Colors and Shapes Learning Center

Colors and Shapes is a playschool and a daycare that has much to offer to families with toddlers and with both spouses working. I believe many working Mommies and Daddies would actually love the services offered here.

Gentle reminders of how one should behave in class 

Approach 
Colors and Shapes uses play, art, music, movement, and practical skills to teach the alphabet, numbers, colors, and shapes. Students are provided with several opportunities and thematic activities that encourage them to use their own creativity.

An activity board in the classroom that encourages self-expression 

Colors and Shapes is also a daycare and a learning center that offers three purposeful programs for babies and toddlers: Program 1 (Camp Baby and Jr. Toddler), Program 2 (Tutorial, Summer Camps, and Early Intervention), and Program 3 (Playhouse/Daycare).

 Campy Baby (18-24 months) and Jr. Toddler (24 months and above) are year-long programs that follow a June-March school year. Playhouse, on the other hand, offers daily or regular daycare services.

When classes are over, the students will then be allowed to go to the Play Area where lots of toys await them. 

What We Love About Colors and Shapes
* Low student:teacher ratio 
Colors and Shapes values the learning experiences of each child. This is why they maintain a very low student:teacher ratio. Each class has two (2) teachers and one (1) teacher-aide, so Mommies are confident to leave their babies at Colors and Shapes especially those who are availing of the daycare service.

Dance Time with two of her classmates

* Celebrates each Student's Success 

Colors and Shapes takes pride in celebrating the accomplishments of each student - be it an artwork done or simply being present in class. I love it how the whole class sings for everyone present in the class that day. Such a simple gesture makes the child loved and accepted. 

The classroom is decorated with the student's projects and paintings which are little trophies of the student's success. 

* Practical programs especially for working parents 
Colors and Shapes offers Playhouse, a safe and convenient daycare program where you can drop-off your baby who can explore, socialize, and learn through interactive and fun-play.

This would be convenient if both mommies and daddies have the same work schedules, and they don't have a yaya at home.

         Art time using paints and rollers

Each class has lots of singing, dancing, and art as the students learn their ABC's, colors, and numbers. 

Of course, Charley's favorite which is Art Time and getting messy, is also part of the daily activities. 

What we love more about Colors and Shapes is that it's just across Greenbelt 5 so it's perfect for Mommies working in Makati! 

Fees & Schedule 

The school year for Camp Baby and Jr Toddler starts in June and ends in March. Playhouse is availble all through out the year. 

Summer Camp Batch 1 starts early April while Batch 2 starts late April until May.

You may call, text, or email Teacher Ena for more details regarding the exact details on the tuition fees.

Location & Contacts 
Ground Flr. Unit G8
Prince Plaza Condominium
106 Legazpi St., Makati City
0927.527.1234
http://colorsandshapeslc.wix.com/main
colorsandshapeslc@yahoo.com

It's right across Greenbelt 5!

Overall 
Charley had fun at Colors and Shapes because there are lots of singing and dancing and art time many babies her age will surely enjoy. 

Also, the place is very convenient and accessible since it's just in the heart of Makati. Playhouse will be helpful for those families without a Yaya. 

In my opinion, Mommies might consider Colors and Shapes for their babies.

Colors and Shapes accepts students as early as 18 months old. 

Playworks Early Childhood Center

Playworks was one the playschools that first caught our attention during the Mommy Mundo Preschool Fair in BGC. Baby Charley was instantly smitten with Playworks' colorful displays, engaging activities, and really friendly teachers. These are why we're convinced we're considering Playworks for Charley's playschool.

Baby Charley during the PReschool Fair 

Approach

Plaworks is a play-based progressive program that is focused on responding to the children's interests to create meaningful learning experiences. Their activities are developmentally-appropriate that target different learning areas like physical development, social and emotional development, language and literacy, mathematics, discovery of the world, and art. 

All of their graduates enter the big schools of their choice like Assumption San Lo, Poveda, Xavier, Ateneo, La Salle, and other international schools.

My 16-month old baby's artwork

Sensory Play with balls and jell-o! May I say, the apron looks really cute!! 

Playworks has Young Toddler Classes (Babies and Toddlers) and Nursery Classes (Preschool). The students are grouped by age; hence the class schedules, activities, curriculum, and materials are all appropriate for the kids' age. Each class has a very low student-teacher ratio, and Mommies can be sure that their kids are well-attended. 

Young Toddlers Class

There are also summer classes, after-school activities like Galileo English and Math Enrichment Program, Twinkle Stars Ballet, Language Classes (Filipino and Foreign Languages), Arts & Crafts, Acrylic Painting, Sports, and IT Programmes.

What We Love About Playworks

* Developmentally-appropriate Activities

Because the kids are grouped according to their age, the activities, materials, schedules are tailor-fit for them. For example, in Charley's class (Young Toddler at the Purple Room), the kids have whole group activities like Circle Time and Story Time. These activities teach appropriate social skills like being part of a group or even learning how to share. 

Story time/Dancing Time with Teacher Gabby

Charley loves how these bells sound when she walks and stomps her foot

There are also small group activities and hands-on experiences where the children learn through play. I think because there are various small centers in the classroom, children can learn pre-reading, pre-math, and pre-science with the help of the teachers.

Charley building pipes while her classmate picks from the Science center 

Finally, there is also Free Play where the teachers work with the kids one-on-one or in small groups. 

Music Time

One of the many sensory activities 

* Low student:teacher ratio with well-trained teachers and staff 

Each class has very low student:teacher ratio. In fact, there are 2 teachers and 1 teacher-aide in each class. This way, Mommies can be confident to leave their kids in the classroom. 

Lessons are in English, but teachers also consider the vocabulary each child uses at home. There are different types of nationalities in each class, but the kids adjust well and non-native speakers even learn English from their teachers. 

Art time

Moreover, teachers receive a yearly training or workshop from Red Cross. Also, each room is cleaned and sanitized after each class, and toys are washed every week. However, mouthed toys are removed from the classroom right away to be disinfected. I find this very helpful especially during the flu season. 

A teacher-aide on the look out while the kids are playing 

* Safe, conducive environment

Each classroom is huge for the class, so our babies can crawl, walk, run, and jump more freely and more confidently. Learning materials are also strategically placed in the classroom, so the kids learn something wherever they look.

Snack Time

The play area is HUGE with toys of all kinds. There are cars and trucks (Charley's favourites), dolls, and soft baby gyms for everyone. 

There's also a diaper-changing station, a waiting area for the fetchers, and a bigger area with tables and chairs. 

Finally, the whole school is aircondtioned and has a security lock by the entrance. 

Fees, Schedule 

What we love more about Playworks is that it offers different types of class schedules. There are early morning classes, late morning classes, and afternoon classes, so Mommies can just choose which will fit their babies. Some students attend classes everyday, others 3x a week, while some 2x a week. Fees vary depending on the schedule and age of the child.

The following are the fees for the summer activities as of SY 2016 - 2017.  You may simply call, email, or visit Playworks for SY 2016 - 2017 tuition fees. Fees of children who will not be attending the whole school year (for example, students may attend 6 months of schooling only) will be pro-rated.

Location and Contacts 
Aguirre Campus
2/F Aguirre Building
108 HV Dela Costa St.
Salcedo Village, Makati City
02.816.3273
infor@playworksph.com

Three Salcedo Campus
2/F Three Salcedo Place
123 Tordesillas St.
Salcedo Village, Makati
(Just across Jaime Velasquez Park; Look for UCPB; Near Coffee Bean)
02.555.0497
playworks.salcedo@gmail.com

Right across Jaime Velasquez Park

Overall
Baby Charley enjoyed all her activities at Playworks. She loves her teachers who are very friendly and accommodating, and she looks forward to her classes everyday. Mommies, Daddies (yes, Daddies!), and yayas whom I met there also have just good words for the playschool.

We also notice that Charley learns new words from the teachers and even applies at home what she has learnt in class. For example, she packs away her toys and sits down on the chair during meal time once you sing the songs she hears in class.

Indeed, Playworks Early Childhood Center is highly recommended as a playschool. 

Adven-Char at the Beach, Batangas

Summer is almost here! While families an friends are posting their #braggie shots of the places they have been to, my roommate (my husband, btw) and I can't help but just "like" all their posts in envy. Unfortunately, summer's gonna come later this year since our school year ends in May pa. 

*sigh*

I've been begging Boss Ayat for a vacation since last year cos this is the first time I'm not going to Singapore with my family for our yearly one-month trip and I didn't win in the I love Ayala Mall's El Nido Giveaway. But Charley got featured anyway, which is nice. 

This momma needs a vacation. Now. 

When the long Holy week-end came, Team Hernandez grabbed the opportunity to head to Boss Ayat's house by the beach in Batangas! 

This is the 3rd time we're bringing Baby Charley to a beach: the first time when she was 2 months old and another when she was 3 so we're not sure how she would react to the beach. 

So we practiced by bringing the beach to her. Thank you, Inflatable Pool! 

With her Ate Vanna, Baby Charley got her first taste of the beach right there in our garage! Yes, in her hot red swimsuit. 

Days after, we headed to the beach house in Lobo, Batangas. After almost an hour, we're finally there to enjoy the beach right in front of the house. 

Fortunately, it wasnt very hot that day, so Baby Charley got to enjoy the beach in peace. 

First, we brought her to the shore and we waited until she's ready.

 And she did! Lots! 

Since we're already in the province, believe me it was such a relaxing experience, we wanted Baby Charley to experience the "buhay probinsya" in full. So we hiked a bit, showed her the farm animals she could only see in her books, and take a bath with a poso. 

Sadly, the day had to end and we had to say goodbye to the beach. But not for long Im sure! Cos now that we know Baby Charley loves the sea as much as we do, we can't wait to bring her to all of our travel adventures!