Monopoly Zapped

My dearest soul-mate loves games. From snake and ladders to oh-so-complicated computer games, he loves it all. 

Our kids had their first brush with monopoly from the tender age of around 2 plus.

So now, we have an array of board games. From domino to Robinson Crusoe. There's an online board game shop with good service in Singapore, but maybe that's for a later post.

This post is dedicated for Monopoly Zapped, our newest family member. It has reduced kids to tears, as well as elevated them to a whooping joy.

What's that? It's a combination of normal monopoly and iPad/iPhone.

How?

1. Instead of chance or community cards, you'll get to do games, auction, etc on the iPad/iPhone. No more messy or bent cards.

2. Instead of fussing with paper money, each player hold a card which we tap onto iPad/iPhone to charge/collect money. No more calculating everything with the kids arguing in the background. A much welcome relief. But, I wonder how if the card gets damaged. Hope it won't happen so soon.

3. The possibility is limitless. For example, for chance, the player might be required to spin the arrow via device. Something that requires another board on normal monopoly. And the games played allows more player to compete, or even all players. 

4. It allows auction of property. Adding an interesting concept to the game. 

5. Dices and houses are still physical. Not sure whether this is a plus or minus.

All in all, we're very happy with it. 

iPad

Hmmm... I forgot that I haven't wrote anything about iPad.

Anyway, here it is. 

I thought iPad is simply a larger scale iPhone. But, a few days after playing with it, no... I was wrong.

Below are some iPad features and apps that I adores:

1. The larger screen allows us to watch with others. This makes the experience so much more enjoyable. Laughing together amplifies the joy. If course, we can go the extra mile, use Apple TV.

2. Apps in iPad usually pack more functions. You can get things done easier there compared to iPhone. Kids, without doubt, have more and better games. 

3. QuickOffice. I have tried many free apps that allows us to edit MSOffice on iPad. So far, QuickOffice is the most suitable for me. User interface is simple and intuitive, we can upload and download from google docs, etc. Beware  though, documents that are originally created in QuickOffice cannot be edited via normal MSOffice on PC. In a way, it's a one way compatibility. But if the doc is originally created in MSOffice, you can go to and fro. Other two downsides are formulas and data size in a sheet. Only simple formulas are accepted. And, I tried on data 12 columns wide for 1000 rows. It went haywired, failed to save and auto close. Oh... And there is no charting function. Though it seems like lots of downside, it is a good apps. Very useful for mommying. 

4. AXS on mobile... Or something like that. This apps allows us to pay bills by internet banking, just like normal AXS machine. Receipt will be sent to our emails. Plus side, it keeps track of our payment history, easy to check whether we've missed anything.

5. Paper by 53. If you're an occasional doodlers like me, this app is cool. Very easy to use. It is not like other apps which offers many tools combination and sizes. Papers offers a very simple concept. But it is amazing of what we can do, and lots of great artist did, on it.

So there you go, perfunctory acknowledgement of good stuff.

Apple TV

I always try to catch snippets of time to read a jolly rom-com or to watch comedy... Even for 10 mins, it works wonder for me.

A few months back, I was on The Nanny rerun on my iPhone (yay YouTube).

Hubby took a pity on me and my little screen and he bought me an iPad.

Since then, the children have also been enjoying My Little Pony on iPad. Two little bodies were huddled together in front of the VUT (Very Useful Thing).

So... Dear Hubby, bless him, bought us and Apple TV.

Before purchase, I was sceptical. Why pay for something which in essence only allowing the TV to access internet? But he assured me that it will be worth every cent.

So, as I have marveled at iPad, I continued to a greater height of respect for Apple product. (In fact, since this discovery, I have been reading Steve Jobs biography. Very much intrigued on how his mind works, what's the background behind good invention).

As a product, it gave us a wide spectrum of joy. Watch movie, share photos, share videos, karaoke, ... Even the kids had fun using iPad/iPhone camera in one room, and watching what's happening through the TV. 

One thing that I salut most is Apple ability to design a somewhat modular joyful devices that works together, as well as solo. And that, at a price that is acceptable. Based on experience that our iPhone 3G is still working fine until now, I put my hope high that Apple product is also long lasting. 

Sadly, this post is not sponsored by Apple. It's purely my opinion in supporting a good product, of a man who leaves this world with a bang. 

Kreo vs Lego

We have a 5 years old Lego boy at home. Seriously faithfully addicted to Lego. Helped us a lot in buying Christmas and brithday and whatsnot presents. 

So, when GroupOn has an offer on Kreo, we bought a box for him. Kreo is compatible with Lego, or so they claimed. We have not checked this though.

When opening the box, he was wide eyed with wonder. All sorts of new joints and shapes to explore. Kreo really has a lot of brick type variety. I know that Lego also do have not-joking breath of design, but Lego's beginner box contained standard types mostly. We bought the 700+ pcs of Kreo bucket, but I saw parts that I've never seen before. 

Then, boy boy proceeded to copy one of the vehicle on the bucket. Only then we realized the lack of manual. I do believe to encourage creativity in children, no need to rely on manual. So we goes on.

So I guided him. Carefully opening a little packet, keeping my finger crossed that Kreo packed everything we need for a creation on the packet. After staring at it for quite some times, my engineer self decided that they are not that kind. Each figurine parts were packed in a little plastic, thankfully. Seems like other parts were bagged randomly.

Opening and searching everything. 

Found there's at least one missing part. On the pic, there are two of a kind of brick. But we only got one.

Broken hearted, dear son stopped playing. Now, the Daddy is the one putting up the puzzle, where must go where. Good luck, Hubby. Do us proud.

One more thing, Kreo joints are more loosely connected than Lego. Plus side is that it doesn't require much strength or tricks to prise open. However, it causes the creation to fall apart easily.

All in all, I do think it is a good product. Workmanship is ok, though Lego's finer. You can still see some tiny sharp points on the Kreo bricks. But the marketing strategy needs a lot of work. Though written for age 4+ on the bucket, I seriously don't think that a four year old can take joy in it independently. Serious adult help is needed.

Well, though I don't think so, could also be that my son is the one 'slow'. We are also spoilt rotten by Lego fantastic no word needed manual. With the almighty manual, son have managed to set up everything by himself (written age 11+ on packets). Please share some comments/tricks if you have one. How to make use of that bucket sitting lonesome at home?

Seriously Addictive - Rainbow Loom

Not sure whether it's the color, or the feel of a well manufactured product. Within hours of owning it? Son (yes, 5 years old boy), daughter, and I were addicted to it.

As an avid crafter and a nerd, I really love that it creates beautiful wearable product, while also challenges the grey cells. 

If you chained rubber bands to make skipping rope when you were small, imagine making it with much nicer bands.  And... Million more ways to braid/weave it to make nicer chain. Even, charms like Christmas tree, the yellow minions, flowers, whatsnots are possible. 

Check it out (don't judge the product by the website, please go on... Check out the video, a patented device surely deserves to be admired)

http://www.rainbowloom.com/instruction.html

Or, if you're you-tubers, just search there. There're much more videos to enjoy.

Pssst... If you're considering, I bought it from Spotlight @ Plaza Singapura for around SGD 30. It's the loom, plus picker, a bag of bands plus c-clips enough for 24 bracelets. Price is a bit steep, but I think of it as a well-deserved reward for a brilliant idea.

As usual, this is NOT a paid post for advertisement. I do not receive anything from Spotlight or Rainbow Loom for this post. Strictly to share and support good product.

P.S. If you know any good cheaper place to get the rubber bands, please do leave comments. I think I'll need to stock up soon. So many ideas to try out!

What to do when your mobile dropped to the toilet

Sounds funny?

Not sure with you, but recently I found that it happened more often than I expected. Somehow, people got very much attached to their mobile such that it is there, no matter when no matter when. 

So, what to do?

These steps are good to go for any electronic devices that comes into contact with liquid

1. DO NOT attempt to power on. I know that you must've been so anxious to check, but resist! These few steps might be able to save it.

2. Dry up as much as you can.

3. Open up the protective casing, wipe, open the casing, wipe, take out the battery, wipe, take out the SIM card, wipe... It is important to wipe at every step to ensure water droplets do not enter any opening, no matter how small. Patience pays...

4. Get a hand-dryer... Hair dryer... Fan.. Paper to fan... Anything that can help to blow dry. Then, blow dry all the openings. Speaker, power jack, USB port, switches, connectors...  Until when? At least until it is not moist, at most until you're tired...

5. Leave it. Someone suggested for at least a day. But my hubby waited a night and his baby worked fine. This step is to ensure there's no water moisture inside the phone that might cause short-circuits. At this step, do not assemble yet. It will help the drying process. 

6. Pray

7. Assemble, and then Power on. 

Hope it helps! :D

Beware of the perils of abacus

Before I'm pouring on my opinion, please note that I do very much agree that abacus is a very handy skill. Utilizing it properly, it is quite powerful.

There are many kinds of abacus. If you google it, check out the images, you'll see at least three kinds.

My dear daughter loved numbers. So when she's about 5, I enrolled her in an abacus class. She loved it. The ability to process four-five digit numbers thrilled her.

After a while, students from her class dropped one by one. Many couldn't stand the homework load. So after a year or so, the teacher decided to close the class.

When she is in K2, I started teaching her addition and subtraction 'the school way'. O ooo... My darling got confused , her young mind was frustrated. Why the way she is accustom to is wrong now. Luckily, it was only at the beginning. After a while, she got it that both ways have similar principles.

My girl is one of many kids with similar experience. One girl I know lived with the confusion until P2. Poor thing. 

So to close, hope to draw analogy to my children wise Chinese teacher. She said, don't teach hanyu pinyin before the child can read English. Let the child use the time to master Chinese character. Learning Chinese pinyin before English phonics will confuse them. 

So for numeracy, I'd say, let the children learn 'the school way' before abacus. In that way, they will be able to build up confidence on and to be comfortable with numbers.

That's all, good luck to all Mommies. Hope it is useful.