Fun Places and Activities Archives - Page 15 of 16

Simple art and craft – Rainbow Box

I have not been doing art and craft with my kids for quite some time, mainly because I am usually very tired after work and we have lots of outdoor activities during the weekends with the kids. But, today, I am on leave from work because I need to take care of my baby and my P2 girl since all Primary 1 to 5 kids have 2 days break due to PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) Oral. With such a good opportunity to enjoy a day of stay-at-home-mum, I planned so many activities today with XX, I am now rather dead beat while typing this post. However, the thought of sharing my joy of enjoying an afternoon of art and craft, I do have the motivation to write this post and publish tonight.

So, when XX asked what we could do together this afternoon, I quickly searched in my art and craft box for ideas. Seeing a pack of colourful ice-cream sticks, I decided to make a Rainbow Box out of them. Continue reading “Simple art and craft – Rainbow Box”

Try these simple fun toys to entertain your kids!

We are often guilty of spoiling our kids with buying expensive toys or simply too many toys to compensate for less time spent with them or maybe just to satisfy our shopping urge. These toys often do not last their interest for more than 3 days. The next thing you see is your child kicking some round object lying on the floor or swinging a torchlight by its string. Then you start to wonder where is the $50 toy you bought 2 days ago.

Here is a list of simple fun and entertaining toys that I find kids love. Best part is they are cheap fun! And yes, all the expensive “i-“s and screen type gadgets do not make into this list.

1. Balls
Balls of all sizes are bound to keep your kids entertained. Bring them along whenever you go to a park or places with considerable space. There are so many games to play with a ball. Dribbling, kicking, passing around, bouncing off a wall, heading, spinning on a finger tip, spinning on the floor, rolling, the ideas are endless. It is best for children’s party too.

2. Balloons
Balloons are fun for kids. The little ones love to hit the balloons and see if they can maintain them in the air for as long as possible. They are great for parties too. You can always end the party with a game of bursting the most number of balloons. Just be sure there are no little ones who fear loud sounds.

3. Water
Water is always fun. If you do not have a bathtub, get an inflatable rubber pool and put it in the balcony or middle of the kitchen (yes kitchen! we have small apartments in this part of the world, no private gardens here), add in some bowls, leaking containers, bottles, colourful balls and you’ll be sure the kids will be entertained for hours.

4. Bubbles
Blowing bubbles is sure to attract most kids, even babies to the bubbling source. Bring the bubble bottle or the handheld bubbling gun to the playground. It’s a fast and sure way to know other parents in the neighbourhood. Ehh, probably dads will like this more.. to know other yummy mummies…

5. Bottles
Unbreakable bottles of any shapes and sizes create endless fun too. Put in some grains like rice or green beans, and you are off to a musical show-off. They can be great bathtub toys! Baby YT loves them when the bottle mouth bubbles when I put it under water and then pour out the water from a height. Show off your creativity by using bottles to make bottle animals like what Mister Maker teaches. Paint a bottle, stick some gluey eyes and hands, you have your little bottle animal!

6. Papers
Papers, on its own, or coupled with colour pencils, scissors and glue, are certainly time-killer for kids. Teach your kids origami or have a little competition to see whose folded planes soar the furthest and longest. Add some stencils to make colouring fun.

Do you have more ideas on simple fun toys / games?? Leave a reply in the comment box!

5 Indoor Places to go with your kids

Here are my 5 simple indoor places to bring your kids to.

1. Indoor Playground (Fidgets)

This is located in Old Turf City at Bukit Timah Road.

Like many indoor playground, it has all the play areas. But what we like about this place is that it has a separate area for below 2 years old, a separate one for 2-4 years old and the main play area for all ages. The large main play area has many play themes that kids will not be bored with. The cafeteria and sofas are just beside the younger play areas. Parents will be able to enjoy a cup of coffee while keeping a lookout for their young ones.

Admission fees: $19 (2-10 years old), $10 (under 2 years old), free (adults and babies under 1 year old)

2. Time zone Arcade

We like the Time zone Arcade at Compass Point. It has many games appropriate for younger kids. The popular ones are the small bowling lanes, basketball throws, Percussion game, roll up balls into holes, and Air Hockey Table game. After the games, kids can have the joy to redeem the gifts using their e-tickets.

Fees: A pre-paid Timezone card to play the games

3. Safra Yishun Swimming Pool

This is our favourite swimming pool so far. Safra Yishun Swimming Pool has 1 long slide and 1 short slide that all ages can play. There is a man-made waterfall where you can stand under to enjoy the pitter-pattering of water on your shoulders. (However, recently the slides have been closed for renovations.) There is a baby pool, a learning pool for kids, an Olympic size pool and a pool with Jacuzzi. Music is played throughout the day and on some weekdays evening, they play romantic songs and soothing music while you soak in the pool.

Another attractive feature of the pool is that there is warm water for shower which is important when you have kids. You will find that bathing them is a breeze. The luxurious space in the shower area and separate changing area is definitely another draw for us. You do not need to bring along shampoo and shower gel as each shower room has a shampoo cum shower gel dispenser unless you prefer using your own.

Admission Fees: Free for Safra members, $3 for guest on weekends

(This place is actually outdoor, but I find it such a cozy setting especially in the evening, I have decided to add to this list.)

4. ChangiAirport Terminal 3

Amazingly, Changi Airport Terminal 3 is SO kids-friendly, tourists or passengers in transit would have mistaken the terminal as a shopping mall rather than an airport. Weekends are packed with families with young kids. What’s fun is an area with big stencil tracing blocks where kids or adults can colour on with the crayons and paper available. Also, there is a 12 metre tall jumbo twister slide and a shorter one for the less adventurous. There is an area for television viewing tuned to Cartoon network where you can deposit your kids there while you shop around the vicinity.

Not only that, there is an indoor playground located in Terminal 3 , B2 as well. It’s called Singkids. Check out this Japanese designed PlaySystem as they called it!

Admission Fees: Singkids – $18 per 2 hrs (off-peak), $18 per hour (peak)

5. Ikea Tampines

Ikea is a famous kids-friendly furniture mall. Over at Ikea Tampines, there is an indoor play area for kids while the parents shop around or enjoy the famous Swedish balls at the cafeteria near it. Even the cafeteria has a small round play area for kids while the parents eat and watch their kids beside it. Kids above 4 can sign up as members of småles kids club where they can have a sticker with each visit and use the stickers to redeem small gifts.

Shopping at Ikea is a pleasant experience. The kids can’t wait to reach the kids furniture area where all the things are kids’ size. There are toys to play too. Everything is so adorable even to the eyes of parents; it’s hard not to get something from here.

Admission Fees: Free

Do you have other interesting places to bring kids to?

Our neighbourhood is just as fun

In Singapore, we have ample and countless playgrounds just within a simple neighbourhood. Recently, as I am taking a short break due to fatigue and stress (see my post in “My baby is 8! (month old I mean)“), I had more time with my kids together. One of the things we did was to explore our neighbourhood.

We found many playgrounds within walking distance of probably half a kilometre radius from where we stay, and the last of our count is 17! This is not inclusive of those we had not covered by foot yet!

Each playground is unique. Some are simple and some are more challenging which makes it fun for kids in various ages.

Below are some playgrounds that we find interesting. And some are slightly further away but still within 10 minutes of a bus or car ride from where we stay.

Bishan St 22

Bishan

Bishan St 13

Bishan

Bishan St 12

Bishan

Bishan St 12

Bishan St 11

Bishan St 11

Bishan Park

Bishan Park

Toa Payoh Lorong 8

Toa Payoh Lor 8

Toa Payoh Central

TPY Central

Junction 8 Shopping mall Level 3

Junction 8

With so many playgrounds spoilt for choice, it will take some months before we will start exploring other neighbourhood!

Do you have great playgrounds in your neighbourhood? Share with me! I would love to know!

Children’s Seasons 2013 – Singapore Art Museum

Children’s Season has been held for several years till now. Each year there are many interesting activities organized for the children to introduce the Singapore museums to them in various fun ways. This year in 2013, it is held from 18 May to 30 June.

The first of the museums that we visited is the Singapore Art Museum (SAM). When we reached the SAM, we were re-directed to another nearby building called “SAM at 8Q” where this Art Garden for the Children’s Season is held. There are in total 4 levels of art galleries and exhibition to be explored.

Level One – The Enchanted Garden City by Sandra Lee
Here is a little play area with colouring activities for the kids. This gallery mimics many fairytales with an Asian twist. Remember to enjoy the wall paintings. One of them has an Indian version of Rapunzel and an Indian prince rescuing her on an elephant!

Level Two – Around the world in eighty worlds by Vicente Delgado
The artist wants visitors to explore this gallery with their imagination and see things from different views. For instance, what may seems like a doorway is actually an outline of a cat’s face with lamps as eyes. Do you see its whiskers too?

Kids’ activities

You can get this Kaleidoscope kit for your kids by making a small donation of minimum $2.

This is how the finished Kaleidoscope looks like.

Art through fun games

You have to explain to your kids on these art work which may look ordinary but they have much meaning behind them if you observed how they are made and displayed with its orientation intent.

This bird moves when you pull a string below.

Turning the spiral eye wheel

This chair is a weird one with collapsed legs.

These few faces are not complete, you have to use strings to complete different expressions on the faces using your imagination.

String puppet

Mirror fun

Level Three – Stellar Cave II by Julien Salaud

This glowing constellation of stars is a beautiful and stunning work made entirely of screws and thread!

The Incredible Magical Expanding Room by Mojoko and Shang Liang

This room transforms when you speak through the microphone with soft and loud voices. It really intrigues even the baby!

Kids’ acitivities – threading the screws to form pictures

Les Reves Engloutis – Glossy Dreams in Depths by Stephane Blanquet

This gallery is a little abstract. It is a room filled with fantasy and dreams and the artist wants to encourage children to overcome their fears through the fun experience in here.

Look at this revolving wall with kids on the bed. They are taken into a 3-D environment behind this wall.

Even the baby has fun!

This dreams-filled room has kids’ activities.

The children create masks.

Level Four – Love. Revolve the World by Sun Yu-li

This is an amazing art work by the artist Sun Yu-li and 750 students.

What is interesting is the entire piece is drawn by a dot plus a line and plane concept.

While we always think that the Singapore Art Museum only showcases masterpieces from various artists, we never knew that art can be exhibited in such engaging ways! Our kids enjoyed themselves tremendously through the many activities organized for them. While exploring the activities, they get to appreciate art unknowingly. I feel that this is a great place for families to explore on a lazy weekend afternoon.

Admission: free for Singaporeans, PR and children aged 6 and below or

$10 (Adult), $5 (Students & Seniors aged 60 and above)

When: 17 May – 1 September 2013

Time: 10am – 7pm (Mon – Sun) 10am – 9pm (Fri)

Where: Singapore Art Museum at 8Q

Website: http://www.museums.com.sg