Summer Programs from TULA Philippines

The Ultimate Learning Accelerator or simply TULA, is an award-winning tutorial program founded by international education experts. It is recognized by Globe Future Makers, the Australian Government and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT Solve).  TULA kids consistently get higher grades at school and build essential 21st century skills for their future. 

This summer, TULA is offering two exciting programs, where the kids can either help save the world in KID LEGENDS or create their own world in ART ATTACK. 

Kid Legends

The Kid Legends program will let kids explore real-world challenges affecting the earth and their future. 

Lessons include learning how to protect endangered animals, build solar ovens (Cool, right?), create and launch their very own awareness campaign. 

Kid Legends is offered in three of their branches. 

Art Attack: Create Your Own World

In Attack Attack, TULA kids will unleash their creativity and experiment with different art forms.

Activities include designing their own logo, building their own sculpture and even curating their own art gallery. 

Art Attack is only available at TULA LEGASPI. 

Both these programs will let your kids make new friends, learn more about society, and build essential skills, character, and attitude. 

Dates and Schedule 

The admission fee is P500 only, which already includes a cap and a notebook. They also have awesome and pocket-friendly payment schemes where you can pay P800 weekly or pay P5,600 upfront (and save P800!).

If you're ready to sign up, just click on the picture of your chosen program below.

         

To learn more, you can visit the TULA Facebook Page or their website. #LearnmorewithTULA

Splash Math: The Fun Way To Learn

I hate Math! I always said that being a doctor would be perfect for me because there would be little math involved. Boy, was I wrong. Apparently, there are tons and tons of numbers and a whole bunch of formulas to be solved in the field of Medicine.

Henry, being my son, took after my dislike for the subject. Give him any other homework and he would finish it in a heartbeat. But, with math problems, it would take him hours to finish. This disdain for it has caused us many arguments, math anxiety for him and of course, a toll on his grades.

Enter, Splash Math.

Splash Math is an interactive math program available on the web or any iOS device. Math skill levels starting from Kindergarten to Grade 5 are available in this app. It makes learning fun through games and rewards.

What I like about my Splash Math is that it challenges my son to answer each question correctly and thus helping him gain mastery of certain math skills. it also provides explanations for the wrong answers.

As the parent, I choose which Math skill sets he will solve for the day. I make sure that it will be congruent with his lessons in school. Parents are given the chance to preview the math problems and try to answer it themselves. Henry is currently in 4th grade and Splash Math covers their currrent topics such as PEMDAS, Algebra, Fractions and Geometry.

Another thing that I like about this app is that it is available anytime and anywhere. Henry uses his laptop for it at home, and when we go out, he can access it through my iPhone.

Splash Math gives you reports on how your child is doing with regards to his math skills. So, even if I am on duty at the hospital, I can easily track his progress.

Splash Math also has separate apps for each grade level. However, I prefer the all-in-one Splash Math Grades K-5 app since it makes it easier to go back to lower levels for when Henry needs to review his basics. 

Splash Math is available online via their website and on the App Store.

How To Throw An Unforgettable Birthday Party For Your Kids - The Do’s and The Don'ts

There are wonderful ideas for throwing your kid an awesome birthday party on the internet. Unfortunately, some of the writers of these ideas either never had a child, or never threw their kid a birthday party.

As with everything in a parents universe, a party is only fun if it is functional. If you have to use phrases like “Don’t touch that!” or “Here, let me reach that for you.” you are either a glutton for punishment or you have missed the mark. Your child's birthday party is for your child. It is designed for a child's skill level. It should be cute and fun, but not to impress the adults. With that in mind, we are going to give you some ideas that will let you be the envy of other parents and make your child feel like he is king for a day.

Henry's Mom Reviews: Momma Don't You Worry By Louie Lawent

Momma Don't You Worry is a beautifully illustrated book written by Louie Lawent. It's about a 6-year old boy who thinks he's already too cool to still be holding his momma's hand. He even told his mom that there's no need to fear. Then one day, at the mall, he wandered off and found himself lost. Eventually the little boy found his mom. It's a good thing that his momma taught him what to do when he gets lost.

What I love about this book was it was very easy and fun to read. I even asked Henry to read it to me. I asked him if he learned something from the story and he answered me with this, "Never leave your side at the mall." The moral lesson is very easy to understand since it was written in the perspective of a 6-year old boy. After reading this book, I've used it as reference whenever I go out with the little boy. I definitely recommend this book for parents with small children. 

Momma Don't You Worry is currently available at Amazon and Barnes and Nobbles. 

Budsies: Bringing your child's artwork to life

The little boy is becoming quite an artist. He's been bringing home artwork from school everyday. Imagine his excitement when he learned that he can bring his drawing to life as a stuffed toy through Budsies. They're an incredible company that brings children's artworks to life by transforming them into stuffed animals. When I told Henry about this, he decided to go with this drawing. It 's a "Tiger Bear" according to him.

Henry's Budsies

Ordering your very own Budsies was such a breeze. You just send them a copy of the drawing and wait for your Budsies to arrive. Ours took about a couple of weeks.

The Budsies was impressive. It was very close to Henry's drawing. I expected it to be very small but it was enough to become a pillow. Henry's eyes lit up once he saw his drawing become a toy. They really put attention to details.

We decided to give it to his baby cousin, Eidan since we rarely get to see him. Just so he can have something to remember Henry by. After all, they are oceans away from each. And we're very glad to know that Eidan is loving Kuya Henry's gift to him.

Budsies is a great idea especially if you have a stack of drawings of your kids. Just ask them which ones are their favorites and give them life.

To know more about Budsies, you can visit their website or their Facebook page.

Kid's Academy Preschool and Kindergaten Learning App Review

Today I'm here to review Kid's Academy's Preschool and Kindergarten learning games app. Kid's Academy is one of the leading children's app developers. 

App Description from the iTunes Store

"Based on the proven Montessori learning method, Kids Academy develops spelling, writing and reading skills through fascinating games!This app is created to make fun more educational! The app goes beyond simply great graphics and beautiful music by engaging children to learn preschool basics through intriguing game play. Toddlers will start with easy tracing by collecting fireflies in a jar and will move gradually to tracing requiring more developed fine-motor skills. The basic skills in this app are foundations for reading, writing and arithmetic operations. Appropriate hints are provided to support your children as they practice and build their skills."

Our Balloon Family

The house was full of balloons last night as my mother-in-law was preparing for her latest gig. (She does party balloon decorations.) While they were pumping the balloons with air, Henry approached them and asked for a balloon and they gave them a white one.

Henry went to our room to show me his white balloon which gave me a bright idea. *insert Ting! sound here.* I handed him a permanent marker and told him to decorate the balloon. He came back with this.

The Henry Balloon

He drew a portrait of himself! When daddy saw this, he asked Henry to draw a daddy balloon as well. And so off he went to get another balloon and drew this. 

Four-eyed daddy

He made a balloon of version of me too. 

Balloon Mommy looks like a chicken, doesn't she?

These guys kept the little one busy for about half an hour. He talked to them and made them dance. After which, he asked me to take this picture.
  

Balloon Henry with Real Henry

Of course, they needed a family picture as well. So, I present to you the complete balloon family with Henry. 

Our Balloon Family

How do you keep your kids busy? I'd love to hear from you.

P.S.

I just made a Facebook page for Henry's Mom Blogs, hope you can be one of the first ones to "Like" it. 

World Pneunomia Day: It's not "just a cough"

November 12 is World Pneumonia Day. And while it may already be the 13th in our country, the rest of the world is still celebrating this day to promote awareness to fight the world's leading cause of death in children less than 5 years old. 

 Watch this video by WorldPneumoniaDay.org to learn the facts about child pneumonia. 

It's starts with "just a cough".

Pneumonia is very easy to prevent and cure, yet children have been dying around the world because of it. 

Get involved! Please help us raise awareness.