GUG Rhyme for Feb 09

I'm bringing home a little Bumble Bee
Won't my Mummy be surprised at me
I'm bringing home a little bumble bee

Use pointer finger and pretend to 'sting' their face

GUG Rhyme for Jan 09..

There will be a new action rhyme each month and this month's theme is Caterpillar.

And Dillion love this rhyme and able to do the actions. Try it with your child.. its pretty fun!

Arabella Miller
(sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle lil' Star)

Little Arabella Miller, had a fuzzy caterpillar
(place pointer finger on your palm)

First it crawed up on her mother
(walk fingers up left arm)

Then it crawled on her baby brother
(walk fingers up right arm)

They said "Arabella Miller!
(walk fingers up and over your head)

Put away your caterpillar!"
(hide both hands behind your back)

Zoo Phonics..

When Dillion attended Gifted Babes class @GUG, I never practice zoo phonics with him because Kevin would take over the 2nd half of the lesson so I can never remember the names of the animals and their actions.

Now that I attended 3 consecutive lessons with D, I'm beginning to show interest in it and D seem to be able to do / remember few of the alphabets.

This week theme is 'Allie the Alligator', he will open and close his arms like an alligator jaws! And been trying to pronounce "gator".

For my practice and reference:
A- Allie the Alligator
B- Bubba Bear
C- Catina Cat
D- Dee Dee Dear
E- Ellie Elephant
F- Francy Fish
G- Gordo Gorilla
H- Honey Horse
I- Inny Inchworm
J- Jerry Jellyfish
K- Kayo Kangaroo
L- Lizzy Lizard
M- Missy Mouse
N- Nigel Nightowl
O- Olive Octopus
P- Peewee Penguin
Q- Queeny Quail
R- Rabby Rabbit
S- Sammy Snake
T- Timothy Tiger
U- Umber Umbrella Bird
V- Vincent Vampire Bat
W- Willie Weasel
X- Xavier Fox
Y- Yancy Yak
Z- Zeke Zebra

How to do the actions:

GUG- Gifted Todd Lessons..

Dillion now attends lessons twice a week at GUG's Gifted Todd on weekdays.
He attended 3 lessons and so far no problem adapting after 2 weeks holiday break as I placed him under his favourite teacher Aida whom he had been with since he joined.

Lesson proper:
~Starts with free play for 10-15min and then learn to 'clean up' their toys
~Sing "Hello" "Good Morning" "You are special" song
~Child have to learn to recognise and pick up his name tag from the board and then learn to pronounce their name infront of their friends.
D was mumbling "D-nian" softly which I found it quite funny
~Animal in the bag
They learn about Allie the Alligator. And teacher taught and explained what is "Apple" and "Arrow"
~Zoo phonics
Phonics is intensive then Gifted Babes. And topic is on "Jam"
~20 min of Chinese lesson
~Art and craft
~Song and dance

GUG & Lunch @Globtrotters..

I personally did not enjoy myself at D's GUG lesson this week.

Firstly, Teacher Ida on MC. I don't quite like the replacement teacher.

Secondly, few of D's classmates had progressed to Todd class and we have new babies joining our class for this new term.

In my personal opinion, i think its a tad too early to send your child whom is less than a year old to class like GUG which demand 1.5hr of attention and activities. Perhaps Gymboree/Kindermusik would be an appropriate choice.

We have 4 new babies and they either turned cranky or crawled towards the teacher in midst of lesson. The parents being new to the class did not bother to bring them out to pacify them or pulled them away thus it was quite disruptive and it irks as the bigger kids starts to whine and walked away, including Dillion.

The replacement teacher did not do a good job in controlling them unlike Teacher Ida.

After lesson, we went to Globetrotters Restaurant for lunch. Their main course are reasonably priced at $10 onwards but the standard of food is so-so only. Definitely not for fussy eaters.
We ordered a kids meal- Chicken nuggets and fries for D:

Why GUG?

I have been asked by a few friends on why I send D to GUG or what so good about them amongst the rest like Kinder/Gymboree/My Gym etc.. or am i hot housing D?

I would not say GUG is the best but because of my own person reasons:

1. the location as its nearest to our place at Bishan. You see we don't have a car so sometimes i have to bring him to lessons myself so locations is important

2. Since D will soon or may have to go childcare next year. I would think that he needs a classroom environment with similar activities like story telling, arts and craft.. to get him mentally prepared. To improve his social skills.

3. As he still a crawler.. i hope there be peer pressure to encourage him to walk.

4. Lastly, my main intention is to let him have fun in class.. and definitely not with an intention for him to be the smartest kid around. So I do not do any revision of stuffs like phonics with him at all.

Although D did not or rather not able to tell me if he likes GUG anot as he still crawls away at times during story time or not participating in clapping or taping the mat but i am pretty sure he loves art and craft as he is always the first to complete his mini project.
And its the only session he is co operative with me in sitting on the chair and play with paints.
His projects so far:


My options are still open so I would be attending trials at other places as I'm intending to let D try out other schools during weekday.

Trial class @JG, Forum..

Brought Dillion for a trial session at JG's PlayNest class at Forum today.


Before lesson proper starts, there were toys for the kids to play and mingle around.

The teachers observed that D was very at ease and settle down very fast. They could tell they he actually attended lessons before.


The curriculum involves:

1. teaching them to pack up and say goodbye to toys

2. Singing to intro the babies

3. Story telling /puppetry

4. Playing with instruments

5. Snack

6. Outdoor activities

7. singing

8. blowing the bubbles (by the teachers)


All done in 1.5hrs


Some points.. JG's emphasis is on independence. For e.g. during snack time .. the kids are expected to lift up the lid of the bowl (provided by JG) themselves. And they serve Teddy Puffs biscuits.


However, I found that their free play which is about 15-20min.. which is abit too long before they start the lesson.


I love their outdoor play as they have Little Tikes cars and slides which I had always dream on getting one for D :

Kindermusik..

We were finally able to attend the Kindermsik's Village trial at Tanglin Mall despite the gloomy weather which cleared up when we left the house.

Kinder session is 45 min and we did : Sang songs to intro babies, Massage, Swinging/spinning, Story-telling, Puppetry, Instruments

They are mainly musical and instrumental which is different from GUG. D was much better behaved as the flow of the class was fast. They have to squeeze so many things in 45 min.

When the babies/tod were told to pack/clean up their toys.. some went crying and refused to return the toys. Which caught me by surprised as i thought they should be used to it but Dillion was pretty enthusiastic (on keeping the toys) as he was taught byGUG. It was disruptive with a few cranky todd in the class as the mothers did not leave the room to pacify their child.

I ended up with an aching arm the next day as we have to do strenous exercise with our kids..

Doubt i be signing up with Kinder.. keeping my options open as i want to attend many more trial class- Gymboree, JG etc.. need to find some programme to entertain my hyper son!

GUG- 3rd lesson

Children have about 5 minutes of free-play while waiting for everyone to arrive. Then teacher will get them to clean up and say bye to the toys
Manage to snap some photos of Dillion before lesson starts.

D's handsome classmate

A child with her helper

Another pretty classmate

They learnt the letter 'D' and with the usual songs, story telling, puppetry,zoo phonics and there is art work session with them.

I noticed that D is very enthusiastic on painting as he can do it on his own and refuse to let me guide him.

I'm surprised to see a few toddlers were with their helpers in class. No, I'm not biased against helpers but in my opinion that a parents should accompany their child throughout the lesson.

Trial @ GUG

I brought Dillion to a trial class at Growing up Gifted, United Square for the Gifted Babes class.

It was 1.5hr long and cover songs, story-telling, manners, art & craft, puppetry, music, phonics etc.

The curriculum is pretty well-rounded which I'm considering sending D for weekly lesson so that he can get stimulated and perhaps attapt and help to get him settled down when i send him to child-care in near future.

However my son as usual, refuse to sit down when comes to story-telling. Chose to be the only crawler in the class whilst his classmates are already pottering around. But at least he did not turn cranky and was affable with the teachers and friends.

This is his first masterpiece from art&craft- finger painting sesson. Mummies are suppose to guide them to draw fruits.. but seem like this mummy got no talent thats why it turn out this way:


End of it all, the mummy is tired from all the bending and carrying (during swinging part) and the boy took a good 2hour nap when we got back home!