Bean Craft

Here’s a very simple craft suitable for children.

This is not my idea, but a craft assignment my seven year old son had to complete to be submitted to his teacher in school.

Materials: Beans of different sizes and colors, paper plate.

This is Karl’s work.

This is mine.

My friend's children did this on a golden box instead of a paper plate and the end product was made into a candy box. Too bad there is no picture.

Toys and Games

Toys and games are by far most children’s favorite as children love to play and have fun. I always see children reluctant to leave when they have the chance to roam the toy department in any shopping mall.

My children have lots of toys but I think most are gifts from their grandparents, aunts and uncles. I do buy toys but I often opt for educational toys and creative toys which my children do not get from others.

I believe fun learning makes children happy and happy children learn best. These toys and games are just the perfect tools to create a fun learning environment. So, if you happen to be in my house, you will find lots of such toys and games which help me with my fun teaching methods.

Informal Education

The one-week school holiday has finally come to an end. I have been away from home for almost a week and glad am I to be home.

This time around, we went back to hubby’s village. The children were very excited to see my father in law’s new house’s construction progress. They kept asking about the completion date and we told them that if they are lucky, they (the boys) might be able to celebrate their birthday in that house.

The home lighting and home automation is under my brother in law’s charge. He has stayed in the US for many years and has seen more than we do. His choice of light fixtures would be rather different I guess, from what he said once that he would not buy fluorescent lights. I wonder if he would consider chandeliers. That would be pretty nice.

My father in law is someone who is very open and democratic who allows his children, especially those who are not married, to pick the design for their own room from furniture, bathroom sets, ceiling design to color of wall. Aren’t they lucky to have such a father?

As we stood in that house, looking down, my husband took the opportunity to talk to the children about construction and about safety. We always believe in informal education and what’s a better way than to talk to the children when there are natural teaching aid and visual aid? Oh, I do hope they learn!

Beautiful Rocks

Remember my previous posts on rock painting? Here are some others which I tried.

Butterfly rock

Fish rock

Supposed to be a turtle or a tortoise

Ladybug rock with some touching up. It looks better than my previous attempt, eh?

Money Game Details

Photos here

“Money” is one topic in the primary one syllabus and to teach my seven year old about money, I let him “make” his own paper money, consisting of coins and paper notes. He had fun making them and counting the total he owns too.

Then, it was time for a city tour. We pretended to visit the restaurant where my son could order his food and foot the bill using “his money”. Then, we went to the boutique where he bought his shirt and pants. Next, we went to the stationery shop, book shop, pharmacy, sundry shop and supermarket.

Our own version of supermarket

He had fun choosing and picking his favorite things and paying for them while I had fun looking at him learn the places in the city as well as addition and subtraction of money.