11 Reasons Why I Love Spotify

Posted on November 11, 2018 by CelesteChoo

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If you’re not using Spotify yet and wondering why so many people are using it, here are some of the reasons why I love Spotify (and could be why you might want to start using it, too).

I can find every song I want, from new songs up to the songs I listen to when I was, hmmm…8 years old?

I’m a 1980 baby (yes, I admit, I’m old) and I grew up with my father’s music like The Beatles, Kenny Rogers, Simon and Garfunkel, Peter Paul and Mary, The Carpenters and Cat Stevens. My strongest music preference is within the 90’s, when alternative rock and more rock genres have evolved up to gothic rock. Generation of today may not be inclined to listen to bands like Disturbed, Garbage, Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation and System of a Down. I don’t listen to the radio and I definitely need my own mix of songs while driving or running.

And that’s the greatest thing I experienced when I first used Spotify. I can create my personal mix and I can literally find every song I wanted.

I can download songs or podcasts and listen to it offline.

This makes the experience hassle-free. I don’t need to be dependent on data to start listening. I can create my mix or follow playlists that I like and download them into my iPhone, iPad or MacBook.

You can’t play your music on more than 1 device at the same time but I have no issue with this.

I learn interesting stuff from podcasts and more.

It’s not just all songs and playlists. Spotify has multiple categories including audiobooks, comedy and podcasts. My favourite podcast is Something You Should Know by Mike Carruthers. Oh and there are new ones including Chill Digital Marketing! I should start listening to that…

I discover songs that I probably wouldn’t know about.

Since I don’t like listening to radio, I’m unaware of new songs that I might potentially like based on my music preference. Spotify has weekly updates under “Made for You” tab where you see playlists and songs that you might like.

I feel like Spotify understands my mood.

There is a certain time of the day or day of the week when I need music to focus. Spotify has playlist for it. There are times when you need some energy boost. There are times when you need to de-stress or need good music while reading a book for that perfect chill-and-relax time. There’s this season of the year when you need Christmas songs, yes? Spotify’s playlists for genres and moods are just amazing.

It’s also great how Spotify has a localised approach. Since I’m based in Malaysia, my Spotify “Browse” section features Malay Pop playlist. I don’t really listen to it but it’s great that Spotify has this.

I fall asleep with Spotify Sleep playlists on.

I used to have a hard time falling asleep. At home, in local hotels, in overseas hotels, it’s just difficult for me to stop thinking, chill and fall asleep. And during one of the nights I was having trouble sleeping and I was tinkering with my Spotify playlists, guess what, Spotify showed “Can’t sleep?” And it displayed several playlists for sleep! Since then, I’ve been playing Sleep playlists every night, wherever I am, and it really helped me relax and doze off faster.

I run longer and better with my Spotify playlist on.

I started running every weekend around 2 years back and it can honestly be very boring. I find it more challenging to defeat boredom than enduring the exercise itself. Then I tried running with music on and it was a game changer! I can now last more than an hour with music on when I used to get so bored within my first 20 minutes.

I can survive hours of flights with Spotify.

I’m not a fan of traveling, unlike most of young people out there who love to travel. I don’t like sitting for hours in a plane (or any form of transport). I try working on my laptop in flight but this gives me headache. Nowadays I have my Spotify music on. Whether I’m listening to songs or podcasts, I am now better at traveling for a few hours.

I can easily access what I recently listened to. And play it again and again when I feel like it.

The Spotify app or software easily allows you to go through playlists, follow them and the playlists you recently played go inside the tab “Recently Played”. Then you can keep playing the same playlist and knock yourself out with the same songs again and again. Ahhhh, the joy of satisfying your song cravings.

#10

The user interface is just awesome.

This is just way easy to use, easy to find songs, easy to personalize and easy for discovery.

#11

It’s affordable.

It does have 30-day trial and even the premium subscription is only at RM14.90 per month. I use Spotify everyday and I find that it’s really worth it. I hope Spotify maintains its reasonable price while it keeps adding more cool things over time.

Keep it up, Spotify! Rock my world.

*Just in case you are wondering…the contents of this article are from my personal opinion and experience. This is not a paid post.

Mickey and the Roadster Racers Carnival in Mid Valley

Posted on March 18, 2017 by CelesteChoo

School holidays are here! Do you and/or your kids love Mickey?

disney junior mickey mouse and the roadster racers

After more than 80 years since he was first introduced on screen, Mickey Mouse is still well-loved by children and grown-ups around the world. Even my young son grew up watching Disney shows, loved Mickey Mouse clubhouse and his friends. I find it amazing that Mickey Mouse continues to reach different generations and to teach kids good values.

And Mickey Mouse has a new upcoming TV series: Mickey and the Roadster Racers. Disney Junior’s animated “Mickey and the Roadster Racers” is a madcap racing series that showcases Mickey and his pals – Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto – and their unique transforming vehicles as they take on humorous high-spirited races and worldwide capers. The stories are designed to impart social and emotional lessons about friendship, teamwork, optimism and good sportsmanship.

This school holiday (if you’re around KL and not out-of-town) from 15th to 26th March 2017, have fun with the kids and visit Mickey and the Roadster Racers Carnival at Mid Valley Mega Mall, Centre Court, between 10am to 7pm.

disney junior mickey mouse and the roadster racers carnival activities

Different activities are lined up for the kids (and, okay, okay, don’t panic, for grown-ups, too). Kids can gear up to ride and race their own Roadsters through the Hot Dog Hills race course, receive their personalized Roadster’s Racers license, make their own Roadster helmets and take part in Mickey themed arts and crafts activities.

When is the TV series “Mickey and the Roadster Racers” coming out?

Premiere – Friday, March 24, 2017 (2:30 p.m) Disney Junior (Astro Ch 613) and Disney Channel (Astro Ch 637)

How often? Every day at 2:30 p.m on Disney Junior and every day at 8:00 a.m on Disney Channel

Geared toward kids 2-7, each episode features two 11-minute stories as Mickey and his friends gear up for racing and other exciting adventures in the mini-metropolis of Hot Dog Hills and around the world. At the push of a button, the gang’s daily cars transform into personalized roadster racers: Mickey’s Hot Doggin’ Hot Rod, Donald’s Cabin Cruiser, Goofy’s Turbo Tubster, Daisy’s Snapdragon and Minnie’s Pink Lightning, which also converts into the Happy Helpers Van.

disney junior mickey mouse and the roadster racers daisy and minnie

Who are the characters in the TV series “Mickey and the Roadster Racers”?

MICKEY – He’s roadster-ready to go!

Hot rod diggity dog! Mickey is everybody’s best friend. He’s super-friendly, optimistic, helpful, curious, adventurous, and loyal to the core. Of course, his state-of-the-art service station is just like him – it’s AWESOME! And so are his wheels!

Mickey’s classic Toon Car is his sporty daily driver. But when it’s time for a race, the push of a button transforms his ride into… the fast-movin’ Hot Doggin’ Hot Rod!

No matter what kind of sticky road bumps he finds along the way – during a race or around the garage – Mickey always manages to pull out of every problem. Even on the track, roadster-racing Mickey is cool and easy-going – but he’s no pushover. When the goin’ gets tough, our hero gets tougher and more determined.

But for Mickey, the race isn’t always about the win – it’s about having fun, it’s about accomplishing something important and reaching a personal goal, and it’s about the thrill of having an adventure with the ones you care most about – your pals!

DONALD – First in everything… that’s ME!

Look out for the Duck! When it comes to, well, everything, Donald is determined to do the best he can do – despite all the things that get in his way…like Goofy or Pete or any of the million things that can go wrong in a single day in or out of the Garage!

On the track, Donald’s daily ride transforms into the smooth-sailin’, wave-makin’ Cabin Cruiser. When Donald’s on the move, you’d better move it, too. Here comes the Duck! Sometimes it seems like the world is against Donald – and Donald reacts just like you expect him to – he explodes! His temper tantrums are legendary – but the Duck can’t help it. It’s the way he’s wired. And speaking of wired…

GOOFY – Just call him “Greasy Wheels” Goof!

He might be a goof and some road hogs might think he’s a “tool”, but Goofy loves toolin’ around in his sporty daily driver. Never too far from a wrench or tire jack, Goofy is eager to jump in and help anybody who needs his help – whether they want it or not.

When it’s time to roadster-roll, Goofy’s ride transforms into the Turbo-
Tubster! Putt-puttin’ with the best of ‘em, the Tubster is a mean machine, and it’s clean, too, thanks to the handy shower attached on the back! Whenever the Goof works up a sweat on the track, one quick pull on the chain and it’s a goofy bath- time on the go! H’yuck!

MINNIE – Always in first place with whatever she does!

Warm, loving, kind to all, super-helpful, enthusiastic, extremely creative…Minnie has it all! At Mickey’s Service Station, she and Daisy run the Motor Makeover Salon, designing, painting and pin-striping everyone’s ride.

Of course, pink is her favorite color, Minnie’s classic Bow-Car transforms into a sweet ride called Pink Lightning. On the track, it’s a blur of pink when the race is on! But don’t let the color fool you – Minnie handles her racin’ roadster like a pro, zigzagging around the competition and outdistancing everyone whenever she sees an opening.

When Minnie’s not roadster racing, she runs a side business – Happy Helpers. If anyone from Hot Dog Hills to around the world needs help with a problem, Minnie and her partner Daisy zoooooom off to make things right again! The gals might be pet sitters one day, pet catchers the next day, or international spies, tough-talkin’ detectives, even astronauts. There’s no job too big for happy helpin’ Minnie!

DAISY – She puts the power in Flower Power!

Minnie’s best gal-pal is as energetic and as enthusiastic as ever! Always on the go- go-go, Daisy loves to help out her friends, on and off the track. She’s fearless and impulsive. Sometimes her enthusiasm and her desire to please goes overboard, getting her and others in trouble. Luckily, she always manages to get back on her feet.

She also has a soft spot for flowers – and her distinctive Flower Car transforms into Snapdragon, a rip-roarin’, piston-poppin’, thunderin’ dragster! She truly puts the “petal” to the metal! When Daisy’s on the move, flowers and feathers fly!

Public Speaking Workshop for Kids

Posted on February 26, 2017 by CelesteChoo

Have you planned activities for your kids for March school break? What about something that helps them improve confidence?

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Speaking in front of a group of people is probably one of the fears of, not just adults, but children as well. Some of us, grown-ups, get nervous, jittery, scared and sweaty when we’re about to speak in public, like on a stage, in front of colleagues or classmates, or going for a job panel interview.

But what if there’s something we can do to help our kids be better than us? Help them build their confidence at an early age? I believe that public speaking need not be a scary experience. It should be something natural for kids, just like how speaking to friends feels like. Children should be confident and not develop any fear from speaking, whether it’s in front of 1 person or 10 or 100.

Good thing nowadays is that there are workshops and trainings for kids to develop and practice public speaking. Some of us may not have the skills to train our children (well, if some of us are nervous about this task ourselves…haha!) but there are good trainers out there who can help your child or children.

This coming school holidays in March, a public speaking workshop for kids will be held at Mont Kiara by Kian Tan, founder of Kids Public Speaking Mont Kiara Academy to help kids develop confidence and clarity through public speaking and real-life activities.

Kids Public Speaking School Holiday Workshop

Dates: 20 & 21 March 2017 (Mon & Tues)

Ages: 7 – 12 years old

Price per ticket: RM350

March 20th (Day 1) 930am-330pm
March 21st (Day 2) 930am-1pm / Parents session on Day 2 at 11:30am
Snack and lunch provided on Day 1. Snack provided on Day 2.

Venue: Level 1, Block B, Plaza Mont Kiara, No. 2, Jalan Mont’ Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KidsPublicSpeakingMontKiara/

You can buy public speaking tickets here, get 10% OFF with code HAPPY

Please be advised that seats are limited to 15 participants per workshop to allow time for one-on-one coaching each child.

7 benefits of public speaking development for children:

Be more confident – as a child becomes more comfortable and confident in speaking, this also helps in making them confident in what they do or say
Increase self-esteem – becoming more confident helps a child boost their self-awareness
Be more expressive and communicative – public speaking helps a child develop stronger skills to express himself and communicate openly
Have more effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills – whether it’s talking out loud, speaking to peers or writing their thoughts, children develop better communication skills when trained to speak in public
Be better at planning – because public speaking requires organized thinking before speaking, children will learn how to plan a speech before they carry it out
Be more persuasive – speaking in public helps children develop skills to persuade or convince an audience with what they’re saying
Be better prepared for their future – once a child develops the skills to speak with confidence, persuasion and impact, this will stay with him until he grows up and help him on his way to success, whether it’s for a job or own business. Being a powerful speaker makes a big difference.

Related articles about benefits of public speaking:

http://blog.camperoo.com/4-benefits-of-public-speaking-for-kids/

http://www.radiant-rhetoric.org/2014/10/02/the-importance-of-public-speaking-for-kids/

Let’s help our kids develop their confidence and skills! Public speaking should be fun and enjoyable for children! Who knows, maybe our child will be as good as (or better) than the great public speakers of our time!

Trainer’s Profile – get to know your child’s trainer:

The trainer, KIAN TAN (on the left)

Kian Tan started Kids Public Speaking Mont Kiara Academy to help kids develop confidence and clarity through public speaking so that they can achieve their highest potential and early start of success.

Graduated with Bachelor of Business Degree from University Technology, Sydney (Australia) majoring in Accounting & Finance, Kian started off as professional working in Big Four accounting firm. In 2004, he is the only Malaysian candidate selected to participate in the Global Development Exchange program where he was seconded to San Francisco, USA for 1 1⁄2 years together with 100 high-performing professionals from 30 different countries.

Kian’s passion for training started since 2003 when he joined Toastmasters International. In his 2nd public speech addressing a small group of audience, he was totally blank and began sweating on stage. He realized he couldn’t continue to let the fear of public speaking consumed him. He studied, researched and watched over 10-years of World Champion Speeches’ videos (over 500 hours) to learn everything about public speaking. Since then, he was able to breakthrough his fear and won runner-ups and champions in various speech competitions including humorous, evaluation and international speech contests. Kian is also member of D’Utama Advanced Toastmasters Club, Past President of DKCTM Club, Past Area B1 Governor and was voted Division B Toastmaster of the Year for District 51.

He followed his passion and became trainer for various workshops including Youth Leadership Program, Speechcraft workshop, TLI training and Train-The-Trainer (Advanced) program.

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He shared the same KPS’s mission to provide platform where children will have real-life experiences to speak up and share their message to the world, One Child At A Time.

Flexcils – Safe and Flexible Coloured Pencils for Kids

Posted on January 27, 2017 by CelesteChoo

Tired of your kids’ broken coloured pencils or wax crayons?

what-colouring-materials-to-use-that-wont-break

It’s great for children to experience the joy of colouring at a young age. It gives kids a good start to be creative, to discover colours and to develop their dexterity. It is important to allow young kids to learn how to use and control their hands with colouring materials. Plus, if they are busy with colouring, we, parents, have the choice to join them and have fun or get on with housework!

When my son was still a toddler, he started learning to colour by using coloured pencils, not wax crayons. It was fun and great. However, it can be challenging due to constant breaking and regular sharpening. I also need to keep reminding him to be careful with handling a coloured pencil and make sure that he doesn’t poke his own eyes with it or anybody else’s.

I just recently learned that there’s a product to solve this kind of challenges with early stage colouring. There’s a coloured pencil that doesn’t need sharpening, can be twisted or bent, and safe for young kids to use (no need to worry about pointed tips poking their eyes). This cool thing is called Flexcils.

Flexcils pencils (try saying that 3x) feel and look different from our normal coloured pencils. There’s no pointed tip, no coloured lead, no wood. It looks cute and cool and toy-like. You might not think that it’s a coloured pencil if you see it for the first time!

These pencils have a triangular shape, making it easy for small hands to grip and control.

When used on paper, this pencil shows a light touch of color, not the vivid type like standard pencils. Older kids might prefer seeing bright colours but for younger ones, this is a great pencil to use because it’s safe, flexible and non-toxic.

What makes it great for kids:

Can be bent and twisted unlike normal pencils (which would just break)
Don’t need to be sharpened and they will not break when used normally
Safe and non-toxic (they meet all safety standards for pencils and children’s toys)
Will not rub off on children’s hands
Come in up to twelve flexilicious colours (so there’s plenty to choose from)
Can be used straight out of the box (but if you want to sharpen them that’s ok)
Don’t use wood, so no trees are harmed (unlike normal pencils)
Last up to twenty times longer than your average pencil
Have no smell
Are guaranteed 100% pencil
Can be used by kids as young as 3

About Flexcils

Made from top-secret materials, Flexcils last up to twenty times longer than your average pencil. And unlike normal pencils, Flexcils can be bent and twisted so if you’re sick of having a box full of unusable pencils get some Flexcils. With no smell and no trees harmed, Flexcils are guaranteed 100% pencil and feature a triangle shape so they can be held easily, even by the smallest of fingers. They are safe, non-toxic, and meet all standards for pencils and children’s toys. Flexcils will not rub off on children’s hands and they won’t break when used normally. Flexcils can be used straight out of the box so they don’t need to be sharpened, but you can if you really want to.

You can shop for Flexcils online at Mumspick www.mumspick.com and get them delivered to your doorstep. Available in 5-piece-set and 12-piece-set.

Enjoy 10% OFF with your order from Feb 1-14, 2017 with code MUMSPICKCC and get your Flexcils delivered in Malaysia within 5-7 days! Happy shopping!

Visit www.flexcils.com to know more about the world’s most twisted pencil.

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Holiday Activities for Kids and the Family

Posted on November 24, 2016 by CelesteChoo

School holidays and yearend are here! Are you looking for fun activities for your kids and for the entire family? There are various places to visit across Malaysia and many interesting things to do.

Here are some great activities for the kids (and for you, too!):

1-Day Play at Little Kingdom – Level 3, Parkson Maju Junction Shopping Mall, Kuala Lumpur

kids-playland-little-kingdom-kuala-lumpur-school-holidays

A magical-themed play land boasting of 40,000 sq.ft., Parkson Edutainment’s Little Kingdom is a first-of-its-kind personalised learning edutainment park. It’s a place where kids and parents experience various realities, from fairy tales to space missions. This play land features technology games, Amazon rides, magical shows, learning workshops and beautiful classrooms that children will enjoy. Enjoy a full day of fun where your kids can have different activities in 1 place.

Little Kingdom is the very first iconic edutainment park in Malaysia. Featuring more than 35 Happy Toon World characters from the United States, it appeals to children aged between 3 to 15 years old.

kids-party-little-kingdom-kuala-lumpur-school-holidays

If your child’s birthday is coming up soon, you can even celebrate his or her birthday party at Little Kingdom. The birthday package includes full day unlimited access to for 30 guests, allowing the celebrant and friends to have fun before, during and after the celebration. It’s a great way to celebrate and the venue is perfect for taking photos, too.

Laser Tag games at Laser Battle, available at 4 locations:

7th Floor, Berjaya Times Square, 1 Jalan Imbi, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

3rd Floor North Zone, Queensbay Mall, 100 Persiaran Bayan Indah, Bayan Lepas, Penang

4th Floor, Innercity, Johor Bahru City Square, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor Bahru

3rd Floor, Ipoh Parade, 105 Jalan Sultan Abdul Jalil, Ipoh

Laser tag is a fun, fast-paced painless shooting game that can be played with friends and family. Bring your classmates, your gang, playmates, colleagues and have a wonderful time at a Laser Battle arena! Laser Battle allows you to have the most enjoyable experience possible with laser tag games. You can choose from 40 different games or even customise them to suit your preference. Play from various types such as Standard Solo, Standard Team, Capture The Flag, Base Flags, Power Ball, Midnight Madness Solo, Zone Collector, Friend or Foe.

Laser Tag games at Laser Warzone, available at 2 locations:

e@Curve Damansara – 1st Floor, Lot L1-93, No. 2 Jalan PJU 7/3, Mutiara Damansara, PJU 7, 47810, Selangor

Level 4, Lot 170-04-20B, Gurney Plaza Mall, 170, George Town, 10250 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Laser Warzone uses a multi-interactive laser tag arena, armed with the most advanced laser tag system in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. It has a large and wide 4000-square-feet multi-interactive arena, VIP function rooms and manned by veteran marshals. These marshals ensure that everyone knows what to do before starting any game. They provide guidance, tactics and make every session a fun and memorable game for you, your friends, your kids or your gang.

Intelligence Program at BrainFit Studio – Lot 118, First Floor, The Curve Mall, Mutiara Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya

This program is great for kids who want to do fun activities that also help nurture their development and build confidence. BrainFit Scholar programmes have increased school results, improved athletic performance, accelerated artistic abilities in both visual arts and music, raised confidence and motivation for learning and enhanced emotional management in thousands of children. BrainFit Studio collaborates with four internationally-renowned neuroscientists who are also the founding members of Scientific Learning Corporation – Dr Michael Merzenich, Dr William Jenkins, Dr Paula Tallal, and Dr Steven Miller, whose expertise is based on more than 30 years of scientific research into how the brain learns.

Escape the Room Games at Mission-Q – 3F-21 & 22, Queensbay Mall, 100 Persiaran Bayan Indah, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Penang

Experience “escape the room” games for real! If you enjoy mystery, problem-solving, excitement and fun with friends, this game is perfect for you, your kids, family and friends.

The objective is to escape from the room by collecting items, identifying clues, solving puzzle and riddles, as well as unlocking the doors. Mission-Q (Real Escape Game Room in Malaysia) brings you 5 unique adventurous escape rooms, each with its own theme. The objective is to physically escape from the room within an hour by collecting items, identifying clues, and solving puzzles and riddles. This game requires observation, teamwork, creativity, communication, and courage.

Melaka Wonderland Theme Park and Resort – Lot PT 17178, Lebuh Ayer Keroh, Hang Tuah Jaya, 75450 Ayer Keroh, Melaka

Melaka Wonderland is a unique water theme park that features 16 attractions such as Tornado Chaser, Lazy cum Crazy River, 1 Big Wave Pool, Adventure Island and is surrounded by 360 hectares of natural recreational forest. Melaka Wonderland’s water splashing rides and attractions is filled with a whopping 2 million litres of water. High speed water slides, Aqua Bubbles is a feature awaiting to excite visitors to the theme park.

Melaka Bird Park – Taman Botanikal, Lebuh Ayer Keroh, 75450 Melaka

Let your child have an amazing time discovering one of the widest variety of bird species! It’s great for children to see and learn about different birds, to have a better understanding of these magnificent animals. At Melaka Bird Park, children will see different sizes, colours, types and habitats of various bird species.

Melaka Zoo or Night Safari – Lebuh Ayer Keroh, Hang Tuah Jaya, 75450 Ayer Keroh, Melaka

kids-observing-birds-for-school-holidays

Learning about animals and seeing them for real help our children understand these living creatures deeper. From the colour of fur, feathers, body size up to the type of food they eat and the habitat they live in, these realities help us and our children discover more about life and this planet. It’s great for them to read books and see photos of animals but nothing can replace seeing them in real life.

Visit www.nenerland.com for more details, prices and to explore more activities for kids, for young adults and for the entire family. Enjoy 10% OFF when you book any activity for the first time, use code HAPPY upon checkout.

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Happy holidays!

Scott’s Launches DHA Gummies for Kids!

Posted on August 1, 2016 by CelesteChoo

Here’s an exciting solution to help your child get enough healthy nutrients for brain development

image by Freepik.com

I’m sure I’m not alone when it comes to a mother or parent’s challenge of getting children to eat healthy food and take vitamins or supplements. It involves testing, convincing, story-telling, rewards and many other possible ways to convince my son to take his vitamins before. I can’t even recall how many different brands and types we’ve tried. Eventually, we found some that he liked and it’s been good.

But as kids grow older, their preferences and tastes also change. Based on experience, it’s more about the taste. It has to be something familiar and natural to them, not something that tastes too “medicine-like”; something fruity is good. Again, it has to be a type of fruit that he knows and likes, maybe orange, strawberry, apple or grapes. But the challenge is not just about the taste; vitamins must contain enough nutrients like protein, Vitamin D and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), a type of Omega-3 fatty acid which is a building block of the brain and eyes.

aquaria-klcc-scotts-dha-gummies-malaysia

scotts-press-event-launch-of-dha-gummies-klcc

Scott’s of GlaxoSmithKline has recently introduced a new supplement for kids: Scott’s DHA Gummies! It is an addition to the bestselling product, Scott’s Emulsion Cod Liver Oil, which my son also takes (it has an orange flavour that he likes).

Scott’s DHA Gummies provides the goodness of fish oil without the fishy taste and smell. The challenge that I had with other fish oil kids’ supplements is that it’s too fishy and oily. What I do is to add some apple or orange juice with it so my son can take it without possibly vomiting. It requires more effort and the medicine cup ends up being very oily and hard to wash. The good thing about Scott’s DHA Gummies is that it already combines fruit and fish oil so our kids can take it happily. It comes in delicious orange or strawberry flavours and in the shape of three different sea creatures!

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During the press launch held on 30th July 2016 at Aquaria KLCC, GSK General Manager Stacy Wallace explained that this new Scott’s DHA Gummies will help mothers in providing a tasty and enjoyable way for children to meet their daily intake of DHA. DHA helps support normal brain function and development. A well-functioning brain help support cognitive abilities such as learning, attention, memory and problem-solving. Scott’s DHA Gummies aims to provide moms challenged with busy schedules a helping hand when it comes to contributing to the DHA intake of their child.

The packaging says it all, look how fun and attractive these are!

Prices: Pack of 3 pieces – RM0.99, Pack of 15 pieces – RM9.90, Bottle of 60 pieces – RM34.40

Great idea to have pack of 15 pieces, this is perfect for travel!

pack-of-15-pieces-scotts-dha-gummies-orange

Children are naturally curious and willing to learn something new and exciting. Together with the launch of Scott’s DHA Gummies, Scott’s also introduced its ‘Bright Little Explorers’ campaign to raise awareness on the importance of DHA in children’s development and to nurture curiosity and adventurous minds. This includes fun activities in partnership with Aquaria KLCC (my son loves this place) with programmes such as ‘Discovery Hunt’ and ‘Sleep with Sharks’. Sounds exciting!

Follow Scott’s Malaysia’s Facebook page and stay tuned for more updates!

http://www.facebook.com/ScottsMalaysia/

Fun Facts about DHA and Scott’s Gummies:

For what age is Scott’s DHA Gummies? 4 years old and above.
What flavours are available? Orange and strawberry.
How many pieces should my child take daily? A serving of 3 gummies contains 40mg of DHA, which can supplement the daily diet of children and meet their daily DHA intake.
What is the source of DHA in Scott’s DHA Gummies? This comes from high quality, ultra pure fish oil that was stringently tested and conforms to global quality and purity standards, including those established by the EU and US FDA.
Is this Halal certified? Yes, Scott’s DHA Gummies is Halal certified by JAKIM.

Why Art Lovers will love Art Friend

Posted on July 13, 2016 by CelesteChoo

If you’re a creative person or want to be one, this is the art shop for you

Art comes in many forms. Some people like pencil art, some like charcoal, some like oil paintings or sculpture. We all have different personalities and, as such, we also have different ways or techniques to express our own creativity. Whether other people consider it art is not the question. How we define and create our own art is based on our own expression.

I loved to draw ever since I was a child. I guess most kids do have a love for drawing or doodling. In college, I took Interior Design as a course, although I didn’t really continue with this profession after graduating. My first job did involve a bit of interior design but my interest and passion have shifted to marketing, which have become my career for life and I still love it.

As my son continues to grow up, he exhibits an increasing interest with creative activities. I nurture his interest by providing him the tools, time and guidance. I also enjoy doing all these with him; it brings me back to the roots of love for art, just like being a child again.

Although we can easily come up with improvised materials to do creative things, I still want to find and buy more stuff that he can use. The challenge lies in finding art items in stores or specialty shops around here. I first came across Art Friend at The Gardens Mall. Me and my son have made this a destination every time we visit Mid Valley. Art Friend has a branch at The Curve as well, which has wider and brighter spaces. But whichever branch may be convenient to you, a visit to Art Friend is always worth your while.

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So far, this is the best shop to look for art and creative items. Art Friend covers almost every possible art material that my son and I would need. From a wide selection of coloured pencils, watercolours, oil paint, moulding clay, up to different types and brands of art papers, Art Friend has got your art needs covered.

It’s not just a shop for professional artists. Art Friend has materials for beginners, for kids and for pros. Love rubber stamps? Look at the biggest selection of rubber stamps I’ve seen!

This is a pretty butterfly stamp…

For collage lovers, you can find a lot of choices for embellishments here.

For those who like to paint, Art Friend has a wide selection of different art brushes. Narrow tip, wide tip, kids brushes, they’re all here.

My son likes to paint and we found ships, cars and planes made of styrofoam. I bought him a set of Pentel Water Colour tubes and he had a great time painting this styrofoam ship.

It’s a common sight to see parents and their children shopping inside Art Friend. It’s such a joy to see moms, dads and kids doing shopping together for art stuff.

My son’s interest for art has revived my art interests, too. It’s amazing how spending precious time with our children can bring out the child in us. I’ve begun to rediscover my own passion and interests to draw, color and use art brushes again.

I remember during my college days when money was so tight and my parents had to struggle to afford buying me a set of Derwent Watercolour Pencils, which was required for my course. Back then, Derwent had very few types of products but it was the only brand with water-soluble pencils available, at least in my country.

But now, wow. I’ve fallen head over heels with Derwent with its wide and useful products. It even has water brushes that can be filled up with water to use easily. In my school days, we had to do the classic way of filling up a mug with water, use a paintbrush and paint palette to colour our drawings with water-based art. It is time-consuming and uses more water than necessary because we keep washing the brushes. But this Derwent water brush is genius for watercolour pencils.

I enjoy mixed media rendering, which means I use 2 or more different types of art materials to colour or draw. My latest colouring set is the Derwent Inktense ink pencils. If you love finishes in bright, vivid colours, this is perfect. It is water-soluble but can be used together with non-soluble coloured pencils. Here’s a sample of my drawing:

Art items used:

Cretacolor Fine Art Graphite B for outline drawing

Pigma Micron 05 Archival Ink for fairy dust

Colleen Coloured Pencils

Derwent Watercolour Pencils

Derwent Inktense Ink Pencils

Here’s another one using the same colouring items but with ink outlines:

sample-colored-drawing-with-derwent-colleen-pencils

Another great thing with Art Friend is that you can buy Derwent pencils individually. At one point, you’ll definitely finish one colour before the rest and it doesn’t make sense to buy the whole set just to get the color you need. I often finish my black, blues and purples first. It’s great that I can buy one Derwent coloured pencil at a time.

Even if you’re shopping for your kids, you’ll more likely end up buying something for yourself, too. Believe it or not, these entire lines of shelves are all glue stuff.

Always having problems with stains or spots ending up on clothes or seat cover? This might be something that can help you…

More fun activity kits for kids…

Whatever your or your child’s art interest is, a stroll along the aisles of Art Friend will make you love art (again).

Fun Laser Tag Games at Laser Warzone

Posted on June 26, 2016 by CelesteChoo

Foster teamwork and cooperation among kids with this indoor activity.

If you’re a fan of “How I Met Your Mother” TV series, you’ve most likely heard about laser tag several times from Barney Stinson. He’s obsessed with this sport and plays aggressively against kids in a laser tag arena. I’ve watched a few episodes (my husband loves this show but, parents, take note that this is not recommended for young kids due to some topics and content) and Barney would often mention laser tag. My fave quotes:

“I should be out playing laser tag, being awesome.”

“A few final thoughts, don’t get married until you’re thirty. Play laser tag once a week.”

barney-how-i-met-your-mother-laser-tag-awesome

Image captured from Pinterest

I’m not surprised why Barney loves laser tag. I often see lots of kids and adults forming teams, lining up at Laser Warzone at e@Curve on weekends. It must be something fun and exciting. It’s amazing to see that there’s such a game enjoyed by both young ones and grown-ups. I learned that even corporate companies organize team-building activities with laser tag!

Laser tag is an easy game to play. If you’re familiar with paintball then laser tag is a technology-based version of that and without the pain. If you are more familiar with PC/video games that involve shooting then laser tag is an interactive version where you get to engage with your teammates and opponents on a personal level. You strategize and plan directly with other people or kids then go to battle together physically. It makes game play more fun!

Laser Warzone is a great place to play laser tag. It is well-known for friendly staff, weekend/holiday activity, birthday/corporate parties and has 3 arenas in various locations: e@Curve in Petaling Jaya, Wangsa Walk Mall in Kuala Lumpur and Gurney Plaza in Penang.

The branch in Petaling Jaya is conveniently located at the first floor of e@Curve, just right next to The Curve shopping mall, perfect location for the entire family to hang out, shop and have dinner afterwards. Corporate events and birthday parties are often celebrated here as well. Laser Warzone has a party room where you can plan for almost any theme in mind. Boys and girls alike enjoy birthday celebrations here because they have a big room all to themselves and, of course, they can play laser tag during the celebration. Laser Warzone can assist to plan the event from concept to activity. The party room in e@Curve has enough space for up to 100 guests.

laser-warzone-e-curve-birthday-party-celebration

My son had 2 birthday parties at Laser Warzone and we plan to do it here again this year. It’s great for him and his friends to hang out and play while we, parents, either wait in the party room or better yet, go around shopping! It’s in a shopping mall after all! My husband is the one in-charge of looking after him during my son’s game sessions with friends.

The suit and laser gun make a really awesome gear pack. Kids love it! No wonder Barney Stinson says it’s awesome!

Each laser tag game can have up to 10 players divided into 2 teams or they can also choose to play solo, which means each player is battling against everyone. Most kids enjoy playing in teams because it involves planning and teamwork. They huddle and plan their strategy together, and it does involve more fun to engage in a battle as a gang!

This game is perfect for the entire family, well for kids around 6 years old and above, as long as they are big enough to wear the gear. Just look at this father with his daughters!

Laser tag is a great activity for kids and adults. Visit a Laser Warzone arena and try it out. After all, it’s always a good time to be awesome!

Image from “How I Met Your Mother” TV series

Smart Moves and Exercises at BrainFit Studio

Posted on June 11, 2016 by CelesteChoo

And my son’s smart exercises continue.

kids-educational-activities-brainfit-studio

My little boy balancing on a yoga ball

My 6-year-old son has been attending classes at BrainFit Studio for 4 sessions and it has been a great experience. You can check my first article about BrainFit here

http://www.celestechoo.com/2016/04/smarter-happier-kids-with-brainfit-studio.html

The sessions are a routine of around 10 different exercises but each session is intensified with more challenging steps, aiming to increase efficiency of the activity.

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brainfit-studio-hand-exercise-on-tv-screen

brainfit-studio-creative-skills-with-putty

The objective of these activities is to improve various skills:

Focus and organisation
Rhythm and timing
Learning speed
Body and spatial awareness
Advance visual skills
Gross and fine motor skills
Confidence
Handwriting & copying
Learning speed and abilities
Focus and attention
Visual perception and memory
Accuracy in detailed work
Visual spatial awareness and organization
Attention and concentration
Ability to stay on task
Attention stamina
Impulse control

See some of the actual activities in action here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agd5gIOT9WU&feature=youtu.be

Another great thing with BrainFit is that each child gets full attention from the trainer and gets evaluated on a personal level. The trainers adjust the activity based on the learning pattern and speed of the child. This means personalised learning pace for children, allowing them to discover their potentials without feeling left behind if they are slower than others. Isn’t it great? This means children will be confident and happier with their environment.

brainfit-studio-digital-writing-on-tv-screen

My son is enjoying his classes at BrainFit. He loves meeting other children, making new friends and doing activities with them. What improvements have I seen in him? His physical exercises has improved his coordination skills. He’s more confident than ever to explore different tools to write or draw. He has even began to use ballpoint pen and liner pen to draw figures such as cars, trucks and scenes. This is his own initiative and he’s happy to explore his own skills. I don’t think I’ve used ballpoint pen to write before I was 8 years old and my son is already using it to draw at the age of 6! This needs precise control compared with pencils. It’s great to see him enjoy this skill.

For more information, you can drop by or call:

BrainFit Studio Malaysia

Lot 118, First Floor, The Curve Mall,

No. 6 Jalan PJU 7/3, Mutiara Damansara,

47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

Tel: +603-77100273 / +6012-2179921

Or visit www.brainfitadvantage.com

Founded by a team of child developmental professionals passionate about maximizing human potential, BrainFit Studio has been dedicating itself to bring you the most up-to-date and scientific brain fitness training programmes since 2001.

BrainFit Studio originated in Singapore and is already 14 years in the region with over 5000+ databased results from programs conducted across Asia. It has established foothold in other countries like Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, and Turkey. BrainFit Studio aims to transform lives by improving learning capabilities, boosting performance, shaping behaviours and increasing intelligence through high-quality evidence-based neuro-scientific cognitive training programmes.

Great Experiences Ahead at Little Kingdom

Posted on June 9, 2016 by CelesteChoo

You and your kids are in for a joyous adventure.

Yummy cakes! Would you believe that these are just deco?

When was the last time you visited Maju Junction or Jalan Sultan Ismail? If it was more than 3 months ago, now’s the perfect time to walk along this busy, lively street in Kuala Lumpur. Coming from Cheras, my son and I decided to take a train ride instead of driving down. Aside from it’s much faster than driving to town, my son enjoys train rides. Ah, convenience, speed and my son’s joy, a train ride to Maju Junction is perfect. Did I mention that the trip only costed RM5.20 two-way?

The trip from Cheras to Sultan Ismail station was fast, roughly 15 minutes on a Saturday morning. From the station, there’s a walkway leading directly to the entrance of Parkson Maju Junction. Very convenient. The guard is friendly and showed me the way to go up to Level 3, where an amazing experience awaits me and my little naughty boy at Little Kingdom.

Upon entering this kingdom, you’ll immediately feel the “magic”. Here’s my naughty boy wanting to eat that giant red mushroom.

Visitors are welcomed by cobblestone streets, miniature shops with bright signages, colourful walls and dramatic lighting.

Wanna feel like you’re in Nevada?

There are giant, adorable fairy tale books on the streets, stories like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Aladdin and the Little Racing Car. No, these are not for reading but for making the place even more magical and, I guess, for hugging!

Little Kingdom has a magical stage where performances are held everyday. We caught a magic show performance, which kids truly enjoyed.

little-kingdom-magical-stage-for-performances

See how attentive and focused the kids were?

Why it’s great to spend time at Little Kingdom:

1. It’s accessible by car and train. You can choose to drive over, use Uber or Grab, or like me, I prefer to use train! Very fast.

2. At every corner of the theme park are cartoon characters to welcome everyone. You’ll see Little Snow White, Little Pinocchio, Little Tinkerbell, Little Aladdin and more.

3. Augmented Reality Tech allows children to be transported into another world. Perfect for those who love gadget play.

4. Indoor Sandplay Zone allows children to exercise sensory skills and creativity within a 500-sqft play area.

Sandplay Zone

5. Lots of educational games and activities. The kingdom has 6 themed classrooms where everyone can experience a variety of enrichment classes such as music, aerobics, Lego lessons, arts and crafts, storytelling and more. These classes are conducted daily so you can freely visit on a day suitable to you and there will always be several classes to choose from. Wonderful!

6. Personalised Learning Options. You can choose for your child to learn more activities such as piano, vocal, guitar, culinary arts, languages, speech, drama, ballet, martial arts or even yoga.

Little Cinderella Ballroom

7. Little Kingdom encourages parent and child bonding. Parents can freely join their kids in every activity. My son’s favourite was Fantasy Driving, he’s just addicted to cars, trucks, trains or anything that runs on wheels. A great thing about this activity is that parents can join their kids in the car. Yay, I can fit!

8. Its Magical Castle is also an awesome venue for events, parties and special occasions. This hall is just like a palace ballroom where kings, queens, princes and princesses host a ball. See this armed guard and his magnificently detailed shield?

9. It’s endless fun in here, the kids wouldn’t want to leave!

10. Affordable prices. By the way, Little Kingdom is having its Soft Opening Tickets Promotion this month = Get 50% OFF on single entry admission tickets!

promo-prices-for-entrance-fees-little-kingdom

Little Kingdom is also running a promotion on its Birthday Party Package, for a limited time at only RM1,800 (normal price: RM2,400) for 30 pax, includes:

2-hour usage of the Magical Castle – party hall
Food and beverage
Birthday cake in Little Kingdom theme, of course
Party decorations
4 Little Kingdom themes to choose from: Little Snow White, Little Cinderella, Little Aladdin and Little Pinocchio
1 Mascot appearance
1 day unlimited access within Little Kingdom, which includes rides, games, activities, soft play area and more

My son seriously didn’t want to leave, haha! He was having a great time at Mysterious Mars and the Mystical Forest.

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Little Kingdom is a wonderful place for kids, adults or parents. Whether you want to have a great time with friends, with kids or feel like a child again, this place is great for a whole day of fun!

Before leaving, you can shop for pretty novelty items inside the gift shop!

You know what, I don’t think 1 article is enough to talk about everything in this kingdom. I haven’t even talked about the upcoming addition to the Little Kingdom family, Talking Tom House, where children can have ‘personalised meals’ by an in-house dietician.

Online booking is available via www.nenerland.com

Celeste de Jesus

Beauty, Lifestyle, Health, Fitness and Other Addictive Stuff

Tag Archives: fun and learning