Month: October 2014

Kids Workshop: Not just your ordinary play area

We started bringing Aria to play areas when she turned one, exactly on her first birthday. Since then, we’ve enrolled her to different play groups once in a while.

Now that she’s four, she’s more active, ever wanting to discover and do more things physically. She loves running, climbing, jumping you’d think she’s a boy. But she’s not.

Anyway, we recently discovered a play area that is not just an ordinary play area. Activities were happening every 15 minutes or so, that the kids were not only playing by themselves, but also learning and having fun with other kids!

kids workshop1

Kid’s Workshop is like a hole in the wall in Shoppesville Arcade in Greenhills. I do not frequent the place, so I’ve not known this until we were invited to visit last month. Unfortunately, Aria had weeks of cough and colds, so we had to always reschedule, until we weren’t able to make it on September. But the Kids Workshop team had been very accommodating to us (special thanks to Ms. Glenda, who unfortunately we weren’t able to meet that day), we were still able to visit a couple of weeks ago.

It was a Saturday, before lunchtime, when my daughter and I got to Greenhills. I made sure she’s eaten a snack before she plays, because knowing her, she could have hours of fun in a play area. I was actually surprised that it was not just a play area, but the kids, with the help of activity facilitators, they:

kids workshop2
did storytelling,
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had some art activities (this you pay separately),
...had games...
…had games…
kids workshop gh 6
and even more games!

The activities were great breaks from the usual play, which ran every after 15 minutes or so. Aria got to try out the many stations of this 100 square meter area:

She had fun riding the horse.
She had fun riding the horse.
Slide! Her favourite.
Slide! Her favourite.
Rock climbing + my left hand caught on frame!
Rock climbing + my left hand caught on frame!
Super Aria! They had  these capes on the racks for their Superheroes party in the same afternoon.
Super Aria! They had these capes on the racks for their Superheroes party in the same afternoon.
Mini-library and kitchen area. Lots of books!
Mini-library and kitchen area. Lots of books!

Aria got to try an art activity as well. Along with my sister (in photo), they made this:

CIMG0170

Aria's interpretation of a bug! What colourful one!
Aria’s interpretation of a bug! What colourful one!

So, if you’re looking for a place where you can let your kids play safely (and maybe while you can do your shopping or pampering), visit Kid’s Workshop. Along with their very helpful and nice team of teacher guides, plus their safe equipment and facilities (they have CCTVs installed and a clear system of registering your child and fetcher), kids and parents will have a wonderful and enjoyable time.

Thanks, Kid's Workshop! Looking forward to our next visit.
Thanks, Kid’s Workshop! Looking forward to our next visit.

Visit their website and Facebook to learn more about their upcoming events, rates, and activities.

 

~ Touringkitty

Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir hosts Children’s Choir Festival

A gathering of the best children’s choral groups in the metro will happen this Sunday at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

In its desire to showcase the talents and musical excellence of Distinguished Children’s Choirs from all over the Philippines, the Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir (HMTQCC) conceived of an avenue to bring together these exceptional choirs. As such, in 2009, the Halina’t Umawit – a Philippine Children’s Choir Festival was born. The festival also gave the opportunity for other choirs, conductors, music teachers, music lovers and students the occasion to listen and learn the different styles, and performances that make each choir unique in a way that defines them.

The Festival derives its name from Psalm 95 and Psalm 98 of the Bible. It is an invitation to come and sing praises to the Lord for His wondrous deeds. The festival song, “Halina’t Umawit,” composed by Jude Roldan completes the event with all choirs singing on stage interspersed with hand clapping and feet thumping.

This year’s festival will be held on October 26, 2014 – Sunday at 7:00pm at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and will feature top choral groups from all over Metro Manila:

Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir, host choir
Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan, Conductor
Jude B. Roldan, Music Director

Himig Bulilit of St. Paul College of Paranaque
Losaida Gonzales, conductor

Miriam College High School Glee Club
Nancy Roman, conductor

St. Scholastica’s College High School Glee Club
Danny Monte, Conductor

Tiples de Santo Domingo
Eugene delos Santos, conductor

The Festival will also feature “We Are All God’s Children,” the official theme song for the Papal Visit in January 2015, with music by Noel Espenida, lyrics by Jamie Rivera, and arranged for treble choir by Jude B. Roldan.

The Festival has featured in the past years these outstanding children’s choirs from all over the Philippines:
Ateneo Boys Choir
Baao Children’s Choir from Baao Camarines Sur
Calasiao Children’s Choir from Pangasinan
Colegio de Sta Rosa – Makati Himig Roseña
Hiyas ng Pilipinas Children’s Choir
Immaculate Conception Academy High School Glee Club
Kilyawan Boys Choir and the Voces Aurorae
Las Pinas Boys Choir
Mandaluyong Children’s Choir
Samiweng Singers from Ilocos Norte
St. Paul Pasig High School Chorale
St. Scholastica’s Academy Marikina High School Glee Club
Vox Angeli Children’s Choir

The organizing choir, Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir is one of the most awarded Filipino children’s choir internationally. It is the 1st ever Children’s Choir of the World at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, July 2013 in United Kingdom. They have extensively toured and competed in US and Europe, and recently, recorded the Official Theme Song, We Are All God’s Children for the 2015 Papal Visit with Ms. Jamie Rivera.

Tickets for the 6th Halina’t Umawit are available at the CCP Box Office at 832-3704 and Ticketworld at 891-9999. Tickets are sold at P1000, P800, P500 and P300. Special Discount: Students 50%, Senior Citizens, Persons with Disability, Military and Government Officials and Member of the Philippine Choral Director Association 20%.

For more ticket inquiries please call/text: Patrick Yap 09178050079 or Dinna Sarmiento 0917-540-8787.

Mother of Milk celebrates Feast Day on October 11

Nuestra Señora de La Leche Y Buen Parto, or more popularly known as Our Lady of La Leche, is the patroness of mothers and mothers-to-be. Her image is that of the Blessed Mother breastfeeding her Baby Jesus. All mothers, particularly pregnant, nursing and trying to conceive, come to Our Lady of La Leche with their petitions.

La leche at hp
Image enshrined at Harrison Plaza Chapel.

The Our Lady of La Leche Movement aims to make the devotion to Our Lady known throughout the Philippines, giving spiritual nourishment to the Filipino family.

Devotion to Our Lady of La Leche steadily grows in the country through the movement that started in 2000. The following churches are fortunate to have an image of Our Lady enshrined in them:

1. Basilica of the Immaculate Conception -Intramuros, Manila
2. Our Lady of Fatima Parish – Mariveles St., Mandaluyong City
3. Espiritu Santo church – Rizal Ave., Sta. Cruz, Manila
4. St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral – Camp Crame, Quezon City
5. Sanctuario de San Jose – Greenhills East Subd., San Juan City
6. Church of Sta. Clara – P. Burgos St., Pasay City
7. Our Lady of Loreto Parish – Bustillos, Sampaloc, Manila
8. San Roque Parish – San Roque St., Mandaluyong City
9. Holy Family Parish –Faraday, Makati City
10. Shrine of Jesus, Truth, Way & Life – Reclamation Area, Pasay City
11. St. John Mary Vianney Parish – Barangay Cembo, Makati City
12. St.John the Baptist – Pinaglabanan, San Juan City
13. San Carlos Seminary chapel – Edsa, Guadalupe, Makati City
14. San Roque Cathedral – A. Mabini, Caloocan City
15. St. Francis of Assisi church – Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong city
16. Sto. Nino de Violago chapel – E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City
17. Parish of the Risen Christ – Bulihan, Silang, Cavite
18. Holy Trinity Parish – Calabash Rd., Sampaloc, Manila
19. Our Lady of Fatima Parish – Maricaban, Pasay City
20. Capuchin Retreat Center – Lipa, Batangas
21. San Rafael Arcangel Parish – Calaca, Batangas
22. Harrison Plaza chapel – M. Adriatico, Malate, Manila
23. San Agustin Parish – Palatiw, Pasig City
24. Medical City Hospital Chapel – Ortega, Pasig

OLLL in Mandaluyong
Special Mass hosted by the OLLL Movement last August 30 in Mandaluyong.

Her Feast Day is celebrated on October 11, and in line with this, the OLLL Movement will celebrate the Feast Day with a special Mass at the Harrison Plaza Chapel on October 11 at 5:00 PM. Pregnant and nursing mothers with their babies and devotees are invited to join this special Mass. Those who would like to have a special part during the Mass, preferably pregnant and nursing mothers, may get in touch with the OLLL Movement by sending a Facebook Message at www.facebook.com/lalecheph.

The Our Lady of La Leche Movement prays for all pregnant and nursing moms for a safe delivery and plentiful milk that will nourish our children–our country’s future.

Image enshrined at Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Image enshrined at Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. With my four year old nursling.