Sunday 31 May 2015

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Fun with Excavating Dinosaurs



Age: From 6 years old

Objective(s): To learn about archaeology and dinosaurs in a fun way.

Materials:
1. Crystal mining kit consisting of 1 plaster block with dinosaur bones buried inside, 1 digging tool, 1 brush, 1 magnifier and 1 fact sheet

2. Some newspapers

3. A small container/pail containing water to wash the stones after excavation

Directions:
1. Simply spread newspaper out on the table and let your child have fun to hammer and dig into the plaster to find the dinosaur's bones.

2. Study the bones together.

3. Build the dinosaur.

4. Display it in a display case.

Additional Information:
J played with this on 30 May 2015 (6Y2M25D) for a good 45 mins. He liked it very much. We didn't finished it. He will continue another day. Beware, it can get messy. We put him in the washroom for this activity for ease of cleaning. We had to hose the floor with water after throwing away the newspapers.

This is a fun and educational toy that I highly recommend :-) You can find it in Amazon here:

















Friday 29 May 2015

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Interesting Cultural Differences...


The challenges of a cross-cultural marriage and family... I never knew what I have signed myself up for, when I got married :-)

Now that our Little FECS started entering into the Danish school system, it opened my eyes to see that Danes and Singaporeans are equally kiasu, but just kiasu about different things....

The Singaporeans emphasize on studying HARD, play comes later. The Danes focus on playing HARD and the studying part will come by itself.

In Singapore, during meeting in school, parents will ask about how to ensure that their children can excel in school, but in Denmark, parents devote pretty much the whole Q&A session to organising play dates... and making suggestions for more regular parties for the kids.*

While Singaporean kids go to enrichment class every week, it is not uncommon for Danish kids to go to football twice or more a week.

The Asian emphasis on taking piano class is equivalent to the Danish emphasis on football. So aren't we all super kiasu? We are just super kiasu in different things :-)

In general, Singaporean parents are super-kiasu about the intellectual development of their kids - they want their kids to have a head start in the academics, esp. Maths and Science, scoring good grades for exams. They sent them to the best school already when their kids are only 4 years old.

In general, Danish parents are super kiasu about the physical and social development of their kids - they want their kids to have a head start in football, scoring goals. They scout around for the best football team already when their kids are only 4 years old.

And what do the kids think?

J told me, "Mommy, I have enough play dates. Can I just rest and have some cave time?"

(But after play date, J said that it was fun :-))

And for this Merlion born and bred mommy? Totally confused... but having fun navigating the cultural aspects of the Danish primary education system... Hopefully we will come out still in one piece 10 years later :-)

Both are equally "Tiger moms and dads," and equally goal-oriented, just in different things.

Which is correct? There is no right and wrong answer.

It depends on what one values in life..., which in terms depend on what one's society values in life...

In navigating the cultural minefield, it is so wonderful that God is our  steadfast anchor in life and our ultimate belief and value system... bringing us back and preventing us from making an idol out of worshiping good grades or football...

* This is done to nurture close friendships among the class is formed (after all, they are going to be together in the same class for 10 years). A little too much for me, but I have come to appreciate their perspective and the importance placed on this social aspect.
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J Summary (6Y2M264D) - Playdate...

 
What do occupy the kids during playdate? I usually let the kids find out themselves, but sometimes it can hit a snag. So out come the water-guns - they are almost always a hit.

 
Playing 4-in-1-line together...

Playing chess together...
 
Feeling hungry... time for some snack... peanut-butter and bread... our guest asked only for water, although we offered chocolate milk. Just love him, such a good influence for J, eating so healthy by his own initiative :-)
 

 
I made edible playdough, but they decided to play with normal playdough instead, which was also fine.

 
Boy, our guest has a very high attention-span, and they played with playdough all the way until it was time to go home...

 
So creative, this is a sub-marine, made by our 6 years old guest :-) Pretty sophisticated, wasn't it? And J? He was just keen to make only noodles with playdough... which was also fine...

This is one of the more successful playdates, where the boys had similar interests... and could eat for a long time playing with physical toys... For some of the playdates, the kids just want to play computer games and iPAD, and thus for the most part of the time during the playdate, their eyes were just on the screen, not much interaction.
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Healthy, Tasty, Nutritious & Economical Edible Palydough


Makes the size of 1 tennis ball

Ingredients:

1. 3/4 cup grahams flour
2. 1/2 cup water
3.. 1 TBS honey or syrup
4. 1/2 cup ground oats
5. A few drops of food color (optional)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together.

Additional Information:

Our Little FECS have been asking me to make edible playdough for him, since he tried out for the first time, when he was 3 years old. I have made edible playdough out of nut butter, but they are very expensive.

I was trying to find some healthy, simple and cheap way of making edible playdough, but couldn't find it on the net. Most of them are super duper unhealthy - some even is made from just sugar icing!!!

Surely it cannot be so difficult to make healthy and tasty play dough. So I started experimenting using some flour, water and honey... then I added ground oatmeal and it still feels good like play dough, at the same time, it was tasty and healthy. Most of all, it is very simple and uses only three to four ingredients :-)

I prefer the natural color, but our Little FECS often asked to have them in multi-colors.

I grind the roll oats myself. To make it even more nutritious, you can also sprinkle in brewer's yeast and wheatgerm.

Graham flour, ground roll oats, honey/syrup and water

31 May 2015 (6Y2M26D) - J decided to use the edible playdough to make biscuits instead. So we added in an apple and made it into apple biscuits :-)





Sunday 24 May 2015

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Montessori Activity: Subtraction Snake Game



AGE: 5.5 to 6 years (After the child has tried the Addition Snake Game)

OBJECTIVE(S):

1. To illustrate subtraction.

MATERIALS:

1. 1 box containing 5 sets of colored short bead bars (1-9).
2. 1 box containing 25 golden 10-bars.
3. 1 box containing 1 set of black and white bead stair.
4. 1 box containing grey bead bars (subtraction bars)
5. 1 notched cardboard or plastic counter to act as marker.
6. 2 empty containers, one to contain the addition bars, and the other to contain the subtraction bars that have been counted.
7. 1 mat or felt cloth to work on.

PRESENTATION:

1. Place the black and white bead stair at the upper right hand corner of the mat and arrange them into a triangle with the 1 black bead at the bottom and the 9 bead at the top.

2. Introduce the subtraction beads and tell the child that they are grey and dark grey.

3. Place the notched card below the stair and explain, "This card is to mark where we finished counting."

4. Start by making a random snake alternating between the following colored bead bars and the subtraction beads that will give the end result as zero as follows:

Colored bead bars    Grey bead bars

9
7 ------------------------ 4
2 ------------------------ 5
5 ------------------------ 9
8 ------------------------ 7
6 ------------------------ 8
4 ------------------------ 6
9 ------------------------ 9
3
1 ------------------------ 6

5. Count the colored bead bars and insert the marker after the 10th bead has been counted, i.e. blue 9-bar and first bead of green 2-bar.

6. Place a golden 10-bar next to the colored bead bars.

7. Count the remaining beads of the bead bar, in this case 1 bead, and place the appropriate black and white bead bar to next to it, i.e. black 1-bar. In total, you now have 11 beads.

8. Remove the colored bead bars already counted into an empty container.

9. Continue in the same manner until you reach a grey subtraction bead bar. Count the number of beads in the grey bar, i.e. grey 4-bar, and say, "That means we need to take away 4 beads."


10. Take 4 away by counting the 4 beads backwards and mark it with the marker.



11. Count the remaining from the golden 10-bar. In this case, you have 7 beads remaining. Place a black and white 7-bar next to the golden 10-bar. 

12. Remove the golden 10-bar, the black 1-bar and the grey 4-bar and put them aside or into an empty container. Join the snake.

13. Continue in the same manner by counting the beads and insert marker when you reach the 10th bead, i.e. black and white 7-bar and first 3 beads from the brown 8-bar.

14. Place a golden 10-bar next to the beads you just counted to 10.

15. Count the remaining beads of the bead bar, in this case 5 bead, and place the appropriate black and white bead bar to next to it, i.e. black 5-bar. In total, you now have 15 beads.

16. Remove the black & white 7-bar and the brown 8-bar to their respective places. Join the snake. 

17. Count the number of beads in the grey bar, i.e. grey 7-bar and and say, "That means we need to take away 7 beads."

18. Take 7 away by counting the 7 beads backwards and mark it with the marker.

19. Count the remaining from the golden 10-bar. In this case, you have 8 beads remaining. Place a black and white 8-bar next to the golden 10-bar.

20. Remove the golden 10-bar, the black 5-bar and the grey 7-bar to their respective places. Join the snake.

21. Continue in this manner until all beads have been removed and the snake eliminated.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION:


Note: The video presentation is in Spanish, but it is very intuitive.



CONTROL OF ERROR:

1. Arrange all the grey bars vertically from longest to shortest.
2. Place the colored bead bars in the same manner below the grey bars.
3. Pair the grey bead bars and colored bead bars together according to length and say, i.e. 6 take away 6 is zero.
4. Exchange if required to have the same amount of colored bead bars as grey bead bars until there are no more matching required.
5. Then match the golden 10-bars with the rest of the colored bead bars - they should match perfectly.

Or

1. Arrange the colored bead stair in a line.
2. Arrange the grey bead bars next to it in a line - they should match perfectly.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Just preparing this as something new to present to J, as he is complaining that I keep doing the same thing. The pictures will come later.

REFERENCES:


The Montessori Subtraction Snake Game is available from Amazon:



1. Place the black and white bead stair at the upper right hand corner of the mat and arrange them into a triangle with the 1 black bead at the bottom and the 9 bead at the top.

2. Introduce the subtraction beads and tell the child that they are grey and dark grey.

3. Place the notched card below the stair and explain, "This card is to mark where we finished counting."


4. Start by making a random snake alternating between the following colored bead bars and the subtraction beads that will give the end result as zero as follows:


5. Count the colored bead bars and insert the marker after the 10th bead has been counted, i.e. blue 9-bar and first bead of green 2-bar.


6. Place a golden 10-bar next to the colored bead bars.


7. Count the remaining beads of the bead bar, in this case 1 bead, and place the appropriate black and white bead bar to next to it, i.e. black 1-bar. In total, you now have 11 beads.


8. Remove the colored bead bars already counted and put them aside or into an empty container.


9. Continue in the same manner until you reach a grey subtraction bead bar. Count the number of beads in the grey bar, i.e. grey 4-bar, and say, "That means we need to take away 4 beads."


10. Take 4 away by counting the 4 beads backwards and mark it with the marker.


11. Count the remaining from the golden 10-bar. In this case, you have 7 beads remaining. Place a black and white 7-bar next to the golden 10-bar. 


12. Remove the golden 10-bar, the black 1-bar and the grey 4-bar and put them aside or into an empty container. Join the snake.


13. Continue in the same manner by counting the beads and insert the marker when you reach the 10th bead, i.e. black and white 7-bar and first 3 beads from the brown 8-bar.


14. Place a golden 10-bar next to the beads you just counted to 10.


15. Count the remaining beads of the bead bar, in this case 5 bead, and place the appropriate black and white bead bar to next to it, i.e. black 5-bar. In total, you now have 15 beads.


16. Remove the black & white 7-bar and the brown 8-bar to their respective places. Join the snake. 


17. Count the number of beads in the grey subtraction bar, i.e. grey 7-bar and say, "That means we need to take away 7 beads."


18. Take 7 away by counting the 7 beads backwards and mark it with the marker.


19. Count the remaining from the golden 10-bar. In this case, you have 8 beads remaining. Place a black and white 8-bar next to the golden 10-bar. 


20. Remove the golden 10-bar, the black 5-bar and the grey 7-bar to their respective places. Join the snake.

21. Continue in this manner until all beads have been removed and the snake eliminated.













1. Arrange the colored bead stair in a line.


2. Arrange the grey bead bars next to it in a line - they should match perfectly.

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