To the Park we go! (HortPark that is)

MandarinaKids recently had a special promotion where a few mummies and I decided to take advantage of and made a playdate out of it. :) As it was a one-time offer and there were 2 locations, HortPark and Central Fire Station,  to choose from, I had such a hard time deciding which venue to go! After discussing with Dumpling, the nature lover in us decided on HortPark. It was also because both of us have never been there before while we have visited the Central Fire Station twice.

For that morning, the group actually consisted of 6 pairs of mum + kiddos but unfortunately, 2 of the mummies could not make it suddenly which was such a pity.

The session spanned over 2 hours where it was a mix of "lesson" + outdoor learning. The weather was beautiful that morning which made the session more enjoyable. There was an Operations Manager who waited for us and greeted us at the main entrance. He then brought the group on a short walk to a sheltered pavilion where we could sit down.

Lelia, CEO of MandarinaKids, was there to greet and meet us despite having another event on the same weekend. Each participant was then handed a bag with 2 packets of drinks (Ribena and Fruit Juice), some snacks, a bottle of bubble and the class material nicely presented in a folder.

Our teacher that morning was Ma Lao Shi who hails from Tian Jin and who has the most beautiful Chinese accent. It was just such great pleasure listening to her speak. :) She was also very patient with the children, firm yet accommodating.

For our session, the children was introduced to texture and this was done with most of the objects found in the park. Children were not expected to just sit there and listen but were encouraged to walk up and participate.

When the children seemed restless, Ma Lao Shi brought the group on a short walk around the vegetation area. It was great for the kids to be able to see and touch some of the plants and vegetables being grown.

Left pic below: Bamboo

Can you guess what this is? :) 

When it started to get hot, the children were led back to the pavilion area to complete some seat work and also had the chance to put up a mini "performance". It was nice to see the mummies being so engaged in the little ones too.

On the whole, the session was well planned and the lesson and materials, well thought of and put together. I liked that the learning was done outside and not in the traditional classroom.

As a Jennifer Lim, a blogger mummy friend, who took up the Central Fire Station visit said "Great excursion & great family time!". Click here to read about her excursion!

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Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated to the maanagement of MandarinaKids or have been compensated to write about this excursion. All opinions are based on our experiences and 100% my own.