"Let's go, explorers!"

Dear Parents,

The weekend is approaching! Why not spend some quality time with your child by engaging with Nature outdoors?

Exploring outdoors provides children with opportunities to find out more about the world around them and at the same time, it helps to enhance their five senses (e.g. sense of sight, smell, and touch). Outdoor activities are less structured and allow children to interact with nature, community and people (e.g. children and adults from diverse backgrounds)

Here are some places that you and your child may consider visiting this weekend:

1. Jacob Ballas Children's Garden
   Singapore Botanic Gardens
   Cluny Road, Singapore 259569
   Telephone: 6465 0196
   
   Opening hours: 8.00am - 7.00pm (last admission at 6.30pm)
   *Closed on Mondays
   
   Admission: Free (open to children up to 12 years old)
   *All children have to be accompanied by an adult
   
   **For more information, please visit: http://www.sbg.org.sg/bukittimahcore/ChildrenGarden.asp
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Bottle Tree Park
   81 Lorong Chencharu (Yishun) Click here for Google Maps
   Singapore 769198
   Telephone: 6759 5771
   
   Opening hours: 8.00am - 12 midnight
   
   Admission: Free (General Public)
   
   **For more information, please visit: http://www.bottletree.com.sg/?page_id=23
   
   
3. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
   301 Neo Tiew Crescent 718925
   Telephone: 6794 1401
   
   Opening hours: 7.30am to 7.00pm on Monday to Saturday, 7.00am to 7.00pm on Sundays & Public Holidays
   
   Admission: Free
   *except on Saturdays, Sundays, Public Holidays and School Holidays
    Prices are:
   - $1.00 per adult
   - $0.50 per child / student / senior citizen
   
   **For more information, please visit: https://www.sbwr.org.sg/
   
   
   
   
   
   

 Pen it down! 

After visiting the place(s), document your journey with your child by creating a Nature diary with him/her together.
 

What you need:

- Papers/a blank book

- Writing tools (e.g. pens, pencils, color pencils, crayons, markers, ruler)

- Glue

- Scissors
 

a. Get your child to draw about his/her favourite plant(s) and/or animal(s) found in the place(s), draw your favourite plant(s) and/or animal(s) too

 

b. Assist your child in adding captions to describe his/her drawings, add captions to your drawings too

 

c. Get your child to share his/her drawings with you and vice versa

 

IF your child and you have taken pictures during the visit to the place(s), develop the pictures and use them for the diary!

 

a. Working with your child, add captions to describe his/her and your experiences for each picture

 

b. Get your child to reflect on what he/she has enjoyed about the visit to the place(s), do your self-reflection as well and add them in the diary

 

Have fun spotting and learning about the different plants and animals outdoors! Share your experiences and feelings with us by leaving a comment(s) and/or you may choose to email photos of your Nature diary to a.child.in.me@gmail.com and we will upload them on your behalf (*credits will be made to you and your child).

Ps: Stay tuned to our upcoming post this Monday, 4 March 2013.

 

Yours truly,

Joyce, Gui Ling and Joanna

 

Remember with nature, the learning never ends...there is always more you can discover about everything you see.

-Jane Claire Lambert-

 

"Let it bloom"

Dear Parents,

HAPPY MONDAY! It's time to spend some quality time with your child by engaging with Nature. An activity has been planned for you and your child as followed: 

Let it bloom

Planting helps to nurture children's sense of responsibility as it gives them the opportunity to care for the plant and take charge of its growth (i.e. prevent it from withering). Through this meaningful experience, children will also learn about the life cycle of a plant - a subject matter of Science.

So... Let's get started!

Firstly, you will need these materials:

                  

           Seeds                                                                 Soil

     

A small flower pot                                              Spade

                     

     Water                                                           Sunlight

 

Suggestions on where you can get the resources

- Seeds from FairPrice (e.g. assorted packet seeds - snake bean, cauliflower snowball, bitter gourd, spinach, pakchoi white - $1.53/pack), neighbourhood (e.g. market, convenience store, nursery)

 

- Soil from Cold Storage > Horticulture (e.g. mix burnt soil - $2), FairPrice (e.g. Horti soil mixture, 3 kg - $4.74), GG fresh flower (http://www.ggfreshflower.com/)

- Flower pot from Daiso Japan > Gardening, Cold Storage > Horticulture (e.g. pot without hanger (12 cm) - 60 cents, pot without hanger (15cm) - 80 cents)

- Spade from Daiso Japan > Gardening

 

*each item at Daiso is priced $2

*all items mentioned above are subject to availability and location

*all prices are subject to location, promotion

**For more tips, visit http://easigarden.com

Next, it's time to get your hands to work!

Step 1
Pour soil into the flower pot using a spade.
*you can replace a flower pot with an empty container, and a spade with a shovel or gardening scoop

Step 2
Sprinkle 3 to 4 seeds on the soil.
*the number of seeds is based on your choice
*make sure the seeds are separate from one another to ensure their healthy growth
*REMEMBER! The lesser the seeds, the faster your plant(s) will bloom

Step 3
Water regularly so that the soil is damp but not wet (at least twice a day). Place the pot where it can get an adequate amount of sunlight (e.g. near the windows).


NOW, be hardworking and patient in planting. We are sure that your consistent efforts will be paid off. "Let it bloom!"

#EDUCATIONAL TIP 1: "Children are active learners” They learn best through hands-on activities and experiences where they get to explore and experiment with their 5 senses to make sense of their own world.

 

 

Have fun planting with your child! Share your experiences and feelings with us by leaving a comment(s) and/or you may choose to email photos of your plants to a.child.in.me@gmail.com and we will upload them on your behalf (*credits will be made to you and your child).

Ps: Stay tuned to our upcoming post this Thursday, 28 February 2013.
 

Yours truly,

Joyce, Gui Ling and Joanna

 When children come into contact with nature, they reveal their strength
- Maria Montessori-
 

GREETINGS!

Dear Parents,

 

Let's get to know us better first!

      We are a group of undergraduates (Joyce, Gui Ling and Joanna) from Wheelock College, Singapore, who are currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Educational Studies and Leadership. In response to Prime Minister Lee's speech during National Day Rally 2012, we are embarking on an advocacy project which we aim to advocate for children to have their childhood. View the video below if you have missed the speech by PM Lee:

 

What's the PLAN?

     In this space, you can expect to find various theme-related (i.e. Nature, Do-It-Yourself, Healthy Lifestyle) activities which you can do with your child. The activities will provide opportunities for your child to have fun while learning and at the same time encourage you to spend quality time with your child. Our channel will be updated every Monday and Thursday over a period of three weeks.

      

For week 1, the activities will be related to Nature. SO... stay tuned to our upcoming FIRST post “Let it bloom”, an activity which you and your child will enjoy doing at home on                25 February 2013.
 

Social Network

     We have set up a Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Iwantmychildhood and we invite you to visit it for more updates. We look forward to working and interacting with you! 

Here’s a clip for you to enjoy:

 

 

REFLECTION TIME!

Some questions for you to ponder:

1) Do you enjoy your childhood?

2) What are some of your childhood memories?

3) How do you think you can let your children enjoy their childhood?

*Come! Share with us what you think and feel by leaving a comment(s)

 

 

Yours truly,

Joyce, Gui Ling and Joanna

 

Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.

-Fred "Mr" Rogers-