Well, besides the light display at Marina Bay, you can check out the Science Centre during the day.

They have a new permanent exhibition called “Untamed Earth” which aims to show how natural disasters are created and their affects on our daily lives.

From the onset, you can walk into the centre of the earth as you uncover the secrets within the depths of the earth.

The journey does not stop there, as you get to experience a wind simulator, which makes you feel that u are in the middle of a cyclone.

With headphones supplied by the Science Centre, you get to walk into a chamber and feel the simulated wind in the eye of a tornado. The kids were a bit apprehensive as they heard the noise, and in the end, Daddy had to go into the chamber to be the model!  

Picture the earth thousands of years ago, as one gigantic land mass. And with natural phenomenons like earthquakes,the land masses become separated. Nathan saw it as a fun jigsaw puzzle, as he tried putting the pieces together.

Another interesting exhibit is the simulator which aims to show what happens in the home of a resident as he faces an earthquake.  Check out the dining room light swaying to-and-fro in the picture below.

Overall, it was a interesting exhibit, and for the wind and the earthquake simulator were the highlights.

I definitely left the science centre equipped less ignorant about mother earth.

Yes! The i Light festival will be starting Today at Marina Bay and it will be running from the 9 March to 1 April 2012.

Organized by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the festival is Asia’s first and only sustainable light Art Festival, showcasing more than 30 innovative and environmentally sustainable light installations. The Artists come from  17 different countries, and this light show is one that is Environmentally friendly  

A key objective of i Light Marina Bay 2012 is to advocate environmentally-responsible behaviour and promote the Bay as a culturally vibrant and sustainable urban waterfront precinct. With much of the bay lights coordinated to bring out the effects of each installation, the bay was definitely transformed!

Here is a sneak peek of what you can expect at the festival. Pictures were taken with a Lumix GF3, a mirror-less compact camera, which is the official camera for the Marina Bay Bloggers.

Entitled “Key Frames” and conceived by a group of French designers, this installation  tells a story of human movement through light animation. As lights are coordinated in sequence, the stick men tell a story.

Parmenides I is a large scale geometric sculpture incorporating 360º projection mapped video. The work has been previously exhibited at the New Museum’s New Ideas for the New City Festival in New York. This sphere is a hypnotic 3D projection of swirling abstract patterns that present an amazing sense of movement, colour and form.

The Art Science Museum has also been transformed into a backdrop for an 8 minute animated feature. Using light and a variety sound effects, the Art Science Museum (Called the Mangosteen by my friends as it is next to the “Durian-like” Esplanade), the light display looks really impressive against the Marina Backdrop.

If these sneak pictures are enough to whet your appetite and you intend to bring your family down, here is a map to help you move around the Marina Area.

Free Guided tours are available from Friday to Sunday (Registration required) and you can even hop onto the boat taxis to get a better view of the lights ($4 per pax)

For a full listing of the events at the Bay, do check out this link

When I told the N2 and N3 about going to the Air Show,they were naturally excited. However, Daddy was a bit apprehensive…Could they handle the Jet Engines,when the aeroplanes had their after burners on?!?

Well…this was them when the show started…

And they remained pretty much in the same position for a good half an hour

And if you are thinking about bringing the kids to the Air Show, you can be rest assured that you will not be alone. There were tons of other parents there with their kids too.

Did the kids enjoy the show?

Well, let’s just say that it was a hot day, and after a while, Coke was more entertaining for them  

But it was certainly an eye opener for the kids, as they got to see the aeroplanes and missiles really close up. Will upload some of those pictures soon!  

Btw, if you are thinking about going to the Air Show, do use public transport, as the crowds there are really out of this world!

My Waterway @ Punggol features Singapore’s longest man-made waterway at 4.2 kilometre-long and has five bridges. Created out of barren land, it connects Punggol Reservoir to Serangoon Reservoir and is created out of barren land.

Located at the far end of Punggol, this Water Feature which does not have any entrance fee was a Big “Hit” with the kids.

The Water Course is quite simple, with a few water canons sporadically placed. Although there are no water slides or buckets, the place is still great fun for the kids, who just basically love to play with water.

The place maybe simple but its great fun for the kids. If you are looking for the place, drive towards the new Watertown Condo, and you will see it near the river.

Situated at Great World City, the place offers great fun for the family. Equipped with a Cafe, this place offers a comfortable place for you to sit down and relax, while you let your kids run loose for 2 hours  

The only drawback, is that the playground is on the pricier side. Prices range from $30 for Non members, and $25 for member. Obviously, this is a place that you cannot bring your kids to very often…

They also have additional activities like Putters (Miniature Gold that glows in the dark) and Spaceball (Shoot Balls that glow in the dark with Air Canons) which require additional payment. Personally, those secondary activities did not look so fun, and they are also a  bit pricey as well. (For Pricing Information, you can go to their website) 

If you are looking to throw a party, Amazonia is also equipped with Party Rooms, and this place is definitely adequately spaced for your parties.

This place definitely gets a thumbs up in terms of space, but it rates low in terms of affordability.

Amazonia is located at

GREAT WORLD CITY MALL
Level 3 Unit #03-08,
1 Kim Seng Promenade,
Singapore 237994

I am not much of an Artist or an Art Critic, but just like any ordinary parent, I am always looking for ways to expose my kids to some creative elements.

Located at Waterloo Street, Art Bug is definitely different from Wow Art Studio. Looking at the courses offered on their websites, one can definitely make that same judgement.

While Wow Art Studio just specializes in children, Art Bug offers courses for adults and children alike. They remind me a bit of Objectifs, as they even offered Photography Classes.

For a Art Dummy like myself, Art Bug seems a bit too abstract for me, as they expected me to just sit there and draw. This was definitely very difficult for moi, as I am just used to drawing stick men. However, if you have an artistic eye/hand, Art Bug might just be right up your alley.

Sandra and myself were starving for instruction, and we were overjoyed when our instructor came along to save us! …Ya..That’s here in the centre photo helping me with my hamburger. From a personal perspective, I felt that I was definitely more guided at Wow Art as compared to Art Bug

This method of instruction seems to be similar for both Adults and Children alike, as my kids who were at Art Bug, were given liberty to doodle and express themselves.  In fact, they thoroughly enjoyed getting their hands dirty!

Wow Art Studio does have the similar tactile experience, but their art classes offered more guidance in terms of instruction. I think it is this form of instruction which ensures that the kids are able to produce a great piece of art at almost every lesson. Therefore, depending on what objectives you have in mind, both schools offer 2 different schools of thought.

Ultimately, all 3 kids had great fun, and I think that is the basic objective of Art! Just to let yourself go and express yourself on a piece of canvas!

Well, we finally found the time to go for the holiday program at WoW Art Studio, and we had a blast!  

For the 6yo Nicole, she went for the French Impressionism Class and she was taught to paint ‘”Water Lilies” by Monet.

The thing about modern art classes these days is that, they don’t just leave you to draw fruits. The classes are semi-guided, and with the teachers guiding the kids in doing the background, the kids produce a very decent piece of work, even though they might not be a Picasso.

This works for me as an adult, as I am terrible at my art, and I even had a chance to produce some “presentable” pieces of art, even though I am really bad in this area. Check out my “Stick Man” playing soccer!

Besides the 6yos having fun, my 3yo and 4yo kids also had great fun getting their hands dirty, and expressing themselves creatively.

As you can see, the kids had great fun! The kids will be going for more classes at Wow Art soon…will definitely “show off” their creations  

Details about the Art Studio Below:

#01-10 Thomson Imperial Court
Singapore 574424
Telephone: +65 6352 2221
Email: Info@wow.com.sg

WowART Learning Studio Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/
#!/WowART.Learning

WowART Corporate Site:

http://www.wow.com.sg

Besides the restaurants and retail shops, there are actually tons of things to do within the transit area, and this is super important, as it would be great to get the kids all tired out…so that they will just sleep through those dreaded long haul flights to Europe or to the States.

Recently, the whole family was invited on a Bloggers’ Family Tour of Changi Airport, and we were surprised at the many child friendly attractions within the Airport.

Check out the playground which I discovered in Terminal 2 (Transit Area)

The kids loved the slides, and if they get bored, there is a TV room which screens cartoons, complete with diaper changing areas and nursing rooms as well!

For all those nature lovers out there, there is something for you as well! Check out the Sunflower Garden, Butterfly Garden and Koi Pond with feeding times.

Changi Airport is also the only Airport in the World with its own Hard Rock Cafe.

However, if u are not travelling in the near future, there are also things to do at the airport outside the transit area, that are easy assessed by the non-travelling public.

The inflatables are back, and your kids can play there if you make any purchases at the Airport.

The kids also had fun at the Kids Painting Corner found at Terminal 3 (B3)

One of the highlights of the Tour was our visit to Candy Empire. Besides selling great tasting chocolates and candies, the shop was also generous with the kids. Every child was given a bag, and allowed to choose as many sweets as the child wanted! I wanted to do that too!

It made the kids smile, and I think it would make a great idea for a Party as well! Get to choose what you want in your goody bag, by giving the kids the freedom to choose their candies! I am sure that it will be a hit with the kids!

Check out the kids with their loot!

One of the latest attractions at Changi Airport in T3 in “Sing Kids”

The latest playground which offers many varied obstacles had long queues, as many kids were there to out the latest attraction. Opening from 11am to 11pm, it offers fun and excitement to the kids, till late in the night.

Nadine just loved the mini race course, as she “held her own” against her older siblings!

Overall, the kids had great fun and even Daddy was tired out after the day’s activities. A big thumbs up to Ivan, Melvin and Yvonne for hosting us on the tour of Changi Airport.

If you really get to do all these activities before you board the plane, I can guarantee that your kids will be sleeping all the way to London!

Currently, there are so many attractions at Sentosa, that when we brought the kids there for a family outing and we all enjoyed themselves tremendously.

From outdoor attractions to indoor attractions, Sentosa has a varied line-up for the whole family. And the Good news is that, Sentosa is offering a Day Pass, that offers entry to 13 attractions at a bargain price!

Paying for these attractions individually would cost a “bomb”, as tickets to any attraction starts from $8 onwards. The advantage of the Day Pass, is that it offers entry to 13 attractions at a price of $63.90 on weekdays and $69.90 on weekends!

This means great savings for the whole family!

Even though I have been residing in Singapore for close to 4 decades (Yes! I am not getting any younger),  I have not personally been to most of these attractions before.

The Day Pass therefore offered the whole family a great opportunity to explore the whole Island at an affordable price.

Here are the activities that we tried out!

1. Sentosa Luge

This is a “Die-Die must do” activity when you are in Sentosa. It is not just fun for the kids, but fun for the adults as well! Best of all, kids from as young as 3 can ride pillion with an adult, and they will love the experience!

If your children are at least 110cm, they can ride the Luge alone. Nicole who is 6yo, was tall enough to make the grade. But yet, she rode together with us…But that’s alright, as the Sentosa Luge offers great bonding between Parent and Child!

The normal price for this attraction is $14/ride.

2. Segway

If you want to try something different, you can also make your way to the Eco-friendly Segways found on the beach. One ride on these eco-friendly vehicles costs $12, so using your Sentosa Day Pass here, is good value for money!

Here is a picture of Nathan in full battle order, as he wears his helmet, arm guard and knee guard. (All protective gear comes inclusive in the ride)

Although the kids were young, there were guides to help them along, and even Nadine tried out the Segways! Overall, it was a good experience, as you get to take the Segways on a rough terrain course (The Kids’ segways are pulled along by a instructor, so 3yo Nadine had no problems at all!

3. Tiger Sky Tower

As Singapore’s tallest observatory tower, it offers panoramic views at 131 metres above sea level across Singapore, Sentosa, Southern Islands, right up to neighboring Malaysia and the Indonesian islands.

The best thing about the sky tower is that the cabin is air-conditioned. The tower ride offers great relief from the heat and the kids will love the view. A normal ride would have cost the family $15/adult…

4. Images of Singapore

If you are a History Buff like me, you have got to visit this attraction. It tells the History of Singapore in a really entertaining way, and we had a lot of stories to tell the kids, as we walked down memory lane. The award-winning attraction brings Singapore’s past to vivid life using multimedia displays, multi-screen theatre presentations and life-sized tableaus depicting local history.

This attraction is a MUST for any tourist, and a great educational tool for the kids! Normal ticket prices to go to this attraction is $10 per adult.

5. Sentosa Cineblast

Cineblast offers a combination of visually stimulating rides and games. For example, Desperado is a game, where you sit on a mechanical horse, and you get to shoot the bad guys with the kids. The centre offers other rides like “Extreme Log Ride” and the 4 dimensional show “Pirates”. The whole package here would have cost us $37.90 per adult.

In just half a day, we managed to spend $88.90 per adult. A Full Day Pass costs $69.90, so going for it, definitely saved us money!

And we only managed to explore 7 out of the 13 attractions that is available through the Day Pass.

Conclusion

The kids just love their Play Passes! It’s really value for money especially when you are going to spend the day on the island with your friends and family!

ED’s Parenting Tip

If you are short of time, and this is the first time on the Island, these are the attractions that you should head for:

1. Images of Singapore (For the History of the Island)
2. Sentosa Luge (This ride is just plain fun!)
3. Tiger Sky Tower (Check out the view of Singapore)

 *This is a sponsored review*

As usual, the moment I mentioned that we were invited to the Bird Park, the kids were excited!

To keep the kids stimulated, the park has a kids program to teach the kids about saving the birds. Through mediums like Origami, children will find out how they can help create a safe place for our precious birds.

There are the familiar crowd pleasers like Face Painting and Tattoos, which the kids just loved!

Check out the colorful flamingo which Nadine requested for. Even though it was a weekend, the kids did not have to wait long for their tattoos to be done!  The kids also had Penguins drawn on their hands

At the Artwork station, Kids get to make Butterflies to release back into the Rainforest. Here are some of the photos: 

Nadine was really fast with her coloring, and she spent her time waiting for her siblings…Check out her “Why am I waiting” pose

Origami cranes were next, and the kids learned how to make cranes. This was a bit of a challenge for the young ones and for Daddy and Mummy…Good thing was that there was a guide to sit us through the process.

There was also a Post Office where you can post letters to your friends, to let them know about the event and also to spread the word about how we can “Save the Birds!”

Nicole had fun writing and sending a postcard to her Best Friend – Daddy!

Date: 4 – 26 June (Weekends only)
Venue: Penguin Coast (Near the Entrance)
Time: 10am to 4pm

Bird Park Admission Prices:

Adults – $18

Child – $12

Click on this link to get more details!