We’re half way through summer so if you enrolled your kids in any activity at the start of summer vacation, they would be just ending now and you might be looking for new classes for them to join.  While my kids do not go to this school, I find Xavier’s summer programs to be quite interesting as they offer a variety of sports sessions for different ages, for boys and girls (yes, they are open to non-Xaverians!).  

Besides the more common basketball, football, taekwondo or swimming classes, Xavier also offers:  Badminton, Baseball, Capoeira, Chess, Fencing, Golf (By Kindergolf Devt System- this is held off-site I think), Shaolin Wushu or Kung Fu, Street Dance, and Table Tennis.

Most programs require your child to be at least 5 years old.  Almost all the programs are about to start their second modules this week so if you’re interested, better call Xavier already at 7230481 local 374/ 309 to inquire.

We were in Bacolod this past weekend and bumped into an old friend Pam Henares-Jalandoni and her husband Jay who are based there.  Jay mentoned a very interesting activity he is running this April and May and my thought balloon was “Hey, something interesting for Mommy Pages readers!”  

This Marine Camp at Danjugan Island is something different for kids to experience but it will require some commitment from Mom and Dad.  You’ll need to let your 12-16 year old be away from home for a week. For those in Manila, distance is also a challenge as you’ll have to fly your child to Bacolod, the home base of camp organizers (Airfare from Manila to Bacolod is not included in the package).  But Jay says parents can stay in the resort across the island if you’d like to be close to the camp and get some sun and sea yourselves.  If you’d like to inquire about Marina Camp, contact Jay Jalandoni at 09173000529. Below is more info as well:

The Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PRRCFI) is inviting you to join its annual Youth Marine and Wildlife Camp in Danjugan Island, Cauayan, Negros Occidental on the 5^th to 9^th of May 2009.

Resource persons are selected from scientists active in the field of marine and terrestrial work.  Please refer to the attached brochure.

Camp cost is P8,500 that includes return transfers from Bacolod City to Danjugan Island.   You may call Mr. Ramie Babac at 0909 2073865, Mr. Jay Jalandoni at 09173000529 (jalandonijj@yahoo.com) and Ms. Arlene Ebalde at (34)4321260 or (34)4339234 for more information.

Thank you,

Gerardo L. Ledesma  (President   – PRRCFI)

“Mom, I’m bored!” These are words I dread to hear from my kids during summer, which is why I love the name of this art center whose home is at the Powerbooks Megamall branch.  They call themselves Boredom Busters, and I have no doubt they will live up to the promise of their name since keeping kids’ hands busy with arts and crafts is never, never boring!  See the run down of activities from Boredom Busters, and other providers at Powerbooks:

ART CENTER SUMMER WORKSHOPS  The Art Center at Powerbooks Megamall is now accepting early registrants for their summer art workshops! Choose from a wide range of workshops and activities: 

Art is one of the best boredom busters!

Kiddie Crafts (April 14, 21, 28 and May 5, 2009) 
Jewelry Making (April 15, 22, 29 and May 6, 2009) 
Music and Movement (April 16, 23, 30 and May 7, 2009)
Polymer Clay (April 17, 24, May 1 and 8, 2009) 
Art You Can Use (April 20, 27, May 4 and 11, 2009) 
Reconstructing Your Tees (May 12, 19, 26 and June 2, 2009) 
Creative Writing and Book Making (May 14, 21, 28 and June 4, 2009) 
Working with Felt Cloth (May 13, 20, 27 and June 3, 2009) 
Papier Mache (May 15, 22, 29 and June 5, 2009) 
Storytelling with Craft (May 18, 25, June 1 and 6, 2009) 

Choose your preferred time and venue: 
10:30 am to 12:00 pm at Powerbooks Greenbelt
4:30 pm to 6:00 pm at Powerbooks Megamall 

REGISTER NOW! Workshop fee is Php 2,500 for four sessions, inclusive of materials. Fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable. Limited slots only! For more information, visit boredombusters.multiply.com, contact Rosanne at (0917) 811-1655 or visit the Art Center at Powerbooks Megamall.

Other activities held at Powerbooks:

Storytelling Workshop with Zarah Gagatiga  April 13, 2009 (Monday) 10:00 am: Powerbooks Trinoma 
Former Alitaptap Storytellers President Zarah Gagatiga will share valuable tips and strategies on storytelling in the classroom. This seminar seeks to define a teacher’s construct of “storytelling”, and the purposes and functions for telling stories. Open only to Powercard and Powercard Plus holders who purchase any ten (10) books from the Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang series by Christine Bellen.
Summer Art Workshops 2009 by Fernando Sena  Painter and teacher Fernando Sena will conduct his popular art workshops in Powerbooks! 

Learn pencil and pen drawing, painting, watercolor and pastel! Learn to draw still life, landscapes, figures, portraits, abstract and other interesting subjects! Develop your artistic talent and creativity by enrolling in this 7-session workshop. Open to children and adults 6 years old and up. 

April 17, 24, May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2009 (Fridays) 
10am-12:30pm at Powerbooks Megamall 

Fee: P5,000 for all sessions exclusive of materials 

For inquiries and registration, please contact Powerbooks Megamall at 635-2898 to 99.
Comic Book Creation for Children  This summer, the Artists in Residence will hold a three-week workshop for comic book creation. This workshop is open to kids 9-12 years old and teenagers. Participants will learn about comic books as a form of sequential art, and eventually learn to create their own original comic book characters! 

The workshop is scheduled on April 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 27 and 29 from 10:00am to 12:00pm at Powerbooks Megamall. 

Workshop fee is P3,500 inclusive of Starter Kit materials. For more information, contact Jill or Cathy at 646-9029, (0917) 890-7950, (0915) 923-5172 or visit artistsinresidence.multiply.com.

It’s always good to expose our children to new things so they can discover their abilities and passions while having fun.  My eldest son, C, enjoys most sports, like basketball and football, like most kids his age. By accident, he found out he enjoys fencing too, and now attends coaching sessions with Olympian and SEA games champion, Coach Wawit Torres.  

Coby at his first fencing competition

For those interested, Coach Wawit’s Summer Schedule is as follows:

Centro Atletico – Cubao, QC: Monday and Wednesday starting April 13  8:30 to 10am; 10:30 to 12nn

Manila Polo Club - Mckinley Road, Makati: Tuesday and Thursday starting April 14 8:30 to 10am; 10:30 to 12nn
Saturdays: Manila Polo Club 8:30 to 10am; Centro Atletico 10:30 to 12nn
 
Session are for kids ages 7 years old and above.  He also accepts coaching during time slots outside this schedule, on appointment basis.
 
The course fee is P3,800 for 8 sessions  (P4,000 for non-members in Manila Polo Club).  For inquiries, call Coach Wawit at 09175342947 or email him at wawit@hotmail.com.

I read about a two-year old girl in England who fell into a pool and survived by swimming to the side and calmly stayed there while calling out for her mom..  Luckily, little Elizabeth had been taking swimming lessons since she was eight weeks old and was comfortable being in the water.

Knowing how to swim is a life skill that our kids should learn while they are still young.  Ria Mackay of Aqualogic Swim Co. has been teaching swimming here and abroad since 1992 to students as young as 6 months old.  Their programs include:

AquaBabes (6-35 months) - accompanied by parent – Infants and Toddlers learn water safety and share fun memories with their parents using a gentle, non-traumatic approach through songs, games and lots of colorful toys.

AquaKids (3-12 years old) - A creative, non-traditional approach in teaching children essential swim skills using interactive games and engaging pool toys. Swim strokes are introduced focusing on technique and efficiency based on the principles of Total Immersion™ – the world’s leading authority in swimming instruction.

They also offer adult programs and aqua aerobics sessions.  For more info on Ria’s Aqua Kids and Aqua Babies class and skeds for this summer, go to Aqualogic’s website or you may reach her at 7036386 or 0917.858.AQUA (2782).

Summer is just around the corner, so we will be regularly posting announcements of summer activities here. There really is just so much to choose from!  I am thinking of signing up my boys in this one because i noticed they love making small little booklets using scrap paper or even comic strips showing stick figures or anime characters.  Workshops like these, offered by our favorite local book publisher, Adarna, could really enhance their interest and skills in writing, develop their imagination, and give them even more insights on creating books on their own.

For more information, call Ergoe at Adarna at 3723548 local 122.  

Do you have planned activities for your own kids already?

Photo of MV Doulos (grabbed from Wikipedia)

The last time it docked on our shores was in 2007. We were just a family of 4 then because youngest was yet to be born. I remember just reading about it in the papers and told hubby it might be an interesting trip for the boys. So we drove ourselves to the Port Area and just the sight of the big, lifesize ship was already fascinating for them. We walked up the plank into the ship and were awed by the rows and rows of shelves containing books from all over the world. Most publications were reasonably priced and there was something for every member of the family. I remember bringing home 3 or so plastic bags of books and everyone was happy.

So I heard MV Doulos, the world’s oldest ocean-faring passenger ship, and the world’s biggest floating library and bookstore, is back in Manila till March 30th before she heads to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. MV Doulos is docked at the Manila South Harbour, Pier 13. Enter through gate 1. She is on her last world tour before she finally retires in 2010 so don’t miss making the trip while its here in Manila.

This time we will visit MV Doulos again and bring our 2-year old with us, and her Kuyas can show her around! On our last visit they had a store selling refreshments and also had stroller parking, so if it is still the same, I would say it is pretty kid and family-friendly.

For official information, visit www.doulos.org.

I’m sure many of you noticed the many changes that went on at the Power Plant Mall late last year.  A few months before Christmas, some of our favorite shops got moved around, and when they reopened in their new location VOILA! , two very pretty, organized new wings opened up to follow the mall’s new zoning plan.  The mall’s bowling alley, Powerbowl, made way for the new R3 Level, which brings together most if not all of the mall’s tenants that cater to tweens and kids.  Our fave Italian resto, Cibo, even opened up a kid-friendly version called Cibo Bimbi right in the heart of the new zone.  This is a cozy place we love to hang out in, while our boys go look at toys in Kidzstation and Build City. Our daughter stays with us enjoying the crayons and paper that the resto provides while hubby and I binge on our favorite Pasta Alfonso (we like this with spaghettini instead of Penne), Tuna salad, and spinach dip with bread…yummm.

So finally the zone is now complete and with all its stores open, Rockwell will hold a launch event this weekend, Feb 28 and March 1. The activity is open to all children below 12 years old.  

Rockwell Power Plant R3 Launch event

There will be activities at the North Court such as a Bratz salon and Rockband games, plus a programme kids will love.  There will be a shows by My Masterpiece and Spotlight Artists Centre, a magic show and balancing show by Kiddiepart.com, and even a cooking demo for children by Maya Kitchen.  

A highlight of the activity is the R3 Scavenger Hunt! Kids can come to the activity area at the North Court (fronting Marks and Spencer) and get their passport.  Then they can go to R3 and complete the hunt. Completed passports can then be surrendered to the registration booth to claim their prize.  Rockwell is only giving away a limited number of passports per day so the earlier you drop by, the better.

For more info, you may call 898-1702. Hope to see you there!

Got this email from Trina Zafra of Dance Basics Studio:

Dance Basics is set to begin its 5th Summer Ballet Workshop. Classes will be held every Saturday, starting March 28, 2009 and will culminate with a grand recital on Saturday, May 30, 2009 at the AFP Theater, Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.Dance Basics is has staged four summer recitals since it began in the Summer of 2004: Toy Shop (2005), Once upon a Princess (2006), Summer Dance-Off (2007) and A Disney Princess Recital (2008).

For more information on the Summer Workshop and dance classes, please call Trina Zafra at 0920-9381619 or Amy Tanyag at 671-2409.  Dance Basics is located at 72 San Rafael Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig, inside the Aheadstart Child Development Center.

Visit http://www.dancebasics.net for more details.

Having 3 children with ages ranging from 2 to 11 years old, you can just imagine the wide range of toys my kids receive as gifts from relatives and friends during special occasions, like this Christmas. That is why the times I shop for toys for them are quite few and far between, and it is only when I see something really special that I buy.

A visit to a new and unique toy store late last year proved to be a test for my mommy willpower.  Actually, it doesn’t even call itself a “toy store” because its interactive corners, toy display areas built like little houses, interesting features like a talking (indoor) tree makes it The Pocketful of Kids Toy Village.  It is located in a building and not a mall, making it truly a treasure find for moms and a virtual toy heaven for kids.

One of my fab mommy finds at Pocketful was this: Melissa & Doug Deluxe Jumbo Cardboard Blocks.

To start with, I am a person who loves and collects all sorts of boxes and containers.  So this is probably why I was automatically drawn to this particular toy, amidst all the other fun and educational products found on the Pocketful shelves.

I admit there was a bit of a debate in my mind on whether spending that much money to buy a “box of boxes” was smart, when it would be more practical (and earth friendly) to just give my kids used carton boxes and make them build whatever they wanted using those.  But then the colorful brick printed boxes in this Melissa and Doug product was too tempting.  It didn’t help that the Pocketful staff told me about its durability because of the cartons being double layered inside.  As I imagined all the structures I….er…my kids could build with these carton bricks, I handed over my toy budget.

Sure enough, it was a good buy and it remains to be one of my favorite toys at home, to date. My boys have built super tall towers…

I caught my daughter and son having a picnic yesterday…

The boys built a fortress for their little sister, who was just all smiles…

It’s been so much fun for us thinking of what to build next. Then challenging each other to get it up (extra challenging with a 2 year old around). Then when the structures fall (or are toppled over, by that 2 year old!), then we all cover our ears and just laugh together.

Who would’ve thought a “box of boxes” could yield this much fun and unadulterated bonding! Now I wonder what I can find next at Pocketful…

Pocketful of Kids is located at Unit A, 15th floor, Emerald Ave., Pasig City. Tel no. 6347888 and 6342888.  Pocketful of Kids launches its series of workshops and events for parents and kids starting January 10, 2009.  Inquire about their iLearn Courses in basic acting, arts and drawing, literary appreciation, Kindermusik demo classes, Camp Millionare (Life skills workshops), and a lot more.