Jia Shin Lee

Fun things to do at home with kids this MCO + free downloadable worksheets

by Jia Shin Lee - May 02, 2020

Hi mummies wonder how's everyone doing during movement control order (MCO) with their kids? It's been more than a month since we've been quarantined at home and I'm glad to see the numbers of infections are coming doing, so proud of the front liners in Malaysia, kudos to them.

Well, to be honest, it wasn't exactly a fun start for me, being a working mum, working from home with 2 young kids isn't easy, just imagine my name being called so many times in a day, we can't really expect them to listen to us the way we want it, after all, they are only 5 & 2 years old and I know they are starting to feel restless.

One day I took Miya on a short stroll in the car, she hasn't been out for 2 weeks, we passed by her kindy and playground, she begged me to let her in, but I explained the situation and how we should #stayathome to keep ourselves and others safe and as a understand child she is, she accepted the fact and made me promise to bring her out once the quarantine is over.

If you are stuck at home like us with young kids, here are some of the #stayathome activities we did at home during MCO :)

#1 Sensory play

This homemade playdough kit is awesome, there's no need to ever buy store-bought playdough anymore after trying out their recipe. Playdough is fun and great for early developmental play, my hubs don't trust the store-bought ones so these homemade ones are made with the ingredient you can easily find in the kitchen.

The kit also came with sensory material that we can add into play, I find it a great way for the kids to explore their senses in different ways. If you like to get a kit too, check out Invitation2play at their Lazada store here

#2 Swimming

Having fun at the pool has no age limit, I'm lucky to be living in a landed property, besides having fun, it's also a great way for the kids to beat the heat. Do this a few times a week drain that restless energy.

#3 Picnic

This is my favorite activity, we do it every weekend either indoors or outdoors, just whip up a few dishes, add in some fruits and since Miya requested for cupcakes, I got them from grab food to support the local cafes, and since we have a teepee, the girls had loads of fun playing imagination with their stuff toys.

#4 Worksheet & crafting

Miya is in kindy now but not being able to go to school doesn't mean we can't do worksheets at home, I've made time to spend with her every day to work on worksheets or crafting, here are some of my favorite sites to get free downloadable worksheet is from https://www.learningprintable.com/ http://cleverlearner.com/ or you can download the copies of Motor Skill & Handwriting Practice I bought here shorturl.at/opAMO for free ;)

#5 Reading

This is something we do even without the MCO but we are doing it more often now since we are home, so there is no excuse to skip storytelling sessions anymore, I also got Me Book Plus Apps that help me to the work when I'm too tired to act, yeah mums deserve a break too.

Btw speaking of this we've got 5 free 3 months subscription for Me Book Plus Apps, if you'll like one do leave me a comment :)

#6 Cooking

I believe this is a life skill every parent should teach their children, this is great timing for me to start training the girls, baby steps goes a long way, started out with simple steps like after they are done with their meal, they'll place their dishes in the sink and learn how to wash, recently thanks to Whisk Meal for sending us a pizza Miya learned how to make a pizza which was fun for the both of us.

#7 Exercise

Since I practice yoga daily, my kids work out with me too, simple poses like cat & cow poses or downward dog have become a norm for them now. You can easily find videos on youtube for free, a few of my favorite sites are Alo Yoga & YogiApproved

#8 Movie time

We can't expect our kids to be robots, one or two movies a day is pretty acceptable ever since my DVD player died on me I'm streaming through Netflix, our current favorites is Rainbow Ruby or Pororo it's short and there's a message in we can teach them in every episode. Movies like Bolt, Madagascar are also something the kids love, it funny and exciting and even as an adult I enjoy it too.

I hope these tips will help you out during MCO, don't get me wrong, not a perfect mum here, I’m remorseful for what I did, like raising my voice at my kids and the battle of the guilt of trying to work in peace and yet giving them the attention they deserve isn't easy but here’s the thing – I know I’m not alone, I know there are other mummies out there who are feeling the same way, so stay strong mummies, we are in this together!

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Guardian Exclusive tokidoki Thermal Series

by Jia Shin Lee - May 01, 2020

Embrace kawaii cuteness with these Guardian Exclusive tokidoki Thermal Series for you to pack your food in style, you can grab these cuties starting from 1st May 2020 until stocks last at all Guardian outlets in Malaysia.

This year due to unwanted circumstances, the rising prices of food has gone up, if you've decided to change your lifestyle like what I did and prep healthier home cook food to work. these Tokidoki Thermal Series will be such a handy partner. Besides that, Guardian is also encouraging its customers to be more environmentally friendly and use these thermal containers for packing your food and drinks when you take away, this will indirectly reduce packaging and plastic wastage.

Tokidoki, internationally recognized and iconic lifestyle brand has achieved a global cult-like following with its colorful, eye-catching, larger-than-life characters and art-form created and designed by Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer Simone Legno. With the success of Guardian Malaysia’s Travel Series collaboration with tokidoki last October, this year they have come up with another promotion to reward its users.

The promotion coincides with the holy month of Ramadhan which is meant to encourage you to eat and drink healthily. As the saying goes, ‘Health is Wealth’ and especially when health around the world is constantly threatened by the discovery of new viruses and other diseases, we need to pay attention to what we eat so that we fortify ourselves against illness.

The Guardian Exclusive tokidoki Thermal Series contains a Thermal bag, Thermal Flask (350ml), and a Thermal Food Jar (500ml). The Thermal Flask and Food Jar are double-walled and can keep food & drinks cold for 10 to 12 hours or warm for 8 to 10 hours.

Collect the whole set of three items at an attractive price of RM80 per set for spending RM20 and above with participating brands in a single receipt or RM40 and above without participating brands in a single receipt. This exclusive collection can also be purchased with online purchases at Guardian’s online store at www.guardian.com.my and have them delivered right up to their doorsteps together with their online orders.

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Cielo KL, Jalan Ceylon

by Jia Shin Lee - April 14, 2020

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Beaconhouse Group of Schools Announce 15% Fee Reduction in Light of Extended MCO

by Jia Shin Lee - April 13, 2020

Beaconhouse Group of Schools – one of the largest networks of international and private schools, has announced a 15% reduction in school fees in light of the announcement of the continued extension of the nation’s Movement Control Order (MCO).

This reduction in fees will apply to all of Beaconhouse’s 14 schools in Malaysia from pre-schools to secondary schools, benefiting close to 3,000 students and their families.

With the spike in the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent extension of the MCO to 28 April, many Malaysians are feeling the pinch through pay cuts and uncertainties in their workplace. While the government stimulus packages have gone a long way towards helping Malaysians cope with the crisis; corporates, employers, and individuals must play a bigger role to ease the strain on Malaysians.

Explaining about the reduction, Alister Bartholomew, Regional Director, Southeast Asia, Beaconhouse Malaysia said, “We understand the financial burden that some families may be facing amid school closure and economic slowdown. We are proud to be one of the first schools in the country to extend this gesture of goodwill to help the parents of our beloved students in these difficult times. Learning mustn’t stop, no matter what.”

He went on to add that the school’s top most priority has been and will always been the continuation of student education regardless of the surrounding situation. “This is part of our promise for holistic and life-long learning. Even though we are all at home playing our part to flatten the curve, our commitment to enriching our students continues,” said Mr. Bartholomew.

Despite school closures for several weeks now, Beaconhouse has been quick to adapt, with Beaconhouse Schooling Uninterrupted launching a robust virtual learning system providing a full spectrum of learning opportunities for its students.

“Despite such short notice, we are pleased with the progress of our online teaching and learning platform, which is becoming more comprehensive and meaningful in its rollout every day. This is all thanks to our ever-committed teaching staff, our committed students and their dedicated parents,” Alister added.

The school will reimburse school fees for the period of the MCO extension that’s just been announced. For further information on the Beaconhouse Group of Schools and the reduction in fees please visit: www.beaconhouse.edu.my