Car Boot Sale - East Coast Park - Playground - June 18-19

We are holding a Car Boot Sale at Playground at East Coast Park.

It'll be held on June 18 and 19.

Come join us as we showcase some of our materials available for rental.

50% of the application fee collected during the Car Boot Sale shall be donated to the Red Cross Society Singapore.

Hope to see you there!

Home Practice - Tangram

What is it?This is a very common game - Tangram - where the child is to use the 7 shapes to make a big picture.  As the child engaging in this game is expected to be within the age of 3 months to 3 years, the big pictures will be shown to the child in colours with the breakdown of the shapes shown.

How to make it yourself
Using a piece of foam, draw out the shapes and cut it out.  Preferably, use different coloured foams to allow easier differentiation.  However, it is important that the size of the shapes must be drawn to almost perfection.

You may find pictures made using the Tangram shapes online for your reference.

What purpose does it serve?
By arranging the pictures in the same arrangement as the worksheets, the child needs to use his Visual-motor skills and fine-motor to pick up and arrange the shapes. 

Visual Spatial-relations skills will also be needed to understand the shape and deciding when to flip it or turn it to fit the worksheet.

As some shapes are similar, Visual Discrimination, which is the ability to notice subtle differences, will be activated to differentiate the size of the shapes, especially the triangles in order to place them in the correct position.

When the child is asked to see the arrangement, he is trained in his Visual Figure-ground, which is the ability to attend to one activity without being distracted by other surrounding activity.
You can make use of the exercise to introduce shapes and colours to the child.

Summary of developmental objectives
Visual-motor, Visual discrimination, Visual figure-ground, Visual Spatial-relations, Fine-motor, Logic, Tactile, Proprioceptive.

Home Practise - Flashcards

What is it?This is a series of flashcards in various topics, including fixed sets of Phonics, Time, and Dots, where the cards are to be flashed in front of the child in a pre-determined order.

How to make it yourself
Using similar size paper (I have used a custom size paper slightly smaller than A5 for maximum comfort to the hands), you can draw or print pictures at one side of the paper, and the words on the other side (for the convenience of reading by the parent). 

For better handling, use slightly thicker paper (almost similar to a thin cardboard) so that it will not be flimsy.

Use crayons or colour pencil or print it out, as markers may seep to the other side of the paper.

Laminate when done for better preservation.

Remember to make a title page.

What purpose does it serve?
When the cards are being flashed to the child, he is trained in his Visual Figure-ground, which is the ability to attend to one activity without being distracted by other surrounding activity.

When cards are flashed quickly, the child will need to up his concentration level and see things quickly.

Cards are arranged in sets, or categories, helping the child to learn to categorise items, and in future, to be able to identify the "Odd one out".

As some cards in the same category may be very similar, Visual Discrimination, which is the ability to notice subtle differences, will be activated to differentiate different cards in the same category.

Summary of developmental objectives
Visual discrimination, Visual figure-ground, Logic, Proprioceptive.

Home Practice - Stringing

What is it?
This is a game where the child has to string the lace through the holes in numeric sequence to make a design for the mask.  The one shown here is for a clown.  There are various other designs available. 

How to make it yourself
The items we carry were purchased.  However, you can get a thick cardboard or plastic materials from the Art shop, cut it in a shape you desire, and use hole puncher to punch out the places where you want the child to string the lace.

What purpose does it serve?
By stringing to make the design, he is making use of his fine-motor skills and visual-motor skills to hold the lace and insert it into the holes.

He also makes use of his Sequential skills to decide on which hole to insert the lace, as there are numbers beside the holes to guide the child.

After finishing the stringing task, the child engages in pretend play, which is important for the social and emotional development of the child, to wear the mask and pretend he is the person/animal. He can also use this to express his affection.

When the child is asked to perform this task of stringing, he is trained in his Visual Figure-ground, which is the ability to attend to one activity without being distracted by other surrounding activity.  This is especially so in this case as this is an activity that takes slightly longer time and visual muscle.

The child may also learn the concept of 'in' and 'out', 'up' and 'down', and 'into' while stringing.  This helps in his language skills.

Summary of developmental objectives
Visual-motor, Visual sequential, Visual Figure-ground, Fine-motor, Social/emotional development, Tactile, Language, Proprioceptive.

Donations in March 2011

It's confirmed.  Red Cross Society had banked in the donation cheque that we submitted for donations collected in the month of March 2011.

Total donation = S$500/-.

Thank you for your kind support.

Changes to some posts

Hi all!

To make reading and research easier for you, we are in the midst of adding certain links to the key words, you know, those confusing words like Visual Discrimination - wow, what does THAT mean?

Those with links are in this orangey fonts.

Now, you can simply click on the words and get to websites that explain what they are, and most even give you other examples of what else you can do at home to practise it more with your child.

Do go back to past posts to view the newly added links every now and then.

Please do bear with us as we're updating the posts.

Hope the above helps!

Do give us feedback on what we can do to make it better for you and your child.

Home Practice - Make your own Soft Toy Bear

What is it?
This is a game where the child has to stitch up the felt cloth to make a soft toy bear..  He has to stitch up part of the cloth, insert the filling, then complete the stitching so the filling will not fall out.

How to make it yourself
2 small pieces of felt cloth, cut into 2 identical shapes of your choice, 1 long thick black thread, 1 big needle, soft toy polyester filling.

What purpose does it serve?
By stitching to make the soft toy, , the child engages in pretend play, which is important for the social and emotional development of the child. He can also use this to express his affection.

By stitching up the bear, he is making use of his fine-motor skills and visual-motor skills to hold the needle and insert it into the holes.

The child may also feel the different texture of the felt cloth and polyester filling which may be quite different from the everyday cotton clothing for children.
He also makes use of his Visual Sequential skills to decide on which hole to stitch up next.

When the child is asked to perform this task of stitching, he is trained in his Visual Figure-ground, which is the ability to attend to one activity without being distracted by other surrounding activity.  This is especially so in this case as this is an activity that takes slightly longer time and visual muscle.

He once again uses his fine-motor skills and visual-motor skills to insert the filling into the cloth to make it puffy.

The child may also learn the concept of 'in' and 'out', 'up' and 'down', and 'into' while stitching and making the soft toy.  This helps in his language skills.

When the soft toy is complete, the child may decide to pretend to give it to someone he likes, so that will be similar to pretend play which develops his social and emotional skills..

Summary of developmental objectives
Visual-motor, Visual sequential, Visual Figure-ground, Fine-motor, Social/emotional development, Tactile, Language, Proprioceptive.

Home Practice - String the Beads

What is it?
This is a game where the child has to string the beads up to make a necklace..

How to make it yourself
10 beads + 1 shoelace

What purpose does it serve?
By pretending to make a necklace for mummy, the child engages in pretend play, which is important for the social and emotional development of the child. He can also use this to express his affection.

By stringing the beads, he is making use of his fine-motor skills and visual-motor skills to hold the lace and insert it into the beads.

The child may also design the necklace by arranging the beads in colours sequence of his choice. This further stimulates that imaginative skills in children.

When the necklace is made, the child may count the number of beads there are, and this also helps develop the counting skills and recognition of numbers (sound) (Auditory discrimination).  You may wish to conduct the counting in various languages to expose the child to more languages.

Summary of developmental objectives
Visual-motor, Visual, Fine-motor, Counting, Social/emotional development, Imaginative skills, Tactile, Auditory discrimination, Proprioceptive.

Home Practice - Sushi Making

What is it?This is a game where the child has to make sushi.

How to make it yourself
Playdoh - use white for rice.  Sushi roller, scoop and garnish.  All purchased.

What purpose does it serve?
By pretending to make sushi, the child engages in pretend play, which is important for the social and emotional development of the child. 

By scooping the playdoh and rolling it to make the sushi, the child makes use of his fine-motor skills and visual-motor skills to know how to hold and manipulate the scoop and sushi roller.

The child may also feel the texture of the playdoh and imagine that the rice is hot. This further stimulates that imaginative skills and logic development in children (e.g. understand that when rice is just cooked, it's hot)

When the sushi is made, the child may count the number of pieces that he had made, and this also helps develop the counting skills and recognition of numbers (sound) (Auditory discrimination).  You may wish to conduct the counting in various languages to expose the child to more languages.

Summary of developmental objectives
Visual-motor, Visual, Fine-motor, Counting, Social/emotional development, Imaginative skills, Tactile, Logic development, Auditory discrimination, Proprioceptive.

Home Practice - Linking Memory

What is it?This is a game where the child will be read a short absurd story comprising a few pictures, and then asked to arrange the pictures in the same sequence.  The child is then asked to flip over the arranged pictures and asked where a particular picture is, to train his memory.  Usually, the more absurd the story is, the easier it is to remember.

How to make it yourself
Make flashcard out of A5 size paper, Stick the pictures on it and make your own story.  Make smaller versions of the pictures, with no markings behind it. Laminate it.

What purpose does it serve?
When the child is asked to listen to the story, he is trained in his Visual Figure-ground and Auditory Figure-ground, which is the ability to attend to one activity without being distracted by other surrounding activity.

By arranging the pictures in the same sequence, the child needs to use his Visual memory  and Auditory memory and Visual-Sequential memory to remember the arrangement.  This is important to effect accurate recalling of details, which is useful in school when child needs to copy words from the board to his notebook.

Visual Spatial-relations skills will also be needed to understand the sequencing, and recognising left to right.

As some pictures may be very similar, Visual Discrimination, which is the ability to notice subtle differences, will be activated to differentiate different pictures in order to place them in the correct sequence.

The child also needs Visual-motor skills and fine-motor to pick up and arrange the pictures in the way that he sees it.  He must also be able to tolerate the texture of the material used.

As the story being told is absurd, he Logic function in his brain will be triggered to recall the details that is weird.

Summary of developmental objectives
Visual-motor, Visual-memory, Auditory memory, Visual discrimination, Visual figure-ground, Visual Spatial-relations, Visual-Sequential memory, Fine-motor, Logic, Tactile, Proprioceptive.

Home Practice - Photographic Memory

What is it?
This is a game where the child is shown a series of pictures in a predetermined sequence for a few seconds, then asked to arrange the pictures in the same sequence.  Sometimes, there may be more pictures available for arranging than necessary so child can eliminate pictures that he has not seen.

How to make it yourself
Using a piece of paper, draw out squares for positioning the picture.  Make 2 picture boards of the same - 1 for showing the child, 1 for letting the child arrange the pictures.  Laminate it.

Make 2 copies of 3 different pictures (may add up to 6 pictures for older children) and laminate it.

Stick Velcro behind the pictures to fix it on the picture board.

What purpose does it serve?
By arranging the pictures in the same sequence, the child needs to use his Visual memory and Visual-Sequential memory to remember the arrangement.  This is important to effect accurate recalling of details, which is useful in school when child needs to copy words from the board to his notebook.

Visual Spatial-relations skills will also be needed to understand the sequencing, and recognising left to right.

As some pictures may be very similar, Visual Discrimination, which is the ability to notice subtle differences, will be activated to differentiate different pictures in order to place them in the correct sequence.

The child also needs Visual-motor skills and fine-motor to pick up and arrange the pictures in the way that he sees it.  He must also be able to tolerate the texture of the material used and the sound of the Velcro when he re-arrange a wrongly placed picture.

When the child is asked to see the arrangement, he is trained in his Visual Figure-ground, which is the ability to attend to one activity without being distracted by other surrounding activity.

When extra pictures are being used, the child needs to eliminate pictures that he has not seen, and only arrange the necessary pictures.  Usually, the extra picture is of a different category, for example, basketball, football, tennis-ball and a horse.  This will help the child recognise that the horse is of a different group/category from the balls.

Summary of developmental objectives
Visual-motor, Visual-memory, Visual discrimination, Visual figure-ground, Visual Spatial-relations, Visual-Sequential memory, Fine-motor, Logic, Tactile, Proprioceptive.

Home Practice - Feed the animals

What is it?
This is a game where the child has to 'feed' the animal with food.  Careful!  Don't put your fingers inside the mouth or the animal may bite you!

How to make it yourself
This is a game which is made using plastic food container.  The cover is partially cut to act as the 'mouth' of the animal, and a picture of the face of the animal is drawn and pasted on the cover.  Pieces of sponge (cut out from dish-washing sponge) or furry balls as shown in the picture above, will act as the food.
Chopsticks or squeezers may be used as the cutlery in older children.

What purpose does it serve?
By pretending that the animal is real, the child engages in pretend play, which is important for the social and emotional development of the child.  It is important for the child to be able to understand what other beings, apart from himself, think and feel.

By feeding the animal, the child understands that animals are like us, they go hungry and need food too!  That brings in empathy in the child and the child can learn to be considerate and offer food.

By not putting the finger into the mouth of the animal while feeding it, the child understands that there are certain danger involved in interaction, and there are invisible boundaries.  If the child crosses the boundary (in this case, the animal's mouth), he may be putting himself in danger (of being bitten by the animal).  Although there are tamed animals, it is important to understand that, just as well as he doesn't like the doctor sticking the thermometer into his mouth, the animals may also feel threatened if he sticks his fingers into its mouth.

By picking up the food, the child is using his fine motor skills to grab the food.  He is also using his visual muscles to see the food, his visual-motor skills to bring his finger to the food so he can grab it.  He uses the same visual-motor skills to bring the food accurately to the position of the mouth, and activates his fine-motor to release the food at the right time to drop it into the animal's mouth.

For older children, cutlery such as chopsticks/squeezers may be used.

The child may also feel the texture of the 'food' and imagine what the food might be, such as carrot for rabbits, corn for pigs etc.  This further stimulates that imaginative skills and logic development in children (e.g. understand that rabbits are herbivore and therefore he can't be feeding meat to the rabbit)

While feeding, the child may count the number of pieces of the food, and this also helps develop the counting skills and recognition of numbers (sound) (Auditory discrimination).  You may wish to conduct the counting in various languages to expose the child to more languages.

Summary of developmental objectives
Visual-motor, Visual, Fine-motor, Counting, Social/emotional development, Imaginative skills, Tactile, Logic development, Auditory discrimination, Proprioceptive.

What do we have?

What kind of Home Practice Materials have you heard of or seen?  Tell us and if we don't have it but you want to rent it, we'll make it to our best efforts.

We currently have various materials to assist in the stimulation of various senses - Visual, Auditory, Olfactory (sense of smell), Tactile (sense of touch).  But there are 2 other senses that are not commonly known, that may also be stimulated while using the materials - Vestibular and Prioproceptive.

Sounds complicated?

No worries.  Future posts will show you the materials that we offer as well as the objective each material is expected to achieve.

The founder is committed to provide you with better and more purposeful materials, and continously seeks and attends courses offered by professionals in the Allied Health industry.

New Start Up!

Hey Mums and Dads and those who want the kids to excel, Welcome to our blog!

We specialise in Home Practice Materials for toddlers, and we rent them in sets at an unbelievable low price!

This company is started by a Mum (yes, just like you!), who brings her children to enrichment classes.  Classes are usually held once a week, leaving the other 6 (yes, SIX) days for parents/caregivers to do Home Practice, well, at Home.

Buying materials are not only expensive, it's kinda wasteful.  SAVE THE EARTH, everyone is saying.

How many sets of Flashcards do you have lying, eh, somewhere?  Or other materials purchased for the purpose of Home Practice, and after 1 week, sits, eh, also somewhere?

How many types of materials do the school use in class, then they say, go, go do Home Practice, then they don't even SELL those materials?

Make them for Home Practice, they say.  Realistically, after 8 (or even more) hours of work (Work-work, or House-work), still find time to make Different materials that can attract the attention/interest the child, and Hey, after 1 week, they're sick of it!  Then, start the process and think of, and Make new materials.

Repeat... repeat...

Tired!  Run Out of Ideas!  No Time!

By the time the materials are made, it's too tiring to conduct the Home Practice.

RENT it!  Rent the Home Practice Materials!

Change it every week!

It comes in A Set.  Meaning, it should contain most of the materials that you need, carefully organised and packed for hassle-free Home Practice.

Rent it, Collect it, Bring it home, conduct the Home Practice, return it to exchange for a new set, repeat.

No more hassle, no more purchased materials lying 'somewhere', wasting precious money and space (Hey, how much per sqft does those space cost here in Singapore eh).

PM us for more details.