What’s happening around town – whether it’s what’s new for kids, school news, kids’ fashion and promotions, we’ll update you each month!
New in town!
Brighton College (Singapore) opened its doors at the end of August, offering an ambitious and challenging education based on the English National Curriculum, in the nurturing and personalised environment of a small preparatory school. Part of the family of schools voted England’s Independent School of the Year in 2019, Brighton College places special emphasis on developing confidence, curiosity and kindness in its student community. Virtual and personal tours are available daily with the Head Master, and applications are now open for January and August 2021 intakes. The school caters to children aged 18 months to 11 years (classes currently available for Pre-Nursery to Year 4). 1 Chuan Lane.
6505 9790 | brightoncollege.edu.sg
Stickers & Tattoos!
Celebrating its love for Singapore, Alliesfingers carries a variety of locally-inspired products for children. Kids will love the reusable sticker sets, which have over 150 fun stickers of daily scenes. Versatile and great for storytelling games, they can be stuck on most smooth surfaces such as mirrors, glass cups, LEGO boxes and balcony doors. There are two sets on offer: Singapore Scenes and Singapore Hawker Center. There’s also a tattoo set featuring a cute penguin called Bibi who travels around Singapore.
Deal! Quote “EXPAT25” and get 25 percent off your purchase in October.
Creative kids
Ohmymats carries reusable colouring and dining place mats for children. The local brand was started by Audrey, founder of Singapore online baby store The littleonesinmylife. The cute mats are made in Korea of food-grade platinum silicone and printed with fade-proof black ink; they’re FDA-approved, too. Kids can draw on them with any alcohol-based whiteboard markers or dry erase markers; you then just clean them using wet wipes or soap – they’re dishwasher and steriliser-safe. The brand is constantly looking for new artists to create fresh designs. Their newest series is the Occupations Bundle, which includes the police, army and fire department. Browse the collection at ohmymats.com.sg.
Deal! In celebration of the brand’s second birthday, EL readers can enjoy 20 percent off storewide by quoting “ExpatLiving20”.
Valid until 31 December 2020. Free shipping within Singapore for orders $20 and above (after discount).
Island Education
Bali Island School (BIS) is an established International Baccalaureate World School in Indonesia, offering the full scope of IB, from primary years through to the diploma. The aim at BIS is “to engage and empower globally minded and self-confident learners to reach their potential”. And, of course, students can also experience Bali’s rich culture and beautiful natural attractions.
Catering to students aged three to 19, the school has achieved competitive academic and college admission results. It’s the first school on the island to initiate and organise events including the Bali Maths Competition, Bali School Sports Association, the Bali Model United Nations and much more. It’s also the first Bali school to participate in the South East Asian Maths Competition (SEAMAC) and Global Issues Network (GIN) conferences. A concept-based maths workshop was recently led by visiting education consultant Jennifer Chang-Wathall, and Career Days are organised annually to inspire secondary students.
Balancing act
Justinna Pank and Emma Thomas, co-founders of White and Black Trading, talk about the importance of developing good balance.
“Having good balance is essential for all of us. It reduces the risk of injuries and can improve the awareness of posture and body position. Once learnt, balance needs to be maintained. It’s a key skill that declines with age but can be improved with practice. So it’s important to develop it from a young age and maintain it throughout childhood to adulthood.
Children are continuously exposed to balance through play. Playground favourites such as hopscotch and freeze tag encourage the ability to maintain controlled body positions. From the age of two years, children can start to ride a balance bike. As the bike’s frame is low to the ground, feet can act as stoppers and falling is minimised. Here, motor skills, coordination and the sense of balance are trained in a playful way.
Once children learn how to balance and steer, they can transition to a pedal bike, without needing training wheels. They can also enjoy other outdoor toys such as scooters and skateboards, which continue to develop and maintain their motor skills. While playing, children should always wear protective gear such as knee pads and helmets.”
Browse White and Black Trading’s range of outdoor products at whiteandblacktrading.com.
Going Green
Stamford American International School has been announced the winner of the Singapore Business Review (SBR) National Business Awards 2020 in the education category. The school was recognised for developing its ecological sustainability with its Rare Tree Forest project. Every year, SBR recognises exceptional homegrown Singaporean businesses and honours them by giving recognition to their initiatives.
6653 7907 | sais.edu.sg
Terrific tie-ups
GESS, which stays future-oriented through external partnerships with established industrial and university partners, has announced a new partnership with Danfoss. The Danish multinational company is renowned for its innovative and energy-efficient engineering solutions. GESS students will be able to visit the Danfoss Training Centre, attend sessions online and even explore internship possibilities. A partnership has also been penned with the Technical University of Munich (Asia) with the promise of future lab visits, science talks and public lectures.
6461 0881 | gess.sg
Little Lives
Baby Loss Awareness Week takes place yearly between 9 and 15 October. It’s an opportunity for bereaved parents plus family and friends to commemorate their babies’ lives with others around the world. It’s also a time to raise awareness about baby loss and drive improvements in bereavement care and support. On 15 October (7pm), join the global Wave of Light by lighting a candle and leaving it to burn for an hour to remember babies who passed away. Share a picture of your candle on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #WaveOfLight. If you know someone who lost a child, you could also reach out to them.
Find out more at babyloss-awareness.org.
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