SingaporeMotherhood | Family Fun
May 2017
Children’s Season Singapore 2017: 21 Must-see Highlights for Kids of All Ages
National Heritage Board’s Children’s Season Singapore returns bigger and better than ever before. We have the scoop on what kids can look forward to from 27 May to 25 June 2017.
“There’s something for everyone” is a tagline that’s so overused these days, it barely registers on our radar. But after attending the media preview for the 10th edition of Children’s Season Singapore, it really seems to be an apt description! Unlike previous years’ editions that were mostly limited to museums and heritage institutions, the range of family-friendly programmes, exhibitions and activities goes much further this time, even to the Singapore Zoo! In fact, with 29 partners showcasing over 120 programmes and exhibitions, the best place to be these June school holidays is surely right here in Singapore!
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The first place to visit is, of course, the National Museum of Singapore. This year, as it marks its 130th birthday, no one is left out. Exhibits are designed to be inclusive for children with additional needs, and accessible even to those who require mobility devices. Parent of children with sensory processing disorders can also download the specially designed Social Story, a ‘script’ that prepares them for a visit to the Museum in advance.
Here’s a sneak peek at some of the key happenings at Children’s Season at the National Museum:
At the National Museum of Singapore
1. Ride the Bouncy Bumboat (free)
Begin your journey on the lush green outside the Museum every Saturday and Sunday (Front Lawn, Level 1; 10am – 12pm & 4pm – 6pm). The irresistible Bouncy Ride is in the form of a tongkang (bumboat in Malay) that used to transport goods on Singapore’s rivers up till the 1980s.
2. Lay Back in a Net (free)
Find your way into The Soft Dome (Rotunda, Level 1; last admission 5.40pm), relax gently into its fibres and rediscover the world from a unique perspective. This giant reversed dome-shaped netting strangely reflects the Rotunda’s iconic stained glass dome.
3. Don’t Wake the Sleeping Giant (free)
Enter on tippy toes and find yourself in the company of The Giant (The Canyon, Basement; last admission 5.30pm). He may snore, so tread with care. He’s actually a gigantic canvas, so you’re welcome to doodle on him. Just be careful not to wake him up!
4. Sail Down the River of History (free)
Hop on a bumboat and travel back to Singapore 50 years ago. The Bumboat Trail (The Concourse, Level 1; last admission 5.30pm) invites young explorers to mail letters at the former General Post Office and become puppeteers at Parliament House. There’s lots of multi-generational bonding to do along the way!
5. Ride through Singapore’s Past (free)
Another interactive exhibition with activity and sensory stations, The Trolley Bus & Trishaw Trails (Glass Atrium, Level 2; last admission 5.30pm) sees kids experiencing life in the 1970s and 1980s. Parents and grandparents can take a nostalgic walk down memory lane too − to Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Little India and Katong!
6. Watch a Movie at the Cinema (free)
Making its return every Saturday and Sunday throughout the Season, as well as Monday, 26 June, Young Cinema (The Salon, Level 1; 10am – 12pm & 2pm – 4pm) will be showing a range of animated short films. The selection is curated from promising local filmmakers and French award-winners from the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.
Where National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Road
When 27 May to 25 June, 10am – 6pm
Next Stop…
To make it easier for you to plan your itinerary and choose where to go next, we’ve rounded up of 15 of the most interesting and must-see highlights for each age group:
Perfect for Preschoolers aged 3 to 6 years old
7. Meet Adorable Yarn Bombs (free)
Yarn characters inspired by motifs found on traditional Chinese children’s clothes and Lion Dance costumes are popping up all over! While you’re there, learn about the love parents throughout Chinese history have for their children in a special exhibition, Stitches of Love – Hidden Blessings in Children’s Clothing and Accessories. Make your very own auspicious crafts in various parent-child workshops.
Where Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, 12 Tai Gin Road
When 27 May to 25 Jun, 10am – 5pm
8. Learn about Peranakan Culture (ticketed)
Head to Peranakan Land at HomeTeamNS T-Play, where you can dress up in traditional costumes, and make Peranakan houses and tiles with recycled materials. Learn more about the heritage at a storytelling session every Saturday.
Where The Intan, 2 Bukit Batok West Avenue 7
When 27 May to 25 June, 10am – 9pm
(See also: 18 Reasons Why You Must Bring The Kids to Imaginarium 2017 at The Singapore Art Museum!)
9. Be a Soldier (free)
Discover which kind of soldier you want to be, and dress up in a uniform sized just for kids. Try out the different types of equipment that soldiers use to do their jobs and take a fitness challenge. Collect a souvenir when you complete your physical training!
Where Army Museum of Singapore, 520 Upper Jurong Road
When 27 May to 25 June, 11am – 5pm
10. Be a Policeman (free; registration required)
Learn more about the oldest uniformed organisation in Singapore. Take part in a workshop with hands-on activities and meet real-life police officers. Then dress up in kid-sized uniforms and join the force!
Where Police Heritage Centre, 28 Irrawaddy Road
When 30 May to 25 June, various timings
Yippee for Younger Kids aged 7 to 9 years old
11. Be a Science Explorer (free)
Pick up a gallery hunt booklet and go on an exciting hunt around the Science Centre. The first 80 participants daily to answer all the questions correctly get a special souvenir. Catch the Cryogenics Science Show at 4pm. Do note that while the programmes are free, the usual Science Centre admission applies.
Where Science Centre Singapore, 15 Science Centre Road
When 27 May to 25 June, 10am – 5pm
12. Learn Yan Calligraphy (free)
Do you know what Di Zi Gui is? It’s a book that’s filled with the teachings of Confucius, and all about how to be a good person to your parents, family and everyone around you. Watch a film about the book and brush up on your Chinese brush strokes. This workshop is conducted in Mandarin.
Where Gan Heritage Centre, 18 Bukit Pasoh Road
When 3 June, 3pm – 5pm
13. Make Your Own Prints 1950s-style (ticketed)
See how people lived in 1950s Singapore, and learn about how woodblock and linoleum prints were used in different ways. Then the little ones can team up with parents to create their own prints.
Where NUS Museum, 50 Kent Ridge Crescent
When 3, 10 & 17 June, 2pm – 4.30pm
14. Celebrate Father’s Day with Your Baba (free)
Discover the life of babas (male Peranakans) in a traditional Peranakan home. Some special designs in the home are only meant for men, and you’ll learn about these and many more things in a character tour. Kids get to create something special to give to dad for Father’s Day.
Where Peranakan Museum, 39 Armenian Street
When 11 June, 1pm – 5pm
Outstanding for Older Kids aged 10 to 12 years old
15. Be a Zoolympix Champion (ticketed)
Embark on the Zoolympix trail at Zoolympix 2017: Reptile Revolution and discover reptilian skills, defensive moves and loads of cool facts through games, crafts, and rep-tivities. While you’re there, meet a reptile keeper and see how they take care of their creepy cool ‘pets’.
Where Singapore Zoo, 80 Mandai Lake Road
When 27 May to 25 June, 10am – 4pm
16. Craft Biodiversity (ticketed)
Learn about how you can help protect our world’s biodiversity, while making your own form of biodiversity with the materials provided. This activity is in conjunction with the Out Of The Water exhibition, where you’ll explore myths and legends from Singapore and beyond.
Where Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, 2 Conservatory Drive
When 27 May to 25 June, 11am – 3pm
(See also: 41 Exciting Activities for the June School Holidays 2017)
17. Explore Old Schools (free)
Did you know that students used to save their money by buying stamps and sticking them on stamp cards in the 1970s? Or that there were schools on Singapore’s off-shore islands? Pick up an activity card and collect stamps as you learn more about the Singapore Education story. Be rewarded with a special old-school memento when you complete the trail.
Where MOE Heritage Centre, 402 Commonwealth Drive
When 29 May to 23 June, 9.30am – 5pm
18. Learn Screen-printing (ticketed)
Create your own designs and screen-print them on tote bags in a Stencil Screen Print workshop, or combine mono-printing and stencil screen-printing to create even more unique designs. You’ll also get a guided tour (only 2-3 June) to learn more about artworks created by South Korean Artist Kim Beom.
Where Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Level 2, 41 Robertson Quay
When 2, 3, 23 & 24 June, 10am – 12.15pm or 2pm – 4.15pm
Whoppers for the Whole Family
19. Celebrate International Friendship Day (free)
Meet many friends from all over the world at this special weekend carnival. Enjoy cultural performances, get to know more about different cultures and best of all, try their delicious food!
Where Singapore Discovery Centre, 510 Upper Jurong Road
When 27 to 28 May, 11am – 5pm
20. Enter the World of Magic (free)
Relive the magic woven by famous fairy tale creators like Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm through beautiful stamps from all over the world. There are plenty of fun hands-on exhibits, and if you’re there at 3pm on 4 June, let Magician Markson dazzle you with live birds, rabbits and illusions.
Where Singapore Philatelic Museum, 23B Coleman Street
When 27 May to 25 June, 10am – 7pm
(See also: Best Bike Trails for Kids in Singapore: Central, North-west, West, and South-west)
21. Visit the Ghost Nets of the Ocean (free)
See how abandoned fishing nets and recycled plastics have been made into fish, turtles, squid and jellyfish, then try to save the tiny turtles! Join craft workshops, storytelling sessions, drama and musical performances and gallery trails in conjunction with the spectacular marine-themed exhibition.
Where Asian Civilisations Museum, 1 Empress Place
When 1 to 25 June, 10am – 7pm
Reminder: Stamp Your Passport!
But before you run out and start visiting them all, make sure to pick up a copy of My Children’s Season Passport. Get your passport stamped at each participating venue you visit – you just need three stamps to enter a lucky draw, where you stand to win attractive prizes for the whole family! Click here for details.
Have a super Children’s Season Singapore 2017!
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