Back to school buying checklist

10 days to back to school or starting school for the younger ones. This year students will start their academic year in March 2022. Below are some must haves back to school supplies for students returning to school or starting school this March.

1. School Uniforms 

This year students may continue to wear suitable neat and appropriate clothing if their school uniforms do not fit. However, if you are thinking of shopping for school uniforms, check out our list of school uniforms official stores in shopee. These are common uniform suppliers or sellers. Make sure to read the reviews left by buyers. These are really important to help you decide if the uniform is comfortable and suitable for your child. For very busy parents, nowadays you can get wrinkle free school uniforms too.

2. School Shoes

Use black school shoes with black socks. Two common brands are Pallas and Bata. Online usually gives you better discounts. However, you will need to know the size of your child's feet well. Remember to measure according to the size chart or check it out at the physical stores.

3. Masks

With the masks mandate still on in school and public places and in the face of rising cases, it has become a necessity to stock up on masks. This is one more item we should add to our checklist this year. Read our post on Choosing Masks for Back to School and Where to buy KF94, KN95 and KF99 masks online. You also need to think about whether you need to get a mask holder to keep the masks during meal times.

Biomate #KF94 (Korean filter masks) 

direct from Korea. 

Use code KMOMMPSP1, KMOMMPSP2 or

 KMOMMPSP3 for extra 5% discount here.

4. Sanitizers and Wipes

Which is better? Hand Sanitizers or Wipes? Liquid spray or gel sanitizers? Parents are faced with these kinds of choices nowadays. For younger children, it is probably safer to stick to wipes first. We should teach the kids to use these items safely. Some parents buy cute portable cartoon holders for the hand sanitizer. However, you need to check whether your school allows this.

5. Textbooks and Workbooks

All school children will receive textbooks and workbooks free on loan during the school year. However, some parents buy their own set to be kept at home. Some innovative parents even break the books up into smaller sections to lighten the school bag. This year, schools will receive lockers for children from P1 to P3 while students from P4 - P6 will receive lockers starting next year. Not sure where to buy workbooks or textbooks? Check out our post on Where to buy workbooks and textbooks. Both physical and online stores are included in the list. You may also be interested in the post on Digital Textbooks for SK, SJKC and SJKT. Note that the links for the textbooks are frequently changing so check out another link if one does not work. 

6. School Bag

Roller bag or backpack. Which is better? This is one of the most frequently asked questions by members of our facebook group: The Malaysia Primary School Parents on Facebook Group. Below is the search thread for this discussion from 2013 up to the present time with pictures and suggestion from other parents.

What school bag should I buy? What brand of school bag? Where to buy? Which is better?

7. Stationery

Existing students may still have their old stock of stationery, all they have to do is replenish whereas newer student may need to stock up on the following. We wrote tips beside the items for easier reference.

1. Pencils (some schools do not allow mechanical pencils for younger children)
2. Erasers (make sure to get plenty because they always seem to get lost somehow)
3. Colour Pencils
4. Pen and (younger children may not need this)
5. Liquid paper or correction tape (kids these days tend to make use of correction tape more)
6. Crayons or oil pastels (Oil pastels are richer in colour and glide on more easily)

7. Rulers 
8. Calculator (for secondary school student)
9. Geometry set (for secondary school student)
10. Glue stick (for arts and crafts)
11. File folders (for secondary school student)
12. Pencil case
13. Book wrapper (slip on book wrappers help to safe time)
14. Notebook
15. Scissors (get kids friendly scissors without sharp ends and with cover for younger kids, left handed children can consider getting scissors for lefties)

8. Food Containers and Water Tumblers

Before the pandemic, outside caterers were allowed to deliver to school. You can even order food catering from school where lunch or recess will be laid out on the tables for kids who do so. However during the pandemic or rather the endemic stage which we will be going into starting in April 2022, homecooked food or food from home is encouraged. That means you will need a food container and water tumblers. Check out the tupperware collection from Shopee. This is a collection of different sellers all on one page so you can easily compare products and prices. Don't forget to read the reviews too!

9. Devices for Online Learning

Even though we are moving to endemic stage now, we will still need devices for online learning. The pandemic has fast tracked our ability to learn online from home. Even if we do not switch to online learning, teachers now have the skill and resources to conduct classes online ad hoc if required. Similarly, we should also be prepared to meet and learn online immediately on demand or if we are suddenly required to do so. You may need some of the following devices for online learning.

1. Desktop computer/laptop/tablet
2. Headphones/earphones
3. Microphone
4. Webcam
5. Drawing tablet (optional)

10. Home storage for school supplies

Last but not least, we must not forget that we need to find a place to store all these school stuff at home. This is a challenge especially if you have a few school going kids but it can look really nice if you rise up to the challenge. Home storage can be simple storage boxes or desk organizers, to a whole built in study room. It is all up to our own budget. 

Happy Shopping!

How to tie hair bun for primary school girls with long hair

Are girls allowed to keep long hair in school? Depends on the school. Most schools do but require you to tie up the hair. If your child is attending SJKC, then you not only have to tie up the hair, you have to secure the hair into a bun. So how do you do this? If your child has been attending ballet classes, you may have done it before but otherwise, this is something new you have to learn to do daily till you become an expert.  Note that some schools may require you to write in to school for a reason if you wish your child to keep long hair. eg religious reasons or attending ballet classes for example. However, most primary schools allow it.

If your daughter who has long hair is starting school soon, you may have to consider one of these options it you do not wish to cut off her pretty long hair. 

1. Style 1. - Securing the hair with a hair clip hair bun

This is quite easy. All you need to do is tie the hair into a pony tail, then clip the hair clip slightly above your hair tie and gather the pony tail into the hair clip hair bun with net.

2. Style 2 - Making a hair bun with a hair styling sponge or foam 

This strip of foam surprisingly twists the hair into a bun with little effort. The foam is straight with a slit in the middle. You need to tie a pony tale, then push your hair through the slit, roll up all the way to the top and twist the hair all around into a bun. Watch the video from this seller here to see how it's done.

3. Style 3 - Using a hair net bun cover

For this style, you need to make a bun the traditional way first. To do that, you need to tie the hair into a pony tail, twist it into a bun and secure with hairpins and then keep the bun neat by using a hair net bun cover. 

4. Making a hair bun with a donut bun hair shaper

This involves tying your child's hair into a pony tail and using the donut bun hair shaper to shape the bun by pushing the donut shaper right to the top of the pony tail, pushing the hair all around it and securing it with hair pins. This seller has a video to show how this is done.

After looking at the pictures and videos, what do you think? Do you think you will be able to do this everyday or do you prefer girls just starting primary school to keep short hair?

Whichever method you select to tie a bun, when buying your clips and hair nets, make sure you select plain black. Some schools allow dark blue and the ribbons must not be too fancy. 

Must Read Books for 8-13 years old

As kids grow up, they are experiencing different changes including physical, emotional and mental changes. Kids of different ages need to read harder books to master language skills, increase their attention spans and develop logical thinking skills.

• 8-10 years old

Kids at these ages start to read on their own. Books with simple plotlines and short chapters help to develop them to become independent readers.

1.Geronimo Stilton

 

2.Baby Sitter Club

 

3.Goosebumps

4.Dogman

 • 11-13 years old

Kids ages 10-12 can understand complex sentences. To build their reading interest, they prefer complex stories with sophisticated themes.

5.Wings of Fire

6.Mensa Kids - Train in Your Brain

 

7.Guts by Raina Telgemeier

Get a free book Geronimo Stilton: The Little Book of Happiness when you join Scholastic Super English free trial class!

Aside from reading books, help your child to improve English language skills by enrolling in Scholastic Super English, an online enrichment programme that specially designed by Scholastic, The Most Trusted Name in Learning®. 

Your child will

·Learn faster and achieve better results in a fully English-speaking environment

·Learn with confidence in small sized classes of 6 students for personalised attention

·Online learning modules that are aligned with CEFR standards.

·Learn from Scholastic-trained tutors across the region

·Develop social skills with peers from different schools across the country

Join their free trial class and get a free book by applying code <Mumsgather>. Click here to
sign up: 

Sri KDU Klang Open Day 26 Feb 2022

Sri KDU Klang is having its Open Day on Saturday, 26th February 2022 starting from 11am. This is a great opportunity to meet with the Principal Ms. April Peters, go on a self-guided tour and set an appointment to speak to their dedicated teachers from the comfort and safety of your own home throughout the week.

Open Day Opportunities

Join Asia's 1st School for Digital Leadership for the following programmes:

11am - 12pm
School Preview Session by Principal, Ms. April Peters

12pm - 1pm
Self-Guided Campus Tour

Throughout the week (by appointment)
Counselling with teachers

Enjoy a Special Entry Fee Waiver when you can enrol on the spot too! Get all the clarity you need with strict SOPs observed throughout the day.

RSVP NOW: https://enquireklang.srikdu.edu.my/openday/

Sri KDU International School Klang is the top school in the region for digital leadership and academic excellence. Sri KDU Klang is a proud partner with Microsoft to lead digital transformation in education.

At Sri KDU Klang, students are guided to develop an attitude of achievement to excel in a diverse range of activities, such as Academics, Sports, Arts & Culture, and not just in academics. These are delivered in an environment that emphasizes discipline and character-building to give them a well-rounded experience and help them build confidence in themselves to handle any challenge. In collaboration with key digital players, students are prepared to be digital leaders in an IR4.0 (4th Industrial Revolution) world through a unique Digital Leadership curriculum, which runs alongside the mainstream curriculum. 

Wondering what is it like to study in Sri KDU Klang? Watch principal, Ms. April Peters and student, Isabelle Tham share their learning experiences and school achievements respectively in Asia's first school for digital leadership.

 

See Sri KDU Klang location map and address below:

Chinese New Year 2022 Coloring Pages for Kids

When we were young, it was a pleasure to receive coloring books. Nowadays, kids are spoilt for choice because there are so many lovely coloring pages to download and print to colour. Here are some of our favourite coloring pages for Chinese New Year 2022. Visit the links to download and print the pages to color.

Year of Tiger Family coloring page from Morningkids.com

Smiling Tiger Greeting coloring page from Planerium.com

Reunion dinner family coloring page from Coloringhome.com

Boys and Girls playing with lantern coloring page from Coloringonly.com

Lion dance coloring page from Kidsacademy.mobi

Happy Chinese New Year 2022!