Over 80 Role-Playing Activities for Kids at KidZania Singapore

Media Invite

KidZania Singapore, the theme park with NO rides or arcade attractions to boast of, will be opening by the end of this year! Instead of rides and games, kids get to participate in a variety of role playing activities specifically designed to educate and inspire kids aged 4 to 14, creating a kid-centric city experience from arriving at the airport, to visiting a city centre and exploring the city streets.

So before the year is up, I guess we will all have another fabulous reason to visit Palawan Beach at Sentosa - even more so for the monkies!

Previously announced partners include 7-Eleven, Abbott, Camp Challenge, Canon, Carl Zeiss, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, KFC, Killiney Kopitiam, Kiss92, Maybank, Nanyang Optical, Nickelodeon, PictureAir, Pizza Hut, Sticky, Spritzer, Sunstar, The Learning Lab, The Soup Spoon, Warung M Nasir, WTS Travel and Yakult.

So joining the 22 already on board are a further 10 industry partners to offer a diversifying range of career options for the little people.

Automotive
Be a petrol station manager at an Esso Petrol Station and help fill up vehicles for customers. Kids can learn more about the different types of fuels used to power vehicles on our roads, and the importance of good customer service.

Culture and Entertainment
Be a Museum curator and docent at The Intan, Singapore’s first private Peranakan home museum. Appreciate the traditional Peranakan culture by curating galleries that focus on iconic Peranakan elements such as the sarong kebaya, nyonya porcelain and Peranakan tile architecture, and proudly share Singapore’s rich Peranakan identity with visitors through the galleries and exhibits.

Industrial
Be a Health Institute Researcher at Lifebuoy and learn the intricacies of soap making along with the importance of hand hygiene through first-hand experience of making their very own soap.

Be an ice cream maker and mix delicious flavours and ingredients at the Paddle Pop Ice Cream Factory. Kids will learn about nutritionally responsible snacking before enjoying yummy treats.

Public Services
Be a surgeon and perform a delicate kidney transplant operation in a fully furnished operating theatre at the city’s very own Mount Elizabeth Hospital, and learn important health practices.

Be a radiologist at the Toshiba CT scan room, and analyse scan results while operating a functional CT scan machine, and learn the importance of early detection.

Be a junior nurse at Johnson & Johnson’s nursery, kids are tasked to take care of newborn babies, learn the basics of diaper change, baby massage techniques and the benefits of baby moisturisers.

Retail
Mini fashionistas become fashion gurus at the Camouflage Fashion Boutique as they learn how to curate their own fashion style, and gain confidence by modelling their handpicked outfits in a fashion show.

Be a Traditional BBQ meat specialist and discover the secret recipe that goes into the age-old process of making one of Singapore’s best loved traditional snacks at Lim Chee Guan Traditional BBQ Meat Store.

Private Services
Learn the importance of having protection and savings plans to help other kids take care of themselves and their loved ones as a financial services consultant at AIA Insurance.

Sports 
Be a telematch participant, footballer, cheerleader or even commentator at one of the few stadiums available in KidZanias world-wide. Kids can take part in an array of different activities from telematches to football games with AIA at the Stadium.

In addition, KidZania Singapore has appointed Singapore Children’s Society as its CSR Partner for a year, starting June 2015. KidZania Singapore will donate the sales proceeds of 3,000 tickets to the Society.

Also, I got a glimpse at KidZania Singapore's layout as well.

Interestingly, districts will be set up within the kid-sized city to group establishments based on the nature of the establishments and role-play activities.  The decision is based on the concept of zoning, one of the common techniques adopted by urban planners in most developed countries.

All in all, there will be a diverse range of over 80 (!!!) role-playing activities within KidZania Singapore with the following various districts in KidZania Singapore:

- Automotive
- Culture and Entertainment
- Industrial
- Public Services
- Private Services
- Retail
- Sports
- Restaurants (Food and Beverage establishments will be located throughout the city)

From activities that will challenge a child’s physical limits to experiences that will inculcate values such as the importance of better health and caring for others, kids can independently decide and participate in occupations and roles that aid social, emotional and intellectual growth.

One of the more exclusive facility I am looking forward to is the Stadium. 

KidZania Singapore will be home to one of the few stadiums available in KidZanias worldwide - the Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta ones do not have one - where kids will be able to try their hands at being a telematch participant, footballer, cheerleader or even commentator.

When we first visited KidZania KL back in 2012, Ale was too young to participate in the activities. This time around, I think she (and her brothers) can hardly wait!

For more information, visit www.kidzania.com.sg.

Un-Plug to Play: 3 Ways to Better Connect with your Child

With Singapore having one of the world's highest smartphone penetration rate in the world, it is perhaps inevitable that kids here are exposed to screen devices at a much earlier age than we parents would have liked. 

So while I'm sure that most parents are already aware of the dangers of prolonged exposure to electronic devices, I think we could do with a little more help when it comes to having positive opportunities for the whole family to bond through engaging, offline activities.

So in order to help parents better connect with their children without the distraction of electronic devices, Nutella is launching the ‘Un-Plug to Play’ campaign as part of their brand social responsibility programme, which was designed to encourage and support parents.

To advocate active families and emphasise the importance of an active lifestyle in a child’s development, the Nutella Active Family Experts panel will also be introduced to give ideas and encourage parents to connect with their children without the distraction of electronic devices. And I am extremely honoured to be one of the three Active Family Experts to be selected for this campaign!

Read more of my interview with Nutella HERE.

The other two include Dr Janice Wong, Paediatrician at Thomson Paediatric Centre and Ms Kareen Lai, Founder and Head Coach at Mums In Sync. Together, we bring a wealth of experience spanning medical knowledge, fitness and parenting and will come together to give ideas and encourage parents to connect with their children without the distraction of electronic devices.

To help parents, we have come up with a few rules as the basis of helping parents have a fulfilling time with their children:

1. Quality time over Quantity

There is a difference between spending time with your child and having that time be legitimate quality time. Just because you are physically with your child doesn’t mean that you are, in fact, spending quality time together. Being in the living room while your child is watching television and you checking emails would not constitute quality time.

Quality time means enrichment time that is highly interactive and engaging. These moments are an investment in the relationship between parent and child. According to psychologists, there are four key ingredients to a successful playtime between parents and children: education, inspiration, integration and communication.

Because we are all busy, so focus on quality and identify pockets of time to connect with your child. Take a few minutes every day to really listen and participate in a conversation or activities with you kids - it can be on the way to school or having a conversation over dinner (no TV or smartphones allowed of course!).

2. It IS okay to PLAY

Albert Einstein famously said, “Play is the highest form of research.” and who am I to argue with him? Kids will be kids, and they love playing so engage them in activities that encourage their sense of curiosity, enthusiasm and energy.

Got kids but don't where to go? Here is where I will shamelessly promote my new book, 'Got Kids, Go Where?'! Containing a whopping 500 family-friendly activities for you to take your pick from, from play, heritage, nature, eating places to even short trips out of Singapore, each listing in the book have been specially picked for its family-friendly nature.

Personally, I find it more fun when we get out of the house and do something together as a family. It may be at the museum, a park or just a simple playground but we do bond more compared to being copped up at home. Oh, and do seek your kids’ input on how to spend family time too as they often have good ideas!

3. Be a Role Model

What kind of example are we setting for our kids when we parents are swiping at our smartphones at the dinner table? Yes, I'm guilty as charged as well. That is why I have resolved to put down my electronic devices when not needed and show my monkies that they have my utmost attention when I am spending time with them - without a screen.


And in line with the ‘Un-Plug to Play’ campaign which emphasises the importance of play in a child’s development, Nutella will be organising a special afternoon of games and activities for families on 4 July 2015!

Families will be able to take part in game stations with analogue versions of popular games and compete as a team to win attractive prizes. This is a chance for parents to bond and connect with their children without the distraction of electronic gadgets. And a prerequisite to take part? Phones must be switched off to play!

So put those phones and tablets away on 4 July 2015 and give your child an opportunity to connect with you. What's more, pre-register for the event HERE to be eligible for a special lucky draw!


Useful Information

Nutella Un-Plug to Play
Date: 4 July 2015, Saturday
Time: 11am - 9pm
Venue: United Square Shopping Mall
FREE Admission
Visit www.facebook.com/nutellasg for more information.

Nursery Rhymes Come to Life!

Without a doubt, nursery rhymes formed a huge part in both my and the monkies' toddler years. I mean, who can escape singing along to 'Itsy Bitsy Spider', 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' and 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' right?

So if you have been yearning to relive some of your childhood memories and/or bring these nursery rhymes to life right in front of your child's eyes, skip down to the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay!

The third of six chapters in Gardens by the Bay's storytelling journey in 2015, Flowery Fun Times with Nursery Rhymes has the Flower Dome Flower Field transformed into a world filled with beloved scenes from childhood nursery rhymes and stories.

So expect to see familiar characters brought to life - much like Mary and her little lamb, the old lady in her shoe, Old MacDonald with his farm animals, Humpty Dumpty, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Baa Baa Black Sheep and even pay a visit to Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary in her garden.

But the one thing I loved about the floral display? Not only does it feature the usual English nursery rhymes and stories, it also included rhymes in other languages such as Tamil and Malay as well!

Ale, for one, was ecstatic to see one of her favourite Mandarin rhyme, 小蜜蜂, on display and she just went '嗡嗡嗡' on repeat mode after that.

Ayd's favourite Mandarin song when he was a toddler, 泥娃娃, was also painstakingly brought to life. Loved how the characters were constructed out of flower pots!

Amidst a field of colourful Lupins, Delphiniums and Foxgloves, the entire flower field display was truly a feast for the eyes.

Compared to the previous Tulipmania display where I felt that the gingerbread house stuck out like a sore thumb in the middle of the Flower Field, the props for Flowery Fun Times complemented the floral display really well this time around.

There is a natural flow of the rhymes and stories with each linking up with one another seamlessly. So yes, all of us definitely loved it!

So if your kids are fans of nursery rhymes, this is one display they will be delighted to see! And the parents? You will be secretly mouthing the lyrics to the rhymes... Go ahead, you know you want to. :)

The Floral Display runs until 19 July but the best time to head down to Gardens by the Bay will be this weekend (27 & 28 June 2015)... all because of Megapalooza! Visit with your family and friends and have a whale of a time playing gigantic board games, enjoying magic tricks and taking in wonderful performances!

Giant Board Games
27 - 28 June 2015 | 10am - 7pm | Supertree Grove | Free
Tired of playing tabletop board games? Try your hands at our 3D, life-sized games for a mega time of fun with family and friends. Immerse yourself in the craziness of it all!

Tricky Patrick
27 June 2015 | 5.30pm - 6.30pm | Flower Dome*
28 June 2015 | 4.15pm - 5.15pm | Flower Dome*
Fancy a trick or two? Check out what Tricky Patrick has up his sleeves. Kids, come and see some seemingly impossible tricks and amazing stage illusions. *Admission charges to Cooled Conservatories apply.

Urban Street Team
27 June 2015 | 6.40pm - 7.40pm | Supertree Grove | Free
Gooaal! Enjoy an exciting soccer showcase as the Urban Street Team dazzle you with their fancy footwork and creative stunts.

NUS Wind Symphony
27 June 2015 | 8pm - 8.45pm | Supertree Grove | Free
Enjoy an evening of beautiful band music brought to you by the NUS wind symphony. Sit back, relax and be entertained by a wide repertoire of quality tunes ranging from classical orchestral pieces to familiar pop tunes.

The Players Theatre
28 June 2015 | 5.30pm - 6.30pm | Supertree Grove | Free
Watch a play with stories told by the Berenstain Bears! Look forward to colourful costumes and interesting props, and let the Berenstain Bears' special narration of honesty and responsibility move you.

Shili & Adi
28 June 2015 | 7pm - 7.45pm | Supertree Grove | Free
Let Shili & Adi bring you back to a more nostalgic time with familiar tunes that you will love. Enjoy an evening of acoustic music by this talented duo. Let their wide repertoire of songs and versatile voices entertain everyone in the family.


Useful Information

Flowery Fun Times Floral Display
Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay
Now until 19 July 2015
Opening Hours: 9am - 9pm
Admission Charges apply. For more information, visit HERE.

Promotions

June Holidays – Gardens by the Bay Family Package Local Families
Grab Family Package at $50 (usual price $64), which allows entry to both conservatories for two adults and two kids! Offer valid to 28 June 2015, Sunday.

SG50 Special - Free Admission for Seniors
In celebration of SG50, local seniors (aged 60 and above) can enjoy free entry into two conservatories. Accompanying caregivers of seniors can also enjoy 50% discount into two conservatories. Valid from 1 June to 31 August 2015.

Be a Superhero with the iFly Experience!

Media Invite

If you ever yearn to feel the rush of skydiving without any of the danger - the 3P's of plunging, parachutes and planes - then indoor sky-diving is definitely the way to go. And with iFly Singapore, one gets to experience an unparalleled skydiving experience... as the boys found out! 

Boasting the world’s largest themed wind tunnel for indoor skydiving, iFly Singapore allows anyone, from first-time flyers to seasoned skydivers, between seven to 106 yrs old, to spread their wings and fly. Its state of the art patented  technology ensures a high degree of safety and the sheer size of the wind tunnel allows for a variety of movements such as freeflying and even formation skydiving

The entire flight experience mimics the process of going on a flight at the airport, which means everything begins from the moment the boys checked in 1 hour prior to their actual flight for compulsory flight training.

Can you tell the boys are extremely excited?

Oh, one thing about footwear - be sure to wear covered shoes with laces instead of slippers, sandals or crocs so that they will not fly off during the flight. So yes, the boys had to rent shoes from iFly due to inappropriate footwear. Oops.

After a brief video introduction, the boys were led to a briefing room where the boys laid down on training beds for a crash course on basic flight positions.

They were also imparted hand signals, which would help them communicate with the flight instructor within the wind tunnel as the noise of the fan will be so loud that earplugs are required.

Then came possibly the most anticipated moment of the day - getting geared up. The boys changed into the professional-looking flight suits, followed by trendy glasses and hip helmets... and they were all set to rumble!

Ayd stepped into the wind tunnel first and immediately, a sense of weightlessness took over.

It was actually quite incredible to watch him 'float' in the air but as I found out from the boys later, it was tough work trying to adjust and stay in the optimal flight position.

But they soon got the hang of it, and even managed to smile at my camera!

Yes, and still can wave somemore.

A basic package (from $89 onwards) will get you 2 skydives – each lasting for about 40 to 60 seconds. The flight time may seem short but that is the time it takes to fall through the air from 12,000 to 3,000 feet!

For the boys' second round, the instructor took them so high up in the tunnel that I thought they were going to hit the ceiling! They then spun all the way down, much like horizontal ballerinas.

And if you are like the boys who cannot get enough of the 2 skydives and clamour for more, be sure to let the instructor know at that instant as the rates for extra skydives are charged at a lower rate of $30 per skydive.

At the end of it all, the boys were presented with their own certificates which contributed to their already-smiling faces.

It may seem a tad pricey for an 1.5-hour long activity but compared to the price of skydiving from a plane, it is sure a bargain! And best of all, indoor skydiving provides all the thrills of a free fall, but in a controlled environment. 

Useful Information

iFly Singapore
43 Siloso Beach Walk, #01-01
Sentosa Island, Singapore 099010
Opening Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs - Sun 9am - 9.30pm | Wed 11am - 9,30pm
Rates: $89 and up for 2 skydives. Book 2 days in advance via online for cheaper rates.
Website: www.iflysingapore.com

Dyson Pure Cool Bladeless Fan Cools & Purifies

Product Review

It's pretty apt after I had blogged about N95 Masks for kids that I follow up with another haze-related post. Because while the masks are able to provide adequate protection against harmful airborne pollutants outdoors, we cannot expect our kids (or even ourselves) to continue wearing them at home! 

Which is why the Dyson Pure Cool is probably the most handy electrical appliance to have at home.

You might have seen and/or heard of the bladeless fan, a cool invention of Dyson. And now, it has upped the ante again by adding the ability to filter the air as the bladeless fan blows! Yes, a 2-in-1 purifier and fan, which is engineered to capture harmful pollutants, toxic fumes and odours while acting as fan at the same time.

The fan essentially consists of two parts: the fan at the top and air purifier component below. And setting it up is such a breeze that even the monkies could do it. In fact, compared to other purifiers who have a laborious filter changing and cleaning process, the Dyson filter boasts a pit-stop filter maintenance with a filter that can be changed in a simple 4-step process in less than a minute!

Ta-dah! Isn't it a beauty?

And a space-saver too if I may add, since Dyson Pure Cool's compacr size makes it up to 70% smaller than conventional purifiers.

Of course, the first notable advantage of having a bladeless fan in a house with 3 monkies is I rest easy knowing there will not be any nasty accidents involving curious fingers or wandering hair getting caught among the blades in standard fans.

And the bonus? It expels clean air too!

The Dyson Pure Cool is the only purifier to use Dyson’s patented 360° Glass HEPA filter. Using powerful Air Multiplier technology and an energy-efficient DC motor, the Dyson Pure Cool purifier fan draws in air via a mixed flow impeller which in turns passes through the HEPA filter (which needs to be changed every 6 months), containing 1.1m2 of constructed microfibers.

This technology captures 99.95% of particles as small as PM0.1 – trapping it in the filter. Clean air then leaves the amplifier loop at a high velocity and is directed over an airfoil-shaped ramp. This way, a long-range stream of smooth air is released, purifying the air we breathe.

I have to give a special mention to the remote control, which allows one to set the timer as well as choose between the 1 and 10 airflow settings. But even cooler than that is it comes with an internal magnet which nicely 'sticks' to the top of the fan - no more misplacing the remote control!

So far, the boys have been using it nightly in their bedroom and they have been sleeping ever so soundly, thanks largely in part to the fan's Quiet Mark accreditation which gives parents the peace of mind that the product is one of the quietest in its category.

Given Simgapore's climate and the unpredictability of haze in our region and with the Dyson Pure Cool being able to not only circulate but purifiy the air as well, can you tell I'm loving my new machine?

Okay, so it helps that I do not have to dismantle the fan to wash the blades too.


The Dyson Pure Cool is retailing for S$999 all major electrical and departmental stores. It is available in the colours of White/ Silver or Iron/Blue and comes with two years parts & labour warranty. Replacement filters are priced at S$79. For more information, visit HERE.