[2013 May 26] Taiwan Wind Ensemble Child Concert in Taipei

Note: This concert will also be held in Miaoli in early June.

Designed for children aged 0 to 6 years, this concert is a popular one.  With one show already sold out, you will have to be quick to get tickets.

Address:  台北市市府路1號2樓 (Taipei City Hall)

This TSCB concert in July should also be popular.

[2013 May 17-26] Paper Windmill Performs Don Quixote

Paper Windmill drama group always surprises me with the titles it chooses to adapt into a story for children.  I am currently trying to read Don Quixote, so I am curious as to where they take this story.  We have been to the group's plays before, and they are always enjoyable.

English information can be found here.

[May 15, 2013] Air Raid Drill - Stay off the Streets!

Something to write in the diary: "The government will be holding the annual Wan-an No. 36 Air Raid Drill for northern Taiwan on May 15 between 1:30 PM and 2 PM. Drills will involve the evacuation of people and vehicles, as well as the implementation of traffic control measures." 

I've been caught a couple of times during these air raid drills. The worst one was being on the bus with my toddler, just 5 minutes from my house.  We couldn't go anywhere, and the bus driver had to turn off the engine and a/c.  Try your very best to be somewhere nice with your child before 1:30pm that day!

Taipei Children's Arts Festival 2013 - Keep an Eye on the Site!

Scheduled to run from July 1st through to August 11th this year, this event is always very popular.  The website will be up fully on May 27th. You then have to be FAST to get tickets to lots of the classes!  I have always missed out, but there is still a lot of ongoing stuff to enjoy even if you can't get into a workshop.

Website link (bookmark it/put it on your alarm) : http://www.taipeicaf.org/News/NewsContent.aspx?id=128&NewsID=584

Homeschooling Group and Organic Farming in Taichung

Next week, Centered in Taipei magazine will publish an article I wrote about homeschooling in Taiwan.  It is packed with practical information.  So, it is quite timely that a message came through fromEdward Scott Rosenberg; a father looking for like-minded homeschoolers in Taichung.

ATTN: Homeschoolers in Taichung

My wife, our 6 year old and myself have started a small homeschooling group that caters specifically to homeschoolers in Taichung.

Why I am posting here is that we are constantly on the lookout for like minded individuals who can help us fill in the gaps in teaching, workshops and activities.

For example:
*I teach (of course) English and science based classes for free. I only ask parents to gather material for the classes.

*I have a friend who teaches Yoga to 5+ kids for only NT100 a class (adults too).

*We also have teachers that teach German and Japanese.

We organize meet ups and gatherings for support and to work as a community helping each others with all the challenges that come.

If you are interested in this and wish to contribute your time and experience to homeschooling families, contact me (Edward Scott Rosenberg) on Facebook.

Edward mentioned he would LOVE to meet more English-speaking homeschoolers in Taichung area.

Edward is passionate about farming, and teaches people how to keep an oragnic farm in Taiwan (Taichung in particular).  He describe things so well himself, I'll use another quote.

I have a Facebook page, Taichung Urban Farmers (TUF), that I use to teach people of all ages how to grow plants (mostly edible) and how to eat healthy.

In the very near future, I plan on having free events at TUF's 20 ping mini-farm that will teach both parents and children together how to live healthier lives through organic farming practices and other self sufficiency projects.

*For those concerned, these are science based classes and can be labeled as such.

Some examples include...

*Planting and caring for plants – I teach hands on about photosynthesis, pollination, helping plants grow and things of this nature. I always give away the plants for free after teaching how to care for them. Many children love journaling the plants life. It is wonderful watching the process of children growing, caring and eating what they have grown.

*Bottle biology with recycled bottles – Fun hands on projects include learning about composting, how to make kimchee and build a TerrAqua Column model to explore the link between land and water.

*Other Recycling Bottle fun - Making self watering planters, mini greenhouses and more!

Go ahead and 'like my page' for updates and if you wish to get together for a science class (agriculture/biology), let me know and I will arrange it.

Look out for my article next week, for information about homeschooling in Taiwan.

[Sun Apr 21] Taiwan Book Fest - Books by Expats in Taiwan, Books About Taiwan, Buy/Sell/Swap Your Own Books

Running from 12 noon til 6pm today at Huashan 1914 Creative Park  in Taipei, the Taiwan Book Fest is all about English-language books.

You can buy, sell, and swap books.  The organiser has also set up a space for children's books this year, so you can take books your family has finished with and exchange them.  There will also be at least 200 books for sale very cheaply, with proceeds going to Animals Taiwan.

There will also be several authors speaking over the course of the afternoon.  They include Elias Ek, who will present his new book "How to Start a Business in Taiwan". 

Elias Ek is a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder and president of Enspyre, the leading provider of B2B telemarketing services in Taiwan, and winner of the 2012 CCIFT (法國工商會) SME Innovation & Entrepreneurship Award.

Another well-known member of the expat community speaking is Richard Saunders. I think most of us in Taiwan have read at least one of his guidebooks during our time here.  He will promote his new book "The Islands of Taiwan".

The website is comprehensive and has clear directions to the venue.


http://taiwanbookfest.com/ 

 
No. 1, Section 1, Bade Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City

Summer Camp 2013 - A Chance to Let Your Children Let Off Steam, Learn New Skills, Speak English, and Meet New Friends

Further to my post about my weekly classes at Parents' Place in Neihu, I'd like to tell you about the two summer camps we are running this July and August.  Fitness Instructor Colleen Peterson and myself will share the job of taking up to twelve children through a week of fun, physical fitness, and mental exercise.

We do already have a couple of kids registered, so sign up early to avoid disappointment.

WEEK ONE JULY 1ST TO 5TH
WEEK TWO AUGUST 19TH-23RD
10AM-3PM (Doors open 9:30am-4pm)

Suitable for children aged 6-12 or so (entering first grade to entering Junior High), each camp is five days long and runs from 10am to 3pm each day. The camp will be run in English. Native speakers of English, and children with English as a Second or Foreign Language are all most welcome.  (Teachers do speak Chinese as a Foreign Language, but instruction will be in English.)

*Doors will open at 9:30am and close at 4pm. There will be four hours of organized activities each day.

*Cost for one camp is TWD5,000 per child. We need a minimum of six paid-up enrolments before the camp can go ahead, so please register and pay early. (Please pay by June 5th for the first camp.)

* The schedule for the two camps will be similar (fitness in the morning, quieter activities in the afternoons), but content will be different. This is to ensure children get to do a variety of activities, even if they sign up for both camps.

*Numbers limited to 12 children per camp.

*Schedule:

10-12 noon: Teacher - Colleen Peterson
Summer Camp Fit and Fun for Kids: Let's get fit this summer, have fun, make some new friends and learn some new skills!

10:00-10:15 : warm up cardio and light weight strength training
10:20-10:30 : cardio endurance training (10 spot circuit where there will be ten different stations to run to, 1 min at each, doing heart raising activites like jump rope, star jumps etc)
10:30-10:35: pilates core workout
10:35-10:50: three legged race, egg and spoon race, sack race, tunnel ball , air volleyball, bobbing for apples,red rover, funny mummy wrap game (each day will be a different activity)
10:50-11:00 Water and toilet break
11:00-11:50 To the park we will learn and play tee-ball

12noon-1pm Lunch Break/Rest

1pm-3pm Activity Time - Katrina Brown
Activities will include paper making, letter writing, felt craft, board games, environmental discussion, Readers Theater, science, and art. Exact activities will be finalized once we know the age group of registered children.

 

Address: 
2F, No. 315, Section 4, ChenGong Rd, Neihu District, 台北市內湖區成功路四段315號2F, Taipei, Taiwan 114

Registration Page:  http://www.parentsplace.com.tw/Register.html