A Semi-Comprehensive List to Manila’s Summer Classes (Sports, Staff Crew, Sensory Play)

Summer is once again here and everyone wants to enroll their child to an interesting activity that can further their child’s holistic development and well being. But where do you start?

Personally, I want my child to develop more academically, so I’ve enrolled my child to CMA (Math), The Reading Station (Reading and Comprehension), Bless Learning Center (Conversational Mandarin) and Aqualogic (Swimming), but other mothers may want something else.

Hence, I have compiled a list of Manila’s available summer classes for 2019. Who knows? You may find the right class for you and your child!

If you want your child to experience being a Kiddie Crew:

McDonalds Kiddie Crew 2019

WHEN/Schedule: Weekday workshop runs for 5 days and each day will last for 2 hours each. While the new weekend workshop option is a 2-day workshop made of 3 hours each.  Time schedule: 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 3:00 PM.  Workshop will run from April 8 to July 7, 2019
WHERE: Participating McDonald’s branch nationwide, see links below for reference.
RATES: P695 (for 5-day workshop) and P595 (for 2-day workshop) inclusive of the workshop uniform (t-shirt, cap, bag, ID with lace), daily workshop materials, and daily meals!
LINKS: For more information, visit the McDonald’s branch nearest you or check their website: https://mcdonalds.com.ph/content/page/kiddie_crew_2019 and Facebook Page for updates.
SOURCE: Credit goes to Mommy Practicality Summer Workshops 2019 to where I copied and pasted this information.

Jollibee Mini Managers Camp (April 1-May 31, 2019, Nationwide)

The Jollibee Mini Managers Camp is a 6-day workshop for 4 to 12 years old kids. To inquire, please proceed to the participating stores yourselves.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/jollibee/mini-managers-camp-2019/2244320688947478/

According to the site, the camp “aims to impart to kid participants the importance of hard work and good values like leadership and responsibility through various fun learning activities. As a bonus, they get to interact with other kids and meet new friends. Example of camp activities include exposure to Jollibee values, store practices, arts and crafts, Yumburger making, ice cream making, dancing and more.”

Rates: Php 650 gets you the following:

• 1 set of Mini Managers Uniform (w/ Name Plate)
• Camp Bag
• Snacks for 6 days
• Other activity materials

Attire: Their Jollibee Mini Managers uniform, black belt, white socks, black shoes, and hair net (for girls) during the entire workshop duration.

Here are a semi-list of participating outlets. You can get the full list at their site here.

Sources: Manila for Kids Summer 2019

If you want your child to be active in Sports:

Milo Sports Clinic (Nationwide)

WHAT: “MILO^® Summer Sports Clinics teaches participants the fundamentals of popular sports and values such as discipline, confidence, and teamwork to help them become more well-rounded individuals.
PROGRAMS: 19 different sports programs
SCHEDULE: Each sports has its own schedule where you can check out here.
How to Register: Pick a sport and region where you’re located to register. Contact the organizers closest to you for registration details.

  

Ready Steady Go Kids (Valle Verde, Pasig City)

Ready Steady Go Kids is a well-known Australian sports and exercise program for kids, offers fun classes that improve your child’s gross motor skills, and learn skills like how to listen, follow directions, and work with other children.

Duration of classes: Classes in Valle Verde 5 run from April 6, 13, 27, May 4, 11, 18, 25, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 (every Saturday).

Venue: Valle Verde 5, Pasig
How to enroll: Call +632 211-8344
Price: Php7,800 for 12 classes and Php10,000 for 20 classes
Facebook: Ready Steady Go Kids
Source and Credit to for Information: Smart Parenting

Futbol Funatics (All over Metro Manila)

Want your child to learn soccer? This summer class ends with a blast with a tournament to rev up your child’s competitive spirit.

Program Information: Futbol Funatics offers year-round camps in various locations around Metro Manila, specifically Cavite, Paranaque, Alabang, Makati, Taguig and Pasig.

Schedule: April 1-May 15, 2019. Each module has 10 sessions, with 5-6 modules offered per camp venue per year. Enrollees are accepted any time throughout a module.
Training Frequency: 2x per week.
Class Duration: The Beckham Buddies sessions (ages 3 to beginner 6’s and 7’s) run for 1 hour, while sessions for all other older age groups run for 1.5 hours.
Ages: At least 3 years old
Contact: 0917-329-0011
Schedules: Full schedule here.
Venues:

• Cuenca Park, Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa (April 3 to May 15, Wed & Fri, 8:30 a.m.)
• Tahanan Village Park, BF Homes, Parañaque (April 3 to May 15, Wed & Fri, 4:30 p.m.)
• Urdaneta Park, Urdaneta Village, Makati (April 2 to May 16, Tue & Thu, 4:30 p.m.)
• BGC-Turf, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (April 1 to May 15, Mon & Wed, 4:30 p.m.)
• Meralco Fitness Center Oval, Ortigas Ave., Pasig (April to May 19, Sat & Sun, 4 p.m.)
• Elizabeth Seton Field, Imus, Cavite (Schedule TBA)
• Goodstart School – Philamhomes, Quezon City (Schedule TBA)

How to enroll: Make your reservations via text message to +63 917 329-0011 (for all venues except Philamhomes, QC). Messages should follow this format: Full Name of the child + Age + Camp Venue + Module Period. Within 24 hours, Futbol Funatics will send you a response regarding the availability of slots.

Price: Ranges from Php550 (1 session) to Php4,000+ (all sessions)
Website: http://www.futbolfunatics.com/
Facebook: Futbol Funatics
Source and Credit to for Information: Smart Parenting

Bohemian Football School (Paranaque City)

Summer is just around the corner and Bohemian Football School is doing its first Summer Camp for kids who want to learn or develop their skills in Football!

A tribute to Filipino Football legend Paulino Alcántara, The Bohemian Football School is a training program that strategically focuses on strengthening the player’s fundamental skills. It is a program that you can choose to opt as your child’s primary football training, or an appending football mastery class on top of your child’s ongoing club or varsity football training.

Ages: Age 4 to 15 years old
Child to Coach Ratio: 1 coach to 10 students max
Venue: Sessions will be conducted at The Village Sports Club, Paranaque City
Contact: footballschool@bohemiansc.com.ph or 09177744696
Website: www.bohemiansc.com.ph
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bohemianfootballschool/

Taekwondo Lessons at The Upper Deck Sports Center (Pasig City)

FitKids’

FitKids’ Summer Programs offer a variety of fitness programs aimed to increase collaboration, active fun and learning. They offer the following classes in different venues in and around the city:

• Ballet: Makati, Taguig, Alabang, QC and Manila
• Hip-hop: Makati, SM Aura, QC
• Football: ⚽️ Blue Bay Pasay, Binondo, SM Aura, Salcedo Makati, Rockwell, San Antonio Village Makati, and Marikina!
• Judo programs: SM Aura, Makati

Here are the classes available in Makati, powered by Cambridge Salcedo and Groundworks by Playworks:

Classes in Taguig and BGC Areas:

Classes in Quezon City and Manila:

Please check out their Facebook account for more details:

Contact: 0917 513 8377
For Ages: 1.5 years old to 12 years old
How to enroll: Send a message to FitKids official Facebook page to reserve a slot.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fitkidsph/

Swimming classes at Aqualogic Swim Co. (Various Locations)

It’s never too early to start fostering swimming skills in your little one! Aqualogic Swim Co. offers year-round swim classes for kids of all ages: AquaBabes for children ages 6 to 35 months, AquaKids for children ages 3 to 14, and AquaTech for children ages 15 and above.

Rates are also reasonable given how important swimming is as a skill to learn:

To reserve or enroll, simply text their numbers and they’re quite responsive.

 

To contact them:

Aqualogic Swim Co.
Tel: 0917-858 2782, 0917-703-6386, 02-703-6386
Website: www.aqualogicswimco.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aqualogicswim/

Swimming classes at Bert Lozada Swim School (All over Metro Manila)

Bert Lozada Swim School (BLSS) is the biggest and well-managed swim school in the country, employing an average of 150 teachers, coaches and staff. From a single venue in 1956 (YMCA Manila), it now has 56 venues all over the country. The school has produced 7 Olympians, several national swimmers and record holders.

Programs: http://www.bertlozadaswimschool.com/programs

How to register? Check out their list of accredited Bert Lozada Swim School locations via:

1. Visit their website: www.bertlozadaswimschool.com
2. Call them at Tel: (632) ‎563-5532, or
3. Send them a message at their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bertlozadaswimschool

If you want your child to enroll in a variety of other activities:

Photography: 1 Day Young Photography Workshop for Kids

Young Photographers: Photography Workshop for Kids 2019

Is your child aged 8-17 years old and is showing interest in taking pictures with remarkably great photos? Would you like them to enhance their talent in photography?

Manila Workshops and Cath Kidston would like to invite you to this year’s Photography Workshop for Kids!

What Kids Will Learn:

1. The Camera and How It Works
• Bodies and lenses.
• Capabilities and limitations

2. Why Are We Getting Blurred Photos?
• Exposure triangle lecture and hands-on
• Aperture and depth of field
• Shutter speed and motion
• ISO

3. Camera Handling and Care

4. Why you need to shoot in the best lighting conditions and finding what works.
• Light and exposure (further demo on the exposure triangle)
• Understanding light and how to use it to your advantage.
• Artificial lighting and Natural light
• Hard and soft lighting.
• Modifying light

5. Quick formulas to ensure good photos.
• Elements of composition.
• Subject, foreground, and background relationship.
• Emphasis.
• Rule of thirds.

6. Visual exercises and the IG game.
• Photo challenge
• Portraits
• Still life
• Abstract/IG game

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: April 13, 2019
Time: 11AM – 6PM
Venue: Cath Kidston, BGC, Taguig City

LEARNING RATES:

Early Bird Rate: Php 2,499.00
Regular Rate: Php 3,499.00

**Workshop Fee is inclusive of handouts, certificates, giveaways and snacks!**

For more details contact:
VENI – veni.anabo@manilaworkshops.com | 09272816651

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Quezon City Activities:

Bless Learning Resources (Banawe, Quezon City)

Address: 219-6 Biak na Bato, Quezon City, Philippines
Contact: 0943 858 3211
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blesslearningresources/

Hello Munchkins Play Cafe (Banawe, Quezon City):

Address: 219 Biak na Bato, Barangay Manresa, Quezon City
Tel: 961-4634 or 0917-528-9163
Ages: 2 to 10 years old
Email: hellomunchkinsplaycafe@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellomunchkins/

Smallville Montessori: Arts & Crafts, Yoga, Cooking, Reading, Music @ (Katipunan, QC)

Smallville Montessori Katipunan
Location: 21 Esteban Abada St. Loyola Heights QC
Contact: 0917-898=8374 or 932-6322
Class Times: From 10am-12nn, 2x to 3x per week
Rates: P15,000 for the whole month

Pasig City Activities:

Messy Baby Play (UA&P, Pasig City)

Why messy? Because is fun!  Especially when each session has thematic, sensory play stations that allow your little ones to explore colors, shapes and textures, with you guiding them.

It’s a great way to bond with your little ones, and observe how they relate to different objects and experiences.

For example, for water play:

Beat the summer heat while engaging your little ones in water play! Water’s one of the best open-ended mediums to interact with—depending on presentation—we’ve had them sudsy, colored, frozen—whatever shape or form, kids loooove playing with it!

And it isn’t just all splashing, splooshing, and making a fun mess, water play is an exercise in gross and fine motor skills, and for our toddlers who are crazy about transfer work and pouring, their play can also

☀️ Begin an understanding of the concepts of less and more
☀️ Develop eye-hand coordination
☀️ Help develop problem solving skills
☀️ Engage their senses with varied presentations—warm, cold, solid, sudsy, colored

What’s even more awesome, is if you have a little patch of green grass available to you, you can set up right there, and not only keep your little one busy with play, you get to water the plants too! 😊 Multitasking, and conservation! Well, every little bit helps. We hope your access to water’s a-okay. To water play, you won’t need much. 😉

Check out what we have in store for you this week, as we come to the last few sessions of Term 1! We have a few more slots left at CDE, we hope to see you there!

Just send us a DM, or head over to messybabyplay.com/register —it’s the link in our bio.

To Register: http://messybabyplay.com/register/
Locations: Makati and Ortigas Center
Price: Php 3,900.00 
Website: www.messybabyplay.com

To be Continued if I have time….

 

10 Practical Tips when Visiting Universal Studios Singapore if you have Kids 3 Years Old and Above

If you’re in Singapore, the best attraction to go to if you have kids 3 years old and above is a day trip to Universal Studios. It’s fun, something different and definitely an experience to remember. In short, it’s a great reasonably priced way to spend time with the entire family.

Here’s my top 10 tips on making a trip to Universal Studios especially if you have kids:

1. Go on a weekday for best results.

Universal Studios Singapore get very crowded on the weekend. If you can, go on a weekday.

We went on a Friday, and it was still comfortable. Sure, some popular rides had lines that last an hour, but it’s still better than to line up on a Saturday or Sunday.

2. Take a taxi if you’re coming from the city. Not the subway or Grab Car.

Interesting fact: Since Grab utilizes private vehicles, kids are required to use car seats if you’re bringing little kids. If you ride a taxi, not only is it equally safe, but car seats are optional.

We took a taxi from Orchard Road and it cost us a reasonable SGD 10 from Orchard Road to Universal Studios. The taxi drops you right by Resorts World Sentosa, which is a short walk to Universal Studios.

Given that we had one stroller, one naughty 3 year old kid and two adults, a taxi was a fine way to get around Singapore at an affordable price. No need for unnecessary transfers!

Added plus: Singaporean taxi drivers are a chatty bunch. I’ve had lovely conversations with all of the taxi drivers we engaged with this trip.

3. Take a souvenir photo at the Universal Studios Singapore globe.

Make sure that the globe spells “Univers” when you make that shot.

Yes, it’s okay to ask the other visitors to take your photo.

They won’t run off with it because it’s Singapore. 🙂

4. Buy your tickets via Klook: Less Lines, Zero Hassle 

We bought the tickets via Klook, and it was a breeze.

All you have to do is show your Electronic ticket by the door, and you’re in. No need to line up in the Singapore heat:

The more you buy, the more you save. The price is a measely Php 150 cheaper, but with the added credits earned when you’re a Klook user helps. When we bought for example, I used the code and saved HKD10.

5. Make sure your child avails most of the rides if allowed by height requirement. 

My daughter is 3 and she was able to ride most of the rides. The rides can be ridden based on height requirement, and my daughter was able to ride most of the rides except for Cyclone, The Mummy, and Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure.

Here were some of the rides that she partook as a 3-year old. My niece who was 6 months old pretty much stayed in the stroller, but a 3-year old girl can already enjoy most of the park.

6. Bring your own stroller. 

Save money from renting and simply bring your own stroller. You can hang your shopping on the side, or have your child nap when he/she gets tired.

There’s a designated stroller parking beside every attraction, and it’s perfectly safe to just leave most of your things unattended while you go on the rides. Just make sure to bring your money bag with you.

7. Take advantage of the SINGLE RIDER option especially with popular rides. 

Popular rides like Transformers The Ride (Sci-Fi City, F4), Revenge of the Mummy (Ancient Egypt, E2), and Jurassic Park Rapids Adventue (D5, The Lost World), and Canopy Flyer (The Lost World, D2) have the Single Rider option you can fully take advantage of.

If you go in via the Single Rider option, you are what we call the “Panakip butas.”

The Single Riders ride in USS is almost always surprisingly empty. Hence, it’s a great way to ride the attraction faster since everyone always takes the regular attraction line since they want to sit with their companions.

While most groups would want to ride together, Single Riders can be inserted in any group whenever there’s a seating gap in a ride. That’s why, this line is so fast.

At the peak hour, it only took us a brief 10-15 minute wait for Transformers. Whereas riding the Mummy on peak hour took us 70 minutes for the regular line.

No point with sitting together with your companions. Take the Single Rider line instead.

8. Make time for the shows, even though they’re a bit disappointing. 

Here’s the list of shows available at Universal Studios Singapore. Many of them run short — the Madagascar Boogie lasts only 10-15 minutes before proceeding to picture taking, but it’s worthwhile to catch them if you can.

Catch the Waterworld Show (1:30pm, 5:00pm and 8:30pm): It’s a classic and fun to watch, complete with fire and water special effects.

Is Shrek 4D considered a show? Please don’t miss it. It was really fun. The Donkey Live Show however was a bit boring and can be missed if you’re out of time.

9. Position yourself in New York by the Diner for the Parade at 7:30pm. 

We sat in front of the Spaghetti Space Chase Theatre (Close to the Diner) and was able to get an amazing view. of the parade which started on 7:30pm.

This position already signals the end of the line, which is most likely why this is the best position to watch the parade.

The parade only lasts till 8:00pm so it was super short. There were only a handful of floats that were presented, but if you are already there, might as well go. Selected Saturdays include fireworks, but going on a Saturday may not be worth it especially given longer lines.

10. BEST TIP EVER: Ride all the rides from 8pm!

After the parade, everyone was keen to go home and eat especially since many of the restaurants were already closed by that time. Hence, there were literally ZERO or minimal lines after 8pm. This was the BEST time to go around the park.

We left all our bags with our relatives by the Diner (Remember the 6 month old baby?), and ran all the way through all the rides.

From 8pm to 9pm, we were able to ride the Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure, Canopy Flyer, Revenge of the Mummy, the Puss in Boots Giant Journey, the Cyclone Roller Coaster twice, and the Transformers.

Given this new information, if you visit, go on a weekday, start late afternoon, and end at 9pm when the park officially closes. Ride what you can, but if the line is too long, wait until the parade finishes and ride the popular attraction twice or three times.

In summary, come and visit the Universal Studios Singapore if you visit Sentosa. It is a worthwhile place to go to for the day especially if you have toddlers in tow. The price is also reasonable given the quality of the rides, and if you live in Singapore, it may be worthwhile to get the Annual Pass.

Regular ticket prices is only SGD79. If you go to USS 2.5 times more, then it’s well worth your money already.

Universal Studios Singapore
8 Sentosa Gateway, Singapore 098269
Operating Hours: 10am to 9pm
https://www.rwsentosa.com/en/attractions/universal-studios-singapore/explore

Big Bad Wolf Haul this Year!

We went to The Big Bad Wolf book sale last night at The World Trade Center. The book sale runs from February 22 to March 4, and is open 24 hours a day.

Admission is FREE and the crowds have significantly thinned when we went, which made for a comfortable shopping experience.

This year, I only bought this for myself — The Innovators by Walter Isaacson (₱290) and The Elephant and the Dragon by Robyn Meredith (₱350):

But I went crazy for my daughter since the BBW booksale is a great place to buy hard bound books for the Little ones. Here were my best picks for the price:

My daughter really loved this, The My Little Pony Metal Case Set (₱390)

The Paw Patrol Pup Pals Storybook and DVD (₱350)

Louise and Andie: The Art of Friendship by Kelly Light (₱230) and The Best Book of Fairy Tales by Miles Kelly (₱350). My brother also bought another book by Miles Kelly for Nursery Rhymes:

Bully: A Lift-the-Flap book illustrated by Naomi Tipping (₱190). Never too late to learn about bullying.

1001 Things to Find: Stage School and Cheeky Monkey (₱190 each)

The Hippo Magic’s Augmented Reality Books that cost ₱290 each. We got The Three Little Pigs, Velveteen Rabbit and Goldilocks. My brother got the Little Red Riding Hood and Counting Numbers.

Interesting concept and easy to read. Please note though that not all pages are interactive. You still need to read most of the pages to your toddler.

Don’t worry, there’s a lot of stock of these babies at the booksale. I don’t think you’ll really run out.

And some activity books ranging from ₱100 to ₱290 each:

The Now, No and Why Book by Tracey Corderoy cost ₱160 each. The sticker books were cheap at ₱100 to ₱120 each.

To be perfectly honest, I saw better finds last year than this year. They had a full row of Young Adult and Fiction books this year, but less of what interests me, Business & Economics and Cooking.

No matter, booksales are always a treat and the Big Bad Wolf is always an event. Regardless of your interests, you WILL still find some great steals that will be enough for the entire year.

We went last night, Monday, Feb 25, and there weren’t any lines anymore. I heard they’re restocking so there’s more to go around.

Here’s daughter and father going for their midnight snack. Have a good evening everyone!

When your 3 Year Old gets Stubborn

My daughter refuses to finish her lunch because she wants to open up her new gift, a Cinderella castle made of Lego.

So she’s at the floor moping, whining and refusing to eat her lunch.

It’s dirty on the floor, but she doesn’t care. She wants to play Lego with her daddy, and SHE MUST BE FOLLOWED.

Mind you, she just turned 3 last December.

This is going to be fun.

So, we stick it in: No reward if you don’t listen to Mommy and daddy.

She goes around the living room.

She plays with other toys.

She goes to the kitchen.

Crosses her arms and pouts several times.

We push her to eat.

No banana.

Lord, she is stubborn.

She tries to stall, cry, whine and delay the process.

We stick it out.

Today’s our rest day and we have nowhere to go.

Finally, she eats.

She eats hesitantly, still goes around the dining area, but she eats.

And finishes her corn.

“Now Cinderella castle?” she asks me.

“Sure, Cinderella castle,” I replied.

It was an old gift given to her by her grandmother. It’s really for her anyway.

She is happy.

Now, she and her dad play the Lego castle this afternoon.

Sigh, since when did 3 year old kids start to reason out like this? When I was a kid, my dad’s rule was law and everyone simply listened and followed.

My 3 year old has her own mind. She wants to be followed. And she sulks when she doesn’t get her way.

“Mommy and daddy fight with me,” she would say.

Well, she’s 3.

We make the rules, and kids must follow them. And if they don’t, we won’t lift a single finger and give them what they want.

Looks like it’s working. 😇😍❤️

To more fights and adventures ahead!

When your Daughter becomes a Monster

“It’s Mine…. It’s Mine… It’s MIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNEEEEE!” screamed my usually lovely 3-year old, who suddenly turned into a Baby Hyde in a matter of seconds.

She was at the floor, writhing and clutching at the big baby bottle filled with marshmallows. I think she didn’t want me to touch the bottle, which she said was hers.

I have never seen anyone treat such item with such possessiveness, and there she was, my daughter, insisting that nobody, not even her loving mommy, should touch her and her big precious baby bottle.

She was never really like this.

Before she hit three, she was always sweet and adorable. She sometimes sulked when she didn’t get her way, but never like this.

As soon as she turned three, she became this:

When a child’s tantrum unexpectedly hits, a mother is usually caught offguard.

What happened to my sweet, malambing baby, who turned into this terrifying crying mess that don’t want to be touched or bothered? All of a sudden, cheap purchases become priceless, and she’s ready to scream, gnaw and hit anyone who dare touch what she deems is hers.

So what did we do?

We let her cry.

And cry.

And CRY.

We watched her with a neutral expression, made sure that she doesn’t hurt herself and let her scream and cry on the floor.

As long as she was safe, we were fine with her pulling the tantrum.

I slightly felt like a mean and unsupportive parent, but shrugged the mommy guilt away. What can we do? She was being a brat, and unreasonable. And maybe it’s the Terrible Threes (She just turned 3 last December 9) that everyone’s been talking about.

Hooooboy. The crying took at least 30 minutes, and it felt like forever.

But it was fine.

After she got tired, I asked her if she wanted to mammam and she tearingly said yes. As she breastfed, she started to calm down…. and sniffled all the way through.

Half an hour later, she was back to her sweet self again, as if nothing happened. It was just as surprising for us to see her wail and scream and shout, and then cling happily to us with nary a guilt or memory on what happened.

Note to Self: The next time it happens, just keep your cool. Watch with a bemused smile, and make sure she doesn’t hurt herself. Talk calmly and wait for the anger to subside.

My lovely lady tantrumed again a few days later, but it was shorter this time, around 10 minutes. I guess she learned that she may feel angry and express it, but heck if she gets her way.

So tantrum all you want dear girl.

Let it out.

It’s better to show it now when you’re three than later.

At the end of the day, mommy still loves you, and will be there for you after we pick up the pieces.

And no, you still won’t get your way.

We are still her parents after all.

Happy new year!

 

10 Best Books for Babies (0-3 years old)

My one wish for my baby is that she will have the love of reading. That’s why, I’ve hoarded many books ever since she was born. We now have a growing library of books for her to read.

However, books can get really expensive. The more you buy, the more expensive it gets. I’ve also noticed how we would always go back to the same books over and over. It makes me think that I would have saved a lot of money if I only focused on the few book essentials, instead of buying every kiddie book I encountered.

Here are the top 10 books my baby loves to read. Maybe, if you are under the budget, you can just stick to these following books that you can read and reread over and over.

1. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Slide and Find by Eric Carle (USD 11.13)

This is the first book my baby absolutely loved. There’s something about the repetitive structure of words, the use of vivid colors and imagery that has the baby engrossed.

A bonus? The slide function in every page!

My baby had a LOT OF FUN trying to open the slide. Please buy the one with the Slide Function. Do NOT buy the other book options.

Consolation Prize: From Head to Toe by Eric Carle – The book challenges kids to try to do the same actions as the animals.

Overall, a fun book to read as the child imitates the characters in the book.

What Baby Learns: Animals, Colors

2. Where is Baby’s Belly Button Lift-a-Flap Book by Karen Katz (USD 4.19)

The vocabulary is so simple but effective, teaching my child the different parts of the body. The imagery is also so cute as well. My baby squeals whenever she sees photos of different babies. One of the best books for babies.

Note: The other Karen Katz books are not as effective as this one. Save your money and only buy this Karen Katz book.

What Baby Learns: Parts of Body

3. Dear Zoo: A Lift Flap Book by Rod Campbell (USD 4.71)

Have you noticed that many of my baby’s favorite books are lift the flap books? I guess for babies, there is that element of surprise that lies behind every flap. And it brings them great pleasure to anticipate which animal that appears behind every container.

The Story is about a child who writes the zoo asking for a pet. The zoo sends the child a series of animals for pets, which is returned for many different reasons. Finally, the zoo finds the right pet for the child.

What Baby Learns: Animals, Animal Sounds

4. May I Please Have a Cookie? by Jennifer E. Morris (USD 6.17)

It’s important for kids to learn some manners, and there’s no better way to teach manners than by a good story.

This book tells of the story of Alfie, who really LOVES cookies, but cannot find the right way to ask for it. The story ends with Alfie learning that getting what you want may be as simple of having the right manners and asking politely.

The rhymes, the photos, and the story all add to the charm. We absolutely love this book!

What Baby Learns: Using the word “Please”

5. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae (USD 5.06)

The story of Gerald as an awkward giraffe who cannot dance is absolutely endearing. Gerald wants to dance, but can’t. He is mocked by the other animals for his inability to dance. However, he later realizes that the beauty of dance comes more from his own self, and this increase of confidence earns him the praise of the other animals.

There is a rhyme to every page of the story, which makes every page a pleasure to read and re-read. There is also a lesson to be learned, and if done correctly, can increase a child’s self-esteem and will to dance in his/her own drum.

If you can, please buy the large hardbound version. The illustrations are beautiful, and the story sucks you right in.

What Baby Learns: Animals, the Different Dances, and the Importance of Dancing in one’s own Beat

6. How Do Dinosaurs Collection by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

We LOVE this book! There’s something about the way Jane Yolen and Mark Teague construct the story that teaches kids in a fun way on how to eat, how to see the doctor, and how to say goodnight. My daughter loves how everything rhymes and memorizes every page.

The best books in the collection are as follows:

• How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?

• How do Dinosaurs Eat their Food?
• How do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?

The rest of the collection are meh. I have the How do Dinosaurs Learn Colours and Numbers? and How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends?, but the rest of the books are no competition to the first three I mentioned. Save your money and just buy the three best books.

What Baby Learns: Proper Manners and How to Do the Right Thing

7. Potty by Leslie Patricelli (USD 4.00)

A cute little board book, the story introduces the concept of a potty in such a safe and fun manner. It’s about a child who wants to go potty but is afraid to. However, after trying to potty and finding success, everyone celebrates.

I’ve bought the other books by Leslie Patricelli but nothing is better than this book. Stick to the best sellers, mommy!

What Baby Learns: Potty is our friend.

8. Press Here and Mix it Up by Herve Tullet

Not for baby but for a toddler, these two interactive board books are fun to read with baby.

For Press Here, it teaches baby to follow simple instructions, and the effect lie on the pages afterwards.

Mix it Up teaches about colors, and how when they are combined, results on wonderful surprises.

What Baby Learns: Simple Instructions, Directions (Left, Right, Straight), Colors, Color Combinations

9. My Big Book of Beginning Books About Me by Dr. Seuss

Out of all the available collections (which I mostly bought), this is probably the best. The collection of book features simple stories that rhyme and are just super fun to read. The book include the following stories so as you can see, if you are traveling and you need only one book to bring, this book is it:

What Baby Learns: Parts of the Body

10. The Berensteins’ B Book by Stan Berenstain

My baby loves to read along. The story repeats words per page in such that it incites mastery. I love it when baby can anticipate what’s going to be on the next page. If you want your baby to increase his/her vocabulary, this is a great book to start.

What Baby Learns: Words that starts with the Letter B

Do you have another books to add? Please let me know! I would love to see if they fit my baby and I. Please comment below.

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BOOKS I FEEL ARE OVERRATED

No, I didn’t forget about these.

I actually have these, but they aren’t really that much fun to read. Maybe because the words don’t rhyme or the story drags, but I have no clue why these books are super popular. They honestly don’t do it for myself and baby.

I call them the Overrated Books: Nice to have but skip if you don’t have the budget. Please note that this is just for my personal reference, so I’m sorry if you love them and I don’t.

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle – It’s great but I don’t really get the story of a caterpillar who wakes up and eats a lot of things everyday. A good story, but not best-seller quality.

 

• Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown – Unimpressive illustration, dragging story. Yawn.

• Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert

• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sedak – I don’t like this book because it features a naughty, misbehaved child who becomes the King of the Wild Things. However, the story is brought to an abrupt conclusion after he misses his mom and returns home.

• Harold and the Purple Crayon – What a dragging book. Super long and blah. I couldn’t wait to get it done.

• Corduroy by Don Freeman – Great story about a lost bear in the shopping mall. But oh so dragging. Skip!

I am Pregnant… Again!

I am pregnant again!

A lot of thoughts went into my head:

I am still breastfeeding. How will my daughter nursing impact my baby especially since she’s very malikot.

Will it be a boy or a girl? A girl is cute, but a boy will be nice. At least, there’s someone to carry the family line.

I really hope he/she is a normal, healthy baby… what am I to do if he/she is not? I really hope that he/she is normal and healthy. No defects whatsoever.

How can I love both equally? One is already very tiring, but another one? How can you love another one especially since you’ve maxed out your love for the older child?

We have a family trip planned for Europe this November. How many months before I am still allowed to travel? Can I still make this trip?

How will it impact my work? I’d have to take another 30 days… another round of pregnancy feels and childbirth. Oh my, it’s going to be another wild ride…

I am now easily tired and short of breath. Is it because of the baby or just because I am getting lazier now that I am older.

Wow, a second child…!

How will a second child work?

I hope it still doesn’t hurt to give birth the second time around. God has protected me with the first, I pray and hope He protects me with the second.

Every baby is God’s miracle. What will I name it? How can we handle a second child?

I don’t even know if I am a good enough mother for my first child. And now, I will have a second? Wow, just wow.

He/she will be born on February 8, 2019. I hope I can give birth before February 5 so as he/she will still be part of Year of the Rat, and not Year of the Pig.

We call it Little Spud. Welcome Little Spud to the family!

You guys are the first to know. Shhhh… we hope to keep this a secret until after the first trimester when the baby is more safe. 1.5 more months to go!

Let’s pray for a safe pregnancy, wohoo!

Upbringing Makes a Difference

I talked about the Big Bad Wolf Booksale the other day. We were all having a ball scouring through rows and rows of books. My 2 year old daughter kept on putting books to the pushcart while my poor mother and her yaya was putting them back.

I had a small realisation: While we were so excited in finding good books for my daughter, her yaya was bored. Real bored.

This was so different during the Toy Sale when she was also scouring through the different offerings in the hopes of buying her 7 year old daughter the latest Barbie or teddy bear at discounted prizes. During the Toy Sale, she was even more excited than us, and even borrowed money just to do her purchase.

I realized how our priorities are different. Yaya was so gungho in buying her daughter the latest toys and gadgets. I pour the same amount of energies to buying books for my daughter.

Here is her bookcase months ago. She has a lot mote books now. Daughter is super spoiled when it comes to books.

I think it’s these little details that make big differences in a child’s brain. While one cannot control a child’s intelligence or personality too much (we can blame genetics for that), we can however guide our child to what we think is the right direction.

For me, it’s teaching my toddler a love of learning and reading. It’s to appreciate storytelling, expand her imagination, and for her to know that when it comes to books, her Mommy’s purse is open.

My daughter can identify letters from the age of 2. She can count from one to 20. Her vocabulary has expanded. I have her school to thank for that.

To be honest, I realised yaya doesn’t read. During her spare time, she listens to music, check Facebook or call her relatives. Consequently her daughter most likely doesn’t like to read too… not if her toys and gadgets are available.

I want my children to read. I want them to love the written world. I want them to go bonkers on booksales over toy fairs. I want them to treasure studying. That’s why I invest in books. In early learning. This is the difference upbringing makes.

These are the little things that make me happy. It also made me realize that parents must do our part to ensure our kids love to learn, and the way we do it is to expose them as much as possible to books and learning at a young age, so that they will welcome these tools with love as they grow up.

So how about you? Will you invest in a new ipad for your kids? Or books? Hope it’s the latter, because a love for the written word is one of the best things we can teach our child.

Have a good week everyone!

The Biggest Book Fair in Manila is HERE!

The Big Bad Wolf Book Fair is now ongoing at World Trade Center from February 16 to 25, 2018. The fair is 24 hours and last continuously everyday until midnight of February 25.

Entrance is FREE and the venue is airconditioned. The only thing they don’t allow are food and drinks. Books are usually sealed but there’s often a sample book that’s available for you to browse. The fair does replenish titles daily.

Pushcarts are provided for shopping convenience and after checking out, they do have a helper to assist you in carting your purchases out. Cash, debit cards and credit cards are all accepted.

Parking is a bit of a hassle and bringing a driver is recommended. One can park across the street at Wensha Spa for php35 and walk a bit to the fair. Not a big problem if you ask me.

We went last Friday and boy, was it FULL!

Great thing there were 42 cashiers so lines were still manageable. They do have priority lanes for PWDs and senior citizens so bringing my mom was a plus.

According to the cashier, there were 2 million books on sale. And we had our fun browsing through different titles. They had books categorized into Architecture, Travels, Transportation, Cooking and Baking, Self-Help, Movies & Music, History and Biography, Business & Economics, Young Adults, Romance, Hobbies & Recreation, Fashion & Beauty, Young Readers among others. Half of the hall were Children’s Books!

Here were our purchases on the first trip:

Usborne Big Picture Atlas 370

Please 160

Thank You 160

Sorry 160

Mary Had a Little Lamb 230

Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes 190

My Book of First Words (Kasia Bowowiejska) 160

Toddler Town Zoo 160

Hoot, A-Holesome book of counting 190

Young Learners Picture Dictionary 190

How do Dinosaurs Stay Friends 290

Frozen Puzzle Book 290

Big Book of Aesop Fables 390

Tall and Short, a peek-through Book of Opposites 190

Dino, a Cracking Book of Colors 190

Playtime Stories Campbell Baby 190

Cinderella, James Newman Gray 230

Little red riding Hood, James Newman Gray 230

Frozen Poster Collection 100

My husband also dorked out and bought these:

I on other hand built up my collection:

Yesterday, we came back and hulled the following books:

My Little World: Love, A Heart-Warming Book of Giving 190

My Little World: I Love my Daddy 190

My Enormous Book of Numbers 330

The Great Big Dinosaur Treasury – 390

Pompom Panda Gets the Grumps (Sophy Henn) 230

Ladybird Favourite Stories 350

We are Best Friends 230

Dora Look and Find 290

Monkey Not Ready for Kindergarten (Marc Brown) 190

My Book of Counting (Britta Teckentrup) 190

Freddie the Fish, Star of Show 160

Seasons Come Seasons Go Tree (Britta Teckentrup) 290

How I Did It (Linda Ragsdale) 290

The Mr Men Show Popup Book 290

Hoppity Hop Peekaboo 160

Princess Baby Night Night 160

Wolfie the Bunny 230

Can You Find Happy Cow

Fish Food Popup (Andy Mansfield) 190

Up & Down (Britta Teckentrup) 290

1000 Fantastic Stickers 190

Bad Kitty’s Tasty Treats (Nick Bruel) 290

The Almost Terrible Playdate 230

Julius Jr. Stickertastic 100

Pinkabella 2000 stickers 190

Super Animals 2000 stickers 190

My Big Wipe Clean Around the World 230

Doodle Numbers (Taro Gomi) 190

Alphabet Activity Sticker Book 230

Kimmidoll Junior Best Friends Sticker Book 160

The Triple Package (Amu Chua and Jed Rubenfeld) 230

The Patron Way (Ilana Edelstein) 190

Winning the Customer (Lou Imbriano) 290

How to Speak Money (John Lanchester) 350

The Moment You Can’t Ignore (Malachi O’ Connor) 290

Icons and Idiots (Bob Lutz) 190

I Love You More than My Dog (Jeanne Bliss) 190

Fizz (Ted Wright) 290

Habit (Charles Duhigg) 190

Running the Gauntlet (Jeffrey Hayzlett) 290

Fairness is Overrated (Tim Stevens) 290

A Bigger Prize (Margaret Heffernan) 230

The Mind of the Customer (Richard Hodge) 290

We also bought cookbooks and books for kids for my yaya’s daughter.

Overall, The Big Bad Wolf Booksale is a real treat for all book lovers. If you love books and don’t mind to go one time big time, this is a great show for you!

The Tale of Two Pregnancies

I talked about our driver who was na-kupit by the girlfriend. Despite having relationship problems with his needy and controlling girlfriend, our driver managed to get her pregnant, of which I believe is NOT an accident.

*The things women do to cling on a relationship, mutter mutter…*

He is obviously not too happy with what happened, and is just trying to muster a smile and look brave despite the additional bundle of challenge that will come his way. He already has a few kids with his first wife whom he is supporting. Trust me, he does not really look forward to having another child with a woman whom he wanted to dump last week.

Place the focus now to my brother, who happily announced that his wife of 10 months is now pregnant.

My mother called me yesterday saying that she was already pregnant. They asked me for OB recommendations which I sent via Messenger.

Guess what?

As soon as I sent the information, they immediately called the doctor and sped to her clinic. They were THAT excited.

Apparently, sister in law was already 5 weeks pregnant. Not even a trimester yet, but the couple was very excited and happy with the news that a new bundle of joy was coming. It’s like how these other dads react to the news — they were OVER THE MOON.

Compare the two pregnancy reveals which came a few days with each other, there was the reluctant new dad (our driver) and the over the moon soon-to-be father (my brother). How can one pregnancy be reacted so differently?

I think it’s worthwhile to consider that there is actually a good and a bad time to be pregnant. It is also important to note that when a baby comes at the right time, there is so much joy all around. We must all strive to plan for babies, and do it at the right time.

When is the right time to have a baby?

The right time to have a baby is when both of you are in a good place relationship-wise.

The right time to have a baby is when both of you are financially stable, and can afford all the expensive things needed for a baby (e.g., monthly check-ups, vaccination, diapers, milk are just some of the basics).

The right time to have a baby is when you both decided BEFOREHAND that you wanted one. A baby is always great, but it should enhance your relationship, not be the bandaid to your problems.

The right time to have a baby is when you have the capacity and person to raise it. Most people ask their in-laws to help. Some struggle just finding someone they can entrust the baby to. What’s the point of having a baby if there is no capable caregiver around?

The right time to have a baby is when it will come into the world welcomed, loved, and cared for.

Otherwise, it’s NOT a good time to have a baby.

How about you? What do you think is the right time to have a baby?