Little Tots’ Fun Adventure on Sentosa Island

Welcome to the class of Little Tots!

The sun always shines and the fun never stops at Niwa Schoolhouse.

Join the Little Tots on their fun adventure as they sing, giggle, dig sand, picnic and play on Palawan Beach!

Here are Tricia and her friends.

And here is the playground where they play.

The Little Tots go on the slide again and again.

They never seem to get tired with this type of toy.

Moments later…

The Little Tots are on the soft white sand of Palawan’s.

“Sunscreen protection is a must whenever we are outdoors!” says the Teacher.

Tian Ming lays a bucket, a spade and two sieves right in front of him.

“I love playing sand with my friends and teachers!” says Tian Ming.

Jia Yi has a shallow green tub with her.

She is going to fill it up with more sand!

“May I have the pink spade please, Tricia?” asks Blossom.

“I am not done, Blossom.  I am not done filling up the entire dump truck.” Tricia says.

“Okey-dokey! I can help you fill up your dumpety truck if you allow, Tricia.” says Blossom.

“Alrighty mate!” Tricia replies.

At the other end….

“I wish I have someone to help me with this bucket. It looks so tall and deep.” says Tian Ming.

“Let’s do this together, Ming Ming. It’s more fun when you have a company!” Jia Hui offers.

“Thankfully this is just a medium sized cup which I am coping very well with.” says Jia Yi.

The Little Tots and their teacher are so occupied with their sand play, they have lost track of the time.

Until their  little tummies start to rumble.

Organic pasta in bolognese sauce will never taste the same when one is enjoying scenic view like such….

“Yep, I couldn’t agree more! Look at how calm the sea is. ” Tricia says.

“Look at the car and train shaped pasta in my bowl!” Jia Hui says.

“Me too! I can see more of them in my bowl, right here!” says Blossom.

“Yummy! I’m going to ask for more servings after this.” says a hungry Jia Yi.

After the break….

The energetic Little Tots head back to their sand play for more sensory learning.

Tian Ming pushes the dump truck on the sandy beach.

He marvels at how he can tip and tilt the yellow dumping bed up and down.

In the meantime…..

The two best friends take over the sieving task.

Suddenly,

Tricia has a fresh idea!

“Blossom, come over and pour more sand onto Ms. Evelyn’s toes! Let’s bury her feet together! exclaims Tricia.

“Great idea! I’m scooping sand right now!!” Blossom says.

While the girls get excited with their new discovery of play, the other group of Little Tots fascinate upon the spotting of materials on the seashore.

“What’s this tiny little thing called? asks Jia Yi.

The teacher and Jia Hui peer at some unusual looking stuff.

“I found an acorn lookalike seed!” cries Jia Hui

On the beautiful shore of Palawan’s, there are many seeds and seashells.

The Little Tots decide to adopt these lovely seeds, shells and cockles.

What an awesome day out they have, don’t they?

---

If you like us, please kindly help us to click ‘LIKE’ and ‘SHARE’ for us to reach out to more parents who have the same parenting beliefs as us. We would love to meet you personally at Niwa Schoolhouse.

Give us a call at 6908 0855 or email to contact@niwaschoolhouse.com TODAY!

Testimonial from Desiree’s Daddy and Mummy

Desiree has been attending Niwa Schoolhouse since she was 18 months old. Initially we were reluctant to send Desiree to a full day childcare programme at a tender age, however, we were left with no alternatives. We desperately wanted to find the best school for her, a place where she will be happy and well taken care of. We checked out approximately 10 different child care centers in Woodlands but only Niwa schoolhouse met all our criteria. We were attracted by the classroom based approach, child orientated curriculum, clean environment and friendly yet professional staffs and teachers!

Five months into her preschool education at Niwa Schoolhouse, Desiree is always looking forward to go to school every day. We are impressed by her progress in speech, concentration and interaction skills. It is reassuring to know that our child is not only being well taken care of, but she is also learning, growing, making new friends and experiencing new things in a fun environment. We truly appreciate the teachers for taking the extra miles to provide us with daily updates of our child when she was new in class till she was more settled at school. Even up to date, we still receive the routine updates several times a week. The teachers also provide a comprehensive of curriculum updates on a weekly basis to keep us parents updated on our child’s progress.

Although the school is not near to our house or office, we are willing to sacrifice on travelling as we know that Desiree is in good hands under Niwa Schoolhouse. The teachers have demonstrated a high degree of professionalism, warmth, and interest in our child’s well-being. We could not express how satisfied and thankful we are towards the staff and teachers at Niwa Schoolhouse. We are fortunate to have found a ‘home away from home’ for Desiree – it certainly puts our minds at ease when we are at work.

Thank you Niwa Schoolhouse!
Keep it up!

Regards,
Desiree’s Daddy and Mummy – Little Tots 2015
Woodlands Avenue 1

---

If you like us, please kindly help us to click ‘LIKE’ and ‘SHARE’ for us to reach out to more parents who have the same parenting beliefs as us. We would love to meet you personally at Niwa Schoolhouse.

Give us a call at 6908 0855 or email to contact@niwaschoolhouse.com TODAY!

Blast-off to the Little Planet Playland

Introducing…
The Little Tots Class and Teachers
In…
Blast-off to the Little Planet Playland!

One lovely Friday morning, at Niwa Schoolhouse…
The Little Tots were going on a big trip today. The teachers had packed their bags and were ready to go.

Little Tots: Wow! What a huge bus to take us on an excursion!
Goodbye, Niwa Schoolhouse, see you soon! Where do you think the little tots were going today?

Tian Ming: Safety first!

Tricia: Pretty little faces on-board!

Seven: This bus ride is awesome!

Desiree: How far can it be to reach The Little Planet Playland??

Every class probably goes on field trips to different places to learn a thing or two.
But not every class has opportunities like the Little Tots.

Yes, it’s The Little Planet Playland, the newest children indoor playground where the Little Tots’ imaginations came alive!

At the entrance of the premise….

Little Tots: So preeetty! There’s a RAINBOW right here at the doorstep!

Hello and welcome to The Little Planet Playland!

Little Tots: This must be the coolest playland in town!

Our first stop was on ‘Old MacDonald’s farm’ where we busied ourselves with the digging and scooping of ‘dirt’ off the ground using the gardening tools provided.

Bloss: There’s a black and white cow going moo…moo…moo….

Little Tots young and younger….

Had an enjoyable time spent on the farm!

Tricia: I love the sensory experience right here on the dirt.

Jia Hui: Awww….. What an attractive watering flask this is!

Jayden: What cute nose you have, bumble bee!

Seven: I can manoeuvre a wheel barrow freely!

It was certainly a very busy day at Old MacDonald’s.

The Little Tots’ next stop was ‘The Supermarket’ where our ‘farmers’ were so occupied with the packing and storing away of foods that they have reaped earlier. Can you see how neat these fruits were being arranged?

Bloss: I can sort according to the types of fruit.

Jia Hui: Here are the red apples.

Tricia: I just came back from the bakers’!

Desiree: Excuse me, do you know where I could find the lettuce?!?

The Little Tots were right down on the riverbank. There was a boat sailing in the middle of the stream. The Little Tots were having fun fishing and reeling up the line!
One, Two, Three, four Five…. Once we caught some fish alive!

Jayden: Ahoy, mates! Do I look like a cute little fisherboy here?

Desiree: This seat looks like a good spot to picnic.

Seven: What a rewarding fishing trip this has been!

Jayden: I prefer catching fish with my bare hands!

Seven: To market. To market. To sell some big fish!

Desiree: Don’t you think these Fuji apples look very fresh and juicy?

Now the Little Tots were going to the restaurant after a hard day at work.

There was a wide range of delicious cuisine in this restaurant – just observe how these ‘little chefs’ cooked and prepared the foods.

Bloss: I’m preparing some sashimi for the diners.

Bloss: A cup of cappuccino for the fine lady over there.

Seven: Whipping some fresh cream for the Iced Mocha!

Meanwhile on the other side of the Planet Playland…

Jayden: What are the rest of the astronomers doing over there? I’d better go check it out!

Seven: Weeeeee! This red slide is so fun to ride on!

Desiree: My turn! My turn!!

Desiree: This is like the best slide EVER!

Jia Hui: I couldn’t agree more with you, Ree!

Tricia: Oh! I’m almost late for my duty!

An energetic Tot and her many aspirations.

Tricia: You have no idea how heavy this shield is.

Tricia: When would my noble steed arrive?

The Little Tots bade goodbyes to Planet Playland after a smashing good time there.

Little Tots: Let’s get some sunshine while we await for our ‘spaceship’.

Back on Earth ……

Tricia: MY MEGAWATT SMILE!

      
Hooray! It’s our favourite earthly treats again!
“I’m lovin’ it!”

---

If you like us, please kindly help us to click ‘LIKE’ and ‘SHARE’ for us to reach out to more parents who have the same parenting beliefs as us. We would love to meet you personally at Niwa Schoolhouse.

Give us a call at 6908 0855 TODAY!

The Little Niwa-ians’ Day Out to The Animal Resort

It was Field Trip day again for the Little Tots class. Everyone was excited!

We were going to visit and interact with the different kinds of farm animals housed @ The Animal Resort. Come, follow us!

The Little Tots: “Are we there yet? Where are all the farm animals??”

Seven: “I wonder what’s in this water feature??”

Tian Ming and Tricia: “Oooohhhhh….. It’s a small pond filled with little fishes.”

Our teachers said our first stop would be serving nutritious breakfast to the two legged animals namely the ‘guinea fowls’, ‘rooster’, ‘pigeons’ and ‘sparrows’.

Teachers: “Niwa-ians, remember to crush the breadcrumbs into smaller pieces before dropping them onto the ground for these birds. Look at how tiny their beaks are.”

Teacher: “Ree, are you ready to feed our little friends here?”

Tricia: “This is what I have left….”

Seven and Tricia: “Awwww…….Look at how cute this pigeon is.”

We were all pleasantly surprised to greet by a flock of geese half way into our feedings.

Geese: “Honk! Honk! Honk! Honk!”

Moments later….. We moved on to the more docile two legged animals namely the ‘rabbits’, ‘guinea pigs’ and ‘quail bird’.

Tricia: Ming Ming! I spotted two guinea pigs!
Tian Ming: Yes! And they are brown and furry!!”

Blossom: “Lao Shi, I am ready to have a go at feeding the guinea pigs”

Seven: “What adorable little animals they are. I can’t resist touching them!!”

Tricia: “Do we have any remaining pellets to feed these fresh water fishes??”

Desiree: “Lao Shi, what do you call this large bird that looks like ostrich??”

This is a typical Cassowary commonly found in Australia.
Fun Fact: Cassowaries lay relatively large eggs just like the Emus.
Beware! Cassowaries are not so ‘friendly’ unlike the chickens. Be sure to keep a safe distance when you come up-close and personal with them.

The next sight made us forget our anxieties. It was Mr. Horse, a tamed domestic animal just like donkeys.
It had a pair of mesmerising eyes surrounded with thick, long and black cils.
But the most incredible thing about Mr. Horse was its friendliness.
It was the most majestic animal at the Animal Resort!

Tricia was by far our bravest toddler!

Seven: “I am second bravest!”

Desiree: “I can’t imagine I am now inches away from the horse!!”

Lao Shi: “凯欣，跟我们的俊马说你好!”

Seven: “I want to try again!!”

Tricia: “Horsey…. Here are some hays for you! Hope you’d like them!”

Look at how spontaneous our Centre Manager was!

Next was McDonald’s, a cozy branch lodged at Ang Mo Kio Park.
We felt like the luckiest bunch of toddlers on Earth!

Seven: “Ahhhhh…..”

Blossom: “Fries with ketchup!”

Tian Ming: “I love McDonald’s Nuggets!”

Tricia: “Me too, love eating McDonald’s nuggets!!”

Desiree: “What a food spread….!”

---

If you like us, please kindly help us to click ‘LIKE’ and ‘SHARE’for us to reach out to more parents who have the same parenting beliefs as us. We would love to meet you personally at Niwa Schoolhouse.

Give us a call at 6908 0855 TODAY!

Testimonial from Tian Ming’s Daddy and Mommy

My child turns 2 years old this year, and we were first attracted by the clean and neat environment at Niwa Schoolhouse on our first visit, especially the indoor playground on second floor, which I feel that my son would like very much. After meeting up with his class teachers who look very patient and nice, we immediately made up our mind to register at Niwa Schoolhouse. After these two months of schooling at Niwa Schoolhouse, we feel that we have made a great choice. The teachers are very warm and professional. My child likes the school very much, and he is eager to go to school every morning. We have also discovered that our child’s language and social skill have made remarkable progresses within these two months. Overall, we are very satisfied and we feel lucky with our preschool choice for our child.

Regards,

Tian Ming’s Daddy and Mommy

Majulah Singapura – Our Golden Jubilee

OUR SINGAPORE

(Music and lyrics by Dick Lee Sung by JJ Lin)

It isn’t easy building something out of nothing

Especially when the road ahead’s a rocky one

But if we gather all our courage and conviction

And hold our dream up high

The challenge will be won

So now we look around us and we see

A nation built with love by you and me

A land to treasure right down to the core

Our home, our heart, our Singapore

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Our home, our heart, our Singapore

Through many years gone by we’ve moved ahead together

We’ve built a brave new world where we could shine and grow

And now we only have to look towards tomorrow

To carry on the dream as far as it will go.

So now we look around us and we see

A nation built with love by you and me

A land to treasure right down to the core

Our home, our heart, our Singapore

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Our home, our heart, our Singapore

And amazing as it seems

It all started with a dream

And our dreaming isn’t done

‘Cause the best is yet to come

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Our home, our heart, our Singapore

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Our home

Our heart

Our dream

Our Singapore

In celebration of Singapore’s 50th birthday, the Niwa-ians and staff at Niwa Schoolhouse have jointly prepared a spectacular birthday present entitled, ‘Our Heart, Our Home, Our Singapore.’ for our motherland.

The birthday gift is a model map of Modern Singapore created using a mixed media of art techniques such as ‘body painting’, ‘collage’, ‘modelling’ and ‘drawing’ by the passionate children and adults at Niwa Schoolhouse.

On this map, not only you will spot some of Singapore’s iconic landmarks namely, ‘Marina Bay Sand’, ‘Gardens by the Bay’, ‘Jubilee Bridge’, ‘Singapore Flyer’,‘ Changi Airport’, but also less symbolic landmarks like ‘Seletar Air Base’ and ‘Singapore Zoo’ which are intentionally and strategically placed and located on the masterpiece.

A birthday celebration is not complete without a cake and candles.

On the 6^th day of August, our Niwa-ians and teachers donned their reds and whites as they sang and clapped along to the traditional song of “Happy Birthday” right before the lovely baked and decorated ‘SG50’ cake.

“HAPPY 50^th BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE!”

We wish Singapore Prosperity, Progress and Peace in the next 50 years to come!

Majulah Singapura!

P.S. Do swing by and check out our project work displayed at the reception. See ye!

---

If you like us, please kindly help us to click ‘LIKE’ and ‘SHARE’ for us to reach out to more parents who have the same parenting beliefs as us. We would love to meet you personally at Niwa Schoolhouse.

Give us a call at 6908 0855 TODAY!

安喆父母给的表扬信

Niwa Schoolhouse,

您好，我是安喆的妈妈。安喆在学校已经快两个月了，他长高了也长胖了。感觉的到他每天都很开心，很喜欢学校，也很愿意去学校，和其他小朋友也相处的很好，经常提起学校的哥哥妹妹。他的英文也有进步，学会了很多英文单词，在家有时还会唱一些学校学的歌。老师们也每天都有告诉我安喆在学校的情况，联络本上也有好多上课的照片，能够看得出安喆都有很认真的在听课，非常感谢老师们的用心。学校有很美的课室，很丰富的食物，还有很优秀的老师，我很幸运安喆可以在学校里成长。虽然才进学校一个多月，但是能够很明显的看出他的进步。但是随着安喆的长大，他有时会有出现一些调皮捣蛋的时候，希望老师能够包容和教导他，让他知道什么是正确什么是不对的。这样他才可以更健康的成长。

Niwa Schoolhouse现在才刚刚开始起步，相信不久的将来，会有更多的学生，希望老师们能够一如既往的去帮助他们成长。我和安喆的爸爸也会一起支持你们的。谢谢！

安喆的家长                                                                                                       2015年

草莓奶昔 (Shake, Shake, Strawberry Milkshake!)

草莓奶昔 (Shake, Shake, Strawberry Milkshake!)

---

豆豆班这个学期的主题绘本是《爱吃水果的牛》，为了让幼儿更加直观、有趣的学习不同水果的华语名称、在玩中学习，老师和幼儿们一起开展了“制作草莓奶昔”的烹饪活动。

As our Little Tots engaged in the story-based learning of the book entitled ‘Handa’s Surprise’, they were gradually introduced to the various fruits, such as ‘avocado’, ‘mango’, ‘guava’, ‘banana’ and ‘strawberry’! To further entice the Niwa-ians’ learning, they blended ‘STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE’ with the freshest ingredients! Yum, yum yummy!

首先，老师向幼儿们介绍所需要的材料——新鲜的草莓、牛奶、冰淇淋、冰块。幼儿们通过触摸冰块感知冰块的特质、通过嗅觉感知草莓的气味、通过味觉感知冰淇淋的香甜，在这个过程中，幼儿们充分利用五感感知不同材料。

The teacher first introduced the ingredients to the Niwa-ians, namely ‘strawberries’, ‘milk’, ‘ice-cream’ and ‘ice cubes’. Using most of their 5 senses (touch, sight, smell, and taste), the Niwa-ians spent some time to ‘explore’ the food. They first tasted the ice cubes and exclaimed, “Why is the ice cube so hard?” Some touched the box of the ice-cream and squealed with excitment that it was ‘cold’! While a majority complimented thhat the strawberries were the yummiest that they have ever eaten!

“Iceeeee…..”

“Blossom, cold!!!”

“Shall we share the ice?”

“Ber…. (Strawberry)!”

“Hm……. sour…. “

“My favourite strawberry.”

“Red strawberry (just like my top)!”

“Yummy ice-cream!”

“One big spoonful for Tricia!”

“Chocolate….. yum yum!”

“Mei mei’s turn!”

接着幼儿们依次把草莓、牛奶、冰淇淋和冰块放进搅拌机里，在这个过程中，幼儿们学习怎样用汤匙、怎样把汤匙中的物品放进另一个容器，锻炼了幼儿小肌肉和大肌肉的配合能力。幼儿们观察了搅拌机把所有材料搅拌在一起的过程，丰富了幼儿的生活经验。最后，幼儿们品尝了草莓奶昔——真好喝！

Following next, the Niwa-ians were guided by the teacher to add the ingredients into the eletric blender! One by one, the Niwa-ians worked with the ‘spoon’ as they learnt to scoop the ingredients and pour into the eletric blender without any spillage! That was a great effort for our 2 years old toddlers who have been practicing this skill for a while!

“(I can) help!”

“Tricia can add strawberry.”

“Desiree, well done!”

“Mei Mei likes strawberry.”

“This is too easy for me.”

“And me too.”

“Mei Mei adds milk.”

“Pour the milk.”

“Tricia’s turn now.”

“I probably need to stand to reach.”

“One scoop of ice-cream!”

“(Another scoop of) ice-cream!”

“And another scoop of ice-cream!”

“One final scoop from Mei Mei!”

“Watch that blender!”

Of course, everyone (young and old – teachers) enjoyed a cool cup of ‘Strawberry Milkshake’ to celebrate the wonderful success of this gourmet creation! 3 cheers to our ‘Shake, Shake, Strawberry Milkshake’!

“My first taste of Strawberry Milkshake!”

“Hm…… I like.”

“Seven’s turn to try!”

“Let me smell it, sweet!”

“Gobble it down!”

“Thumb-up for this!”
(Mei Mei gave it a kiss too!)

---

Please continue to watch this space, as we have a surprise for you!

If you like us, please kindly help us to click ‘LIKE’ and ‘SHARE’ for us to reach out to more parents who have the same parenting beliefs as us. We would love to meet you personally at Niwa Schoolhouse.

Give us a call at 6908 0855 TODAY!

Testimonial from Tricia’s Daddy & Mommy

Tricia has started her preschool at her 20 months. Finding the right preschool is often challenging, with several factors to consider including the staff’s qualification, children’s group size and centre environment. Tricia was first enrolled to a preschool @ Woodlands 11 with the attractiveness of an open-space concept centre that provided a spacious environment and more interaction with her peers. However, we withdrew Tricia after a month due to the professionalism of the centre’s staff. The staff were always so busy that they did not volunteer any communication with the parents at all times. Children aged 18 to 20 months will take the longest time to settle when they begin school for the first time, as they are often at the peak of their separation anxiety development. As parents, we would like to receive updates of Tricia’s daily routine activities, but we were so disappointed that the staff were unable to offer such important feedback from time to time.

After exiting the last preschool, we spent some time in our search within the same area again. We finally visited Niwa Schoolhouse and the whole experience at there has been very positive. During the first visit, the staff were very informative and welcomed all of my questions. Henceforth, we chose to enrol Tricia at Niwa Schoolhouse because there is a very open line of communication between staff and parent, the staff themselves are very knowledgeable and understand what each individual child’s needs are, they are very flexible, and there is always a guide and answer for any questions that we have.

At Niwa Schoolhouse, the children are encouraged to express themselves and they get the chance to attempt a lot of crafts and hands-on learning experiences. Since Tricia attended Niwa Schoolhouse, we have seen significant improvements in terms of her speech, expression and interaction skills. We are also very satisfied with the Weekly Update of the curriculum conducted, as well as the detailed update of child’s learning progress via the Communication Book, at least several times a week, in both English & Chinese languages.

Thank you for caring after Tricia and making sure that her learning journey has been fun! Tricia is very fortunate to have a good start in her preschool education. She will certainly excel with such strong foundation that she has received from Niwa Schoolhouse. It is the personal attention to each child that has given her the confidence to proceed to the next step. Tricia loves being at Niwa Schoolhouse and that, of course, puts our mind at ease while we are at work. Great job!

Regards,
Tricia’s Daddy & Mommy

Goop and Colours = Fun!

Environmental Awareness

---

How can you tell if something is a solid or a liquid? Solids hold their shape, while liquids take the shape of the container that they are in. Goop is special because it acts like both a solid and a liquid.

One morning, our Little Tots at Niwa Schoolhouse got their little hands and fingers immersed and soaked in some real sticky and slimy goop.

What You Need:

• Six cups of cornflour
• Three cups of water
• Large and clear tub

What You Do:

Step 1:
Put the cornflour in the tub.

Step 2:
Slowly pour in the water.
Stir the mixture until it starts to thicken.

Step 3:
Put your hands and fingers into the goop.
Try to pick it up and scrunch it in your hands.
Release and watch it ooze away.

Step 4:
Make your own discoveries

More Fun with Goop!

Try changing your goop mixture too! Add some blue coloured ice blocks. What would happen? Add in the ‘reds’. What would happen now? Add a few more yellow ice shapes and swirl them around as the ice shapes liquefied.

Blue, red, yellow are the three primary colours. When you mix the primary colours together in different ways, you can make secondary colours -‘orange’, ‘purple’ and ‘green’.

In addition, you can have the option of introducing animals, such as ‘polar bears’ and ‘penguins’ that live in the world’s extreme climates, namely the ‘Polar region’ and the ‘Antarctica region’ at the North Pole and South Pole respectively.