Disney On Ice: Magical Ice Festival

Disney On Ice: Magical Ice Festival 

It's back! It's back!!

Disney on Ice is back!!!

Disney On Ice presents Magical Ice Festival, this school holidays! From 11 March 2016 to 20 March 2016. Get your tickets now. 

It's a show that you definitely want to catch!! Trust me, it's worth it. It's gonna be such a magical night for your child(ren) and yourself. 

My children grew up on Disney On Ice. Ever since we watched Disney On Ice in 2012, the kids, my hubby and I are hooked. Here are some photos from previous years when we attended Disney On Ice. Look at those happy faces. Serious! Even the adults will be so amazed. 

Here are some reasons why we watch the Disney on Ice show year after year.

1. It's a chance to dress up. 

It's every little girl's dream to be a princess. Why not let them dream and be a real princess for a night. 

If your daughter(s) have many, many, many princesses' dresses like mine, you can get them ready as they will be so excited to dress up for the show. This is the current collection for my daughters. My guess is that the Elsa costume is gonna be their choice for this year. 

Don't worry about your little girl being the only one that dress up. There will be many many princesses watching the show. 

Mummies, while at it, don't forget the tiara or the Anna/Elsa's braids.  

2. The skating is absolutely awesome. 

Awesome is an understatement. Really! You got to watch it for yourself to feel the magic. As an adult, I enjoy the skating. The jumps, spins, lifts are all so well choreographed. Here are some photographs of the skaters for this year's Disney on Ice. 

3. It's a sing-along session every single time. 

To make it more meaningful for my younger children, I will print out and go through the song lyrics with them. Words recognition time!!!

"Let it go, let it go

Can't hold it back anymore

Let it go, let it go

Turn away and slam the door

I don't care

what they're going to say

Let the storm rage on.

The cold never bothered me anyway"

Everyone knows this song and can sing this song. I'm sure the whole stadium will be roaring with the children's voice when this song is being sung this year. My children enjoy the singing and they will even dance along. 

4. The costume and the set is beautiful.

Do you know that:

• The average size of the ice skating surface is 140ft [42m] x 70ft [21m].
• There are approximately 180 costumes presented at one Disney On Ice show.
•  And more than 100 people work on these costumes .
•  It takes 18 trucks to transport all production equipment for set-up.
•  And it takes between 12-15 hours to set up one Disney On Ice show.
•  But just about 4 hours to tear down the entire production.
•  Over 80 different colours of paint are used on the 183 props for this production.
•  Each performer may change up to 8 costumes in one show.

It's gonna be truly a great visual spectacle. 

5. The tickets are very affordable.

 The view of the stage is very clear no matter where you sit at. I have tried CAT 1, 3 and 4 in the past years. You can see the performance very clearly. Of course, seats from CAT 3 and 4 will be further away and the characters will appear smaller to you. But the magic is same every where. So book your tickets now... if you have never been to Disney On ice, you have to bring your kids. I'm sure your family will have a super fun time. 

CATEGORY	TICKET PRICES
RINKSIDE	S$120
VIP	S$95
CAT 1	S$65
CAT 2	S$45
CAT 3	S$25
CAT 4 (Balcony Row 28)	S$25

So What's on this year? 

Get ready to enter a world of enchantment featuring the most magical moments from across the kingdom in Disney On Ice presents Magical Ice Festival. You’ll be whisked away into the wintery world of the Academy Award® winning and number one animated feature film of all time, Disney’s Frozen, to join royal sisters Elsa and Anna, the hilarious snowman Olaf, rugged mountain-man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven as they help the sisters along the way in a story full of action, adventure, magic and unforgettable characters. Experience Disney’s The Little Mermaid with a show-stopping performance by Sebastian as he breaks out of his shell to make waves with Ariel “Under The Sea!” Get tangled up with a chorus of harmless hooligans when they get a visit from the sassy and spirited Rapunzel and her charming ally Flynn from Disney’s Tangled. And get swept away by Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as the Beast and his castle’s enchanted entourage take center stage in a spectacular show for Belle. It will be a magical mix of royalty when Disney On Ice brings this winsome wonderland to you!

For those who are still thinking of whether to go or not, ,here is to give you an idea of what you can expect to see on the show. 

Book your tickets to watch Disney On Ice: Magical Ice Festival today. 

Venue: Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Dates: 11-20 March 2016

Show Schedule: 

Ticket Prices:

CATEGORY	TICKET PRICES
RINKSIDE	S$120
VIP	S$95
CAT 1	S$65
CAT 2	S$45
CAT 3	S$25
CAT 4 (Balcony Row 28)	S$25

Book your tickets and let the magic begin!!!\

Disclaimer: For the first time, my family has been sponsored with a set of 5 tickets this year. 

The Boy Who Cried Wolf {A Production of I Theatre} Review

The Boy Who Cried Wolf {A Production of I Theatre}

Every little child have heard the story of 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'. But this time, it's a different experience as we watched the story unfolded on stage. My 2 younger ones were excited to watch it. Well, my eldest girl was not as enthusiastic at first, but after the show, she had a different opinion. As it turns out, 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' was as good as 'The Way Back Home' (the previous production from ITheatre).

The Costume

The soft and flurry looking costumes of the sheep were very attractive.  It caught not only the children's attention, but also mine.

 "I like the sheep. They are so cute. I want to touch the fur on them." This is what my little girl said of the costume. So obviously, the production team have succeeded designing the characters.

 

The Stage and Space

It may seem like a normal stage but it was full of surprises. The sheep could "go up" the hill and graze. 

The different levels on the stage generated more visual interest. The production team have used the space on stage brilliantly to excite the audience as the action is not only limited to the ground level. Hence the audience have to look around the stage to see the whole action. Look out for the wolf who will come from the top!!!

Interactive Theatre and appealing to the senses

"WAKE UP!!!!" 

Suddenly, the shepherd jumps up. 

Yes, every time when the shepherd is about to doze off, you will hear all the children shouting "WAKE UP!!!"

This is the most fun part of the Itheatre production. The audience are always involved in the play. To the children, they felt delighted to be involved. The interactive part transforms the audience to participants.  This is the part where my children look forward to when they attend the productions of Itheatre. 

"If you lie again, you will go to the naughty corner" said the school teacher to the shepherd. The theatre burst out laughing. No prizes for guessing why. The script is so well written and there is something that the children could identify with easily. In this case, they were so amused that the shepherd was warned and being threatened with the "naughty corner". 

The brilliant use of lights and sound conveyed the appropriate mood. For instance, the sound of the siren and flashing lights were used to convey a sense of emergency and urgency. It got my kids so worked up that they straightened themselves up in their seats to ensure that they caught all the actions on stage.

The umbrella dance was a great visual spectacle. When the characters started opening up the colourful umbrellas one by one as the music plays, the eyes of the audience were glued to the stage. The dance was well choreographed - the spinning and swinging of the umbrellas were simply beautiful. We were captivated. 

There is even a mini puppet show embedded in the play. The puppet show was there to serve the purpose of teaching the shepherd not to lie because of the consequences. But more important, the puppet show broke the monotony. It was a nice touch.  

Educational Value

"Sheep are vegetarians. They only eat grass."

"Sheep are useful because they produce wool. Wool are used to make clothes to keep humans warm."

"It is a sheep in wolf's clothings."

"....inquisitive.... oh... being inquisitive means curious."

These are some of the things the children will learn as they watch the play. To me as a parent, this has definitely added value to the play. While being entertained, the children are also learn some general knowledge and vocabulary. I guess, this can really be classified as "edutainment". 

What my children say of the play

"Can I watch this again? Please?? Mummy, I really want to watch it again. Can I come watch it again, please?" 

Obviously, Faith have been bought over by the production. She is already a fan and looking forward to watching the next show - The Rainbow Fish. She even walked to the reception counter and helped herself with 'The Rainbow Fish' pamphlet when we came out of the theatre. 

'Good Night, Little Rainbow Fish' by Marcus Pfister have been one of her favourite story and we have done it as part of our Literature-Based Learning. It would definitely be exciting for Faith to watch "The Rainbow Fish" and learn more about the joy of sharing. 

"There will be bad/serious consequences for lying." This is the main message being conveyed in the play. It was so well delivered across that after the play, my boy told me that "I must not lie" in a very serious tone. I'm glad he learnt such an important lesson. 

"What do you think, Natalie?"

" It was fun. It was not as boring as I expected it to be." 
Well, to a 9 year old girl, she thinks that these shows are for preschoolers and hence "boring".

"Would you like to come with us to the next show?"

"Of course, count me in."

So obviously, the show is suitable for preschoolers to primary school-ers. 

Read about Mummy Cynthia's Review of the show here. 

Watch the Next Production by I Theatre

So, if you are looking for an interesting family outing or a brand new experience, come watch the next production- The Rainbow Fish. Book your tickets today.

The production will run from 26 April - 15 May 2016.

 

Come see the activities which we have done for book "Good Night, Little Rainbow Fish'.

 

Family Day with Charisma Music Loft

Family Day with Charisma Music Loft

{Sponsored Post}

Looking for a place to bring your Family for a buffet lunch or finding an activity to do as a family?
Come to the Family Day with Charisma Music Loft event to enjoy family bonding through food and games.

Event: Family Day With Charisma Music Loft
Date: 21 February 2016 ( Sunday)
Time: 10am - 4pm
Place: Woody Family Cafe

For reservations, call 90400832(Ms Medeline) or email: charisma.musicloft@gmail.com

Or simply turn up on that day!!!

Exclusive to members of 'Raising Our Successful Children' and 'SG Primary School Parents'

Simply quote "Raising Our Successful Children (exclusive)" to get:
1) $10 nett discount for the family package ($50++).
2)The first 10 readers to make reservation for this event will also get a 30 minutes trial class (worth $22.50) for a choice of:
- Classical Piano
- Classical Violin
- Classical guitar.

Special Introduction of The One Smart Piano during the event.
You can connect your Ipad or Smart phones to this digital piano to access games, music scores and have fun learning music.

Come on down, have a good lunch and some fun with your family!!!

Our Visit to Eye level

Our Visit to Eye level.

       We were invited to visit Eye Level to find out more about their programme. The first thing that struck me was that the staff were very helpful in giving information. Moreover, the environment is very clean and conducive. 

Eye level's main philosophy

    Eye Level's main philosophy is to encourage self-directed learning. This means that Eye Level has a systematic and individualized programme to help each child learn in their own pace. Moreover, each child's learning progression depends on their ability to understand a topic and their pace of learning.  

Using the Progress Chart to Monitor the Self Directed Learners

What really impressed me is that although each child's learning is self-directed, the teaching staff actually closely monitors the progress of each child using the progress chart. The progress chart clearly shows what the child has learnt and what he or she needs more practice on.  

The progress chart shows the number of booklets for each topic and the teacher will mark, assess the child's performance and check his understanding in each booklet before deciding whether the child is ready to move on to a more difficult level for the topic.  More practice will be given to those who needs more time to understand a particular topic. 

     

The Lessons

       For older and more independent learners, work is assigned to them and they are expected to complete the task before returning to the teacher to receive feedback. Of course, should they encounter any difficulty, the teacher is always ready to assist them. The teacher is strategically located in the middle of the room, always ready to answer questions or to give feedback to the individual student. 

Photograph of one of the classroom- a row of individual work station for students on the right side of the room. 

The individual work station. 

  For younger children who need constant supervision and more help from the teacher, they will be seated in "an island". This seating arrangement is to ensure that younger children can be monitored closely and be on task. When they become more independent learners, the teacher will "upgrade" them to the individual work station. 

Their Programme

They have a range of programme for children of different ages and for the different subjects. Below is a quick summary of some of their programme. 

For more information, you can visit their official website or call up their centres and their friendly staff will be more than willing to assist you.

Giveaway and a limited period Discount 

1. Sign up and complete a free diagnostics test to receive a free copy of "The Giant's Pants".

For the first 20 readers who sign up and complete a free Diagnostics Test, you will receive a copy of the book " The Giant's Pants". 

The Giant’s Pants is the Global Grand Prize winning story out of more than 1,000 entries that participated in the 22^nd Eye Level Literary Award. 

2. Get a 20% discount off the first month when you enroll your child.

For the first 50 readers who sign up to enroll your child in any of the programme, you will get a 20% discount for the first month. Just quote "Raising Our Successful Children" to get the discount.

You can visit the link below and sign up immediately.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/iamthekey_raisingoursuccessfulchildren

or to call 
Mr Nicholas Seow at 8777 7224 for more information. 

A new beginning..Twenty Sixteen

A new beginning..Twenty Sixteen 

Reflecting on year 2015

Reflection is a way to bring closure to the past year and to help us focus on what to do for the next year. We have to grow each year. We have to grow individually and as a family. 

2015 was a year of achievement for us.

a) I survived being a Stay-at-Home-Mum and I manage to design a game SingaPlorers as part of the SG50 celebration to help children and Singaporeans learn about Singapore's nation building story. This is an achievement to me as I always wanted to design a game and publish it. In fact, the blueprint for the game was done in 2010. I am happy that I am finally able to accomplished my wish in 2015 and glad that I'm still contributing to the society in ways that I can.

b) I managed to organise a charity event involving 7 families ( 9 adults and 10 children). This door to door food distribution to senior citizens at the end of 2015 was an opportunity for us to contribute to society and for our kids to learn about compassionate. 

c) The children are learning and developing well. This itself is already a great achievement to me. All I wish is for all the children to be happy and healthy. It is a bonus that Natalie has performed well in 2015 and achieving in the different aspects of school. Emmanuel has shown tremendous improvement in his ability to read and do his mathematics. Faith is discovering more and more each day. Also, she has become more independent. More importantly, the siblings have grown much closer together. 

d) Daddy decided to do a little "career switch" to be able to spend more time with the family. I greatly appreciate this. His decision to switch from a upper management role to a senior teacher role is not one that many people would make. However, to him, family is his priority and he proves it with his action. I am greatly touched. As he always says " you work to live, not live to work". Hence, Daddy is spending a lot more time at home and taking up more daddy duties like teaching the children maths, piano and bringing the kids for outdoor play more often.

A new beginning..Twenty Sixteen 

Twenty sixteen is truly a new beginning for our family in many ways.

Emmanuel started his primary school journey, Faith is going to school for the first time and Natalie is in a new class and learning a new subject- Science. 

For my hubby and I, we are entering our 10th year of our marriage life. In a blink of an eye, we are really married for nearly 10 years. Marriage is not easy and being together happily for 10 years is really an incredible achievement.  

For me, I am entering into my 30! Yes, I am going to be 30 years old this year.  As I look back at my life at this point in time, I asked myself, what have I achieved? My answer is simply "Natalie, Emmanuel, Faith, my hubby and my happy family". Anyway, for this year, I really want to start or try something new. I'm not sure what it is yet. But I am truly excited. 

New goals

Goals give us a direction for the year and help us to stay focus on what is important.  

As a family:

• We are going to learn ice-skating together this year. Ice - skating is new to the children and to Daddy. I hope we will be competent by the end of the year. This is in preparation for our 10th year anniversary trip to Korea (still planning). This is gonna be our main bonding activity and family time for the year. 

Natalie: 

To learn more about science and to discover more on forensic science. 
To achieve band 1 for Science in CA1. 

Emmanuel: 

To achieve at least 3 more levels in taekwondo by the end of the year. 

To achieve at least a band 2 for all his subjects at the end of the year. 

Faith: 

To have more fun. 

To discover the world. 

Mummy: 

To start or try something new this year. 
To organize one charity event. 

Daddy: 

To discover new ways to teach effectively.

Twenty Sixteen is a new beginning..

So what are your goals? What do you want to achieve this year?
Download the goal setting document here to help you and your children to set goals today.