January 12, 2016

Painted Ducks at Miaoli Sanyu Duck DIY

Dominique Parenting and Kids, Wordful Wednesday Miaoli, Taiwan, wordful wednesday

Our painted artwork

We had fun trying out different types of crafts during the December holidays. One activity which the kids and I tried was painting on wood.

The color mixing chart

Ducks and woodwork are the main attraction in Miaoli. We were taken to a Duck DIY workshop during one of the day trips in Miaoli, Taiwan.

The equipment we were given

Each of us chose the wooden item which we would like to paint on.

Tiger girl chose the horse above to paint. We were give a pallet , blotting paper and paint brush and were off to do our painting.

Painting the base coat on the horse

Painting a wooden figurine was not as easy as we thought. It requires several coats of paint and drying in between to get the perfect finish.

Doggie boy painting his chosen Duck shaped tray

We were given pots of colored paint which had their consistency pre-mixed. The kids were to scoop out the amounts that they require to put on their palettes and mix the colors if needed.

The kids seated at the table

The workshop was held in a traditional looking classroom with wooden benches and tables.

The kids had to use the hairdryer to dry their wooden statues after each new coat of paint has been added on. This is to ensure that the statue would have a smooth finish when it goes through the furnace in the end.

It took about 2 hours before their masterpieces were completed and ready for the furnace.

Ice cream treat for the kids

There is time for ice-cream anytime while on holidays. The kids enjoyed their flower shaped ice-cream after they completed their crafts.

Have you painted on wood before?

Sanyi Duck DIY

No. 176, Chonghe Road, Sanyi Township, Miaoli County

Phone : +88637872076

Price : Free to visit DIY from $200NT

November 17, 2015

Investigating and Creation at the Keys Academy

Dominique Parenting and Kids, Reviews, Wordful Wednesday Enrichment class, wordful wednesday

{Media Invite}

Doggie boy in his lab coat

Last weekend the kids were invited to a taster session at Keys Academy where the kids got to try out their Silicon Valley 101 and CSI Murder Mystery Workshop.

The reception at the Key Academy

Located at Odeon Towers, this enrichment center offers Science classes for 8 yrs old and up.

The session which the boys attended

The boys were thrilled to attend a CSI workshop as they have been looking forward to conducting an investigation like those they watch on TV.

The boys wearing their lab coats

The boys were whizzed off to their classroom and briefed about the case that they will be investigating shortly.

Doggie boy reading the case file

They were given the case file to read up on the victim and the suspects before they were taken to the crime scene.

Examining the crime scene

At the crime scene the boys were made to mark out the various pieces of evidence and note down the different types of evidence present.

The boys learning how to dust for fingerprints

As it was only a 3 hr session the boys only got to try a limited amount of activities. One of the activities that they did was dusting for fingerprints using the tool kit provided.

Identifying the markers within a fingerprint

Before the boys dusted for fingerprints they were taught how to identify the different trademarks within a fingerprint. They were shown the various marks – forks, eyes ,swirls and ridges which were used to identify a fingerprint as a unique form of identification for a person.

Examining the foot mould

The boys also manage to make a cast using plaster of Paris so that they could make a mould of the footprint of the suspect. By studying the design made on the cast it was easier to pinpoint the guilty suspects in this case.

Going through the evidence collected

Before the end of the class the instructor went through the list of evidence which was collected and they narrowed down the possibility of the guilty suspects in the case. There wasn’t a closure to the case as the guilty party was still at large after the session.

Tiger girl learning how to make a 3D Keychain

While her brothers were off investigating a case Tiger girl was busy learning the finer details of 3D graphic software. She was shown how 3D printing was done and given a hands on session on how to operate the software.

The lesson was rather dry and the software used was a little too complex for 6-9 yrs old to comprehend. However it was a new learning experience for her and she got to experience something different from the normal programs that she has been introduced to on the computer.