Qualities Of A Good Parent-Accompanied Playgroup in Singapore

Parent-accompanied playgroups are different from the regular playgroups. This tends to put more pressure on the playgroup management because they cater to two individuals: the parent and the child. 

The centre and educators should prepare adequately. Here are some of the qualities of parent-accompanied playgroups.

Large Play Areas With Sitting Spaces For Parents

While there are moments when parents join toddlers as they play, some parents are happy to sit and observe their children. A good Mandarin playgroup in Singapore should provide adequate play areas for toddlers and sitting spaces for parents to observe and interact with one another. 

Activities For Parents And Toddlers

Centres offering parent-accompanied playgroups should prepare activities that encourage the participation of parents. The presence of parents in enrichment classes for toddlers in Singapore is critical for the children. 

The parents can have fun as they help their children navigate the playgroup if they can participate in the games. 

Parents can monitor their toddlers’ progress as they play, especially when they go from depending on their parents to playing independently. 

Safe And Secure Environment

Most parents who join a parent-accompanied playgroup do so to make the transition easier for their toddlers. This is especially important for parents who have never separated from their children since birth.

If the parents find the area safe for their children, they’ll be confident about leaving their toddlers behind, especially if they are working adults.

Age-Appropriate Activities

Good enrichment classes for toddlers in Singapore should offer age-appropriate activities. When parents accompany their children, they want to ensure their children can participate in the programs.

If the games are too complex for toddlers, the children have nothing to gain from the playgroup. Children learn through play; if they can’t play, they won’t learn. Parents are more likely to search for other playgroups that meet their children’s needs.

Qualified Caregivers

Even though parents can accompany their children in Mandarin playgroup Singapore, they are not the primary caregivers. They need guidance from qualified facilitators who understand child development stages and the value of play for toddlers.

Parents need to be confident that when they sit and catch up, their children are with qualified caregivers who understand the toddlers’ stimulation and how to provide it. 

A Balance Between Structured And Unstructured Play

Although it may not seem like it, parent-accompanied play groups need structured and unstructured play. It is never too early to teach children routines; playgroups can guide this through scheduled playtime.

This can be done through storytelling, songs, art, and games. The repetitive activities will help boost memory retention and attention. Toddlers will also improve fine and gross motor, decision-making, and critical thinking skills. 

Flexibility

Playgroups need structure, but they should also be flexible enough to accommodate the changing needs of parents and toddlers. For example, if the play centre initially starts with parent-accompanied playgroup for toddlers, does it plan for days when toddlers will come unaccompanied?

Does the centre offer activities and facilitators who cater to growing toddlers yearning for more challenging activities?

So many changes can take place quickly, and enrichment classes for toddlers in Singapore should be flexible enough to conform to these changes. 

These are qualities you should look for when searching for a parent-accompanied playgroup. Having an idea of what you need will help you make the right choice, not just for your child but for yourself. 

Benefits of Parent-Accompanied Playgroups in Singapore

Parent-accompanied playgroups are those where a parent or caregiver participates in activities alongside their children. This is unlike playgroups where the parent drops off the child and picks them up after a few hours or those where the parent watches the child play. 

There are several benefits of parent-accompanied playgroups. 

Strengthens The Bond Between Toddlers And Parents

Any time shared between parents and their children is special. Unfortunately, the demands of life, especially for working parents, take away much time from their kids. Parents can send their kids to Mandarin playgroup classes in Singapore to learn the language while observing and interacting with their toddlers as they play with others.

Parents Observe Toddlers In A Different Environment

It sometimes feels like toddlers have different personalities, depending on the environment. Some parents are shocked when the playgroup caregiver mentions things the toddler does because they do not behave the same at home.

A parent-accompanied playgroup gives parents a front-seat view of the changes in their toddlers, especially in the presence of other toddlers. 

Parents observe their children as they develop their social skills. Sending them to enrichment classes for toddlers in Singapore also introduces games that help them develop other skills, like critical thinking and decision-making. 

It is great for parents to see the transformation in their toddlers first-hand. 

Parents Can Observe How The Playgroups Are Operated

Parents may not always have the time to accompany their toddlers when they go to playgroup Singapore. Most parents are cautious about the playgroups in which they enrol their toddlers.  

Parent-accompanied playgroups allow parents to observe their children’s environment, the toddlers they interact with, and the type of care the children get.

This way, if the parent has no option but to leave the child behind, they will have peace of mind knowing they are safe. 

Parents Get To Interact With One Another

Parent-accompanied playgroups allow parents with toddlers to interact and share their joys and challenges. This is especially important for parents whose parents have no children.

Parenting is a learning process, and sometimes the learning curve is steep. Parents at the playgroup can discuss child development and parenting tips as their toddlers play. 

Parents’ Presence Gives Toddlers A Sense Of Security

Toddlers usually suffer separation anxiety when they join they are away from their parents. Attending an enrichment class or playgroup is probably the first time they are away from their parents, and it takes time for them to get used to it.

Having their parents close at the playgroup session will give toddlers the confidence to interact with other children, knowing they’ll get it if they need comfort and reassurance.  

Language Development

Toddlers improve their language acquisition and communication skills when comfortable and in a safe space. Their parents’ presence gives them the confidence to interact with other children. Parents can also use the language they pick up during the Mandarin playgroup session at home, giving the child more exposure to the Mandarin language. 

Parents Get To Have Fun

Childcare can take a toll on parents, especially single and first-time parents. Parent-accompanied playgroup is a break of some sort for these parents. 

They can take a back seat and observe their toddlers as they observe their new environment and form bonds with other children. Even though they are technically still taking care of their children, at the playgroup, they get to enjoy themselves. 

These are some of the benefits of parent-accompanied playgroups in Singapore. Toddlers and parents have much to gain from the connections they make in their interactions with others.  

Creative writing for kids in Singapore

If your child has an active imagination and has a thirst for writing, we can guide him with these super fun classes of creative writing for kids in Singapore.

Whether your child dreams of being a writer or just likes to make up stories, creative writing is a cathartic exercise that allows children to make sense of what is happening in their lives and their ever-changing feelings. Its something they can try out on their own at home, but if you want to provide a bit more guidance, here is how we guide creative writing classes for kids in Singapore.

With so ample amount of creative writing classes available in Singapore , it is common for its very concept to escape us.

Approaches to Creative Writing

Our creative writing program greatly aids in the development of techniques for composition writing. It does not interfere or has overlaps with the regular English curriculum that we teach our students. We mainly focus on it three important components of the 3 Minds.

The Champion Mind

Celebrating the individual students uniqueness, going beyond conventional wisdom and overcoming struggle to attain success.

The Learning Mind

Learning How to learn strategies that actively assist our learner to understand, store, recall and create material and concepts.

The Creative Mind

Linking many perspectives and incorporating them to generate new and creative ideas.

What Our Program is about?

The program is planned in accordance with the students ability. It is designed so as to work hand in hand with what the child is already learning at school. It focuses on the understanding and creative aspects of writing, rather than attempting to force a mechanical approach, before each student has adopted the super important desire to write.

During the program, an emphasis is placed on engaging the childs imagination, before facilitating writing from that engagement. Moreover, it provides the grammatical structures to allow for glowing appearance of the childs ideas.

Tips for creative writing for Singaporean kids:

How to start:

Like any other fear, one of the best ways to get past the I am not able to write phase is to just start writing. Often as the pen starts moving, kids should become less self-conscious and they start writing. If its gibberish, well so what? Nobody creates a masterpiece on the first attempt. Creative writers do not have a lack of ideas. Writers get a block when they are not able to really pinpoint where to start.

Think of what to write about:

The most basic and sort of difficult thing to consider is what the topic should be. Scoping the content is important as it sets what we are going to achieve at the end of the written piece. The best thing for creative writing is to sketch an outline of the story and then from there, you can add in the flesh. Less is more, meaning that in writing it is always okay to use simple words, short sentences and to begin with simple dialogues.

Enjoy the moment:

The best moments of creating anything is when there is joy in the process of creation. The sky is the limit when it comes to being imaginative and the world is the oyster when we attempt to visualize it through words. Start by picking up a pen. Enjoy the moment. Good luck!

A message for the parents

An acute sense of creativity in writing can also be cultivated from a young age of kids in Singapore. Parents can help develop enthusiasm from writing by encouraging their children to keep a writing journal, writing two pages a week. This helps encourage their champs to write freely about anything that interests them. We can guide interested parents and answer queries they might have. So what are you waiting for! Visit us now!

Learning Abacus At An Early Age: Benefits Of Learning Abacus For Children

Abacus was the tool used for calculations long before calculators or even pen and paper came into existence.

Abacus is also the simplest learning device there is and an integral part of history of economics. The first documented use of

Abacus for calculation is in Europe, Russia and China, centuries ago. Today, while the concept of abacus remains unaffected, its build

quality is improved to contain beads and bamboo frame. In the recent times, abacus regained its popularity as a primary mental math strategies when adoption rates soared.

A word on abacus training

Abacus math, a term most often used in the context of learning using this tool, is the method of learning and understanding, using the principles

of abacus calculations. In an abacus, each groove or bar accommodates only 9 beads. It is designed so because when number 10 is reached, the next groove

or bar is moved. The designation thus becomes first bar to represent the units and second, the tens place. Thus, the representation of 12 in an abacus

would be 2 beads in the first bar, to denote the units place, and 1 in the next to denote the 10s. Abacus training classes teach the concept of regrouping

and performing the essential functions. In general, abacus is read from the left to the right.

Addition is performed using the complement method according to the instructions given by the teacher. Subtraction, on the other hand, is performed by

arranging beads for the minuend first, followed by the process of subtraction from lower/ or upper decks. The bead number which results, is the final answer.

Types of Abacus

For Multiplication, a modified abacus called the Lee abacus is used. Japanese have a variation called the soroban technique. The Chinese version is denoted

as the suan pan. The type of training your child receives will depend on the coaching classes. All types are equally effective.

Benefits of learning abacus for children

” All studies conducted to learn the significance of abacus have a common conclusion: abacus sharpens the brains and makes it proficient

” Like any muscle in the human body, the brain strengthens only through mental exercises. Abacus is a fun mental exercise to sharpen the brain.

Teachers have observed that students who are good at math readily grasp other subjects as well.

” Mathematics is all about accuracy and speed. is the application of various tools in order to reach the final solution.

Simple methods are often the most accurate and abacus fits the description.

” Abacus is not just a tool for math calculations; it also relies on perfecting the hand eye coordination according to the given problem. Simultaneous

use of hands in sync with the math problem helps in the activation of the entire brain.

” When a child trained in abacus solves a problem mentally, it becomes a significant confidence boost. Confidence starts to show in other aspects of

the child s behavior, as well, with time.

” Children who are trained to solve math using abacus, love the subject. It goes without saying that those who are untrained dread it. Abacus learning

is not restricted to addition, division, subtraction and multiplication of whole numbers; learning the basic concepts improves understanding of complicated

concepts like fractions, decimals and integers.

In a nutshell, children benefit immensely learning abacus techniques which they can use during math maths class. Training in abacus not only helps a child to overcome the fear of math, it builds self-confidence

and fine-tunes the positive power of visualization. Benefits of abacus are also reflected in easier retention of calendar memory, improved listening and writing.

How Can You Make Your Kids Love Learning Chinese?

Do you want your children to learn Mandarin Chinese? In case, you have made up your mind to get them admitted in a mandarin class for children then they will also become a part of over one billion people in the world who speak it as a primary or a secondary language. Thus, you are all set to take a big leap towards making your litter ones global citizens who may get a yearly head start in the future employment market and will also become smarter.

But though there are several merits of learning the Chinese language, making your kids interested in it can really be quite a struggle. It is specifically true in the beginning of your child’s language journey. The initial adaptation process can be frustrating for the kids as it is not easy for them to realize and appreciate the real benefits of picking up Chinese.

However, you should not feel disappointed since there are various interesting ways that will make sure that your children get interested in learning the language. In fact, you will soon find your kids will look forward to attaining proficiency in this language,

Cooking with your kid

Is your kid interested in practical activities? If that is the case, cooking is an excellent method for learning as well as maintaining their interest in the Chinese language. So, how about planning a session on cooking with your kids soon? However, you need to ensure that you get the instructions and the recipe printed in the Chinese language. Tell the kids to read out the recipe while you are in the process of assembling the dish. You can also teach your child important nouns and verbs while both of you cook together.

Chinese magazines/books

It is a globally-connected society today and many popular books in the category of both non-fiction and fiction have been translated into various other languages. When you get Chinese versions of some of the popular books for your kids, it is a fantastic and innovative way of getting them interested in the Mandarin Chinese language. In fact, you should look out for Chinese versions of some of the best-selling works, which are specifically written for teens and kids and hand them over to the little ones. While they read these books, they will start getting interested in the story plots and would definitely want to pick up more vocabulary in Chinese so that they are able to understand more and read these books even faster.

Travel

It can be a short trip to your nearest Chinatown to savor some delicious and authentic dumplings or a bowl of a Chinese soup to get your kids interested in the Chinese culture. Alternatively, you can also go for a relaxed family holiday to the sea beaches and towns of China. If you travel to a Chinese-speaking place with your children, they will be more curious and it can also trigger their interest to learn Chinese. At various occasions, it is not an easy job to inspire your kids to learn Chinese. It is specifically true when they are being brought up in an English-speaking ambiance ever since they were born. You can tell the kids some days before the trip that they should speak in Chinese to communicate with the local people. Now that means using the language to order their food, querying for directions and finding out the restrooms. When your kids understand that learning the Chinese language is a requirement and not a nice to know skill during the trip, they will definitely get motivated to learn Chinese either complete dedication.

Learning the language does not necessarily have to be memorizing the notes or solving worksheets in their character books. The above-mentioned ideas can really make learning the Chinese language a fun and exciting experience. Finally, your complete support is very crucial to improve the Chinese speaking skill of your child. You should spare some time from your hectic schedule to read with them, travel with them, participate in fun activities, which interest them and cook together while you expose them to the Chinese language.

How do I teach my child read and write Chinese?

Children are very intuitive and intelligent and you will realize that they adapt to learning a new language like fish to water. Once you start with teaching your children Chinese, you will realize that children are far more advanced in understanding daily conversations than they are in recognizing Chinese characters. This is very common and one should create a learning environment for the children to develop listening skills and speaking skills through daily conversation.

How do I teach my children to read Chinese?

It is very important to have a very solid grasp on Chinese characters no matter at what age a child starts to learn Chinese. This is important to develop good reading skills. Children are very easily bored by the complexities involved in going from a phonogram-based language (English), to a logogram-based language (Chinese). It is the job of a teacher to make the child feel confident right at the start of their Mandarin-learning journey. This will help them to naturally sustain their enthusiasm and maintain their interest in the subject.

How should I prepare a younger child to learn Chinese?

For younger kids it s very easy to learn if you associate physical objects to the characters. What you can do is print out Chinese characters in a large font with their pinyin and stick it around the house and put these flashcards on the objects. This will help kids learn faster and they can also relate to the character much more and make Chinese characters seem much more approachable and fun.

Create a game and make Learning fun

You can make learning Chinese great fun for kids by creating a game out of it. You can start by asking your children to match Mandarin Chinese character flashcards to the objects in the house. All you need to do is prepare a host of flashcards and run around the house to stick the correct flashcard to the correct object. Slowly expand the game to the outdoors as well and match flashcards to items in the supermarket.

Buy Basic Level Chinese Books

For older kids when they attain a certain level proficiency, you can buy them Children’s books in Chinese. These Chinese children’s books are very child friendly and written with pinyin next to the characters. This is to help sound out the phonetics and can be a good confidence builder and be a very good resource to help expand your children’s vocabulary. For older kids it is very important to retain their excitement and maintain their interest in the subject. In order to that one must invest in the variety of books available on the market today. These books cover a variety of topics such as cooking, nature and comic books.

How do I teach My Child to Write Chinese Characters?

Apart from enrolling your kids in a Chinese speech and drama class, writing Chinese characters can be pretty daunting for a child for the first few times and the child might feel it pretty difficult, but the key is perseverance and this needs to be taught to the child. Towards the beginning the child might feel it is doing rout memorization but their skills definitely improve over a period of time and the important thing is not give up. Practice makes perfect and eventually your kids will be able to write structured sentences in Mandarin Chinese. It is very important that you make the child understand that Chinese needs to be written by hand and you can introduce rewards to encourage the same.

These are some of the basic tips to help your child read and write Chinese. As already mentioned, perseverance is key in this regard.

Relevance of Learning through Play

Constant learning can wear out the brain for children and adults alike. That is why extracurricular activities in schools are encouraged for kids so that they do not feel the pressure of an excessive workload. Here are some of the reasons why playing also works in the growth of the child.

Games in the Classroom

An interactive session of games in the classroom works wonders as it enables children to break out of the monotony. It also gives the shy child an opportunity to add something concrete. For instance, a word ending game gets children ready to learn something new. It also adds to the fun when there are winners along the way. In fact, the child who does not score high marks in class may surprise everyone and become the winner!

Abacus as a Sum of the Play Time

The concept of learning how to add and subtract in early childhood learning is easy when there is an intelligent visual stimulus. Abaci, a formula of calculations enables the brainpower of the average child to peak considerably as the apparatus is appealing and definitely provides recall and recognition along the way. Ergo, when you include this in an informal setting, children will get past their math difficulties and let go of their inhibitions.

Sport is a Necessity

Participating in games outside the classroom must be made a necessary feature as this empowers a holistic approach to the overall scheme of learning. While the child plays games like hockey, football, basketball, cricket, gymnastics, or just using the swing, he learns how to work in a team and the concept of sharing. By passing the ball and learning how to dribble or generally balance the beam, he enters a constructive learning curve.

Language and the Learning Experience

One cannot dispute the fact that learning a new language pretty much makes you open to a myriad opportunities. From the perspective of a child who is taught to communicate in a language that he is familiar with, makes the process of learning relatively easier. By inculcating a love for Mandarin, children used to study in a language other than Mandarin are open to interesting challenges and attending enrichment classes for kids . It enables them to learn while playing with kids their own age and imbibing the various cultural norms as well.

Visit http://www.chengzhu.edu.sg/mandarin-centre/ OR Apply now for more details on the methodology used by this fine preschool. If you are keen on an overall growth for your child, a balance of play and study works phenomenally well.