Event Recap: Korean Cooking Class at Madang Cultural Center in Kuwait
One of my bucket list of things to do this month as May draws to a close was to experience a cooking class with my 5-year-old daughter, a mother-daughter adventure into a different cuisine especially one that, to my little one’s delight, involved Kimbap and crispy fried chicken.
Yesterday, on a quiet evening, we booked a Korean cooking class with Madang Cultural Center. The class focused on two traditional dishes – kimbap and dakgangjeong chicken. We were told by the Korean hosts that these are two popular snacks enjoyed in the summer season when picnicking is a cherished activity.
We began with kimbap, a dish that closely resembles sushi. The difference between both rolls is that Kimbap rice is seasoned with sesame oil, salt and pepper, while sushi rice is seasoned with vinegar. Another prominent distinction is that Kimbap contains only cooked ingredients. Kimbap is also noticeably thicker when sliced because of a larger filling.
We started by carefully slicing carrots and cucumbers into thin strips. The carrots were briefly cooked to soften them. Next, we laid everything out: glossy sheets of seaweed, thin leeks, Korean pickles (called danmuji), fried seasoned tofu strips, and a folded omelette.
There’s an art to assembling kimbap. We spread a thin layer of seasoned rice onto the seaweed, gently pressing it with our fingertips. The rice, warm and slightly sticky, acted as the glue that binds the roll together. The host told me that you can tell how professional one is at Kimbaps by the amount of rice they use, where just the right proportion is applied.
With bamboo mats in hand, we gently pressed and rolled our kimbaps, giggling at our slightly wobbly first attempts. Then, after a brush of sesame oil, we cut them up into thick slices.
After a short break to sample our kimbaps, we proceeded with dakgangjeong—a sweet, sticky, and crunchy Korean fried chicken dish, glazed in a sauce that strikes a perfect balance between soy, garlic, subtle heat and crunch. First, we prepared the sweet and spicy gochujang chilli sauce until it bubble and thickened with soy sauce, sesame oil and ketchup. After we double-fried the battered chicken, we tossed it in the sauce and sprinkled the dish with crushed peanuts.
Between steps, my daughter would dash off to play with the other children, laughter echoing from the corners. She’d return with flushed cheeks and bright eyes, just in time to help lay out another ingredient or roll the next piece of Kimbap.
And that, was an evening of shared learning. The rhythm of cooking together. For the rest of the evening, we tasted our handiwork and got to take some home to enjoy as well!
Over the weekend we decided to go jaunting in Abu Dhabi and spend time in Yas Island at the Hilton Curio Warner Brothers Hotel. The hotel is a great option for kids and has three entertainment parks in the vicinity including Warner Brothers Theme Park, Seaworld, Waterpark and Ferrari World. The two former theme parks are indoors while the waterpark is outdoors and we opted out of it since the weather was leaning towards the hotter side and we also skipped Ferrari World as our daughter is too young to enjoy the rides.
A cool LED screen on both sides of the lobby displaying animations and music at the hotel.
During our hotel stay, we were always greeted with the infamous Looney Tunes squad like Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny and the interactions were always a joy for our daughter. The hotel itself is sprinkled with cinematic artworks and memorabilia from the Warner Bros Production which were fun to spot.
The hotel overlooking the WB theme park.
WB memorabilia
Dumb and Dumber, one of the frames displayed in the hotel’s corridors
Nostalgic movies!
Warner Brothers Theme Park
Upon arrival, our first stop was the Warner Brothers indoor theme park and one of the greatest perks is that the park is adjacent to the hotel. We were also given a free pass to visit two places per day which was another bonus during our stay. Even though we visited during the weekend, the queues were surprisingly non-existent in the morning and well into the afternoon. I was told beforehand that lines tend to get crazy and so it was preferable to get a fast pass, but we didn’t end up needing it which made the experience that much more nice.
Once inside the theme park, you are under a virtual dynamic sky with sectioned immersive worlds featuring Flintstones, Superman in Metropolis, Batman’s Gotham City, the Cartoon Junction as well as the central plaza for shopping, dining and live shows.
The WB MapA very cool feature is the virtual sky which transforms into day and night, it’s a show in and of itself.
Our 4-year old daughter loves rollercoasters so she got her fix here and had a blast. Sometimes, there were height restrictions on certain rides but her dad could accompany her. From whizzing around in the Tom and Jerry cheese coaster to Daffy Duck’s bouncing pogo-stick ride, it was amusing and entertaining to step into the realms of cartoons.
I was actually quite surprised at how kid-friendly most of the Warner Brothers rollercoaster rides are for a 4 year old, most of which would have restrictions placed back in Kuwait’s theme parks.
The Cartoon Junction
The Cartoon Junction featuring a cartoon village
Tom & Jerry’s furnished house complete with a built-in rollercoaster ride.
We stepped into the Cartoon Junction world where we met Tom and Jerry and Scooby Doo. The Scooby Doo house features a tour around a creepy house complete with spooky hallways and a living room resembling a cabinet of curiosities and other museum artefacts.
As we meandered through the house and scary corridors, we reached the actual ride that recreates one of the classic Scooby Doo stories using animatronics. A cool feature that as the ride moves long, there’s an integrated laser-like gun that you use to point and trigger targets around you causing them to move to tell the story.
Gotham City
The entertainment at Gotham City is darker and a bit more challenging as one would expect. Personally I loved the feel of the place as it truly captured the gritty atmosphere of the Batman movies through dilapidated buildings of urban decay and a brooding landscape. We first entered the Joker Funhouse which is a mystery hallway leading up to a mirror maze, moving floors, and “traps” in an attempt to escape the joker. I couldn’t enter because you had to have closed shoes on and I was wearing sandals, so my daughter and husband went in. The joker visuals ended up frightening my daughter so she didn’t like this one.
The Riddler
A row of posters depicting the villains of Batman world.
Lunch at the Main Plaza
Towards the end we had lunch at Starlight dining serving international cuisine along with character appearances by Bugs Bunny and other Looney Tunes characters. The dishes were great and I liked how it wasn’t just the typical “kids theme park fried food” consisting of fries, nuggets and ketchup, but decent meals like Spaghetti Bolognese, mac and cheese croquettes, and seafood.
Our daughter elated to meet Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny!Batman tweety in a merchandise shop in Gotham City
The Looney Tunes Live Stage Show
Right after our meal, the plaza was getting ready to host a live Warner Brothers show. The show brings to live all the Looney Tunes characters on stage with a musical number and comedic skits. Moreover, there were also choreographed dance routines so the ambiance was very energetic and fun. In this case the scenario was a basketball competition between two Looney Tunes teams and the kids in the audience cheered for their favourite squad.
Back at the Hotel
Once we returned back to our room by late afternoon, we had a swim at the hotel’s pool. I really like the kid’s splash area and cute little dedicated lounging area for them with a screen showcasing Scooby Doo cartoons, it’s a nice touch.
SeaWorld Adventures!
The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel’s “Sidekick” restaurant designed for kids. It’s basically a cartoon-inspired place with a children’s buffet and Looney Tunes visitors coming to say hi.
We took a short 8-minute car ride to reach Seaworld.
I came to know that officials from Guinness World Records recently announced that SeaWorld Yas Island has been named the “Largest Indoor Marine-Life Theme Park” in the world.
An underwater base
Seaworld is huge and it is estimated to take as long as 5-6 hours to fully explore it. The place is divided into different marine realms and a central area where they all connect. Some of the themes to explore are the Abu Dhabi ocean, Polar Arctic, and Tropical Ocean to name a few.
Aside from observing animals, there are also experiences such as the dolphin show, pearl-diving presentation, animal feeding sessions and tide pool touch tanks where you can come in contact with some marine creatures under the guidance of a marina biologist. There were also a couple of roller coaster rides like the Eel Racer.
A massive screen encircles the main hub.
At the Polar Ocean realm watching a Walrus munch on ice!
Some of the activities and experiences had a timetable, so either we were lucky enough to be there on schedule or we were exploring the giant aquarium elsewhere. We happened to be nearby one of the activities early on which was the Dolphin show and we got good seats. Before we knew it, the stadium was filled to the brim. We got our pop corn and some hot chocolate as we were still warming up after the penguin encounter at the Polar realm.
The show showcased the intelligence, agility, and playfulness of dolphins in a choreographed performance, while also educated the audience about marine life and conservation efforts. What’s more is that we enjoyed lots of splashes at the front row!
One of the other experiences was a live performance on pearl-diving retelling the history of the trade with humorous drama. The narrator told the story of the challenges and the nature of the pearl diving practice. A cool feature is the theatrical aquarium they used in the background as the story unfolded.
*boop*. I love how curious this fish was.
Emperor Penguins at the Arctic Ocean
The immersive penguin exhibit allowed us to closely observe and learn about the emperor penguins in an environment that closely mimics their natural Antarctic habitat, therefore the area was below zero degrees Celsius and we were freezing in our summer clothing.
There was also a feeding demonstration showcasing the penguin’s diets and how they’re fed.
Wrap up
And that summarises our trip to Yas Island. It was such a great experience and I loved re-living childhood again with my daughter and most importantly seeing her excitement and joy in meeting her favourite characters and experiencing their world!
If you would like to read some of my other travel stories you can click here.
Recap: Shakshooka Market – My experience as a vendor.
Last weekend I participated at Kuwait’s Shakshooka Market, the third and final of the season. The market took place at the Andalus Complex and attracted a variety of unique local vendors and curious visitors who arrived to sample food and explore the arts and crafts community. Unlike a lot of markets in Kuwait which are food-centric, it was nice to experience a market that wasn’t just about eating. Shakshooka found a way to make both food and art work in harmony and consequently the visitors embraced both.
I had participated in Shakshooka during it’s first launch and Yadawiglass crafts was kind enough to let me share a booth with them so I got a taste of market life. The second time around, I participated on my own where I showcased my handmade paper collection, prints and framed artwork. The booth tent was spacious and well-supplied with a table, chairs, lights, and POS machine. Once everything was set up, we had a great time!
Setting everything up was a little challenging and overwhelming but there were staff around to help provide a trolley and load the heavy things before the market began. My 4 year old daughter was with me at the time as I wanted her to experience the market with me too.
The market drew quite a big crowd and continued into the evening. Sometimes it was difficult to take breaks, explore the other booths or grab a snack as people kept flowing in passing by my table. I also liked how nearby booths were like neighbours having conversations and offering company and help to one another.
Avli Greek Mediterranean pastries
A glass-blowing demo by Yadawi
Glass crafts by Yadawi
A pie shop
From farm to market strawberries
Sadeer Farms who sold lots of beautiful sunflowers!One of the snacks I got – chicken wonton from Phet Phet Thai food.
Overall, it was a nice change of perspective from visiting markets to actually being part of one and also getting to explore the connection that people have with my artwork! Shakshooka has been one of the best markets I’ve been to and I look forward to the next season!
Over the weekend, my daughter and I got to experience a wonderful Korean-style Kashta experience with the Madang Korean Cultural Center in Kuwait. To the readers who are new to the term “Kashta”, it is defined as a “Kuwaiti tradition of enjoying a picnic in the open desert away from busy life.”
The event took place next to the seaside on the grassy fields of Safir Fintas Hotel and even though it wasn’t in a desert, the entire experience did capture the feel and ambiance of a kashta.
We arrived a little late, but were just on time to observe the Hanji crafts laid out on the tables. A while back, I had written about our Hanji workshop experience at the Madang cultural centre. Hanji is basically the Korean word for traditional handmade paper made in Korea, and it is then used to make elaborate sculptures and artistic objects like lamps.
Crafts made from Hanji paper, such as lamps and jewellery boxes.
After the crafting sessions, we took a food break and were presented with a delicious array of Korean specialties and favourites, especially street foods.
Displays of Korean cuisinePreparing the meat, also known as Galbi which is a marinated short rib.On left, spicy chicken skewers and Korean fried veggie dumplings called Mandu. On the right, Galbi short ribs in a lettuce wrap.Chicken skewersTteokbokki rice cakes in spicy sauceFor dessert, Hotteok – Korean sweet pancakes stuffed with walnuts.
We savoured the food inside cozy bubble tents and as the sun set, everything was illuminated and the campfire was lit up.
There was also a nice, spacious playground area for kids next to a “wooded” area.
This was a lovely experience with a mingling of art, food, socialising, culture and ambiance which is honestly one of the best combinations for any kind of event. I hope to see many more events and experiences like this in Kuwait that embrace these qualities!
I became intrigued by paper-making ever since I started drawing. One common question I get asked is why make paper when there’s already an abundance of it? There are many reasons. I make paper because I enjoy the mindful process, I acknowledged the benefits of recycling something that would otherwise be discarded, and I love the handcrafted feel of handmade paper.
I began collecting and then transforming grocery paper bags into usable sheets of paper. Now, family and friends have become my suppliers and save any paper bags from their shopping trips to pass on for recycling. And so, we launched a paper-making cycle!
The first step involved in turning simple paper bags into beautiful sheets of paper is preparing the fibers, tearing and shredding them into smaller pieces to ensure they blend smoothly into paper pulp, or a paper slurry.
Soaked tears of paper
Soaked paper in a vat
Next, comes the blending process, a mesmerizing dance between the fibers and water. The blender swirls the fibers into a smooth, frothy suspension. I pour the pulp into a vat with water and gently scoop up a layer of fibers with a mold and deckle, tilting and shaking the mold to ensure an even distribution. I then lift the mold, revealing a delicate translucent sheet of paper.
Soaked paper in a vat, submerged overnight
Afterwards, the couching process follows where I transform the fibers into a tangible sheet of paper, a very delicate transfer of the wet sheet from the mold to the felt pad.
The final stage is drying, a patient waiting game as the paper surrenders its moisture to the air. The next day, I find the dry and crisp sheets, slightly textured.
Each fiber, once discarded, had played a vital role in creating this unique and meaningful object that can be used for artistic purposes. The paper was more than just a material; it was a symbol of creativity, sustainability, and the transformative power of turning one object into another.
I opened my eyes to the potential of transformation that lies within everyday materials.
Here are some of the ways I used the handmade paper!
Hanji Workshop at the New Korean Cultural Center in Kuwait
Over the weekend my daughter and I visited the new Korean Cultural Center in Sharq, Kuwait City, which recently opened it’s doors inside Kamco Tower in May 2023
The center is called Madang which means ‘traditional courtyard’ in Korean, and it houses several class rooms and offices that host arts and crafts workshops as well as Korean language courses. It’s a really nice-looking place and because they are still brand new, there are several programs and activities underway.
They also have a library filled with children’s book in Korean.
I had booked the Hanji Craftswork workshop and my daughter came a long with me. Hanji is the traditional handmade paper of Korea, and it is made from the inner bark of the mulberry which is a tree native to Korea.
Mulberry Tree
In this workshop, we were going to use this paper to decorate a traditional tray.
The supplies, which consist of water glue, brush, tape, tray die-cut, hanji paper
We were first given a brief video introduction on the history and art of Hanji.
Hanji paper is made by extracting the tree bark, soaking it, boiling it, and beating it until it forms a pulp.
My daughter was given some paper with Korean images to colour in
We started the workshop by first assembling the tray using tape. Then, we used the ready-made cut outs of hanji paper to brush the glue onto the tray until it was completely covered in Hanji. It sounds simple, but it was a little tricky ensuring that the paper adheres smoothly and evenly across the tray. If there was any excess paper that needed to be cut, we were advised to tear it rather than cut it in order to give the tray a handmade appearance.
Because we used water glue we could also brush it all over so that the paper adheres clings well to the tray, acting like a lacquer which gives it a nice finishing in the end.
The activity itself reminded me of decoupaging, which is the art of decorating an object by gluing together colourful patterns of paper.
The instructor assisting usThe tray was then placed next to a fan to dry.
These traditional Hanji trays are used for storing snacks like biscuits and chocolate, or can be propped vertically like a frame on a shelf.
This was a nice experience and I loved that my daughter and I got to do our first workshop together!
We recently stumbled upon a hole-in-the-wall shop in Mangaf that sells Ukrainian cookware, the vintage-looking kind that my grandparents used back in Ukraine.
The place is located by a road next to a row of stores, one of them with a black and white signage titled “ابو سعود”.
There is an array of cooking pots, trays, tea pots and mugs all made in Ukraine.
I picked up a couple of these cooking pots, primarily for making stews, porridges, soups and cottage cheese. They are all made of metal and coated with enamel inside and out. Due to that, the pots heat up quickly and evenly, as well as hold the warmness for a prolonged period.
It’s not recommended to fry things in them as they are coated in enamel and that can chip, deeming the cookware unsafe to use because it exposes the metal underneath. This will comprise the functionality of the cookware as the unprotected metal core can leak harmful ingredients into the food.
For this reason I inspected each pot carefully before purchasing it to ensure that it wasn’t chipped in the slightest bit.
Teapots hanging from above. Some made in Ukraine while others are Slovenian
Here I am cooking a staple grain in Ukraine called Buckwheat, with some butter!
The main place we’ve ever known to get up close with animals here in Kuwait used to be Kuwait Zoo. Since the zoo has been closed for years for unknown reasons other than renovations, I have noticed numerous places popping up featuring opportunities to see animals, especially ones that we can pet and approach.
I have made a list of the places we have taken our daughter to so far. The spots include indoor and outdoor ones.
Scientific Centre- Indoors
To those who are new to Kuwait, Scientific Centre is an educational facility housing an aquarium, wildlife and ecosystems, an IMAX movie theatre as well as Discovery Place for Kids. The centre is situated by the Gulf seaside and there’s a beautiful walkway leading up to it that people enjoy trekking through.
We love frequenting the place and it has always been one of our favourite spots to go to for a relaxing time. It’s just all in all a very atmospheric venue.
Recently, the Scientific Centre added an animal petting corner inside the aquarium zone.
Depending on the time, one of the staff members appear to educate and show children a variety of animals. Every 15-20 minutes or so, a new animal is brought out and showcased.
My daughter interacting with a desert hedgehog
A garden snail
That day we petted a garden snail and I only then did I discover that snails are actually hermaphrodites (they possess both male and female sex organs) and produce their own shells from the calcium released through their skin . For some reason after our encounter with one, I realised that they’re pretty cute!
Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Center (ASCC) – Indoors
This is another great museum that covers ecosystems, space exploration, Earth, and the human body. The complex doesn’t feature as many live animals as the scientific Center, but does have a large aquarium and mostly exhibits marine animals.
Aquamarine Exotic (Indoors)
This is another interesting venue. Aquamarine Exotic initially opened as an aquarium supplies store but then expanded to house animals.
The store initially introduced Koi fish feeding and after that opened a new premises nearby with a variety of exotic animals.
Koi fis- feeding
Lemurs
Some of the animals there are baby barn owls, a crow, hedgehogs, chameleons, a range of birds and even white racoon dogs to name a few.
Little Jungle (winter season – outdoors)
A boat ride around the jungle
Little Jungle resembles a zoo and is quite close to a replacement for Kuwait Zoo at the time being. It’s a vast, open space to walk around and look at animals, ones that you would normally find in a zoo like giraffes, ostriches, and zebras. Some up close animal encounters include holding turtles, petting parrots, and even cuddling with Pomeranians.
Pomeranian kennel. There are so many of them!
Al Bohayra Farm (winter season – outdoors)
Al Bohayra Farm gets busy during the peak winter season, but it’s an expansive farm with numerous activities to do such as exploring the land and crops, shopping at the farmer’s market, looking at farm animals, riding ponies and horses, and there’s even a mini zoo for petting animals.
Once you enter, you are greeted by camels, goats, sheep, horses and donkeys. You are given some greens (for a fee) to feed the animals as you walk further into the farm.
Al Murooj Farm(outdoors)
This is probably the latest addition to animal encounters. Murooj is actually a restaurant complex located next to an Equestrian Club in Sabah Al Salem. They also have a great outdoor playground for kids and recently added a nice little farm experience. There is a fenced off area at the center with animals roaming around and they’re accessible for the public to interact with. Some animals include bunnies, an iguana, ostrich, and baby goats to name a couple. What set this experience apart is how we weren’t enclosed from the animals, but could approach them and pet them safely as they wandered freely.
Mega Pet Zones in Al Rai near AvenuesMall
The Megastore by Pet zone is a giant one. The first floor is divided into feeds for all kinds of animals imaginable (even primates), while the other section is devoted to all things cats and dogs, including a grooming center/pet salon.
The first section is also the one that has a couple of live animals to see, some of which are racoons, owls, toucans, small turtles, a large selection of fish, and I was even surprised to see a squirrel. They were fun for my daughter to look a, but at the same time it felt strange seeing these large animals caged especially since most of them weren’t for sale but just there for spectacle.
The second floor is another level that hosts birthday parties for kids.
A large tortoise was roaming the store
And that sums up all the places to see animals in Kuwait!
Visiting Kuwait’s Bait Al Othman Museum: The Old Kuwait
I only recently started visiting the Bait Al Othman Museum and I love going back. The museum itself is large and we picked up on heaps of new details and pieces of information with each visit. There’s just a great deal to see and notice.
There was something eery about us being the only visitors in the museum. For as long as we paid the museum a visit (four times), we were always alone having the museum entirely to ourselves whether in the mornings or evenings. My presumptions tell me that either everyone has already been to the museum or they’re just not that interested in Kuwait’s history as much as we are! The museum has been around for 10 years.
As you first enter the gateway (1KD for a ticket), you are greeted with a big square of what resembles an indoor courtyard encircled with Kuwaiti shops of the past. To your right you will also see a cute souvenir shop upon entry which I highly recommend to look through. We once purchased a big lidded KDD Chocolate Milk (favourite childhood drink) box and now store candies inside. If you’re looking for a great souvenir of Kuwait, this is probably one of the best little shops.
A couple of handmade dioramas of old Kuwaiti craftsmanships
A small old Kuwaiti dhow also stands in the courtyard and you can get onboard and have a look at it inside.
This is not a diorama! This is actually a life-sized replica of an old convenience store (baqala in Arabic)
A couple of full-scale models of old Kuwait shops are on view around the courtyard. I loved looking through all the details of the items.
The courtyard has several entryways and paths that take you to different sections of the museum. Each portion or division itself hosts several rooms displaying the history of it. A couple of examples are military(and professions), media rooms/ministry of information, pearl-diving and fishing, family life, and there’s even a scientific area with taxidermies and preservations. For a first time visit, it could get a little confusing with all the twists and turns around the museum. Even on our third visit, there were rooms we stumbled upon that we hadn’t seen the first or second times. There is a lot to discover and many antique items.
Coffee cups and “dallahs” which are the coffee jugs
A diwaniya setting at home, which is a reception/gathering where men receive male guests to converse over tea or coffee.
A traditional door
A model of an outdoor set up of what would typically be found in an old Kuwaiti home in the courtyard.The educational section of the museumWhat a crib looked like in a Kuwaiti home in the pastBarber shop
The entire pearl-diving room is built in such a way that you’re walking around an old ship, which is a cool touch. I also liked how some of the rooms are filled with audio and sound effects, like divers singing the songs of the sea.
The pearl-diving and sea-faring section showcased divers’ clothes, tools, and pearls. Before the discovery of oil, Kuwait rose from humble beginnings and initially sustained itself with pearl-diving which peaked and thrived between 1895 and 1915. The dependence on pearls eventually waned after the invention of the cultured pearl and the oil boom.
Some retro national posters of the Gulf War between 1990-1991The media room
A section of the museum covered the Ministry of Information and the shows and programs that used to be broadcasted on Kuwait TV.
The room displays several screens featuring a playback of famous local “masrahiyas”, which are popular drama theatres. The room also showcases the costumes worn by national icons during their theatrical performances in the 80’s as well as in cinema. There’s also a real life display of what the old Kuwait TV studio rooms looked like.
An old candy shop where you can purchase nostalgic childhood candy and crisps.
The Camping Section
There’s an entire space dedicated to camping as well. The place looks like it’s housed in a large tent and has birds and quails running around too.
Taxidermy
The taxidermy section was also interesting. The two floors have several rooms accommodating various animals on display.
Preserved insectsScientific disections
Haunted House!
There’s a hallway that also leads to a haunted room (which is cheesy).
And that wraps up this blog post! There is a lot more to see at the museum and I shared only portions of it. I highly recommend visiting the place if you would like a thorough look at Kuwait before the discovery of oil. It’s a national treasure!
Motherhood: FIVE Favourite Unique Activities with my 3 Year Old Daughter.
We wake up early morning, usually 7am. I open my eyes and my daughter is smiling back at me, just awoken too. By now our biological clocks have become in sync and it’s beautiful. “Good morning mamy!” she says cheerfully. The excitement and enthusiasm of our child to start the day is always contagious no matter what. “Where are we going today?” Mayoosha asks me. We lay in bed as I talk to her about all the things we are going to do. “Yaaaay!” she tells me brightly.
We get up to brush our teeth together and Mayoosha loves picking out her outfits each time. Even though we have our little disagreements about what should be worn that day, Mayoosha insists on wearing her favourite bunny summer dress or glittery skirt she picked out at the store that day, despite me telling her it’ll be too cold out and that all her stockings are in the laundry. Style conversations stretch over the fields of why’s, how’s, and where’s for several minutes until we arrive at a fashion consensus!
At her age, Mayoosha also proudly loves to help in the kitchen and wear her chef’s apron. She cracks the eggs, makes an omelette and brews two cups of tea superbly well (a spoonful of honey is a must!).
We also have a routine where we start a new kind of learning activity daily. I always tend to keep a long list of exercises, activities and themes I would like to cover with her.
In this post, I am going to share a couple of favourites that nurture developmental skills at 3 years old.
ROLE-PLAYING: POST OFFICE
Role-play has been our daughter’s utmost favourite activity. I love seeing her play pretend and imagine taking on a profession, character or scenario.
One of the top reasons why role-play is essential is that it encourages creativity and imagination.
Moreover, since role-playing almost always involves two-way play, it enhances communication skills that can also be implemented in real life later on. Mayoosha tends to take on the active role while I am the passenger, the guest, the customer, or the student for instance. Therefore, she conveys the main messages which builds confidence in interactions. It’s also a great vocabulary builder.
Related to point two, role-play also strengthens social skills.
Some great role-play themes have been:
Post office
Hair/Beauty Salon
Airplane (pilot, flight attendant and passenger)
School (Teacher and student)
Supermarket shop (selling and buying)
Restaurant (cooking food and serving)
We have even switched roles for laughs where Mayoosha was me (mama), and I pretended to be Mayoosha.
When playing post office, Mayoosha enjoyed wrapping some of the items while I kept the other objects as surprises to have fun unwrapping. She enjoyed writing letters as we waited in the other room for her to deliver them. It was really cute opening the letters and seeing her little messages or drawings. We took turns working at the post office and Mayoosha loved opening our letters for her too.
Then there’s the element of surprise when unraveling the package.
Post office pretend play:
Kraft paper and envelopes
Scissors
Stamps or washi tape stamps
Stickers
Twine
Little bell
Pen and letter paper
A variety of surprise items to wrap
Basket
Post office role-play. We wrapped parcels together using kraft paper and twine.
Kraft envelopes and washi tape stamps
2) CUTTING FLOWERS
Ever since Mayoosha started practicing with scissors, she’s been enjoying cutting a variety of things, whether it’s hair, opening a chocolate wrapper, threads, paper and so on.
If you have a dried bouquet, save it! I was going to cut the flower (rose) heads and use them for arts and crafts later on, so I told Mayoosha to help me out and use her scissor-cutting skills to snip them. Since the flowers are drier and more brittle than fresh stems, it makes for easier cutting.
3) SENSORY: ‘COOKING’ with SLIME
My daughter was always interested in slime. Each time we enter a toy shop, slime was the first thing she wanted to look for. I avoided slime activities in general because of how messy they get and only allowed it occasionally. There are different kinds of slime, meaning each type differed in consistency. Therefore, some slime tended to be stickier and harder to clean up than others.
However, I spotted this one nice slime box set in Fantasy World and decided to purchase it for Mayoosha. I totally understand the fascination now. The texture is hard to resist haha! Lots of pulling, stretching squishing, rolling, and twisting! There are so many benefits including getting creative like adding in ‘ingredients’ such as beads, foam balls, pompoms, and glitter into the slime.
One of the ways that Mayoosha loves playing with slime is pretending to cook with it and making a recipe. She gets a toy pot from her kitchen and starts adding in batches of slime and combining ‘ingredients’ into it. She mixes the concoction with her hands and spends endless time feeling the textures and ‘kneading’ in elements. At this age, kids continue to enjoy the tactile and feel of different textures.
When playing with slime, it is best to use an empty activity table and lay out a washable mat that you can wipe clean quickly.
4) STEM ACTIVITY: PLAY DOUGH AND TOOTHPICK STRUCTURES.
This activity occupied Mayoosha for a while since she loves play dough in general.
There are printables of various structures to build from that are more suitable for older kids. In Mayoosha’s case, we just focused on open-ended play and assembled something simple like a little house, cube or pyramid in 3D although they can also be 2D shapes
I first rolled a couple of play dough balls in preparation, and Mayoosha practiced rolling the balls with her palms too.
We then had fun connecting the play dough balls together using the toothpicks, which you need to becareful with too.
5) BICYCLE RIDES
This is more of an outdoor sports activity. I highly suggest starting to get a bicycle with training wheels from 3 years old. Prior to that, Mayoosha used a tricycle.
The bicycle we got is by B-TWINS from the Decathlon store (in Kuwait). I loved how the bicycle was equipped with everything and you can choose to include “add-ons” like a basket, bell, water bottle holder, and a doll seat at the back. The bike also comes with front and back lights for nighttime rides.
The small training wheels at the back serve as balancing wheels. Whenever Mayoosha accelerates her speed the training wheels become suspended above the ground allowing her to get a feel for balance. It is a super safe, quality bike and sturdy. I also see the bicycle as one of the stepping stones to independence and offers the freedom and confidence to get around (with mom and dad of course!) as it is essentially a vehicle.
I believe this is one of the best active activities that a preschooler can participate in.
That looks like an extremely fun and informative workshop!
Hello! Yes, it’s interesting to learn about crafts from around the world! Thank you for reading 🙂
Thank YOU for making such an informative blog post!
You’re welcome! 🙂