Editor’s Picks – March

A selection of good things in stores and out there for mums, kids, and all who are young at heart!

WITHER THE WEATHER?
Does your child ask you how clouds are formed? Or why it rains or snows? It’s never too early to initiate a conversation about weather science with your young one through Little Cloud Wants Snow! by Gwen Lee. The winner of NAC’s Beyond Words initiative, Little Cloud Wants Snow! is a story about a mother’s love for her child. Little Cloud wants to make a snowman but he lives in the tropics where it doesn’t snow. Together with Mama Cloud, they set out on an adventure to find snow. Young children will be enthralled by the beautiful illustrations in this book even as they are introduced to the different type of clouds and the water cycle. Available at Kinokuniya, Popular and Times, and online at Amazon.com, Fishpond and other online retailers. WIN! a copy of Little Cloud Wants Snow! by leaving an “I want snow too!” comment below. We’ll get in touch with you if you are one of the 10 lucky winners!

NANNA KNOWS BEST
Her darling grandchild had eczema so this Australian Nanna crafted a line of natural, organic, non-irritating baby skincare for the little bub to use. Now available in Singapore, the Four Cow Farm Baby Range is still made on the family farm in Queensland, and uses only top food-grade ingredients. There are no fillers or artificial agents, only simple, safe, and pure balms that soothe and protect without overwhelming baby’s sensitive skin. We like its Calendula Remedy (the only organic Calendula-infused olive oil in the market!), which promises to soothe inflamed, irritated skin, or skin prone to dryness or eczema. It can also be used as a nipple balm by nursing mothers. Now this is what we call a real two-in-one! See the list of Singapore retailers here.

LUXE LEARNING JOURNEYS
Raising a culturally-conscious, inspired, and questioning child isn’t always easy, even in multi-faceted Singapore. That’s why the very first family-oriented Como Discovery Retreat 2013 happening this June sounds like the perfect holiday to me, as it involves stimulation, and activity for mum, dad, and the kids. During this seven-day retreat at the Uma Ubud in Bali, children get to discover and explore through workshops with senior teachers from the Julia Gabriel Centre Singapore. They’ll visit a Balinese home, have indoor pajama camps, see a volcano, try rice planting, harvesting, and milling, and make use of these experiences to get creative through drama exercises, problem-solving challenges and arts-based activities. Parents are welcome to join in the Uma activities, stretch with yoga, or simply turn in, tune out, and find themselves again in the lush surroundings. Tempted yet?

OLD IS GOLD
The very first BabyBjörn baby bouncer was launched in 1961 and since then, millions of children have played, been rocked and calmed in BabyBjörn’s bouncers. The Bouncer Balance Soft, this year’s version of the classic, is softer, fabric-made, and designed with rounded forms that suggest a cozy nest for babies to snuggle within, straight from birth. A clean, sleek, ergonomic design means that it will not look out of place even in the most modern home, and ensures that the right support is delivered. The natural rocking movement — a baby bouncer USP — calms and soothes Baby to sleep – yay! Once Baby is up and walking, reverse the fabric to turn the bouncer into a comfy chair for children up to 13kg (approximately two years old). In three warm colours: Rust/Orange, Khaki/Beige, and Black/Dark Grey, and two materials, Soft Cotton ($279) and Mesh and Organic ($299), and available at Mothercare, Kiddy Palace, Isetan, and other maternity stores.