Boon Yee’s development at ThinkersBox

We are always a little bit concerned about Boon Yee’s development pace, as he is a year-end baby. We are worried that his development (both mental and physical) will be slower in his class, and he will have problems catching up.

Boon Yee does not feel stressed, it is us parents who are worried 🙂
Although we say our kids need not be top 10 in class, we certainly hope they will not be last.

When it comes to education and development, how many parents can honestly leave everything to fate?

If we parents have a choice to improve our kids’ capability, would we give it a try?

In his one year course with ThinkersBox, we have seen Boon Yee improved in the way he interacts, expressing confidence in his reading skills, and displaying more curiosity.

When Daddy read stories to him before, Boon Yee will just go through the motion.
He enjoys the story, the animation, but he will not pause to ask the meaning of a word or phrase. Daddy actually has to test him on his actual understanding of “this word or that phrase”.

After his stint at ThinkersBox, we are glad that he is expressing more interest and asking more questions nowadays.

Quoting from ThinkersBox :
At ThinkersBox, we develop children for success in life. We are not talking about school subjects or grades. We are looking at providing every child with the right skills to succeed beyond the classroom! As our world continues to evolve, our kids will face new challenges. Textbook knowledge and grades will not be sufficient in a fast-changing and unpredictable environment.

Beyond grades, parents need to provide our children with the capabilities to process, analyse, reason, judge and apply knowledge.

We need to teach our kids to think.”

With the right skills, kids can grasp concepts faster, understand new tools quicker, and absorb more information. If this skill-sets sound familiar, it is because we are now in the 21st century.

This is the Internet century, where Google knows everything.
Personally, Daddy feels that it is no longer about who-knows-the-most, but who can apply the knowledge and implement the skill-set to solve our everyday-life’s tasks.

We have also noticed that Boon Yee’s memory capacity has improved, he remembers things longer, and is less easily distracted. Boon Yee can now focus his attention on the task at hand, he understands why we need to finish our homework before we can play. Subconsciously, his efficiency is improving.

Boon Yee is still enjoying his nine-month Primary 1 experience.
Making new friends, adapting to new environment, but still trying to adjust to the concept of homework :p

Boon Yee had a profile assessment after 1 year with ThinkersBox, and we could see marked improvement in his scores. Refer to image below for ThinkersBox’s research based on a group of P1 to P3 students.

Do pop by ThinkersBox Website and Fanpage to find out how your child might benefit from their courses.

(image credit ThinkersBox)

ThinkersBox (IntelliBox) will be at Rise & Shine expo from 22-24Aug 11am to 8pm (booth Booth A13, A15). Parents who sign up for 12-months subscription at the booth will receive a $10 Popular Voucher.

* Our previous ThinkersBox experience with Boon Kang, Boon Xin’s Intellibox and Boon Yee.

Singapore Garden Festival 2014

[ Media Invite ]

From 16-24 Aug, Singapore Garden Festival 2014 (SGF) wil bloom at Gardens by the Bay. Jointly organised by “National Parks Board (nparks)” and “Gardens By The Bay (GBTB)”, this is the first time SGF is held outdoors.

You can expect floral display, landscaping and acquire some inspirations to decorate your balcony, kitchen, and dining table too!

Regardless of which corner you are taking a selfie, there is always MBS, GardensByTheDome’s Domes or CBD in the background 🙂

The main exhibits would be at the Meadow (10min slow walk from Flower Dome). But make sure you spend some time at SuperTree Grove (shopping) and Flower Dome (Orchids Extravaganza)

Refer to the map below or this link.

Butterflies (counted at least 10 real ones) have gatecrashed SGF 2014, and that must be the biggest compliment any gardener can receive.

Truly nature’s endorsement 🙂

The butterfly led us to the grasshoppers, ladybird and dragonflies (the usual mascots).

Weather permits (from rain and shine), plenty of photo opportunities await families.

Flowers (notably Orchids) are spotted around many corners, forming colourful backdrop or simply photo accessories.

Appreciate 15 Fantasy and Landscape Show-gardens from award winning designers. Nature’s art pieces.

Decorate your balcony, perhaps. There are 8 “booths” to spark your creativity.

No shopping for Daddy, but you will get to shop at over 80 stalls selling plants and gardening products. Do take note that Marketplace is in a Free area (no tickets needed).

We can even buy plants designed to attract butterflies 🙂

Indoors, there are “14 Floral Windows to the World”. Cut flowers display and master florists are waiting to thrill, just like a Arts-Nature gallery.

Everyone will get to enjoy the flower art (even decoration competition) in aircon comfort.

In one of the cubicles, Daddy found some interesting and cute plants with animals and insects names!

Crocodile (the leaves got scales!), Stingray, Flamingo are easy to guess, and caterpillar too 🙂

Dining Table concept. Just an idea, maybe someone would really consider decorating their dining area? Perhaps, for starters, you can pluck rose petals from the table, green beans from the chair :p

Ice Queen.

Even the kitchen Island can host your herbs and spices (all plants). Do not throw away your old CRT monitor (and toy soldiers).

Miniature Gardens are new in Singapore Garden Festival. Everything in the garden (six of them) is scaled down, really intricate and pretty!

We spotted Harry Potter’s Greenhouse!

CIB (Community in Boom) are the volunteers in your neighbourhood. Young and old, all are passionate gardeners. They were on hand to show visitors some diy handicrafts, including grasshoppers.

Photography starts early for the kids. Quality is quite impressive.

You can join in SGF’s photo contest too. Click on SGF2014 Fanpage‘s Colours Tab.

We would like to recommend you to pop by SGF 2014 Gardeners’ cup too. This is a friendly competition among CIB teams.

The mini plots of garden offer plenty of opportunities to Scent, Touch, See, Hear and even Taste (5 senses).

Learning Garden will showcase edible plants, herbs and spices. Daddy loves the padi fields.

Fruits vegetables spices Garden Festival

Orchid Extravaganza is held at Flower Dome.

Rows and rows of Orchids to pose and to photograph, but be prepared to queue 🙂

Orchid Extravaganza features some 18,000 Orchids from 40 different species. Love the white Orchids which arches overhead.

Orchids Galore! Natural light seems to make the Orchids translucent.



Are these Orchids too? Daddy’s favourite could be the miniature on the right (scientific name Enchclia Radiata)

Wow purple tongues !

Orchid Kaleidoscope , that 10m tall structure in the center, is the highlight of Flower Dome.

You cannot climb up, but everyone should take one or more selfie inside the Orchid Tower (Kaleidoscope). The colourful Orchids spiral upwards into the opening. Spectacular!
Orchid Kailedoscope

Daddy can stay in Flower Dome for hours just admiring and whiffing every Orchid. Orchid Extravaganza might rival Tulipmania as one of GBTB’s best display 🙂

Do take note that Orchid Extravaganza ends on 21Sep (Singapore Garden Festival ends 24Aug).

Video : Highlights of Singapore Garden Festival

Tips to enjoy Singapore Garden Festival 2014 :

– Singapore Garden Festival 2014 blooms from 16-24Aug (10am – 10pm daily)
– Orchid Extravaganza (Flower Dome) runs from now till 21Sep

– SGF2014 ticket entitles you to free entry at Flower Dome (a good deal), and it is only $10/$14 (Adults weekday/weekend respectively), and $5/$8 for children).
– You can choose to visit Flower dome on another day (check validity date at SGF2014)
– It can be very warm outdoors but it is cool indoors (contrasting temperate). Take care of the younger kids and older folks.

– We started our tour at 8am, that’s why some of the photos do not have a crowd. Gardens by the Bay is packed on weekends! There is still room for strollers and wheelchairs.

– Carpark will be full, do pop by Gardens By The Bay website for parking advise
– Buy your Singapore Garden Festival tickets online at GBTB website to avoid the queue

More updates can be found on the following channels :

SGF 2014 and GBTB Fanpage
– GBTB Orchid Extravaganza
– SGF 2014 website ( a lot of photos and activities are from previous editions)
– Tag away at Instagrams SgGardenFest, GardensbytheBay and Nparksbuzz


(image credit SGF 2014)

Do pop by our friends’ reviews, Cheekiemonkie, Dejiki, BPDG, PrincessDanaDiaries, TheWackyDuo and Miracule.

Hurry ok, Singapore Garden Festival ends this coming Sunday. And Singaporeans like to wait until last minute then throng events :p

Referring to our first simple image, at Singapore Garden Festival 2014, it does not matter whether it is “City in a Garden” or “Garden in a City”. Both are apt for showcasing our pretty island 🙂

More photos can be found on our Fanpage album. Read all our GardensByTheBay stories here.