Magnetic Piggy Bank
Unfortunately, we’re not going to tell you how to make your piggy bank pick up cash for you. For the adults out there looking for such a device: sorry to disappoint! But we’ve got something your kids (and hopefully, you) might find interesting!
We seem to be really going with the theme of colour but it is one of the first things that children learn to differentiate (if they can!). Even before she was one years old, we would show my daughter things and talk about their colour even though she couldn’t speak then - part of the assumption was that she would eventually pick it up in her own time.
I guess it wasn’t an assumption because colour (after counting) has become one of those things that my daughter finds super easy to talk about. We’ve got her into this habit of talking about colour so much that she will automatically ask us “这是什么颜色 (What colour is this) ?” and then proceed to answer it herself!
One of the books we read together was about a pig’s mice friends building three different coloured leaf huts. The pig uses the three huts to store his different goodies of the same colour: red apple in the red hut, yellow banana in the yellow hut, and the green grapes in the green hut. It really is quite a sweet story and has a cute little end where the huts get covered with white snow!
This book was actually a gift from a friend in Malaysia (thanks again if you’re reading this!) printed by Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn. Bhd. (ISBN 983 50 2605 X). As you might have guessed, the book has two short stories: the first is about waiting at a bus stop (等巴士) and the second about the coloured leaf huts (三所树叶房子). So if you want to buy it, your piggy bank won’t feel too light - two-for-one!
My daughter really enjoys the book and it helps her enjoy the changing scenery when leaves start falling off trees. The activity I planned for was meant to teach her not just colour but also encourage her to engage with the world around her!
She also really enjoys her PlayMag tiles that we bought for her before lockdown (thankfully). The PlayMags keep her entertained and occupied for long stretches of time so I wanted to use what she loved to make something fun that would engage with the book. I also printed out and coloured various pictures of fruits with the Chinese words on them. (A/N: I couldn’t find the version my sister used, so here’s one I created!)
We’re going to continue trying to get her engaged with the books she reads! We think it’s really important that she understands the value of the books she reads and gets to have a sensory learning experience. If you like content like this, you should follow us on our social media (links at the footer). And if you’re waiting for us to stock our books, we’re still working on it! Thanks for your patience!
Is there a book that you really want us to buy and review? Is there a book that you’d like us to stock in the UK? What kinds of things do your children seem to learn quickest? Let us know in the comments and on social media! We’d love to hear from you, too!
If you’re interested in the PlayMags, then you can purchase them on Amazon. If you buy using our link, we get a little from Amazon in return! Thanks for your support!
Obviously, it’s not absolutely necessary to use the PlayMags! Use what you feel will engage your kids best! (But honestly, the PlayMags are so fun, even Delicia, John-Mark and I will play with it for ages!)
Outline by Michal Ong, written by Delicia Ong