Review! Our Music Journey: Cello Trial @ Aureus Academy!

I have always liked the warm and mellow tones of the Cello and was encouraging the kiddo to learn this string instrument but it was not meant to be as the kiddo prefers the sound of the violin since young. So, you can understand my pleasure when we were invited to a Cello trial by Aureus Academy. Cello classes are a new offering by this fast growing music school. Impressively, Aureus Academy’s team of music teachers has a combined 40 odd Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree with even one Doctorate in Musical Arts.  

:: Cello Trial

This Cello trial is Dumpling’s 4^th trial with Aureus having tried the Piano, Guitar and Violin lessons at the various centres. Surprisingly, the kiddo was pretty excited as I think she was pretty curious about this strings instrument. I was actually quite surprised to find out that Cello was only added on recently to its myriad of music classes.

“We have been getting a lot of enquiries about the Cello over the past year. As our focus then was on setting up a new centre in the East (hence the commencement of the 112 Katong branch), we put this on hold until this year,” explained Julius Sarabi (co-founder of Aureus Academy).

“Aureus Academy is known in this industry for maintaining high standards in our music faculty where our teachers are not just highly qualified but also proven performers who were orchestra members. Hence we were very stringent in our interview process and the selection of our teachers. It took us a while before we found a suitable Cello teacher to add to our team,” added Julius.

:: The lesson

The session started with Teacher Linh chatting with Dumpling to understand her musical background and then introducing her to the Cello. The kiddo was actually quite intrigued with the instrument (partly because of the Piano Guys YouTube clips she has watched!) which I have observed as she strummed / plucked on the strings, noting the differences between the cello and the violin. 

(Teacher Linh measuring for size as well as teaching Dumpling the terms of the various parts of the cello)

As both the violin and cello use bows, Teacher Linh was careful to point out the differences in the bow hold so that the kiddo will not be confused. 

The kiddo was then taught the various strings – C, G, D and A versus that on a violin, G, D, A and E. Thereafter, it was open strings bowing exercises for Dumpling. Perhaps because of her background in violin, she caught on pretty quickly – bowing patterns and bow hold and even wanted to move into fingering towards the end of the class! Ha ha ha

The kiddo then experimented with pizzicato! :p

:: What we like about the lesson

Born to a musician father who is a pianist, Teacher Linh was very attentive and came across as someone who is very patient and nurturing. She took the time to understand what exposure and musical background Dumpling has and was able to use this information in the trial – drawing out the similarities between the two instruments yet was also able to highlight the differences between the two.

(Teacher Linh carefully setting up the bow hold for Dumpling)

Technicality wise, the bow hold is one of the most vital part of playing string instruments and on that end, Teacher Linh was very precise in guiding the kiddo. Her instructions were clear and systematic: “form a letter C with your hands, do not tense up and now, I will slot the bow in… Close your thumb on this part and there you go!”

She also gently reminded and corrected the kiddo’s posture consistently (in violin classes, the kiddo stands up to play it as opposed to the Cello where she is seated) and always with a smile.

Importantly, from a parental standpoint, the trial was not overwhelming and the lesson was not “hard”. The kiddo felt that she was able to follow the instructions and even commented that she had fun and enjoyed herself. J  

:: Teacher’s profile  

(Image Source)

I am pleased to share Aureus Academy is offering a FREE PRIVATE CELLO TRIAL. A 50% savings off the first month's school fees is applicable for those who enrol for term classes!

Trial is FOC and is for children from 5 years old. 

Trials are also on a non-obligatory basis.

Keen on trying out the cello? 

Just leave your name and email address in the comment section below so that we can be in touch! :) Do share the post and love with your friends so that they can enjoy the offer too!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored series of conversations and music trials between Aureus Academy, Dumpling and I. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

About Aureus Academy:
Aureus Academy is Singapore’s fastest growing music school with nearly 1,000 students enrolled amongst its 3 centres. Aureus Academy specializes in providing individually tailored piano, violin, guitar, and vocal lessons to students of all ages and abilities. It also believes that one-on-one is the best environment to learn a musical instrument. Recently awarded “Best in one-to-one Music Lessons” by Parent’s World Magazine, Aureus Academy offers free trial lessons so you can experience it yourself!

Aureus Academy is located at the campuses below:

:: Forum The Shopping Mall

583 Orchard Road

#B1-18, Singapore 238884

Monday – Friday: 10:00am – 8:00pm

Saturday – Sunday: 9:00am – 7:00pm

:: Rochester Mall

35 Rochester Drive

#03-08/15, Singapore 138639

Monday – Friday: 1:00pm – 8:00pm

Saturday – Sunday: 9:00am – 7:00pm

:: 112 Katong

Newly Opened!

112 East Coast Road
#03-10
Singapore, 428802

Phone: +65 6235 6488
Email: contact@aureusacademy.com

You can also connect with Aureus Academy through its Facebook page!

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts (both to the kiddo and my furkid, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!  

Review! Our Music Journey: Violin Trial @ Aureus Academy!

I am sharing our violin experience in this third post on our series of trials at Aureus Academy. Ironically, this post has been the hardest of the 3 to write so far. :p If you have been following my blog, you would have read that the kiddo and I recently decided to leave the music school that the kiddo has been with for the past 3 odd years. It was a big decision because it is always unnerving as we have to search for a new teacher all over again, and for her to build up the chemistry and relationship with the new teacher too.

:: Violin Trial

Dumpling has recently finished her ABRSM exam and as shared in my earlier post, I made the decision to leave because I wanted to work on musicality as well as to rework her foundation. Moving on midway is always a concern as there is the adaptation of a new teaching style. The kiddo and I also come with “baggage” since it is always easier to teach / start on a clean slate than to take over a student midway and having to correct posture, techniques, bowing, etc.

When Dumpling first started with the violin, it was in a group class setting. It was about a year ago then I decided to switch her over to an individual class as I felt that it was more suitable for her as she did not have to spend so much time “waiting” for her turn. At Aureus Academy, violin is taught on a 1:1 format, a philosophy that the founders at firmly believe in.

“Being a musician myself, I feel that the 1:1 approach is important as the teacher is able to work with the child slowly. The dedicated attention is also beneficial for the child,” commented Lawrence Sarabi, who was awarded two of the top prizes at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music Concerto competition and hailed by Straits Times, as “awe inspiring”.

“However if the child is really young, we do have a music appreciation class that is specially designed and catered to children who are 3 – 5YO” added Lawrence.

:: The Lesson

Our Violin teacher was Shao Jie who hails from the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music in Boston with over a decade of experience. The kiddo, though excited about the class, was also a bit apprehensive as she had been with the same teacher for the past 3 years. Teacher Shao Jie started the session by getting the kiddo to play a song for her, which allowed him to observe the kiddo and ascertain what her “level” is. Interestingly, he then picked up on the few areas which I had also wanted the kiddo to improve on – intonation & bowing technique.

He then got the kiddo to work on finger “exercises” with the focus on intonation. As Dumpling was really tired that afternoon, another session was arranged with Teacher SJ.

During the week leading up the next lesson, the kiddo worked on the finger exercises and I was pretty happy to note that there was a difference in her precision. Without looking so often at the “stickers” on her fingerboard, the kiddo started being more confident in playing the right notes and could detect by year when a note was a bit flat. J

When the day of the second session arrived, she was quite excited to learn from Teacher SJ again. After a round of warm up, he got her to sight read 2 pieces and then worked with her on them. What I was particularly pleased with is that midway; he stopped the kiddo and went through some basic musical knowledge – terms, key signature, ‘pulse’, etc. Personally, I feel that some of these tend to be overlooked and I believe that these basic things need to be run through as it adds clarity and depth to the child’s understanding and interpretation of his/her pieces. At the end of the lesson, Teacher SJ took the time to run through with me his observations and what he would be working on with Dumpling if she were to be under his tutelage. 

(Dumpling having a discussion with Teacher SJ on the pieces she was about to start on)

:: What we like about the lesson

Being a father to a young toddler, Teacher SJ was really patient and encouraging. The kiddo was a tad nervous and restarted some parts a few times on a new piece. His smile never faltered and he remained really calm. In instances where the kiddo was unsure, he “broke” the sections down into parts which made it easier for the kiddo to interpret and understand.   

(Teacher SJ demonstrating to Dumpling)

I also like that Teacher SJ was not in a rush and took the time to work through the necessary basics with the kiddo without assuming that she already knows it. Things such as bow management was demonstrated and explained to the kiddo while he also suggested for me to play the melody with her on the electric piano to improve her intonation. One of the things that Teacher SJ has shared a few times was that he did not like the stickers on the violin and that he would have them removed so that Dumpling does not depend on them – something which has also bothered me for a long time.

The kiddo also had chemistry with Teacher SJ and was really focused on her lesson. 

Teacher SJ was sharp and precise, yet there is an easy going demeanour about him which I think would make him a popular choice with young violinists. J

And a typical pose for all violinist I think! Lol

:: Teacher’s profile  

 

Quoted as the instrument that gave Albert Einstein the most joy, the violin is a beautiful and expressive instrument.

I am pleased to share Aureus Academy is offering a FREE PRIVATE VIOLIN TRIAL and for the first 5 who sign up for term classes, a beginner’s violin worth $180 will be included in the starter pack!

Trial is FOC and is for children from 5YO.  
Trials are also on a non-obligatory basis.

Keen on trying out the violin? Just leave your name and email address in the comment section below so that we can be in touch! :) Do share the post and love with your friends so that they can enjoy the offer too!

You can read about our experience at the Guitar Trial here and the Piano Trial here. 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored series of conversations and music trials between Aureus Academy, Dumpling and I. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

About Aureus Academy:
Aureus Academy is Singapore’s fastest growing music school with nearly 1,000 students enrolled amongst its 3 centres. Aureus Academy specializes in providing individually tailored piano, violin, guitar, and vocal lessons to students of all ages and abilities. It also believes that one-on-one is the best environment to learn a musical instrument. Recently awarded “Best in one-to-one Music Lessons” by Parent’s World Magazine, Aureus Academy offers free trial lessons so you can experience it yourself!

Aureus Academy is located at the campuses below:

:: Forum The Shopping Mall

583 Orchard Road

#B1-18, Singapore 238884

Monday – Friday: 10:00am – 8:00pm

Saturday – Sunday: 9:00am – 7:00pm

:: Rochester Mall

35 Rochester Drive

#03-08/15, Singapore 138639

Monday – Friday: 1:00pm – 8:00pm

Saturday – Sunday: 9:00am – 7:00pm

:: 112 Katong

Newly Opened!

112 East Coast Road
#03-10
Singapore, 428802

Phone: +65 6235 6488
Email: contact@aureusacademy.com

You can also connect with Aureus Academy through its Facebook page! 

Review! Our Music Journey: Guitar Trial @ Aureus Academy!

In this second post on our series of trials at Aureus Academy the kiddo and I headed to one of its newest centres at Forum Shopping Mall. Forum Shopping Mall is definitely a familiar ground for many parents who schedule weekend classes for their children. This outlet is Aureus Academy’s second centre at Forum, opened 23 months after its first centre.

:: Facilities

This new outlet functions like an extended “wing” from its other outlet a few doors down and boasts of 10 studios and a half glass panelled (which can be covered up) concert hall that can seat up to 70 people. This allows shoppers / visitors to look in while it encourages students to be used to playing / performing in front of parents, something which I think is important for showmanship.

This centre also includes a retail space selling 2^nd hand pianos (price includes free delivery, free adjustable bench, 1 x free tuning, a set of 4 caster cups and a 1 year all part and labour warranty with enrolled students enjoying a further $199 OFF lessons if they were to purchase a piano at Aureus Academy) and other instruments such as violins and guitars. From my chat with Julius Sarabi, Managing Director of Aureus Academy, the centre offers an instalment free payment option too, via UOB credit cards. 

:: Guitar Trial

The kiddo had her first ever piano trial with Aureus Academy the week before this post, with her Aural teacher, Ms Yunshi. For the second trial, Lawrence suggested the guitar. When I first heard about the guitar suggestion, I was surprised. It is an instrument that I would not have considered for the kiddo. I am not sure if it is a Singaporean / Asian preference but most of my friends have kids who are learning the piano, violin and cello. :p

However, upon chatting with Lawrence Sarabi (co-founder of Aureus Academy), I got to learn that the guitar is gaining popularity and there are now 4 full time guitar teachers at Aureus! A good age to start guitar, I was told, is 6 where the child’s motor skills are developed and is now able to follow instructions.

Progression wise, students can opt to take ABRSM exams for the guitar too. 

:: Our Lesson 

Our Guitar Teacher was Nikhil who has a Degree in Music Therapy from the prestigious Berklee College of Music and has 10 years of teaching experience. Nikhil was full of energy and started the session by asking if the kiddo and I know Taylor Swift. Unfortunately, I am not a big fan and the kiddo prefers listening to audio CDs than pop songs (which happens to be something I wish to rectify :p) 

Unfazed, Teacher Nikhil introduced Dumpling to Taylor Swift!

He then linked the song to the 3 chords she will learn that afternoon – A minor, C and G minor.

Teacher Nikhil then proceeded to introduce the kiddo to the various parts of the guitar and taught her to strum. Considering that it was near to the kiddo’s nap time, she was still able to catch on and was actually quite attentive.

 :: What we like about the lesson

The kiddo had her lesson at the recital hall and there were curious passer-by looking on. She remained unfazed with the attention and was totally un-bothered as she sat on, getting acquainted with the new instrument. For “shy” performers, I think that the exposure in “performing” in such a room can only gradually aid and increase their confidence.

I like the energy that Teacher Nikhil exudes and that he tried to bring the lesson to a level where children can relate to, with the introduction of Taylor Swift. With the introduction of the 3 chords, the kiddo can basically do the accompaniment for “Shake it Off”. It was also a good choice of song as the song was upbeat and catchy. :) 

Though we had only gone for one lesson, by the end of the lesson, the kiddo managed to remember the placements for the 3 chords. I would think that she probably will be able to master these 3 chords by lesson 2 or 3 and play/sing alongside to the video.

The guitar is an accompaniment instrument and I like that with it being so portable, it is easy for anyone to pick it up, learn it on a song-by-song basis and can immediately strum / sing to it in 1 – 2 months time.

Nikhil was also very encouraging throughout the lesson and though she was a bit tired that afternoon, she was mighty pleased with herself for mastering the 3 chords! After we got home and when she has woken up from her nap, in her words, she said “Mama, actually the guitar session was quite fun!” and proceeded to ask me for Taylor Swift YouTube clips. LOL

And a high-5 to end off for a job well done!

:: Teacher’s profile 

Aureus Academy is now offering a FREE 1:1 GUITAR TRIAL! But that's not all! A beginner's guitar worth $100 will be given to the first 5 students who sign up for term classes! 

Trial is FOC and is for children from 6years old. 
Trials are also on a non-obligatory basis.

Keen on trying out the guitar? Just leave your name and email address in the comment section below so that we can be in touch! :)

You can read about our experience at the Violin Trial here and the Piano Trial here. 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored series of conversations and music experiences between Aureus Academy, Dumpling and I. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

About Aureus Academy:
Aureus Academy is Singapore’s fastest growing music school with nearly 1,000 students enrolled amongst its 3 centres. Aureus Academy specializes in providing individually tailored piano, violin, guitar, and vocal lessons to students of all ages and abilities. It also believes that one-on-one is the best environment to learn a musical instrument. Recently awarded “Best in one-to-one Music Lessons” by Parent’s World Magazine, Aureus Academy offers free trial lessons so you can experience it yourself!

Aureus Academy is located at the campuses below:

:: Forum The Shopping Mall

583 Orchard Road

#B1-18, Singapore 238884

Monday – Friday: 10:00am – 8:00pm

Saturday – Sunday: 9:00am – 7:00pm

:: Rochester Mall

35 Rochester Drive

#03-08/15, Singapore 138639

Monday – Friday: 1:00pm – 8:00pm

Saturday – Sunday: 9:00am – 7:00pm

:: 112 Katong

Now Opened!

112 East Coast Road
#03-10
Singapore, 428802

Phone: +65 6235 6488
Email: contact@aureusacademy.com

You can also connect with Aureus Academy through its Facebook page!

Review! Our Music Journey: Piano Trial @ Aureus Academy!

Aureus Academy at Rochester Mall is the organisation’s third centre in 18 months. Conveniently located just outside the lift lobby on level 3, the Rochester centre houses 8 studios and a recital hall, that can sit up to 40 people.

Aureus Academy employs 30 full-time music teachers between its 3 centres: Forum Shopping Centre, 112 Katong (Opening in October) and Rochester Mall. Recognising convenience as an important consideration for parents, all centres are either located near bus stops or within walking distance to the MRT stations. 

The 3 Aureus Academy centres now boast of more than 1000 students, an impressive feat since the Academy started only 2 years ago. Dumpling was invited for a series of private 1:1 trials, a teaching philosophy which Aureus is known for having won the “Best Enrichment and Learning School” for 2014/2015 award by Parents World. 

:: Piano Trial

Besides the Spring Camp which she attended earlier in the year, Dumpling has no prior experience in piano as she has zoomed in, from a rather young age, to the violin. I do think fundamentally, that keyboard experience is important for intonation so I was actually looking forward to the kiddo attending this trial.

:: Lesson time

The lesson was done in Rochester Mall where the private trial is a 30-minute lesson and was with her Aural teacher, Ms Yun Shi who has a Masters in Music Education (read more about Yun Shi below). It is evident that Ms Yun Shi is familiar and at home with teaching young children. From the few months that Dumpling has been attending Aural with her, I have observed that her students are mainly young children. 

Upon entering into the studio, Ms Yun Shi immediately sprung into action and started got the kid to do a bit of warm-up and started singing and clapping together with her. From someone who works in the Early Childhood Education industry, I like that approach as I can almost “see” most children being able to identify with the melody and would likely join in the singing and settle down immediately.

Thereafter, Ms Yun Shi took out a music book filled with colourful illustrations. She proceeded to introduce Dumpling to the various characters in the course book which appear in the book to elaborate on various techniques and activities.

In the half an hour we were there, I felt that Ms Yun Shi managed to cover a fair bit of things. She started off by introducing Dumpling to the various terms / parts of the piano and to observe the right distance.

She then moved on to teaching her on maintaining the right posture and

To also  understanding how sounds are produced from the keys by inviting Dumpling to peek into the piano.

It was a really detailed and meaningful lesson.

Towards the end of that lesson segment, Ms Yun Shi also introduced the correct wrist movements to playing and these were done through some activities from the coursebook. The kiddo was told to picture herself picking up pebbles and rolling it in her palm to obtain the “right” wrist movements. Dumpling was quite tickled with this as she was giggling throughout while “picking” up her purple and red pebbles. :p The lesson ended with the kiddo learning  to play a melody (read below) :)

:: What we like about the lesson

At Rochester Mall, each studio was fitted with large glass panels for natural light to filter in. That gave the studios a bright and airy feeling which I feel sets the mood for the lessons too. What I also like was that Aureus Academy encourages parents to sit in to observe and take notes as the academy believes strongly in parent-school collaboration.

I was also impressed that the academy and teachers do try and set the children up for “success” through positive reinforcements. For e.g. through a simple color coding method, the kiddo managed to ‘play’ “Twinkle twinkle little star”on her own and was mighty pleased with herself as this was her first lesson. I felt that this would have surely served as a great motivation for most children; that they are able to produce a melody from the first lesson. (See clip below)

From a lesson objective basis, the melody enabled the kiddo to practise what she just learnt: posture, distance and wrist movement. Importantly, it also cemented the understanding that the higher the keys go, the higher the pitch and vice versa.

I thought that the lesson flew by really quickly! I am actually pretty amazed that the teacher was able to introduce the basics to the Dumpling and still had time for the kiddo to experiment on the keyboard and finish off with the playing of a song! It was also interesting to note that during the whole lesson, there was no note / sight reading and this was because the trial was for children who are 6 and below. For parents who wish to introduce your children from a young age to music, this approach will build up the children’s confidence slowly and will definitely work well with these younger children; before sight reading is introduced later.

:: Teacher’s profile 

From my chats with the founders of Aureus Academy, I understood that the academy is known for employing and working with highly qualified teachers and importantly, teachers who are patient and are passionate on sharing that musical knowledge and experience with children.

For the convenience of its clients, most teachers at Aureus Academy travel between the various centres to conduct lessons. Ms Yun Shi teaches both the flute and the piano. 

Keen to experience Aureus Academy's pedagogy and approach? 

Aureus Academy is offering:

a FREE 1:1 TRIAL +
$75 gift card*! 

Terms and Conditions:

- Only valid for new students

- Must be redeemed by 31 Oct 2015

- Can only be used towards music lessons (not for products, etc.)

- Cannot be converted to cash value
* Offer ends 9 October 2015

HOW TO QUALIFY? 4 simple steps!
- Leave a comment on this post on why you wish for your child to learn the piano! (PLEASE LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!)
- "Like" the post on my FB page here
- "Like" Aureus Academy's FB page here
- Tag 3 friends on the post to share the love and offer!

You can read about our experience at the Violin Trial here and our experience at the Guitar Trial here. 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored series of conversations and music trials between Aureus Academy, Dumpling and I so that we can share our experience and opinions from the sessions. All opinions expressed are entirely our own. 

About Aureus Academy:
Aureus Academy is Singapore’s fastest growing music school with nearly 1,000 students enrolled amongst its 3 centres. Aureus Academy specializes in providing individually tailored piano, violin, guitar, and vocal lessons to students of all ages and abilities. It also believes that one-on-one is the best environment to learn a musical instrument. Recently awarded “Best in one-to-one Music Lessons” by Parent’s World Magazine, Aureus Academy offers free trial lessons so you can experience it yourself!

Aureus Academy is located at the campuses below:
:: Forum The Shopping Mall

583 Orchard Road

#B1-18, Singapore 238884

Monday – Friday: 10:00am – 8:00pm

Saturday – Sunday: 9:00am – 7:00pm

:: Rochester Mall

35 Rochester Drive

#03-08/15, Singapore 138639

Monday – Friday: 1:00pm – 8:00pm

Saturday – Sunday: 9:00am – 7:00pm

:: 112 Katong

Opening in October!

112 East Coast Road
#03-10
Singapore, 428802

Phone: +65 6235 6488
Email: contact@aureusacademy.com

You can also connect with Aureus Academy through its Facebook page!

Active and Outdoor Play: A Johnson’s Baby Active Fresh Powder Review

Leading a healthier lifestyle has very much been an area of key focus for the past few months where I started some new fitness initiatives. I took up ice skating classes together with the kiddo earlier in the year and have been exercising weekly for the past few months. I like that the kiddo has an avenue to expend her energy and burn her ‘beans’ when we play outdoors or head to the rink.

Much has been said on outdoor play time and how it is important for early childhood development. In fact, in a recent video which I watched, The Play Experiment, Johnson’s baby conducted a social experiment to find out how kids play.

I personally thought that the findings were very interesting! Do you know that 7 out of 10 kids chose idle toys (figurines, devices, board games, etc.) over active toys (bicycles, soccer balls, Frisbees, etc.)! Whatever happened to the sun, the air and the great outdoors?

It seems that today's parents understand and see the importance of early childhood education for their kids as stepping stones to succeed later in life. However, it is also interesting to observe that this trend creates a more sedentary lifestyle for children, leaving little or no time for kids to play outdoors.

It is no secret that I favour outdoor time and as Dr. Chong (Dept. Head, Child Development, NUH) aptly shared in the video, kids who play often generally sleep better, can communicate their needs better and even focus better. So what’s the recommended time you might ask? 60 minutes each day.

As for me, with the change in lifestyle, I decided to bring Dumpling with me to Krabi recently where we had a chance to spend some time outdoors. I received a bottle of Johnson Baby’s Active Fresh powder just before I left for my trip and I brought it along with me.

:: Road Test

Johnson Baby’s Active Fresh powder uses a technology which neutralizes malodor where the powder masks it and renders it odorless. More than that, the Active Fresh technology continues to release a long last fragrance as the day wears on.

:: The Sand

Dumpling loves to run and bask in the sun and so do I. While I love to perspire and enjoy a good workout, Dumpling gets irritated when she gets all sticky. I, on the other hand, am one who is sensitive to smell. We used the powder when we headed to the beach and the sand did not stick to Dumpling much!

 (See how little sand stuck to her? Happily digging for seashells as the sand didn’t bother her much!)

:: The Sea

As for me, I put it to the test as we went snorkeling.

 While I love the sea and the sun, the seawater does tend to also be a tad sticky after snorkeling when we are on dry land.

So, I used it after our snorkeling and the light flora fragrance lingered on as the afternoon wore on. There was no sticky feeling and I felt fresh too.

 

:: The Sun

I even used it on a hot hot hot morning when we went elephant trekking!

It was definitely a great choice as the flora fragrance helped me deal with the ‘funky’ smell at the elephant trekking area.

So did the powder survive the road trip? Definitely! It is now a regular product which we use daily before leaving the home!

 

(The munchkin showing me her cheeky face and having fun apply the powder on her own)

The range (Bath + Powder) is available in major supermarkets and other retail outlets.

:: Disclaimer:
This is part of a sponsored conversation and review for Johnson’s Baby active fresh initiative.  Johnson’s Baby is advocating 60 minutes of active play a day which helps to build a sharper mind through increased concentration and improved problem solving skills, which aids in better academic performance.  (Based on a study conducted by the US Department of Health and Human Services and is adapted by several programs worldwide.)

 

THE ADVENTURES OF ELASTI-CHICK IN REDMART.COM PART 2

Following our earlier instalment of Elasti-chick, here's issue 2 on how you, fab parents with super hero multi-tasking powers, can benefit from RedMart!

:: 3 reasons why shopping at RedMart is great

Friends often ask me how is it that I seem to have super hero powers: being a full-time working mum, homeschool after work, blog and that I find the time to cook too! Well, online shopping saves me much time and here; I share not 1 but 3 reasons on why shopping at RedMart is great!

:: 1 – eDMs inform me of the latest fantastic deals on RedMart!

With push email notifications (as below); I am prompted on great deals and the latest sale items! A quick tap on the email leads me to the website where I can scroll through the sale page easily and quickly.   

 :: 2 – Easy re-orders on RedMart with “My List”!

My previous orders are also saved in a “My List” function which is really convenient as I do not have to scroll through the categories again! All I have to do is to hit the “Add to Cart” button! 

:: 3 – RedMart has taken shopping to the next level – RedMart App!

Truly, how cool is that? The app is quick to download and simple and easy to use. Remember “My List” from point 2 above? It is also available in the app version! 

:: Variety

Now what about the variety? RedMart carries a wide array of items which I buy regularly and often, not at one place. I love Orangina and Starbucks coffee so it was a pleasant surprise to see that RedMart carrying both items. J

:: Ease of use

What I like about RedMart is also the ease of use – screens are big and sub-categories are clear with the drop down menus. 

:: CHECKING OUT- EASY PEASY, LEMON SQUEEZY!! 

And importantly, the checking out and payment are a breeze! For the month of September, RedMart is offering FREE DELIVERY for orders above $49 so what a better time than now to shop at RedMart? For BeanieNUs readers, I am pleased to share a 10% discount code!

All you need to do is to enter this discount code: rm_beanie to enjoy 10% off your first purchase!

So hop on over to RedMart.com now!

Disclaimer: I was invited to share my User Experience at RedMart. I have been compensated for this post. All opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but my sharing is based on my personal usage and shopping experience at RedMart.com.