By Puja Chandra Nanda
The September school break has started and while the children are excited, the parents are wondering how to keep them gainfully engaged. Here, at Parents World, we give you a round – up of fun and engaging activities for the entire family, depending on your child’s inclination & interest, not to forget your own time and budget. So, read on and mark your calendars:
For the Kids Who Dig History:
Dino Quest at the Singapore Science Center – If your child is a dinosaur fan, he or she is sure to love this. This blockbuster traveling exhibition at Science Center Singapore which opened on 1st June, has been extended to till 29th September, 2019. The 2,000sqm interactive exhibition has been curated by one of the world’s leading paleontologists, Emerita Professor Patricia Vickers-Rich. DinoQuest showcases the most updated reconstruction of Timimus, a tyrannosauroid discovered at Dinosaur Cove in 1994.
Enter the realistic looking recreated prehistoric world, and immerse yourself in seven thematic zones where you can excavate, do fossil hunting & also come face to face with the humongous giants from the prehistoric era. You can also dress in your best DINO apparels and receive a limited edition DinoQuest merchandise (worth $3) while stocks last!
Dino Quest is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm. You can buy tickets online at https://www.science.edu.sg/whats-on/exhibitions/dinoquest
City Hall – If Walls Could Talk at the National Gallery, Singapore – A first of its kind multimedia exhibition, City-Hall: If Walls Could Talk traces the journey of the old City Hall from its completion in 1929 as the Municipal Office to its present status as a center for art and culture.
In conjunction with the Singapore Bicentennial Celebrations, this exhibition with its immersive experience and digital storytelling is an excellent way of introducing our children to the pivotal events of Singapore that shaped the city-state and rendered historical significance to City Hall. Families will also be able to engage children through the fun photo booths at the entrance and later through touch screens during the exhibition and the interactive social wall.
Catch the exhibition, City Hall- If Walls Could Talk at the City Hall Chamber, National Gallery Singapore from on 1st September, 2019 to 29th August, 2021 every day from 10 am to 7 pm. Read more here.
For the Art & Culture Aficionados:
Vivo-City’s Curious Adventures in Wonderland – Mid – autumn is the time for mooncakes, lanterns and colorful festivities. At Vivo-City, your family can celebrate mid-autumn with a whimsical journey of lights from 23 rd August to 22nd September, 2019.
Hold your breath and get mesmerized by a spectacle of lanterns at the Sky Park, Level 3 while reliving the fantasy land of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. More than 6,500 electric lamps and 5,500m of fairy lights have been used to illuminate Vivo City’s Wonderland. Start your fantastical journey down the rabbit hole, stop by at the Mad Hatter’s tea party, meet the Queen’s card soldiers on the way and conclude the illuminated journey at a towering castle made of lanterns, in presence of the Red Queen herself.
Be awestruck by the larger- than-life, handcrafted lanterns, be amused by the clever illusions, dabble with AR (Augmented Reality) at the Rabbit’s Hole and also stand a chance to win prizes.
Gallery, Children’s Biennale – Embracing Wonder – The bi-annual Gallery Children’s Biennale exhibition, Embracing Wonder, opened in May this year and is slated to run till the end of December, 2019 at the National Gallery, Singapore. The exhibition features 11 interactive artworks that allow children to explore, use their creativity and imagination while absorbing the unique inspiration behind each of them.
The art installations created by various artists from all over South East Asia, are a window to wonders of nature and space while offering an experiential learning in art. The upcoming September school break is the best time to explore the exhibits as there are specially curated workshops and programs for visiting children during the period. These include Embracing Animal Pop by Jecko Siompo, Recycling with Eric Wong, Family Art Workshop: Recreate a Painting in Diorama & Super Sonic Wall based on the installations. Read more here.
Just For Fun:
Nickelodeon Slime Time – What are school breaks if you can’t have fun? And what can be more fun, than playing with green, gooey slime? Nickelodeon Slime Time at City Square Mall promises oodles of fun to shoppers in the September school holidays with slime-tastic promotions and activities. From 7 to 15 September 2019, there will be slime-filled activity stations such as the iconic Slime Shower, Slime Escape Room, Slime Coloring Wall and Slime Playground at L1 Atrium of City Square Mall for children to dive in.
Shoppers get to redeem an Event Passport for all slime-tastic booths at the mall with a minimum spend of $50. Kids also get a special gift after all the play in the slime! Redemption starts on 6th September & is limited to first 3500 lucky shoppers. Shoppers can also enjoy the TIMEZONE carnival at L1 Fountain Square from 9th to 15th September with Nickelodeon-themed games, exclusive plushies and free game tokens. Also, stand a chance to win prizes if you are lucky. The fun is not limited to kids as parents can look forward to ‘slime-tastic’ promotions such as gifts and mall vouchers on minimum spend amount during the period of 6th September to 6th October, 2019.