3.8.11: Kek Look Tong Cave Temple, Ipoh

We went to Kek Loong Cave Temple, Ipoh. The GPS led us directly to the place. It was situated at the back of a residential estate and we had to pass through a residential to get to the cave tample. When we arrived there, we were greeted by a majestic looking hill.

There were a lot of parking spaces inside the compound and it was very shady with many trees. There were several monkeys there too. 

At the steps leading upwards into the cave temple

Stalagtites hanging down from the ceiling of the limestone cave.

There was another flight of steps leading upwards into the cave. It wasn't dark as there was another exit on the other side, so the sunlight streamed through. 

Maitreya Buddha

The cave at the back led to these flight of steps leading downward. 

We walked down and we came to these picturesque garden with a lake.

There was a large statue of Goddess Kwan Yin outside the cave. 

2.8.11: Ice-cream from toys

S made these 'ice-cream' popsicles with his toys. E also followed suit. I thought that it was very creative of them.

2.8.11: Kiara Park

In the morning, we went over to Lembah Kiara Recreational Park in TTDI again. This time, we brought our bicycle along. The boys took turns to cycle.

Collecting dried pea pods

When we were by the stream, we heard noises in the distance, behind the playground area. From far, I could see a group of monkeys gathering. There were more and more of them all in one group and making a lot of noise. Suddenly, the group of monkeys ran towards the railing at the end of the lake and sat there and some even tried to chase two women who were passing by. I was worried for the to women and for us, in case the monkeys decided to come after us. Fortunately, they did not. The monkeys disappeared as mysteriously as they appeared. 

We continued with our walk and later stopped by the playground. By then, it was hot from the sun.

29.7.11: Two and two

Lately, S has been starting to do some counting mentally. He'll be turning 5 in 1.5 months time and I hadn't done any formal teaching of maths for him and hadn't used any workbooks for him. I tried to avoid too much workbook as I feel that it only encourages children to want to get all correct answers, without much critical thinking. I was that kind of student once and I just memorised answers in order to get high marks in exams. The exams, I felt were just a test of a student's ability to memorise. I don't want my boys to grow up, only wanting to get all correct answers, but without further use of their brains.

I only once taught him to count the bumps on the lego bricks for multiplication. Eg: 4 by 1 = 4 bumps or 4 by 2 brick = 8 bumps. So, it was a surprise when he suddenly started to do some addition and multiplication.

S asked, "Mummy, "Is it 2 and 2, four times is 8?"
His grammar wasn't exactly correct, but I got what he meant.
He suddently discovered multiplication and I hadn't even taught him.

A week later, he asked me, "Is it..."
"4 and 4 is 8"
"8 and 8 is 16"
"10 and 10 is 20"
"3 and 3 and 3 is 9"

He also asked whether 100 more than 10.

Now that he's showing an interest in maths, it is a good time for me to ride on the wave and encourage him further.

28.7.11: Visit to Soya Sauce factory

In the afternoon, we went for a field trip to Sun Kwong Chun Soya Sauce Factory in Sungai Buloh. It was difficult to find the place as the directions given to us weren't clear. After getting lost for 30 minutes, we finally found the place. The folks there had prepared some fried chicken for the attendees to taste with their sauce.

The sauces that they produce - Soya sauce, garlic chilli sauce, plum sauce. 

The soya beans were first cooked in this huge pot. It's the biggest pot we have ever seen. There were steps leading to the pot, as the bottom half of the pot is embedded in the cement block. 

The cooked soya beans were then soaked in these fibre glass containers together with water and salt for several months. After that, they will acquire the soy sauce through a pipe at the side of the container. This is considered premium soy sauce. Subsequently, water and salt is added for 4 more times and harvested and later sold to restaurants. The leftover is sold as animal feed or discarded.



Many parents and children listening to the briefing.

Tauchu was stored in those containers.

Bottles and bottles of soya sauce

We bought soya sauce, plum sauce and garlic chilli sauce after the tour and everyone was given a small bottle of soya sauce as a gift.

28.7.11: Visit to Kiara Park TTDI

We went to visit Lembah Kiara Recreational Park in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. It is a lovely place to be, having a picnic by the stream and listening to the sounds of the insects in the jungle nearby. It's good that there is still some green areas in the Klang Valley.

Eating his breakfast of cookies

The boys can identify moss already. 

He loves to throw leaves into the stream and watch it move

The boys decided to collect leaves for art and craft

27.7.11: Toy creations

The boys made these creations from the toys that they have.

A car. 

Swimming pool 

This vehicle can change its shape 

An excavator

A building with a chimney

12.7.11: Roller skates from toy

S showed me his 'roller skates'. It was his IKEA detachable truck toy. He is quite creative and can see designs or patterns in many things. Sometimes the boys would put the wheels to their eyes and pretend that they have robot eyes. 

31.7.11: Lego robots

Here are some lego robots that the boys have made. Both of them never cease to amaze me with their everchanging new designs for their lego creations. Without realising it, they are practicing CANI - Constant and Never Ending Improvement.

19.7.11: Making science toys that fly

We had our second lab activity at Pusat Sains Negara. This time we made 3 things:
1) Flying saucer (UFO)
2) Hoopster (Hoops that fly)
3) Parachute

1) Flying Saucer (UFO)
Items required:

• 1 paper plate

Pn. Maznah of PSN, facilitating the session. 

Fold the paper plate into half

Cut along the folded line, until 1 inch near the edge of the plate. Don't cut through. 

Fold the plate again in half. Cut along the lines. 

The cut another 2 slits, so the whole plate is divided into 8 equal parts

Fold it out

Hold the plate with the jagged edges below and throw it up into the air. Watch it fly.  It is amazing!

The kids trying out their UFO

2) Hoopster

Items required:

• Cellophane tape
• 2 cardboard strips
• 1 straw

For the next craft, we made a hoopster that could fly. 

1. Take a long strip of cardboard and roll it up. Glue the edges together or stick with cellotape. Make a big hoop. 
2. Take another strip of carboard and roll it up. Make a smaller hoop.  
3. Attached the hoops to the ends of a straw.

Here's how to completed hoopster look like. 

Hold the hoopster with the straw on top, and the hoops at the bottom (S is holding his hoopster upside down) and throw it. The hoopster has to be held with the small circle in front and the straw on the top. Raise it above your shoulder and throw it. See it fly. 

When trying out his hoopster, S threw it towards the railing and it landed on the ground floor instead. 

3) Parachute

Items required:

1. A square piece of lightweight pastic bag
2. Cellotape
3. Thread
4. Small plasticine ball

Tape the sides or tie each corner of the plastic with a piece of thread. 

Knot all 4 ends of the thread together.

Attach a small plasticine ball to the knotted end, to give it some weight.

There are several ways to launch the parachute. You can fold the plastic, hold it up at a higher level, then drop it. Or you can just drop it like that. S decided to stand on a chair and drop his parachute down. E just ended up fiddling with his plasticine ball.