Here's a simple woodwork activity. I know many city-dwellers may baulk at the idea of a preschooler handling woodwork tools, but in many other countries, little children are tasked with chopping firewood, doing heavy chores, and can handle tools competently and responsibly. My little ones had reasonably good gross and fine motor skills, and they have been using real knives to cut fruits and vegetables since the age of 4. So far, they still have all their fingers in tact. :)

We collected thick fallen branches, sawed them into little round coins, painted them over, and voila! We created our very own currency!

Tools / Materials required:

1. Mini hand saw (from Homefix DIY/hardware store)
2. Small clamp (from Daiso/hardware store)
3. Paint (use acrylic if you don't want the colours to come off upon contact with water.) 

Making the Coins

1. Collect nice thick fallen branches that aren't rotten on the inside. 
2. Clamp a branch to a table or bench.  Make sure that it is tightly fastened.
3. Making sure that all body parts are out of the way, saw the branch into coins, with a rhythmic back and forth motion. Slow down as you get to the bottom of each coin so the coin doesn't break off prematurely and unevenly. You may need to hold the handsaw together with your child until he/she is competent.
4. Paint your coins.
5. Go shopping! :)

We may not be able to print money, but at least we can saw our own coins!

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Kids can volunteer too! Christmas Caroling at Old Folk's Homes

Yesterday, the little ones found a CD of Christmas carols, and they were soon dancing to "Jingle Bells"!

It brought us back to the time we went caroling at an old folk's home with our homeschool friends last year, and they reminded us that we had to go back again. An elderly resident was so touched by the little ones singing and dancing their hearts out that as we were saying goodbye, she wiped her tears away and asked our little girl if we would come back next year. The little girl immediately promised she would, and now, she reminded me of that promise.

It was a simple affair at Swami Home, singing easy tunes like "Jingle Bells", "Deck the Halls", and "We wish you a Merry Christmas", accompanied by a guitar, castanets and shakers. We had extra time, so we added some action songs we had learnt in the course of the year, like "Pearly Shells",  "健康歌" and  even "丑小鸭"! Not very Christmassy, but the elderly residents didn't seem to mind! They were very entertained and stopped whatever they were doing to watch. After the caroling, the children walked around to distribute little gifts and interact with the old folks.

Christmas Caroling at Swami Home 2014

I'm big on volunteering, having spent my growing up years visiting old folks homes and tutoring hearing-impaired and financially needy children.

I wanted to introduce my children to volunteering, to give them the chance to bless the less fortunate, and I felt that singing and distributing gifts would be a good way to get started. I was concerned that some children might feel awkward or uncertain visiting without any agenda, and I certainly did not want to be pushing and urging shy and reticent children to interact with strangers. Distributing gifts gave them a sense of purpose and was a good starting point for them to interact with the elderly residents.

The children were heartened to see the faces of the elderly residents light up with pleasure as they danced, and even my little boy, who normally REFUSES to dance or perform for anyone, sang his heart out for them. For that, I was truly thankful.

So if you're wondering what to do during the end-of-year holidays, bring some cheer to the less fortunate. A short email to the old folk's home and learning a few songs is all it takes. Castanets, shakers, funny reindeer head bands and gifts, are a bonus. Go out and do something meaningful this Christmas!

"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." - Matthew 25:40

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DIY Toys: Bow and Arrow (Archery)

It was surprisingly easy to make and it provided hours of fun. The hardest part was finding a long, bendy stick. We tried balloon sticks but they broke. In the end, we went to a provision shop at an HDB void deck, or what they call the "mama shop" in Singapore. The shopkeeper gave my husband a weird look when he asked for 5 canes but, figuring this was some kind of weird sadistic psycho, chose not to ask any questions. :P


What you need:

1. 1 long, bendy stick
2. 1 piece of string (about 3/4 the length of the stick)
3. 3 rubber bands
4. Straws (thick smoothie straws work well)

How to Make the Bow:

1. Tie one end of the string to the stick, using a rubber band. Check that it is secure and won't come loose when you pull the string. 
2.  Bend the stick. Making sure the string is taut, tie the other end of the string to the opposite end of the stick. Secure firmly. Voila!
3. Tie some tassels or wool to one end as decoration, and to differentiate the bows.

How to make the Arrows:

1. To make the Arrowhead - flatten the straw and cut out two triangles to make a pointed tip.
   OR, if using a chalk dart board, tie a small piece of chalk to the tip of the straw using a rubber band
2. To make the Arrow Nock - flatten the tail end of the straw and cut out a V-shaped notch. This notch at the tail end of the arrow is for the bowstring to fit in. 

DIY Chalk Dartboard

We created our own dart board by drawing on our IKEA black board easel. Then we affixed a small piece of chalk on the front end of the arrow using a rubber band, so that when shot, the chalk would leave a mark on the board and we could keep score. 

Shooting bottles

We lined up a few empty mineral water bottles and used them for target practice!

Ground Rules

Before playing any games, be sure to lay out the ground rules first, like: 

1. No aiming at people

2. Make sure that the coast is clear before shooting

3. Only aim at designated targets

I know that 1 and 3 overlap, but I wanted to be extra safe. So far, they have worked well and we haven't had any casualties. Have fun!

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