P&K News

Bringing Up Bei Bei
Looks like the authors of the Chinese edition of "Baby Names" have some revamping to do. Since news of Beijing's winning bid to host the Olympics broke out in 2001, 7,491 Chinese couples have opted to name their newborns in honor of the games, with 3,491 taking the direct route and naming them Aoyun, or "Olympics" in Chinese. The remaining 4,000 children were blessed with the names of the famous Five Friendlies with Jing Jing's moniker leading the fab five, followed by Huan Huan, Bei Bei, Ni Ni and Ying Ying. At least the names "Leap Forward," "Cultural Revolution" and "Found the Nation" are now a thing of the past-and thank goodness for that!

LEGO, Please
Let's face it: 2007 was a disastrous year for toys, marked by lead paint scandals, Aqua Dots and endless rounds of recalls. And as Chinese toy exports continue to face fierce scrutiny from the foreign media and toy manufacturers, it seems that the "Made in China" label is not safe for even the local Chinese consumers. The People's Daily recently reported an average 20 percent increase in money spent locally on toys as parents opt for the extra security that comes with more expensive, foreign-made toys. Grandparents looking to find another reason to spoil their little ones have just found it. If you're not up for purchasing more toys to add to the growing collection at home, kiddies can enroll in classes at the Children's Technology Workshop to play with giant versions of the popular building blocks. Children's Technology Workshop, 5033-3053

Strap In for a Safe Ride
Car safety has come a long way over the years, thanks to the valiant sacrifices made by crash test dummies the world over. The results of these tests haven't entirely trickled over to China though. In China, there are no laws stating that an infant or child must be restrained while in a motor vehicle and parents eager to ensure their children have a safe ride may be hard pressed to find car seats readily available around town. Shanghai Kiddy provides forward-facing child seats for children 9 months to 12 years old that are designed to disperse the force of a sudden stop or crash across the strongest parts of your child's body. They also offer rear-facing infant seats for babies under 9 months which provides extra support for the back and muscles. These must always be placed in the back seat. The Shanghai Kiddy model uses impact cushions instead of the simple five belt system which acts as a protective airbag. Protect your child and protect yourself, buckle up and happy travels! Shanghai Kiddy, 5863-8155

School News

SSIS Golf Team
Meet the next generation of stars on the green. SSIS has teamed up with SunIsland Golf Club to provide a plethora of golfing activities and quality instruction and regular coaching from qualified golfing instructors. Activities for these Tigers-to-be includes participation in local and international golf tournaments, workshops on golf rules and etiquette, seminars on golf psychology, training as well as family activities and more. Those students who excel will be able to represent their school in tournaments and tee off with other talented young golfers. http://www.ssis.cn

Alumni Associations
The Yew Chung International School has taken great pride in watching successful students accept their diplomas and take their first steps towards accomplishing their future goals. Visits to the school campus by YCIS alumni reunite students with the teachers who've helped them along their path--a testament to the relationship they've cultivated with their students over the years. A recent visit by three YCIS alumni included a computer science student now at Cambridge, a mathematics student at Oxford and a chemical engineering major at Manchester, showing the diverse range of fields and schools which YCIS students move on to. The next semester holds promise for more future graduates, so be sure to enroll your future Harvard alumnus. YCEF, http://www.ycef.com

Mandarin PlayClub's Day of Fun
If you thought you saw a bear around recently, no cause for alarm, it was just the Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning's PlayClub Bears. Robby and Ruby Red Bear came to Shanghai to meet the pandas at the Mandarin PlayClub afternoon of fun. More than a hundred children and their families joined in on interactive activities, puppet shows, storytelling, face painting and more in both English and Mandarin. The PlayClub Bears will be back soon for their next party--check http://www.juliagabriel.com to find out when.

Curtain Call
Concordia International School Shanghai (CISS) recently transformed their new theater into a barnyard straight from a child's imagination as more than 75 middle school students staged a two-night production of the classic 1952 novel by E.B. White, Charlotte's Web. This play could not have happened without supportive parents, who built the barn that served as the set and even one parent who drove to Anhui province to find hay for the production. Everyone's hard work paid off with brisk ticket sales showing the community's support for arts and this popular story. The CISS team isn't sitting on its laurels though; they have another show in store this spring and we're sure many more to come in the future. CISS, http://www.ciss.com.cn

Forget Recess
It's not all peanut butter sandwiches, fingerpainting and nap time ... ah, nap time. Help your children build strong experiences and skills during their formative years by enrolling them in kindergarten. At Happy Marian Xinlei Kindergarten, your children will receive a well-structured but friendly start to their education years guided by fun and fully qualified staff. Registration begins in May for children between 18 months and 5 years old for the next semester which runs from August 2008 till January 2009. Happy Marian Xinlei Kindergarten, 5403-0603 ext. 12