Rain has already started going to school as a Kindergarten student. We enrolled her in school because we felt like she needed an outlet for all her energy and also so she could socialize with other kids rather than stay at home and play by herself. But because of K to 12, the school told us that at Rain's age, she needed to be in Kinder 1 already. I honestly felt she was still so much in the play-only stage and might lag behind in academics. True enough, at the begging of the school year, all she did was act like a supervisor as she walks around the classroom during lectures and just wants to play. But her teacher told me that this was normal and she will eventually reach that maturity age where she would take lessons more seriously. In this second half of the school year, the teacher said she has improved already and hardly picks a fight with the boys anymore ha ha ha *nervous laughter*.
So if you're in the same situation, don't worry, it's normal. And you are not alone! From the ages of 1-4, all toddlers want to do is play. They never get tired of entertaining themselves with toys, and sometimes even make toys out of normal everyday stuff. But too much playing is not a bad thing because as we all know, this is how they learn and socialize. So as much as we like to spoil Rain with plenty Disney toys, (and by "we" I mean me), it is also very important to get toddlers toys that would 1.) be educational, and 2.) would last a lifetime.
Luckily for us here in the Philippines, we have Discovery Depot who provides toys that are not only educational but safe as well for little kids. They provide toys that help with a child's sensori-motor, cognitive, and social-emotional skills for as early as new born until 12 years old.
Take for example Rain's new Counting Balls toy by Wonderworld. I chose to get this for her specifically because she's looks like she's least interested in Math (like mother like father like daughter hahaha). It's a really simple toy but is ingeniously engineered to make counting fun and easier to learn.
This is how it looks like. It's just one piece and there's no need to build anything. It looks like a wooden aquarium of balls. The paint used is non-toxic, making it safe for kids of all ages. There's a lever on the side that flips the balls up, and there are numbers on the exact spots where the balls would land, making counting and number familiarization easier.
It's so smart that it also teaches the concept of addition and subtraction. You add balls using the lever, and you subtract using the knob.
See how it works on our video below!
She really loves it! She's been playing it for days!
Clearly this is one of the best toy investments we've gotten for Rain. I heard from a friend who bought the same toy 7 years ago that it is still in tact. Talk about quality! You can definitely check out more educational toy brands for all ages from Discovery Depot's official website at thediscoverydepot.com and like them on Facebook.
Another excellent news from Discovery Depot: TOPmla!
You know how in some children's parties there are activity booths that can be rented out to provide entertainment for the kids? Like Lego tables, etc.? Well, now there's a new alternative that provides super fun toys that are educational too!Last July 2015, Discovery Depot launched TOPmla (The Offbeat Party)packages. This is a service for hire for parties and corporate events where your guests' children can have a corner where they can have a meaningful and educational play. This gives the children a chance to exercise their bonding and social skills with other kids as well. And maybe even develop friendship that will last a lifetime!
The Offbeat Party offers a fun add-on play area activity for kids for any events such as birthdays, weddings, bazaars, or even corporate events. Something to keep your kids preoccupied.
The activities include the following:
- reading nook
- play area
- arts & crafts
- interactive play (role-playing toys and sports toys)
- eco friendly wooden toys
- toys that will help them develop their fine motor skills, hand and eye coordination.
Here are some photos so you get an idea of how it looks:
All toys are cleaned before and after use, making it safe for each event. And as I mentioned earlier, the toys are wooden and are made from eco-friendly and non-toxic materials. And if you or your child falls in love with a toy, you can purchase them at 20% off on all toys on site.
To reserve the TOPmla for your event, you need to deposit only P1,000 for them to hold the date. Take note this is non-refundable, but will be deducted from the total amount. The duration of the event is usually 3 hours but they can extend for an additional fee.
I personally feel that the Offbeat Party is a great thing to have for parties to keep our little ones busy, while having fun and making friends for life. With Discovery Depot, children and adults can Celebrate+Play+Bond!
To book, you may contact the numbers below:
0923-897-8918
0928-500-4552