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Fun Holiday Camps

Our kids need more than just academic knowledge to thrive in a fast-changing world. They have to learn to work together as a team, be able to communicate their ideas confidently, think out of the box and come up with novel solutions.

 At The Little Executive, we create exciting holiday camps to give them real world learning and lots of opportunities to develop these crucial skills.


Mummy blogger Selena, mum of Asher says, “The kids have so much fun they probably didn’t realize how much they were learning.” Read her full review here.

 This June, the kids (3-10 years old) are spoilt for choice! From going on a Global Adventure, donning Little Chef aprons and whipping up gourmet meals, being cadets on an Astronaut Training mission to going on a Dino Discovery, they will find something to suit their interests.
Globe Trekker Camp

The kids will go on an Amazing Race, discover interesting facts about different countries and prepare for a global adventure. They will make simple maps and learn to read them, have a treasure hunt and solve puzzles using the knowledge acquired. They will also learn to be responsible travelers, including packing their own bags!

 Date: 29 May – 2 June 2017 (Mon-Fri)
Time: 9am – 5pm
Ages: 3 – 8 years old
Cost: $480
Little Chefs Camp

This is no ordinary cooking class, as we open their minds to what it entails to be part of a team of chefs. From the process of proper food storage (do you know why bananas are not kept in the fridge?) to getting them to understand how Math and Science are applicable in everyday life, to empowering them with a sense of purpose as a crucial part of a team where their contribution is important. The kids whipped up gourmet snacks each day such as strawberry cream cheese rolls, Mexican quesadillas and cinnamon rolls and the best part was, they polished everything up. On presentation day, parents were delighted to be served by their lil’ chefs!

 Date: 5-9 June 2017 (Mon-Fri)
Time: 2 – 5pm
Ages: 4 – 7 years old
Cost: $480
Practical P1 Prep

To get them ready for the big transition is not to pre-teach them content. Primary one teachers hope kids came to them prepared in areas such as:

  • Being able to copy accurately from the blackboard
  • Being able to read the timetable
  • Knowing how to pack their school bag properly and bring the right books
  • Being able to manage their emotions
  • Being able to handle money and buy food
  • Having a growth mindset so they are not afraid to take on challenges
We use role-play and hands-on activities to get the kids prepared in these essential skills and by learning these skills now they have ample time to practice them before going on to Primary 1.

 Date: 5 – 9 June 2017 (Monday-Friday)
Time: 9am – 5pm
Ages: K2 only
Cost: $480
Astronaut Training Camp
The kids will have a great time unleashing their creativity while building their own space shuttle, designing jet packs, making space slime and dehydrating space food on a mission to Outer Space! They will learn to work with precision as they repair space equipment and walk the constellation grid, like how mission control guides a team remotely. Lovely to see our cadets proud of their own achievements!

Date: 12-14 June (Mon – Wed)
Time: 9am – 5.30pm
Ages: 5-10 years
Cost: $580 (15% early bird discount before 31 May)
Dino Discovery Camp

 Your mini paleontologist will embark on a dino-dig, unearthing ancient dinosaur fossils and working together as a team to reconstruct a dinosaur skeleton. They will make their own dinosaur bones, discover how a real archaeologist site is organised and learn grid work; strategising in teams to develop skills such as spatial orientation, being flexible while working with constraints and learning to think ahead. Lots of action going on!

 Date: 19 – 23 June 2017 (Mon-Fri)
Time: 9am – 12pm
Ages: 3 – 7 years old
Cost: $480

Parents are invited for the last 30 minutes on the last day to see what the kids have been up to. There are a few slots left for each camp, and a special 10% discount for my readers – just quote Mummywee.

Videos of the activities carried out during the camps can be found here.

Email: knockknock@thelittleexecutive.asia
Tel: 69081889
Website: www.thelittleexecutive.asia
Tea break will be provided for half day camps.
Lunch and 2 tea breaks will be provided for full day camps.

 The Little Executive
144 Bukit Timah Road 
Singapore 229844
(Row of shophouses opposite Newton Circus)

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~

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BYKido – One Pass, Multiple Savings

I’ve heard of membership passes where you get discounts on F&B or fitness classes, and the good news is that now there is one for families!

 BYKido, which means Bring Your Kids Out, was started by a dad who wanted to make it easier for parents to bring their kids out by helping them save money and effort (where to go? what to do?) Basically, you purchase a membership pass for $30 which is valid for 6 months (Jan-June or July-Dec) and you are entitled to a whole host of discounts.

 It was fun experiencing some of the activities which we normally would not have tried, and it is also a great way to let your kids be exposed to a variety of classes before signing up for something they are keen to pursue. These were some of the things we got up to recently!

 CLIMB ASIA

 1 hour Guided Family Climb
2 Climbers @ $39 (U.P $80)
Additional climbers pay $29 (U.P $40)
Promotion available for multiple visits until 30th June 2017

 Join Climb Asia for a 1-hour Guided Family Climb (at least 1 climber is between 4-12 yrs old) at the 9-metre indoor climbing wall for some family bonding through sports.

 Climb Asia is dedicated to serving the needs of anyone looking to engage in a full-body activity, a competitive sport, a social activity and a lifestyle. Whether you are a complete stranger to climbing or a veteran rock warrior, Climb Aisa will introduce you to new dimensions of adventure and fun.

 Activity Details:
Age: 4-12 years old
Location: 60 Tessensohn Road, Civil Service Club, Singapore 217664
Tel: 62927701
Email: beta@climb-asia.com

Climb Asia

Ready Steady Go Kids

 2 Trial Lessons @ $10 (U.P $49)

Ready Steady Go Kids is Australia’s largest multi-sport and exercise programme for pre-schoolers, to enhance their gross and fine motor skills, hand-eye, foot-eye coordination and balance. Their trainers lead and educate on important features such as warm-up, stretching, cool-down, team-building and sportsmanship. But most importantly, we hope to spark their life-long love for sports and being healthy.

 Terms are 10-12 weeks, with 5 sports covered each term: Football/Soccer, Tennis, Hockey, AFL (Aussie Rules Football), Criket, Atheletics, Basketball, Rugby, Golf and T-ball.

 Activity details:
Age: 2.5-6 years old
Location: The Cage Sports Park @ Bukit Timah or Kovan Sports Centre
Tel: 98558221
Email: info@readysteadygokids.com.sg
Quote MummyWee for 10% off term fees

Ready Steady Go Kids

A2 Parkour

 1 for 1 Trial classes @ Lavender ($25)

 A2 Parkour is Singapore’s first & premier parkour academy providing the highest quality of coaching standards for its students to learn in a progressive & safe environment. But beyond simply imparting technical knowledge, they seek to impart values, ideology & a positive mindset approach to life’s obstacles & challenges.

 All kids love to jump around. Let your child discover how to move and have fun correctly as they learn to navigate the environment.

 Activity details:
Age: 5-13 years old
Location: Free Runner Lodge, CT Hub 2 #05-91, 114 Lavender Street, S 338729
Tel: 91849744

A2 Parkour

Seimpi School of Music

 Free trials and Reg Fee waiver (worth $53.50) for BYKidO Pass holders with any selected MIM course sign up (min 2 months)

 Music for the Mind (MIM) is a carefully planned syllabus to guide students from a tender age of 4 months to the age of 7 to explore the richness and excitement of music through interesting play, activities and musical games. Seimpi also incorporates eye and ear training, speed reading, pitch training, memorizing techniques and music theory.

 All activities involve stimulating the inter-connectivity between the two hemispheres of the brain by engaging in holistic and all-rounded music training. MIM provides a seamless transition into music graded studies.

 Activity Details:
Suitable for: 12 months – 8 years old
Location: Centre Point (Tel: 67376731), Pasir Ris, Hougang (Tel: 63435347), JCube (Tel: 62621193)

Seimpi School of Music

Busy Tables

 Purchase 2 Passes and Get 1 Free Pass (Save $18)

 Busy Tables is exclusively dedicated to children between 0 and 5 years old and their parents, so they can have fun in a safe environment, away from bigger children. We promote educational values of play for young children and encourage positive parent and child interactions through the provision of quality toys, games and resources.

 Activity Details:
Suitable for: 0-5 years old
Location: 35 Rochester Drive, Rochester Mall, #03-22
Email: Busytables@gmail.com

Busy Tables

Thinkasaur

 $8 off Single Box and $33 off 6 Month Box Subscriptions

 Thinkasaur provides a subscription based children’s science programme. The programme, which is founded primarily on encouraging hands-on learning and Do-It-Yourself fun for children, delivers a different set of science experiments each month for both parents and children to work on together.

 Thinkasaur comes in the form of a science kit that provides the full spectrum of materials, equipment, instruction manuals and learning points for up to four experiments per box. Each box covers a specific theme, such as chemistry, physics and earth science.

 Subscription options available:
Single Box – $48
6 Month Subscription – $258

 Activity Detail:
Suitable for 5-10 years old but primarily targeted at 7-10 year olds
Website: www.thinkasaur.com
Email: hello@thinkasaur.com

Thinkasaur

Besides PROMOTIONS, they suggest lots of IDEAS (places to go and things to do) as well as organise ACTIVITIES for new parents to meet up and share tips. With so many exciting offerings, what are you waiting for? Sign up for the pass and bring your kids out today!

BYKido
List of promotions

 Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – A blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~
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6 ways to squeeze time for the kids as a working mum

This is the first time I am working during the school holidays! I took Kate along with me to our enrichment centre for Dino camp, but she stayed home last week while we ran our P1 Prep camp.

 So how do I squeeze in time for her and the other kids during the week? It helps tremendously that I don’t have to stick to a 9-5 work week, and depending on the demands of the day, I either get in an hour or two later or leave earlier and resume working at home after they have gone to bed.

 1. Start the day early

 Even though it is the holidays, Kate and #5 are up by 7.15am. Resisting the urge to sleep in, I think of the hours I’ll be away from them and that never fails to get me out of bed. There is nowhere much to take them that early in the morning, hence it’s always some park or other.

 This little monkey shimmied to the top of the pyramid by herself and called down, “Mum, take a picture of me!” She sure is catching up with the older siblings.

Chilling

2. Kill two (or three) birds with one stone

 Instead of rushing to finish breakfast before heading out, we hastily pack a picnic basket with breakfast staples and hop into the car. In that relaxing hour, we get to spend time together, have a proper breakfast and enjoy the benefits of nature.

Xiao Guiling

3. Mobilize the kampung

 It really helps that the hubs works from home and instead of rushing back to pick the kids and getting stuck in peak hour traffic, we arrange to meet at the destination and have time to enjoy the outdoors before heading home for dinner.

 Sometimes we ask the grandparents to join us, or if the kids end up with friends or aunts, we find somewhere convenient for the kids to play or for a quick dinner together.

Southern ridges

We were trekking through MacRitchie reservoir and Kate was convinced that she found a Dinosaur foot!

MacRitchie reservoir

4. Mummy is there in spirit

 When I’m not at home, it doesn’t mean that I’m disconnected from them. Kate’s obsession this holiday is rollerblading. She loved watching Elsa ice-skate during Disney on Ice and has been asking to go ice-skating every other day. After taking her there 4 times (I’m the one exhausted!) I told her she needs to practice with her rollerblades before I’ll consider taking her back.

 She was so motivated that she spends 1-2 hours per day on her blades and when I get home, she is ever eager to show me how much she’s improved. What a great attitude. Looks like I have to take her ice-skating soon, as promised!

Blade girl
5. Find different ways to be involved

 As the kids grow older, they require less and less face-to-face time with you. Any parent of a teenager will tell you that they spend a lot more time in their rooms and communicating with their friends via gadgets. However, this doesn’t mean that we stop being involved in their lives.

 #3 was lamenting that besides filling her time with clocking the required CIP hours and meeting up with her old friends from primary school, she was bored at home as I am not able to take them out nor go on holidays as #1 is not on term break.

 I simply told her to start thinking, and find something gainful to do, make or sell. She started experimenting with home beauty remedies and came up with products to gift her friends, and that led to some orders as well! I encouraged her and told her I was very proud of her efforts.

 These days, with technology, we can still stay connected even while we are at work. For teenagers, to be there for them on a daily basis means being able to reply their Whatsapp messages when they need advice or permission to go out with their friends.

 Sometimes, it’s me who needs advice from them about using technology to make videos or helping me to buy presents online for my staff for Christmas, and that’s how we update one another about what is going on in our lives.

Mix n measure

6. Support them daily

 Even though I only get to see all my kids during dinner, I keep up-to-date with what they are currently interested in and give them words of encouragement and support.

 #2 has just finished her Os and she has the next few months planned out. Last week, she was concentrating on decorating her room as the siblings have just done another round of roommate swopping (yes, it seems to be an annual tradition for them).

 She was happily showing me what she has been working on and I was extremely impressed. Instead of spending money on decorations for her room, she decided to make her own. She bought a wooden board ($4 from Art friend), painted it marble, and knocked little nails in it to form the world map.

DIY Wall deco
She painstakingly wound black thread around the nails, ensuring that they were taut, to form the design. Wow. I loved it, and told her so. Sincere words are food for the soul they carry with them through the day, even without the presence of mummy. Sometimes it is encouragement they need, while other times, it may be words of concern and care.
Using nails and thread

To be honest, I was caught off guard at how much easier it was to go to work, be tired, and spend the weekend resting, and not having to deal with the day-to-day demands of the kids at home.

 However, I am wary that it is all too easy to let this pattern slip into our norm, as the time we have with our children will never be returned, once lost.
Having these pockets of time to be still, to be present to our surroundings is very grounding for me, no matter how rushed my day is nor how tough things can get sometimes.

Idyllic mornings

Even though these days I’m away between 5-9 hours per day, I’m glad we’ve managed to work things around this new schedule and am able to spend a reasonable amount of time with the younger kids throughout the week.

I am thankful to have flexible working hours and support from the hubs in caring for them, but whatever your situation may be, try to think out of the box and perhaps you might find opportunities to squeeze time out for your kids during their school holidays.

Related post:

Our June holidays earlier this year where everyone was running at breakneck pace.


~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~ 

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Dino Discovery Camp @ The Little Executive

It has been a busy, busy week at my centre with our holiday camps in full swing. Our mini palaeontologists had so much fun learning about dinosaurs while working alongside their new teammates.

 We use themes which interest kids to teach a wide range of skills necessary for school such as cognitive flexibility, creating reasonable hypothesis, conditional reasoning, as well as life skills such as problem-solving, being a team player, and having the ability to communicate their ideas well.
Enthusiastic paleontologists

Several kids who enjoyed our previous Astronaut Training Camp joined us again and were delighted to see their ex-camp mates.

 The happiest little kid was Kate, who could jump into the car with me in the mornings instead of hearing me say, “Bye, mummy has to go to work now.”

Delighted to be in mummy’s school

A wide range of sensory activities are carried out in our camps as these naturally encourage children to explore scientific processes, such as making predictions and observations and developing analytical skills. A further benefit is that children retain the most information when they engage their senses in experiential learning.

Squishy squashy mud

In our Dino grid game, the kids were split into 2 teams, and the carnivores had to catch the herbivores. Similar to a chess game, they have to think ahead and strategize so as not to be ‘eaten’. They make decisions as a team, directing their player on the grid. We had several frightened little herbivores, afraid to be ‘eaten’ by the carnivorous dinos!

Strategy game
We go to great lengths to make learning come alive and everything we do in the classroom has a real world example. For example, by examining the size and shape of the footprints, the children were able to deduce which dinosaur it came from.
Field notes
Our mini palaeontologists learned how fossils were formed over millions of years and had a chance to make fossil imprints in ‘mud’. This enabled them to understand how real life paaleontologists deduce information based on incomplete evidence.
Fossil imprints

There were lots of hands-on activities to keep them engaged and it was lovely to see some of the kids move from being fearful of getting their hands dirty with sensory work to enjoying the experience with their friends. Kate does plenty of baking at home with me and she gleefully dugged in with both hands to shape her dino eggs.

Hiding dinos in their eggs

And… viola! Some tails were peeking out!

DIY dino eggs
In our speculation exercise “If I lived with the Dinosaurs…” they were guided on deductive reasoning and encouraged to use their imagination. This is a fun way for a child’s executive functioning skills to be challenged (critical thinking, flexibility, planning) because they need to figure out their priorities to survive. 

Scenarios were discussed, and they were prompted to think further – “how would you catch your fish?” or “how would you find food if you are not going to come out of your cave at all?” I loved reading the different answers! Simply adorable, what these kids come up with.
Creative writing

The older kids worked together to consolidate the various activities they have been doing by creating a pre-historic scene. Judging by the laughter coming from the rooms, they seemed to be having a great time with their new friends.

Our P1s

Our N2s created their own dinosaur world which they were all so proud of. Kate was the last to finish her work as she was so meticulous. Look at her serious face.

Their pre-historic world

They were taught the grid system, which is a typical way a fossil grid site is organized. This enables palaeontologists to record the horizontal and vertical positions of the excavated fossils and artifacts.

For children, grid work is important in developing their visual tracking skills, spatial orientation and perspective taking, all of which are important for the classroom and beyond. Most of all, they get all excited when they manage to dig up a bone!

Grid work

Parents were invited for the last 30 minutes on the last day to see what the kids had been up to, and it was a first for many parents to watch their kids do a show-and-tell. We had a lot of shy kids this round, and it was wonderful to see them have the courage to stand up there in front of so many parents, even though some of the N2s could only manage a whisper. Great effort, kids!


 It was extremely heartening to see many dads come in during their lunch hour to be involved in their children’s lives. The mums relegated the job of cracking the hardened eggs to the dads and you could see the glee on the kids’ faces when the eggs finally broke!

Daddies in the house

We had such a great time with these little darlings and everyone was sad that the camp has come to an end.

Our graduating Palaeontologists

It has been an amazing few weeks working alongside my team of passionate teachers, with the common goal of making the camp enjoyable and meaningful for the kids. As exhausting as it was, seeing the kids have fun, open up, and learn so well over the 4 days is the reward in itself. Probably something only educators can relate to!

TLE team

1 camp down, 2 more to go. Our P1 Prep camp starts tomorrow and I’m certain the kids will have a swell time running their mini ‘tuck shop’ and learning strategies to get them ready for the big transition.

Our last camp for the year will be the Astronaut Training Camp and there are a few remaining slots so let your little ones join us for a unique space mission they will not forget!



The Little Executive
144 Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 229844
Tel: 69081889
Email: knockknock@thelittleexecutive.asia

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~


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Exciting Holiday Camps

School’s out and things are heating up around here! Our team at The Little Executive is going full steam ahead to prepare for 3 weeks of holiday camps.

Join us for an exciting Dino Discovery Camp, where our mini paleontologists will have lots of hands-on opportunities to make their own fossils, do a Dino-dig, crack IQ codes, work together as a team to reconstruct a dinosaur skeleton and create a Dino cave! How cool is that?

Dino Discovery Camp – 4 days
Date: 29 November – 2 December 2016
Time: 9am – 12pm (N2, K1, K2)
2pm – 5pm (K1 – P2)
Fee: $400 per child

Holiday Camp

Our fun and interactive P1 Prep Camp will get your K2 child ready for a big new school! Entering Primary 1 is a very different experience from our time. The demands are much greater and kids today are less classroom ready.

Over the 4 days, we aim to equip them with our 5-Step Learning cycle to excel academically, a Growth Mindset to be unafraid of failure and become resilient students and Executive Functioning Skills which form the foundations of independent learning.

The kids will have fun running a mini ‘tuck shop’ and take turns buying and selling snack items while learning to handle money. They will also have ample opportunities to practice speaking up and communicating their needs.

More details of P1 Prep curriculum.

P1 Preparatory Camp
Date: 6-9 December 2016
Age: K2 only
Time: 2-5pm
Fee: $400 per child

P1 Prep Camp

Our popular Astronaut Training Camp is back this December holidays! Let us take your child on a unique mission to Outer Space where they will hone their problem-solving skills to complete Space Missions and enhance their teamwork and communication skills as they work together as a crew to build the ultimate space shuttle!

Many of our Astro cadets said it was the best holiday camp they have ever attended!

Astronaut Training Camp
Date: 13 – 16 December 2016
Age: K1 – P2
Time: 9am-12pm or 2-5pm
Fee: $400 per child

The Little Executive

  • 10% off camp fees with 2 or more sign ups
  • Parents are invited for the last 30 minutes on Friday for a presentation by our campers
  • Location: 144 Bukit Timah Road Singapore 229844 (5 min walk from KK Hospital)
  • Email: knockknock@thelittleexecutive.asia to register
  • Tel: 6908 1889
  • Website: www.thelittleexecutive.asia

www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore 
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Dream Cruises – Media Invite

I attended the launch of Genting Dream, Dream Cruises’ inaugural cruise ship, which is amongst the largest and most spacious cruise ships in Asia. Having not sailed on a cruise ship in more than 15 years, I was unsure just how spectacular a family cruise holiday could be.

 Needless to say, I stepped off the luxurious 18-deck ship a convert.

Genting Dream

With 6 kids spanning the ages of 4 to 18, I was on the look-out for activities to suit my toddler and my teens. I was delighted to discover that they were not short on entertainment for kids.


 A big hit will be the waterslide park. They have a total of 6 slides, ranging from gravity-defying ones for adults and older teens, to gentler ones for the younger kids.
Waterslide park

I’m sure my teenagers would love spending hours careening through the wild slides. A waterpark on a ship! How cool is that?

Main Pool Deck

For the daredevils, there is a 35m zip line situated 18 decks above the sea, over the side of the ship. Definitely not for the faint hearted! I was surprised to hear my 18-year old say, “Mummy, can we go?!”

 Not forgetting the younger kids, this is probably the most scenic ‘walk the plank’ I have come across. Perfect for photos!

 In addition, they have a plethora of family-friendly activities such as a rock climbing wall, mini-golf, rope course, basketball court and 3D cinema screening the latest blockbusters.

Mini Golf

Of course, there is a kids’ club where the staff are all certified child care professionals. The Little Pandas Club offers activities such as arts & craft, themed costumes, movies, toys, and the venue is also available for rent for birthday parties (minimal charges apply).

Kids’ Club

As guests cruise the sea, they will be entertained and enthralled by “China’s Got Talent” in a 999 seat state-of-the-art live performance venue. A transcendental dreamy production Voyage of a Lover’s Dream, conceived by pop-artist Jacky Tsai will be also be screened (no charge, but pre-booking required).

Voyage of a Lover’s Dream

I thought I heard wrong when they mentioned they have Zouk on board. Jiak Kim Street’s Zouk has also been imported?! With the Zouk concept, besides an indoor dance club, LIVE guest artistes and DJ performances, they also have DJ open deck workshops, an outdoor day and night party deck, movie nights under the stars, a glow in the dark bowling alley and fireworks on the last day!

 They also have two state-of-the-art submersibles, where guests can explore spectacular sights and encounter a dazzling array of fish and sea creatures deep under the ocean.

 I’m impressed.

Media Interview hosted by Diana Ser

The rooms are a pretty decent size, and with a private balcony, you don’t feel claustrophobic. More than 70% of staterooms feature private balconies and there are 100 staterooms with connecting rooms to cater to bigger families (perfect for us!). I was looking at the pictures of the Garden Penthouse and Palace Suites and those look exceptional.

Balcony Deluxe Stateroom

With more than 35 restaurants and bar concepts, guests can indulge in the very best of Chinese regional, Asian and international cuisine. From healthy eating to fine dining, both adults and kids will be spoilt for choice. If the standard of our lunch on board was anything to go buy, I can say meal times would be highly enjoyable for the entire family.

Quality & authentic cuisine
Umi Uma Sushi Bar
Genting Dining room

Wine connoisseurs on board Genting Dream can indulge in an array of rare Australian wines and fine vintages from one of the world’s leading wineries at the Penfolds Wine Vault as special wine tasting events form part of the ship’s overall experience. Ah, perfect for the hubs.

To round off this exceptional voyage, a visit to the Crystal Life Asian Spa must be in order. Being the largest Asian Spa at sea spanning over 1,000 sq.m, this relaxation hub features more than 70 treatment thrones. I’m sure I will step out feeling like a queen!

Sun deck

Truly, a spectacular cruise ship suitable for the entire family. I know where I will be spending most of my time, while the kids are happily occupied somewhere around this massive ship.

 For now, the vessel will depart from Hong Kong or Guangzhou and make stops in Danang and Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. A second ship is expected to be ready in November next year, and Singapore is under consideration as a port of call in the company’s new itineraries.

 Currently, they have FlyCruise promotions to Hong Kong or Guangzhou, which can be found on their website.

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~
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Preparing for Primary 1: Setting them on the right path

Reading about the Primary 5 boy who committed suicide over his results and the two students from a top JC who ended their lives a few months ago, discussions about our highly stressful education system have been raging. I feel heavy hearted, because for every case we hear about, there are many more suicide attempts and distress signals which go unheard.

We all want the best for our children, and as parents with pre-school children, what can we do to give them a headstart without giving them unnecessary stress?

The solution is not pumping them with tuition. Amidst the proliferation of Primary 1 prep classes, experts warn against pre-teaching content and concepts which will be covered in Primary 1.

Dr Nimala Karuppiah, an early childhood and special needs education lecturer at the National Institute of Education, said that these classes may “over-prepare” young children for primary school. They may become bored and uninterested in learning. Once that happens, it is difficult to make them love learning again,” she says.

However, we recognise that the transition from pre-school to primary school is significant, and there are many areas we do need to prepare our children in, to ensure a smooth transition.

Getting ready for P1

Ask any parent with a primary school kid (or 5, like me) and he or she will be able to tell you that navigating primary school requires more than just being able to sit down with your books.

 In a normal school day, they need to be able to pack their school bags according to the timetable, copy down homework in their homework diaries, start on their homework at the right time, communicate important information, remember to ask parents to sign consent forms, learn their spelling, pay attention in class, follow instructions, obey rules, wait their turn, adapt to change, buy food from the canteen, make new friends, handle disappointments, and so much more.

These are categorised as Executive Functioning skills. Instead of hoping that they will somehow ‘get it’, these skills can be improved with direct teaching. We had an interesting conversation amongst a group of teachers. The secondary school teachers assumed these skills were taught at the primary levels, while the primary school teachers expected P1 kids to come equipped with these “common sense” traits.

 The fact is, during our generation, we picked these skills up via incidental learning. These days, children are receiving less face-to-face contact, supervision and support from both parents and teachers. Coupled with more demands placed on them, that is where the breakdown happens and many of these skills are not developed in children by the time they enter formal schooling at age 7.

 Before they embark on their primary school journey, teaching children How to learn in a What to learn culture will go a long way towards helping them achieve their potential.

 In our Primary 1 Prep camps, we cover the basics of Executive Functioning skills such as task initiation, organisation, planning and prioritising, flexibility, strengthening sustained attention, problem-solving, improving working memory and impulse control, amongst others.

By equipping them with skills and strategies which they can harness for all subjects, they will be able to handle the demands of our curriculum and forge ahead over the years. We want to give them that learning edge.

 At each age level, students are expected to cope with an increase in workload and independence, and without a firm foundation and proper system, we may see a drop in performance, which usually becomes apparent at Primary 3 or 4.

 Recent studies show that all children stand to benefit from developing these executive functioning skills, and school becomes less overwhelming and more manageable. We teach them how to plan their activities, make schedules, get started, and see them through. The goal is to gradually fade supervision and increase self-reliance.

#5’s homework (P3)

In our fast-changing world, it is not enough to be book-smart. On top of these practical strategies, we hope to inculcate in them a growth mindset, where they are not afraid of challenges, see failure as a learning experience and have the resilience to keep persevering.


Whether they are eager or anxious in moving to a big school, this is the best time to frame primary school in a positive light. The role of an educator or parent as a mediator is very powerful, but often overlooked. Our teachers stand as a mediator to frame, interpret and draw attention to what the child is about to learn or experience, benefiting a lifetime of learning.

As we equip them with the necessary skills, we want our K2s to be excited about embarking on this new phase of their lives, taking pride in their work and taking ownership of their learning.

 The gift we wish to give every child who comes through our doors is the knowledge that they are able. That they have it in them and can succeed in what they set their minds on, no matter how many times they may fail.

 They will keep going. They will never give up.

 And that, is the hallmark of a Little Executive.

P1 Prep Class

This year-end school holidays, we are bringing back our extremely well-received Astronaut camp, for K1 to P4 children. More details about the activities we did in a review by Debra, mum of Ryan (N2), about Astro Daryl’s great adventure by A Pancake Princess, A P2 child –Dana’s experience of learning Executive Functioning skills, and how we incorporate the Growth Mindset while the kids are having fun! The kids said it was the best camp ever, and some wished the camp lasted the whole year and they could come here every day.

 Astronaut Training Camp: 13-16 December 2016
9am – 12pm: K1 – P2
2pm – 5pm: P1 – P4

The kids who have enjoyed Astronaut Training camp are looking forward to our Dinosaur camp which promises to be just as exciting, as we trace how dinosaurs lived through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceons periods, while learning about evolution. This camp also highlights inductive and deductive reasoning skills, sequencing and problem-solving abilities, and is suitable for N2 – P4 children.

 Dino Discovery Camp: 29 November – 2 December 2016
9am – 12pm: N2 – K2
2pm – 5pm: P1 – P4


~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~

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The Residence Maldives. A most memorable vacation

I have returned from paradise.

A place so spectacular in every way.

Crystal clear waters stretching as far as the eye can see.

A place of silence and tranquility to rest our weary souls and escape from the rushed reality of our lives.

Little queen Kate

Time stood still as we lazed around and soaked in the beauty of our surroundings.

We stayed at The Residence, a luxury resort on Falhumaafushi, a pristine island in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll. It is one of the largest atolls in the world.

Collecting shells

To get to this exclusive resort in the middle of nowhere, it was a four and a half hour flight to Male followed by a 45-minute domestic flight to Kooddoo airport.

We were pleasantly received at the airport by a resort staff who led us to a lounge for lunch while they handled the flight check-in. Good thing they had wifi and a shower room for Kate to freshen up and the 2 hours went by quickly enough.

Maldivian airlines

After a short stop over, we disembarked and hopped into a mini bus to get to the nearby jetty. Luckily Kate found it rather amusing to go from big plane to small plane to bus and then boat.

We were served a refreshing bottle of chilled watermelon juice on the speedboat, which signalled the start of their charming service.

10-minute boat ride

Finally, after an 8-hour journey, we stepped into the lobby of our resort and this magnificent view greeted us.

We were warmly welcomed by the staff and informed that we had a personal butler to see to all our needs.

A butler? Wow. We could surely get used to that.

The Residence Maldives

A buggy was waiting to take us to our 1-Bedroom Deluxe pool villa. We had the corner villa, with sunset view.

Can’t wait to see the room

We entered the living area, and walked right out the glass doors to see this breathtaking sight.


Just look at this panoramic view.

Simply jaw-dropping.

I could sit here all day.

To read, to dream, to ponder, to just take in life.

It was at once staggering, yet humbling.
Private pool villa

Being in the middle of the Indian Ocean is an experience that cannot be described.


It is relaxing yet stirring.

I could dream up endless possibilities, yet be drawn inwards to reflect.
Our large bathroom

During the hot part of the afternoons, we opened the bathroom sliding doors and enjoyed soaking in a warm bubble bath listening to the sound of the lapping waves.

Spectacular view

Kate and her daddy spent a lot of time in the infinity pool, while I sat on the deck to read, think and relax.


Our stretch of villas was the best place to snorkel. We climbed down into the clear blue water and right below us the water was teeming with marine life.

I felt like a child once again, spotting different fishes darting in front of me.

A blue fish! Green! Bright colourful ones! Tiny ones, big ones, snake-looking ones.

A small shark! My favourite was a smart-looking school of black fishes with a white strip between their body and tail which looked like they were wearing tuxedoes!
Going snorkelling

The hubs didn’t snorkel for long as he had to hang on to Kate and she was a little fearful of being in the huge ocean.

When I had enough of fish spotting, I flipped over on my back and floated around with my life jacket, gently being rocked by the waves.

That was such a surreal experience, being a small speck in the vast ocean.

You have no cares in the world, everything just fades away.

Chilling by the beach bar

We had most of our lunches at the beach bar, and became familiar with the staff.

One afternoon, we came out late and Kate asked for the same seafood pasta we had the day before. However it was past the lunch hour and they were serving tapas.

Kate looked crestfallen and the lovely lady called the kitchen to ask if they could prepare it for her. Of course, they obliged. Nothing seemed to be too much to ask at this resort.

Birthday greetings

When we returned to our room, 2 staff were just leaving and they wished me happy birthday.

Just as we were wondering how they knew it was my birthday, we saw this decoration laid out on our bed with fresh flowers!

It is the little details and the staff going the extra mile that our stay was made so memorable.

Later on, our butler came over to gift us with a bottle of chilled wine.

Sunset BBQ

In the evening, we went back to the beach bar and happened to chat with the lovely wait staff again, and lamented that we had wanted to try the BBQ seafood dinner but was informed that it was full when I tried to make a booking that morning.

She made a call and they set out an extra table for us. After our dinner, they came over with a birthday cake. Don’t ask me why I was surprised.

Fresh air

2 bicycles were parked outside every villa and it was a nice change to cycle around instead of hopping into our cars.

Beachfront breakfast
Wish I could have breakfast with this view every morning.

The buffet breakfast spread was very good and made all the more enjoyable by the impeccable service.

We were the first to arrive every morning at 7am as we were still on Singapore time, which was already 10am.

The ever attentive wait staff even helped Kate to cut up her food and brought her a magna doodle magnetic board to keep her entertained after she finished her meal.
Family baking session

They have a simple Kids’ Club, where Kate did some art and craft. As this resort does not receive many children, their activities were organised on an ad hoc basis.


One of the days, there were about 10 kids around, and a cookie making session was arranged in their industrial kitchen.

We all had a blast, and an 11-month old baby got into the fray and made imprints on the dough with her cute little feet!

It seems like the happiness of the guests are priority and anything is possible.

We explored the island on bicycle and took lots of pictures. I think Kate had enough of posing for her daddy.

We also took Kate out for her first kayaking experience, as guests are given complimentary usage for an hour.

Bonding time

The both of them spent long hours in the main resort pool playing, having snacks and watching the sun go down.

Sunset yoga

While they had their daddy-daughter bonding time, I escaped for yoga class.


It was the best yoga class I have ever had in my life. The spa is situated at the other end of the resort and the water was calm and quiet.

As we did our back bends and turned directions with the various poses, we were treated to the full grandeur of the setting sun.

I have never enjoyed watching a setting sun as much as this. While we faced one direction, you can see the muted hues of the beautiful sky.

As you turn to the other direction, the mesmerising reds and oranges awaits you. And with every pose, the colour changes as the sun retreated slowly.

I felt so calm yet so alive.
Maldives
When we arrived, this was the expression on our faces.
Sad to leave this paradise

And when it was time to depart, this was how we were feeling.

One day.

I’ll be back.

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~