Learning Fun @Supermarket

Supermarket is not just a place for people to shop for groceries, but also a place filled with many learning opportunities for the children.

Pei Pei and Hao Hao are expanding their vocabulary through naming the items, they also learn about colours and counting while we do our shopping. They also learn the concept that we have to pay for the items.

They also have a say in what to buy. Here they are choosing their favourite cheese.

They become the "part time cashier", sitting at the vacant cashier counter, while DaDi was making payment.

There is Chinese saying that 讀萬卷書不如行萬里路, but I believe that 讀萬卷書 (reading) and 行萬里路 (experience) should complement each other for highly effective learning. By observing and interacting with the environment, the children are able to gain a better understanding of new knowledge. By reading, the children can learn knowledge that they may not have opportunities to experience, or to reinforce what they observe from their own experience.

Innovative Usage of Floor Mats

The use of floor mats are not restricted just to protection of children falling from bed / soda on to the ground, or function as cushion when they play on the floor.

Pei Pei and Hao Hao demonstrate the alternative uses of floor mats.

As tents... or their "houses".

As tunnel... see the "elongated" Pei Pei!

p.s. that is Hao Hao at the back actually!

MaMi's 愛心 Japanese Steamed Bread

Pei Pei and Hao Hao like to eat bread very much, they can consume a few slices of bread in a day. Initially I wanted to buy an oven to make bread for them, as homemade food has less sugar and does not have preservatives. But it is said that baked food are heaty. After I had chanced upon some recipes from internet about Japanese steamed bread / Mushipan, I have decided to make for them.  So far they had tried plain bun and raisin bun, more flavours are coming soon!

The recipe is adapted from Akemi Komatsuzaki's book 杯子蒸麵包.

Ingredients:

40g sugar

60ml milk

100g plain flour

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (don't use peanut oil!)

Instruction:

1. Sift flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl
2. Beat egg with a high speed for 1 minute, followed by a slower speed until it turns fluffy
3. Add sugar to egg, followed by milk
4. Add (3) to (1), fold with a spatula
5. Add the vegetable oil and continue folding
6. Divide the batter into five moulds lined with cupcake liner (I used the chicken pie mould from Phoon Huat)
7. Boil water in a large pot. Put the moulds on a steaming tray once the water is boiled
8. Steam at medium heat for 12 minutes