I wanted.

Say what? Try anything I want? All I need is a haircut! Somebody trim those split ends please!

So I excused myself from mom duties last evening, headed down to 313@Somerset, plonked myself on the Salon Vim chair and told them that it’s been a year. A good long year. The good folks at the salon fussed over me, made sure I was comfortable and listened attentively to my complaining and requests: I need hair easy to maintain – I hate my flat hair – I only have 10 minutes to shower on most days – Please don’t cut it too short I don’t want to shock the kids – blah blah blah…

And then the stylists decided. They would give me a hair makeover which would still be easy to maintain and rid the flatness in my hair. I wouldn’t need more than 10 minutes in the shower and I would return home to wow the kids, not shock them, they promised.

Before the hair makeover

So I got a hair cut, a L’oreal X-tenso soft perm and the latest hair colour trend known as Sombré, a technique that allows for a softer, more natural diffusion of colours fading gradually from top to bottom (I had my base in warm brown and the highlights in very light iridescent golden brown.) All these while sipping a nice warm drink, chitchatting with friendly people that came to work on my hair and flipping pages of the latest fashion mags, something which I haven’t done for a long time.

And this was what they did…

Check out the new hairdo!

Talk about pampering your tresses. Last night was my night!

I’m very impressed by the professionalism displayed by the folks at Salon Vim by Chez Vous and their energy, drive and excellent service. The senior stylist that attended to me was meticulous, attentive and extremely knowledgeable. He would explain to me what he was doing, how I could take better care of my hair and accommodate my every request. It was past 9 pm when the colouring was done and it was time for everyone to go home but he – Ymond, that’s his name if you need a referral – wanted to take the pampering further still, and asked if I would like to stay for a 40-minute hair treatment!

A picture with Ymond Chin, the senior stylist behind my new look

I couldn’t wait to get home to the kids and so that hair treatment would have to wait for another time. Till then, I had myself a wonderful evening styled and pampered by the most professional of people, so thank you Salon Vim by Chez Vous for the new look and for making over this mother who would otherwise continue to look frumpy in 2014!

And just for Motherkao readers! Here’s a discount code for you:

If you’re looking to un-frumpify yourself (did I just coin a new word again? hurhur) with a hair cut / new look / some Sombré highlights or simply want some me-time to be pampered, Salon Vim by Chez Vous is taking 10% off your bill for any hair services with them when you quote <Motherkao blog>. Limited to first time Salon Vim customers only.

Salon Vim by Chez Vous is at 313@Somerset and you can call +65 6884 7757 | +65 6884 776 for any appointment. Connect with Salon Vim on their Facebook Page to see their latest creations and styles and get inspired. Hey, just in time for the Lunar New Year too!

Disclosure: I was invited to Salon Vim to try out their services for the purposes of this review. No monetary compensation was received for this post and opinions here are my own, but I sure was spoiled silly for four hours with all that stuff that was done to make over my tresses. That, plus I also got to take home some L’oreal products to care for my hair and a brand new look!

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