Ultimate Greenbelt Mother-and-Child Bonding in a Less Expensive Way

For a single mother slash college student like me, I have to squeeze my allowance just to have a budget for a "mother and child bonding". Every school week, I only have two and a half day to be with him because I study in Laguna and he's staying with my family in Makati, so I really need to maximize our time together.

I am very fortunate to live near the malls here in Makati, so what I normally do is take my son out. If you live in Makati or anywhere near, you can bring your child/ren in Greenbelt. Yes, you read it right. The place may sound luxurious but I didn't say you should spend your money shopping. Remember, you are after an ultimate bonding.

Greenbelt has this "park" ambiance that you and your child can enjoy. 

This is one of the many things you and your child can see. My son actually thought that this is a real zoo.

You can also see cats and ducks roaming around the area.

There is also a fish pond in between Greenbelt 4 and 5. Here, you can watch and feed the fishes. So, for extra entertainment of your child, you could bring crackers, bread, etc..

If your child is fond of reading, you can take him/her to National Bookstore in Greenbelt 1 for a reading bonding. They have a special section for kids in the middle of the store. My son and I would normally squat on the floor and he would pick a book he would like to read and we'd read it together. You can also visit Powerbooks in Greenbelt 3.

If you and your child/ren are hungry, there is a Jollibee near National Bookstore. You can also find Razon's, Hen Lin, Happy Lemon, etc in Greenbelt 1 or you can cross to Landmark and dine at the food court. Those were the places you can visit if you want a less expensive food.

There are many ways to enjoy Greenbelt without spending too much. You just have to stick to the main goal which is to have an ultimate bonding with your child. Plus there are other parks near Greenbelt where you can bring your child -- Legaspi Active Park, Washington SyCip Park, Ayala Triangle Garden. Or you can go "mall hopping" since there are still other malls near Greenbelt. 

Playschool/Daycare in the Heart of Makati

Disclaimer: I wasn't paid nor asked to write this blog. I just wanted to share this discovery to other mothers. ;)

Looking for a convenient playschool or daycare center that has a reasonable rate is one of the common problems of mommies living in Makati CBD. Most of the playschools within the community are often too expensive (well, what do you expect?) and some are difficult to access.

Well guess what, Colors and Shapes Learning Center is the answer to that problem. It is conveniently located at Prince Plaza 1, Unit G8 (just across Greenbelt 5). The place is a condo unit or an office unit that was turned into a playschool. Believe it or not, the ambiance is so child-friendly. It's colorful, neat, clean, safe and most of all, the teachers are so accommodating. They have 2 classrooms, a playroom and a receiving area, plus the whole place is fully airconditioned. They also maintain a small class size for better guidance and motivation.

Their regular programs are the Camp Baby, the Junior Toddler and the Senior Toddler. They accept children from ages 18months and up. They also have 2 batches of Summer Program plus they're accepting enrollees all-year-round.

My 2 year-old son attended the first batch of their summer program. He really enjoyed his three-week summer class with them. He learned when to properly use the words "Thank you", "Excuse me" or even "Sorry". He also learned to return the things he moved without telling him to do so. That itself is a really great improvement on his part. They don't encourage parents or yayas to stay over since it may affect the child's behavior or participation throughout the class.

Anyway, if you're interested, you can contact these numbers: 0917-527-1234 or 09275281234. I know they offer a trial class for those who are interested. 

You can also check their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/ColorsAndShapesLearningCenter