Science 101: 5th Sep'12

As I need to trial and err which are the activities suitable for IZ who has just turned 21 months, I thought of growing bean sprouts out of green bean. I’m sure he thinks nothing of the beans sitting on the cotton wool, but I would like to see his reaction when the beans start to sprout.

I’m not sure how long it’ll take though. Hahaha.. I shall walk through the experiment with him!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Edited on 19th Sep'12:


Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Transferring to soil!

1st Night in soil

Next morning! Amazing growth!

IZ's 1st Baking: 5th Sep'12



I downloaded an app on iPad called Donut Maker by Crazy Cats Inc. There are a few donut maker apps, the one we installed as below, for free:

Snapshot of the app in iTunes

IZ loves this app so much that he would make donuts each time he sees the iPad. I don’t really let iPad lying around much since he could say “pad”. Ya, unless when you wish to have that few moments of peace. Nevertheless, he would call out to you “mama mama” and try to get you involve in whatever app he is using, EVERYTIME without fail.

You get to drag the ingredients onto a plate and stir and move on to the next steps etc. I especially like the sound effect when an egg is placed on the plate, or butter splashed on the plate. Then you get to roll and mold the donuts and deep fry them to brown. Once you fried 6 donuts, you’ll get to go to the next step to decorate the donut with frosting, etc.

But then, imagine rolling using your pointer?! That’s exactly what my hubby said. It’s not a good app for IZ as he would think that rolling just need to use his pointer.

Rolling a dough using your pointer

And that’s when an idea came to mind. Perhaps I should make some real donuts so IZ can be “corrected”. So in the evening, after dinner, I pulled IZ (seated on his high chair) to the kitchen and started measuring the ingredients, mainly flour, sugar, butter, egg, baking powder, and salt.

IZ enjoyed the process very much, at the end of it, he put his messed hands onto his face and head. I didn’t think much of it, as I like to let him explore, but when I bathed him later, I saw his skin actually developed some red rashes, allergic to one of the ingredients I suspect. The rashes came and go fast though.

Kneading the dough

Rolling it flat

Tasting raw flour

Donut shape cut

In the end, the end product came out crispy but not as soft (coz I changed the multipurpose flour to plain flour – oh well, our multipurpose flour nearing expiry, and I saw some ugly black stuffs in them so I threw them away).

IZ loves donut so much he kept wanting more!

Success!

IZ's Speech Reise: 6th Sep'12

He hasn't been very vocal compared to some other playdates, who are plus-minus half a month younger or older.

Latest addition to his vocab at 21 months: more, pour, cut, no, eight, egg, purple, bubble, book, put, zhuo (sit in Chinese).

Pretty much still one syllable word eh!

To recap: Words he could say at 19 months: yi, er, ba, mei you (don't have in Chinese) and ah, ber, ker sound of a, b and c, heart, frog, crab, clock, hua (flower in Chinese), bear, milk.

Random Lernen-Reise in Aug’12

On a separate note, I have completed phonics class with Jann on 14^th Aug. Thankful she shared so much and now I know what’s all PHONICS is all about.

As IZ is too young to take on the lesson plan fully, Jann suggested that I do something else with him for the sake of exposure and keep the materials for when he is able to grasp more.

Below are some random things we've done this month:

11th Aug'12:

Playing bubbles in a bubble bath

Little Zoo Adventure

18th Aug'12

In Da Jiu's Art Class



25th Aug'12:

His favorite past time - scribbling!

Edited On 7th Sep'12:

16th Aug'12: His fave clocks

26th Aug'12: Art&Craft @ his playdate for Teachers' Day

The inside - his teachers were very happy

30th Aug'12: Art & Craft Night - Msia Flag as next day was Msia Independence Day

The Start of Our Art Lernen-Reise: 25th Aug'12

As IZ asks to draw every day, I am naturally inclined to send him to art class. Initially when I searched around, I found that at 20months, he is too young to attend any. The art schools I found are mainly for kids aged 3 years old and above. Disappointed, but I didn’t have a choice but to draw and paint at home. Once, we even had a paint date at home, Theme: National Day with his friends.

Painting Date @ Home on National Day 9th Aug'12

My friend, YJ managed to locate a few schools that take in kids as young as 20 months. We shortlisted 3; Artbug, Gymboree and Abrakadoodle.

Artbug:

Location: Waterloo Street (near Singapore Art Museum)

The very first thing that caught my eyes was the video of kids in their classes. One of the kids were not wearing top, he was a mess, WITH PAINT! I love that! IZ would love it too! IZ would fall in the Babybug category. So I called to enquire more, willing to sacrifice to travel by Circle Line from our place to Bras Basah. The school is walking distance from Bras Basah.

Unfortunately, during the call to arrange for trial class, I got to know they are changing their syllabus in Sept. From an all art class, they are going to include song & movement, show & tell etc, leaving art a miserable small portion.

Thus, I decided to pass.

Gymboree:

Location: Tanglin Mall or Vivocity (the best possible for us)

They have a class called Art I catered for kids from 18 to 24 months. IZ would fit perfectly in this. Upon reading more, I found out that they asked the kids to wear socks during the class. I immediately strike Gymboree out of my list. How to learn painting without getting yourself dirty?

Abrakadoodle:  

Location: Rochester / East Coast (Big Splash) / Bukit Timah

This was my last choice as I didn’t find the locations convenient nor the fees are extremely cheap. Then, I found out we could take MRT to Botanic Gardens and cross a small road to their Bukit Timah branch at Cluny Court. It’s just 5 stops away from us. On 10^th Aug, I wrote to them to ask for trial arrangement on 25^th Aug, the Sat IZ doesn’t have music class. IZ will be going to Twoosy Doddlers.

Their reply was disappointing. They told me the date was 2.5 weeks away, which makes it difficult for them to tell me if we could go for trial. Oh well, I pushed my hope behind my mind.

Then, they wrote to me on the Wed and told me they made arrangement for us to attend trial class! Yippie! I confirmed immediately and asked what we should bring. Michelle replied that we do not have to bring anything but try to dress IZ in non-expensive clothes as the paint they’ll be using is special.

I was all excited for few days, and I told IZ on Fri that we were going to art class, he nodded his head. We took MRT from Serangoon, within 14 mins ride, we reached Botanic Gardens. It was our first time, so I took a picture of IZ.

Outside Botanic Gardens Station

I had difficulty finding the class at first, as I didn’t know where to head upstairs. I asked a Phil helper, she told me can cross Cold Storage and up using a lift or escalator.

Going to Bukit Timah, I half expected classy set-up etc. Indeed, the court was fully of “classy stuffs”. I found Abrakadoodle easily. It’s so nice from the outside! Saw many “ang moh” kids too.

Outside Abrakadoodle

The receptionist asked me to let IZ roam about to warm up. Oh my, that wasn’t a good idea, as IZ started to touch and take out all the Crayola stuffs they display for SALE. Gosh!

Warming up

At 10.15 sharp, we were asked to enter the classroom. IZ was given sanitiser and to take body temperature. But he started to cry, probably thought I would leave him there. Assuring him I would be with him, we sat on the floor together. I saw other kids were either wrapped up with an apron or an adult T-shirt. Damn, why didn’t I think of that? I dressed IZ in a Doraemon shirt that his grandma bought for him cheaply, from the market. :-(

The teacher (pardon me for I didn’t get the teacher’s name!) looks young, speaks with a faint accent and really engaging. She started with a greeting song, and then read a story about shapes from a story book. She invited the kids to join in, engage them to tell her about shapes, and what’s formed by combining different shapes together. And then she taught the kids on different types of brushes, ie. big, small, long and short brushes. She taught the kids how to dip them into the water and rinse, and dry them up on a piece of cloth and dip into paint and started painting. Then, the kids were supposed to cut the painting into shapes and then stick onto the frame. Some of them are meant to be pop-out.

When all are done and dry, it was show & tell time! Teacher says IZ should listen too. So, the kids who are very vocal, started talking about their masterpiece. I thought IZ would not be needed as he can’t talk much yet. But teacher engaged him to point to triangle and circle, and which shape he likes the most. I was impressed that IZ was not neglected coz he is not talking yet.

Teacher ended the class by a goodbye song, and throws a dog soft toy to each of them, ask them to catch. IZ stood there and let the dog fall. Hahahaha!

So, IZ got to learn about shapes, brushes, painting, cutting, putting glue, pasting, show&tell and catching!

Outside, the kids were given a stamp on their hand, and a packet of biscuit. IZ finished the biscuits immediately while I signed up for our artistic journey ahead!

Proud of his work

Close-up of his Elizabeth Murray Doodle

Given a free T-Shirt upon registration

PS: Unfortunately, IZ has to end his music adventure for the time being as the timing clashes with each other, and we found IZ is bored in music class as he knows most of the songs already. Only when teacher sang new song did he pay 100% attention. That’s the backfire of too diligent practice at home I guess.

End of 6th Week in Playgroup - 3rd Aug'12

It is always encouraging to read the communication book on every Friday. IZ’s teacher sure has something nice to say (except the part about IZ needs to learn to keep one toy before bringing out another).

This was what his teacher had to say this week. I am glad he is friendly to his friends, but I hope he is not overdoing it to the extent he makes other people not comfortable.

Very comforting to know he is doing well, socially

I stumbled upon this Baby’s Day Out 2012 organised by NTUC online and decided to bring IZ for early exposure to National Day celebration. I am not interested in the goodies or the perks, but the idea of picnic in the open space, with Chinese Orchestra and also fireworks sounded like a wonderful idea. Oh, to top it off, we also made it in Singapore Book of Record, in realizing the biggest national flag with milk bottle. Below are some snapshots we took of the event.

Making a record

His 1st National Anthem

His first pledge

His 1st fireworks!

Obsessed with ANT

Since the lesson A for ANT on 18^th Jun’12, IZ has been able to say “eh” for ant. He would say “eh” for ants he saw crawling on the ground and “eh” when he saw pictures of ants.

And then he got obsessed with ants, so much that he would gesture with his hand and say “hurrah hurrah” and “eh”. He will not miss any opportunity to say “eh, hurrah hurrah” when he sees iPad or iPhone lying around to watch the video I shared in the lesson A for Apple on 14^th Jun’12.

The obsession got worse when he asked his uncle (my brother) for “eh”, even some strangers he met in Dr. Anthony’s clinic, as long as that person holds an iPhone. Duhz..

Oh well, now the iPad is kept hidden from his sight on most days. Occasionally when I feel we have had a constructive day, I would let him play with the apps in it.

Random Lernen-Reise in Jul'12 - Part 2

To my surprise, one evening, he took this book and asked me to read to him. Some of the illustration in the book are embossed, looks like 3D. There is the main character, caterpillar in every page, as well as an ant. Ant, being his favorite right now, he was so engrossed in finding them in every page that he actually sat on my lap throughout the book. We did it twice the week. Generally, it’s a good book! :-D

Good book!

I make it a point to bring him earlier to music class every Sat so we can slowly walk from the car park to Hougang Mall and make our way up the escalators one by one all the way till 5^th floor. IZ could step onto the escalator with ease and he knows to lift his feet up when I say walk at the end of it. Weekly practice makes perfect.

Another reason why I bring him early to class is so we have about 10-15mins to roam in the library. Hougang Mall has this very nice children’s corner. IZ especially likes the activity room, as there are many colourful balls in the acrylic box display.

Happy in Children's Section

Activity Room

I try to make it a point to borrow books so to cultivate reading habits in him from young (or so I hope). Hahaha..

The last trip I went, we borrowed these, in conjunction with weather theme he is learning in CS.

All his favorite

I went to Jann’s to continue my missed phonics lesson g-k. I was suddenly inspired by her sharing on country flags and erasers. So this was what I did.

I put the flashcards on the floor and fruit toys mixed. I asked IZ to put the fruit toys to the corresponding flashcards. He could do it well until he reached apple. The toy was a green apple while the apple on the card was red. Then I changed the apple to red apple, and he could place it easily.

The other one IZ couldn’t put together was the pineapple. The toy came without the green head, but the card’s did. Although he knows both are pineapples (or APPLE as he could only say APPLE), he didn’t want to put them together. So we had to chip in to help him.

It’s little wonder IZ knows all the fruits and the cards. We have been flashing the cards since he was 8 months old. Hahaha.. I just wish he could speak a little more…

Matching 101

Additional words he could say at 19 months: yi, er, ba, mei you (in Chinese) and ah, ber, ker sound of a, b and c.

5th Week in Playgroup - 27th Jul'12

And so IZ skipped 2 days of his class on his 5^th week in CS. I shall post a picture of the brief note his teacher wrote at the end of the week.

Selina told me teachers missed him a lot and was happy when IZ returned to school on Friday. He was shy to go into the class at first though, probably coz of the 2 days break. But everything went well after he went in.

Found this piece of work he did in Chinese class. I was particularly impressed by this piece as this is the best piece he has done thus far. For a 19 months old to produce such work, I would say he has done well.
.  

I would give him a star for this

End of 4th Week in Playgroup – 20th Jul’12

Note from his teacher in the communication book made my day. I am always looking forward to Friday for all the different reason now.

Good progress :-)

We sang a lot of Rain Rain Go Away in both the known versions throughout the weekend.

As we know they just had the Racial Harmony Day in school, where they learned about other races and learned about food that are related, such as roti prata, nasi lemak and all, we bought them for breakfast on Sat to show and let him taste them.

He fell sick when he woke up on Sat. We thought it was mild flu which he caught the 2nd week in school. We were prepared that kids will fall sick when they go to school. He was down with fever, flu and phlegmy cough. I gave him medicine left from the last round he fell sick, but the fever spiked everyday it not every other day.

Poor boy

We brought him to take a breather in PUnggol Park, thinking it would help in recovery.

Taking a breather

I finally gave in on the 5th day and brought him to Dr. Anthony. The queue was horrible as usual although we arrived just when the clinic was opened, our number was 15, and we waited till 12pm before we got to see him. He said IZ was down with bronchitis, inflammation and influenza. For a moment, he made me felt bad for not bringing IZ to see him earlier, but then I really do not want IZ to be fed with chemicals whenever he fall sick.  

Poisons!

End of 3rd Week in Playgroup – 13th Jul’12

I was away the whole week for business trip, thus I had no chance to check on his progress personally except via phone calls to Selina. I was glad to know he was doing better.

Wuxi is well known for their peaches, available only during summer. I brought 2 cartons back and was very happy Issac got to see and touch firsthand experience how peaches look and taste like. They are juicy and sweet!

Havenly!

Note from his teacher end of the week, made my day when I reached home from a tiring and sickly trip:

So proud of him :-)

I tested him to sit cross-legged, and he really understands. As he was making conscious effort to cross his legs, he was hesitant on which leg should cross which one. Nevertheless, I was so proud of him. Another new thing he learnt.

We really appreciate the communication book as it shares with us what was taught during the week, so we can re-cap during the weekend. We brought him to Seletar Reservoir for a stroll, coincidentally the weather so perfect to teach him on sunny, partly cloudy and cloudy. We had fun running about.

Perfect Imperfect Weather

At night when I put him to bed, I tried to ask him to repeat a, b and c after me. He couldn’t follow the letter sound, but when I made phonics sounds, he could repeat, just like what his teacher wrote on the communication book. I was impressed he could follow all the way till f. However, deep down, I’m worried he knows phonics first but not letters.

I also tried to make tornado using a water bottle filled with water. He knows the term tornado but he didn’t find fun in the water bottle, instead he was more interested in the cap. So, maybe my way was not interesting enough.

I felt like wanting to eat crab one of the nights, hubby bought home a very big salted egg butter crab. That was IZ’s first sight of a live (oh well, cooked) crab. I asked him to wake his grandma who already turned in, to eat crab. He went in and gestured the clamping using both his hands and said “kiap kiap” “kiap kiap”. Grandma was very happy and impressed. He loves the crab meat!

Yummylicious!

End of 2nd Week in Playgroup - 6th Jul'12

Edited on 12th Jul'12: Mid of second week, as his dad was away for business trip, we chatted with him over Skype. When asked if he likes going to school, he shook his head and nodded almost immediately, shook and nodded, couldn't decide if he likes or not. To us, it was a good sign, there IS SOMETHING in school that he likes in school afterall. :-)

He finally didn't cry when Selina dropped him to school in the morning, on the last day of second week, on his 9th day of school. And he kissed and hugged every teacher before leaving the school.

Below his progress for the week, I would say, "welll done son!"

Teacher's comment on his comm book

His artwork - weather clock

Theme for this term is Weather and Fabric. It didn't take him long before he knows what's sunny and rainy. He will gesture with his hands, how rain drops. As shared by teacher, they were showed video on how rain is formed, I did the same at home.

I managed to search Mister Sun Sun on youtube and watched together with him.



Additional words he could say at 19 months: heart, frog, crab

Random Lernen-Reise - Jul'12 Part 1

30th Jun'12:

J for Jiu Jiu (or Da Jiu)

1st Jul'12:

Bought some Chinese books from Popular, let our Chinese Lernen-Reise begin!

2nd Jul'12:

B for butterfly

7th Jul'12:

Got this small magnetic board to draw on-the-go from Jann (even when picking his dad up in the airport!)

Second Week in Playgroup - 5th Jul'12

Selina feedback that IZ is getting better in school... **beaming in pride**

Sitting by himself at the other end on top of the picture

At the most left from this angle