Frog babies are so small

While playing in the field, we noticed black insects hopping around. We decided to check out what insect is that. Surprise! they are froglets (already without tails) . Then we saw another 3 more froglets leaping around.

Then I used a plastic container to let the froglets leap in, so that the children can get a closer look at the froglets.

The children were fascinated with the froglets.









We learned that:
1. froglets are very small
2. froglets look like the adult frog (unlike tadpoles)
3. froglets can leap high
4. when in the container, the froglets stayed close to the side and do not leap

After taking a good look at those froglets, we let them go into the drain.

Last Friday, we found a dead froglet in the school's compound. The children started discussing what caused the froglet to die.
Isn't it interesting that this simple discovery can lead them to more thinking, questions and discussion. I love it when they are so spontaneous with their questions and discussion.

Practical life - pouring

Pouring water from jug to cups or bottle to bottle are actually fun. They can pour over and over again. Then exchanging their materials on their own accord. So sweet of them. Their social skills are amazing.

Creative Art Time

Designing my own photo frame.

Hui Yi putting on her thinking cap to decide which color to use next.



Yvonne and Jolin prefer to position the photo frame upright and paint the frame like an artist.







Artist at work. Very serious ler!
Chi Ern putting the finishing touch to her photo frame.






In their faces, I see their thought as "Cool! I am designing my own photo frame." instead of "Oh no! This is not an easy task." This is the kind of thought that I wish to see in every child. Children should NOT see tasks as obstacles and hard to accomplish work. Instead, they should have the enthusiasm and confidence in themselves to work on tasks assigned.










The children can use glue independently as they are used to doing thing on their own. You will be surprised that they know the sufficient pressure to press the glue bottle so that the glue will not overflow.
I am very proud of them that they can work independently with the glueing work. Aren't you proud of them too?










Leave printing. The child experiencing painting colour on the both surfaces of the leave to discover only the bottom part of the leave will print better on paper.

Restaurant by the children for the children

Playing restaurant is something that you don't have to help them to plan out.

You can see here that they have divided the roles among themselves and the scene created below are like a real fast food restaurant.


Chi Ern taking order from a customer (Jayden) while Yvonne prepare food the customer.

Jolin is another customer, waiting in line for her turn to order food.







Jayden taking his order to get a place to enjoy his food.









Jayden and Jolin enjoying their yummy food while the restaurant "Tau-keh-soh" checking whether the customers are happy with the food or not.

Making cookies 1

These are the cookies that the children made during the first term school holiday. Although, I've sent my elder son to be in-charge of taking photographs while the children make the cookies.

This is the only photo that I have. He said he was too busy making the cookies too that he forgot.

The children each took one cookie home for mummy to try their 'sau-sai'. Unfortunately, most came back and said "I ate the cookie. I only show mummy the cookie"

Phase 3 - Saloon Project

After visiting the saloon, the children included more representation of equipments into their saloon play.

Now, we have mirrors and books provided for the customer to read. We have area for washing hair.










The children took turns to be customer and hairdresser.









We even made a steamer. Yvonne realized missing part of the steamer and asked "there is no container for the water. Where can we put water?" I told her that we will pretend to put water into the long pole - which she agreed.

Link to Phase 1
Link to Phase 2

Goodbye butterflies

After 2 weeks of watching the caterpillar turning into chrysalis then into butterfly. Finally, it is time to say goodbye to the butterflies.










Can you see the two buttleflies in the container?

Fun with play dough

Who says children can't concentrate for long. This play dough activities took them more than two hours of work. They were having so much fun that they insisted on working with the play dough after the snack time.

Look, how busy each child was ...with the play dough.










From this simple play dough activity, I observed that the children:
1. do have long attention span as long as the activity interest them
2. can work independently and cooperatively at the same time
3. can create their own thing on their own and each creation from the dough is unique
4. are using a lot of their fine motor skill
5. are careful (when handling their creation)
6. are patient to wait for their turn to share any limited resources

BTW, just to share with you the recipe I used to make the play dough
.............................................................................................................
Cooked Play Dough
9 cups of flour
3 cups of salt
10 tsps of cream of tartar
9 cups of water
9 tbsps of oil
food colouring (red, blue, yellow)

1. Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar into a wok
2. Blend water and oil together in a bowl
3. Add the mixture of water & oil slowly into the wok and cook over medium fire heat. Stir constantly.
4. When its thicken, it is ready.
I split the cooked dough into 3 portions so that I can use the three primary colours. With the three primary colours; the children will get to experience the change in colour if they mix two different colour doughs together.
4. Add several drops of food colouring and knead the dough. Add more coloring until you get the right colour as you knead the dough.

This play dough is very soft, smooth and nice to use. It is not sticky and can be cleaned up easily. Keep the dough in air tight container and store them in the fridge. It will last for quite some time.