Or focused on themes regarding the Earth and planets.

The one below is on healthy eating and I introduced word games like word searches for him.

Overall, I like how the worksheets are colourful so that it does not look too boring and I can input different things. Even on days when I am too lazy to print, we would just read the magazine on the ipad together and see different stories, Ain't that great? It also gives me idea of themes I can focused more on to teach. :)

When Imm was young, he started liking monsters, Jack O Lanterns and things to do with Halloween. Frankly speaking, both hub and I are not into Halloween;  I find it spooky actually and since we are Christians, we should not be advocating the "dark stuff" as I had read on some blogs. Yet, it can also be our own biased adult judgement that these celebrations are "bad" and impose our own views and marred the innocence of children. For me, it is just a good opportunity for some art and craft session. Actually, I tower upon them like a witch when I see their goodie bags filled with "treats", (which I discard about 90 % of it later on).

My eyes glowed with excitement (like a vampire) actually after chancing upon these spooky minions I saw online. I dug out my Shrinky Dinks from my stash. This is what I used:

1) Oil-based markers from Daiso

2) Shrinky Dinks (2 pieces for $2)

3) Zebra marker to draw out the pictures

4) A template I printed out. I am sure you can get yours by searching Halloween Minions

I drew a vampire one for Imm and one in a pink cloak for Ko. This is simple enough for me to draw. Hurray! I hate it when children test my drawing skills as I am no artist. 

Imm started colouring his.

It feels so good seeing them focus.

At almost 28 months now, Ko can colour within the picture and like to colour on her own. She used to colour the whole page without caring about the picture what was on it.

I helped her to touch up and cut the picture out.

After cutting the pictures out, I put it in the oven which was at 130 degrees. It will shrink up in 30 s. I took them out with a chopstick and used two bases to flatten it before it cools. I had punched two holes in it before putting them in the oven in case they want to use it as a keychain in future. I enjoy shrinky dinks because you can make so many things (accessories, keychains etc) with them. The fun part for the kids is seeing the object shriveling and turning smaller! (I will shine my phone torch for their viewing)

Halloween Costumes for School on that day!!

I have always believed that children learn much better when they are engaged doing a practical activity, which is why I would rack my brains to engage them this way, no matter how lame the method is. And it also helps me to develop my silly side. :) I wanted to introduce the recognition of these words in Chinese. I started with the ones that were easy to write : 羊，牛 as the strokes were the least. For the sheep, I printed a picture of the sheep and laminated it. Then I pasted a piece of soft laminating paper over it and gave Imm some cotton balls to paste on the sheep so that it looks like wool.

For the cow, I printed 2 pictures of the cow and used a cardboard paper to put in the middle of the two pictures for support. I then made a hole in the cardboard and put a pacifier through it so that he could "milk" the cow and understand that cows produced the milk that we drink.

The pacifier was supposed to be the "teat". The kids were super amused by it.

At the end of it all, I revised again by putting the word next to the pictures.

Next, I focused on 鸟 and 鱼. And this time was more art and craft session using the paper plates. I will usually print out a picture of what I wanted them to do, to let them have an idea.

This was what I prepared:

1) Some buttons

2) Foam paper (if you wanted to add a beak)

3) 2 paper plates in which I pasted 2 colours of construction paper and cut them out according to the shape of the paper plates (see below)

4) Glue

5) 2 colours of feathers

5) Eyes

We used the buttons to paste on one side. I poked holes at the end to allow them to insert the feathers.

It was a fast job as I had to help with 2 kids. Nothing complicated. I didn't add the beak for this but used the foam paper for the fish instead.

Check out Imm's wry look! Hahaha.. "Mummy is asking me to pose again."

Next, we did which was even easier. I asked them to paint their favorite color using powder paint and they pasted the foam that I had cut out (which was the fins and tail). We then pasted the eye and drew the mouth. A pic with 表姨！

Next is the writing!

And then thinking of my pretend play this week coupled with Imm's interest, as well as inspiration from http://www.ahappymum.com/2015/07/singapore-landmarks-flashcards-pencil.html, I decided to do one that is like this!

1) First, I made some laminated cards of Singapore landmarks.

And wrote brief descriptions behind the pictures.

2) I got two characters : the lion and ninja to be the characters in my story. The lion is chosen very significantly. So apparently, lion meets ninja and wants to bring him to his city. So Imm built the aeroplane using lego for them.

3) There they go!!

Then we went to visit the places on my cards one by one and I read the descriptions. I was surprised Imm asked me where were the words I was reading and tried to follow. I thought it was only legible to myself as I intended for me to read and for him to listen only.

Then, we ended by singing the songs "We are Singapore". Before this, I have let them listened to some of the songs and they were slightly familiar. Ko catches on to songs easily, (remember: "let it go! let it go!") Before that, I have soft laminated their flags and put in balloon sticks for them to wave, alas, not so secure as Imm likes to see how things are connected. Anyway they fulfill my purpose.

Last week, I did present and past tense for Imm using this song. All he had to do was circle. Singapore in past and present.

And sight words learning using "Count On Me, Singapore".

My purpose is to keep the idea of our country always close to their hearts. May we never forget our homeland.

Learning:

1) Intense recognition of flag that they will never say it is China/Hong Kong again.

2) Finger training through pasting and painting

3) Story telling and Imagination

4) Recognition of landmarks and learning how to identify some words (For Imm)

5) Practical skills of Using Lego

6) Language - Present and Past tense with the most appropriate song

7) Sight Words Learning with another appropriate song

I have been wanting to do a rainbow colors activity especially with Ko just because they are so beautiful. And which story will be greater than Noah's Ark? Thus, I read the short story from our short bible story book and then told them that we are going to decorate our rainbow to remind us that God keeps his promises!

I found a picture of a rainbow online and printed out 2 sets. I told them to color the orange and yellow as I could not find these colors of the crepe paper.

Ko tried to color but she still needed help and I finished off for her.

4) Pictures of what they like, eg bears, ninja turtles etc.

4) Later on, they are supposed to put in pics of the things they like after I asked them if they are able to give up their favorite things if they have to. They did not answer that ( I wonder why) but just inserted the pictures. 

Learning points: 

1) God loves a cheerful giver! God sees the heart.

2) Story arrangement and understanding of story for Imm.

3) Finger training through pasting stickers and inserting of coins.

4) Big coins go into big slots and small coins go into small slots.

5) I got to see how sweet Ko is.