Singapore Kid's Places

Last giveaway of 2010- Unforgettable

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 12:37:00 +0000

Unforgettable by Rosio Flynn

In June I gave away two copies of Rosio Flynn's beautiful address, birthday and anniversary book Staying in Touch. Rosio has just published another gorgeous book, this time a guest book, Unforgettable. This book also features Rosio's serene paintings of Buddhas and her quotes relating to friendship and is lovingly produced in honour of all the people she has met through the years.

Rosio, who was born in Peru but moved to Australia when when she was 18 and has lived in Singapore for the past 8 years, has grown to understand how important friendship is, especially when living far from family.

She says, "I created this guest book to remind us of all the great times we have shared together. Unforgettable will keep memories of all special times in your life and in your home, like birthdays, anniversaries, farewells or simply getting together with family and friends to share a meal...I hope it will become a cherished store of memories to share with family and friends for years to come."

The book has ample space for your guests to write messages and anecdotes as well as space to include photos and keepsakes. It is a beautiful way to keep those special memories safe and unforgettable. It would also be a wonderful gift, especially during this festive time.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Unforgettable, which is selling for S$68, please leave a comment after this post telling me what friendship means to you. I will draw a winner randomly on Monday 13th December.

The Polliwogs' White Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:00:00 +0000

The kids will love the fun activities planned at The Polliwogs this festive season, including Xmas tree decoration every Wednesday and Thursday at 4pm. Santa Claus will be visiting on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (24-25th December) so don't forget your camera!

Join The Polliwogs' Facebook Fan Page here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=82737441609 and start uploading your favourite Polliwogs snaps for a chance to win great prizes.

Christmas activites will run until December 31st so please visit the Polliwogs website for more information on this premier play centre.

Congrats, thanks and good-bye

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 02:47:00 +0000

image By ღ ~CHARMERS~ ღ

Congratulations to UmmAsad, who has won the beautiful book Unforgettable by Rosio Flynn. His thoughts on friendship were: "Friendship means sharing the good news and the bad." Thanks very much.

Now I need to let you all know that my family and I are returning to Sydney, Australia. We have lived in Singapore five years, and before that Beijing for three and Hong Kong for two, so after ten years as expats it is our time to return home.

The children have never really lived in Australia so I am a little anxious about how they will fit in with the local school kids-with their mixed-up accents and well-traveled ways, I hope they wont feel too strange. I do, however, think that showing them a bit of the world and having a variety of experiences is the best education they can have.

We have had a wonderful time here in Singapore and have made some great friends. That is always the hardest part-the goodbyes, and I am not looking forward to the final farewells. We will miss Singapore sorely.

I want to say thank you to all my readers, fans and sponsors. Writing this blog has been a wonderful experience for me and I will miss it with all my heart. Not that I will be closing it down- the many posts I have written still get plenty of traffic and perhaps some of you may be interested in what is happening in Australia!

At any rate, the blog will stay open, I am just not sure how often it will be updated, especially at first when we will be busy settling down. I would love any ideas/suggestions from you and of course I will stay in touch with what is happening in Singapore.

So have a very Merry Christmas everyone and best wishes for the New Year.

Worldly Wise kids' camp

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 05:05:00 +0000

Would you like your kids to think outside the box and experience the rich cultures and diversity of the world we live in? If so, this holiday camp will give them something exciting to chew on. Worldly Ys is holding five-day holiday camps for 8-12 year olds this December, in which the children will learn about the cultures of four different countries through multi-sensory exploration.

For each of the first four days of the camps, the children will learn about a different country and it's people, food, language artistic forms, music and culture. On the fifth day the campers come together and share their experiences with an audience. The countries they will be exploring are Italy, Argentina, Croatia and Japan.

The organisers aim to kindle an interest in the children to learn new languages as well as getting the kids involved in new textures and preparation of the food of these countries. A national from the country being explored will have tea with the children to share some of their local customs.

Three camps are scheduled, starting 29th November, 6th December and 13th December, 2010. A special introductory price of S$780 per child (or S$730 if you sign up 2 or more children) includes gourmet food and snacks daily as well as all materials and instruction, a Worldly Y t-shirt, daily goodie bags and refreshments for parents on performance day.

Sound interesting? Contact Worldly Ys on 65-83888904 and visit their website at The Worldly Ys for more information.

Christmas Fantasy at Changi Airport

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 05:59:00 +0000

The Magical Teapot delighting airport visitors at Terminal 3's Departure Hall

This festive season, celebrate a truly magical Christmas at Singapore Changi Airport with a string of fun-filled activities for the entire family! The Christmas fantasy theme involves the creation of a Christmas wonderland with whimsical trees and fantasy characters.

A magical teapot features right in the middle of Terminal 3’s Departure Hall where airport visitors can experience hourly light-ups complete with exciting effects, and a chance to win great prizes. At hourly intervals from 7 to 10pm on weekdays and 1 to 10pm on weekends, colourful balls will emerge from the magical teapot. Participants with balls of the winning colour, to be announced after the balls are dispensed, will win attractive prizes such as air tickets, F&B vouchers and more.

Performers entertaining travellers at Changi Airport's Transit Malls

Children will be delighted to hear that the popular Christmas Fantasy Castle will be making a return. Children can have a go on the 17 metres wide and eight metres tall bouncy castle at Terminal 3's Departure Hall from December. All they need is to present a receipt with any amount spent at Changi Airport. The castle will be open from noon to 10pm daily at Terminal 3’s Departure Hall Row 11.

Airport visitors queueing to redeem prizes from the Magical Teapot prize giveaway

Travellers will also be entertained by daily song and dance performances by Fantasy Characters donning fanciful costumes and street magicians in Changi’s transit malls. Shoppers will also win exclusive Changi premiums from Christmas Fantasy Gift Houses located across the terminals with a minimum spend at Changi’s retail and dining outlets.

Avid shoppers are in for a treat this holiday season. Introducing blogshops@Changi, a blogshop bazaar retail concept at Terminal 3’s B2 Mall will feature three thematic retail zones offering ladies’ fashionwear, kids’ merchandise, as well as gadgets and gift items from popular blogshops. From 4 December 2010, Blogshops@Changi will operate on weekends from 10am to 11pm.

Be a Responsible Pet Owner Roadshow

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:35:00 +0000

We've all heard the tag "A Pet is for Life", which means not buying a cute puppy or kitten on a whim. With pet ownership comes responsibility and the needs of the pet have to be met. Some people forget that a dog or cat can live a long time, and they really become part of the family.

Pet ownership has become hugely popular in Singapore and if you own an animal it's best to be well informed about how best to look after your furry friend (or not so furry in some cases).

If you want to learn more about your pet, or if you are thinking about getting one but need some advice, the Responsible Pet Ownership Roadshow, hosted by Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) is a great opportunity.

You will be able to get a free basic pet examination by a vet, listen to some talks and workshops about responsible pet ownership and pet health care and enjoy the Healthy Coat (Saturday) and Bright Smile Competitions (Sunday) for dogs, cats, hamsters, rabbits and Guinea pigs. Best of all, you will be able to show off your own gorgeous pet. All those cats, dogs rabbits and who knows what else under one roof will surely make for an exciting couple of days.

For more information go to PetsforLife.com.sg Download the pdf for a full schedule of events on both days.

Deepavali open house at Philatelic Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:24:00 +0000

Head down to the Philatelic Museum this Friday for a free day of craft activities and exhibitions. If you and your kids haven't visited this little museum yet it is well worth it and the kids will love the creativity and thought that goes into the activities. Happy Deepavali!

Holiday Programme at Mustard Seed Early Learning School

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 19:23:00 +0000

Early Learning School, Mustard Seed, will be holding weekly workshops during the upcoming school holidays, from 22nd November until 17th December for N2-P3 students. These activity-based workshops will help to improve your child's Math and literacy skills in preparation for the new school year.

Mustard Seed is a dynamic school that teaches Language Arts and Math for children in their early years, aged 3 to 10 years old. All the teachers are highly qualified and experienced and the classes are kept small (approximately 6 per class) to allow for maximum interaction between teachers and children. The lessons are all tailored to each individual child's learning needs.

The children at Mustard Seed are always engaged in fun, exciting and authentic learning experiences that help them to develop creativity and critical thinking skills. This is central to the school's philosophy of cultivating a lifelong passion for learning.

The Math Programme at Mustard Seed has been created by Ms Carol Koh, a former Math teacher of the P4 in-house gifted programme at Methodist Girls' School, one of Singapore's top schools. Attention is paid to test-taking skills in line with MOE standards and the children are shown engaging and creative ways to kick-start their interest in Math.

Mustard Seed’s holistic Language Arts Programme comprises of lessons that are multi-sensory, ie. action-oriented with visual, auditory and kinesthetic elements. There is constant interaction between the teachers and the children and all language skills are reinforced by having the child listen, speak, read and write.

The Language Arts Programme also consists of creative writing, whereby the children go through exercises that help to improve their literacy and reading fluency, as well as develop their creativity and story-telling skills.

Mustard Seed would like to offer all SKP readers a Free English/Math assessment for their children (for levels K1, K2 & P1).

If you are interested, call 6465 1060 or email info@mustardseed.sg to make an appointment, and quote 'SKP' when making the appointment. This offer is only valid for the first 100 SKP readers, and is available till 30th November 2010 only.

Mustard Seed is located at 833 Bukit Timah Road, Royal Ville #01-04 S279887 (beside Pasta Fresca at 6th Avenue).

Tioman Island getaway

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 14:50:00 +0000

Friendly lizard keeping the beach clean

We have just been to Tioman Island, and for a few days away from Singapore I can definitely recommend it. As backpackers, my husband and I went there twenty years ago and the memories I have are of beach bars, huge spiders, snakes and amazing jungle. We stayed at ABC Bungalows back then, a basic backpacker hangout, with just a fan and a mosquito net for comfort.

Relaxing at the beach

This time we opted for a little more luxury and booked a room at the Berjaya Resort. We also flew with Berjaya Air, a much easier route than taking a coach and then the ferry across to the island (a seven hour journey from Singapore). The flight was a comfortable forty minutes in a small propeller plane, and the stewardess had just enough time to hand out a bottle of water before landing. Our flight went from Selatar Airport, the old RAF airport in Singapore, but from 1st November, all Tioman flights will go from the Budg

et Terminal at Changi airport.

The chalets at Berjaya Resort

are 2-up, 2-down

Berjaya Resort is a great option with kids. They loved the slide at the pool (there's also a smaller slide for young kids) and we did some amazing snorkeling right from the beach. No live coral but we did see lots of beautiful fish swarming around a rocky outcrop a few metres out. The tide goes right out in the afternoon, so get some beach swimming done in the morning and move to the pool in the afternoon.

The slide was a hit with the kids

We upgraded to a Deluxe room from a Superior as the Superior was small and shabby while the Deluxe had been upgraded and was much larger, with a bathtub and plenty of room for an extra bed. We were a few metres from the beach and a short walk from the pool. Perfect.

The aircraft at Tekak airport

We booked a 3D2N package through Take Me To Travel and added an extra 2 nights. This worked out to be pretty good value as the flights, transfers, 2 nights of dinners for the four of us, a snorkeling trip with all the gear and breakfast was all included. Take me to Travel also do packages to Bintan, Batam, Koh Samui and other popular destinations.

The snorkeling is best done in the morning before the wind picks and the visibility is not as good. For our snorkeling trip we were taken by speed boat to Regggis Island, which you can see from the resort, and is only a few minutes away. Here there is a floating platform which you can jump off and snorkel around.

We saw some beautiful coral (a little to the right of the platform was the best I found) and many fish. We spotted a blue-spotted sting ray and a small reef shark as well as grouper, parrot fish and clown fish. Apparently there are green turtles around, but unfortunately we didn't catch them. There are some beautiful photos of the sea life here.

Tioman Island is quite large and densely forested with small mountains right behind the resort. You don't really get a sense of the island tucked away in the resort, and there are no roads around the island. There are a few Kampongs, however, although most are reachable only by boat.

Stepping back in time

The airport is at the largest Kampong, Tekek, and the next beach northwards is ABC (Kampung Air Batang), where most of the small backpacker operations are, and where we stayed 20 years ago. We were keen to see if it had changed so we got a taxi (mini-bus) from the gates of the resort to the north of Tekek where there is a path through the jungle (only a 5 minute walk and paved) to ABC.

At first we were shocked at how run down the bungalows looked and some even looked like they had ceased operations. We were told that ABC had gone upmarket, but it all looked pretty shabby to us.

Watermelon juice at ABC

The more we walked the more we relaxed into the mood of the place and saw it's charm and character. It is very quiet and laid-back, the only activity being some local kids splashing in the water and riding their bikes along the path. Shop-keepers swayed in hammocks, monkeys played in the trees and everywhere there were sleeping cats. We had a watermelon juice at a cafe and were tempted to stay for happy hour at the beach-side bar--three tigers for MYR10.

Sleeping cats everywhere

We swam, or rather paddled as it was low-tide, at the far north of the beach, near Bamboo Hill Chalets (I had read good reviews of this place on tripadvisor but they were booked out). From the water we watched monkeys foraging in the overhanging trees and enjoyed the beauty of the place.

Unfortunately the restaurants at ABC didn't open until 7pm and our taxi driver was waiting for us at Tekek, so we had to skip the MYR6 nasi goreng. Never mind, the driver took us to an excellent restaurant in Tekek and we were thoroughly satisfied.

There are other activities to do from Berjaya, such as trekking in the forest, hiring bikes and diving. We didn't have enough time to do too much, and we were happy to relax at the beach or pool for most of the time.

So if you're looking for a weekend away, this is an easy, family-friendly option. The food was good and the staff friendly. One word of warning though, be careful of sand flies-we made the mistake of sitting on the sand on our last evening and all got eaten alive.

Free events at Singapore Sun Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 11:40:00 +0000

This year's Singapore Sun Festival is full of wonderful entertainment. This leading arts and lifestyle festival is billed as a festival that celebrates the "Art of Living Well" through the seven elements of Music, Visual Arts, Literature, Film, Food, Wine and Wellness.

There is truly something for everyone and a few of the events are free, so there's no excuse for not enjoying some of what is on offer.

Free events include concerts at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre on Friday 5th November and Saturday 6th November. On Friday you can enjoy Mexican music by Tambuco, a group of musicians with a repertoire ranging from structuralist percussion to a wide range of drum music and avante garde sound interpretation.

On Saturday the music is by Indialucia, a group of musicians who combine Indian and Flamenco music to produce a mesmerising fusion of two diverse cultures. Both concerts start at 7.30pm, but you are advised to get there early to reserve a seat.

There is also a free Yoga event-Moon Salutation @ ACM, on Tuesday 2 November, 6.30pm-8pm. The moon salutation includes fourteen poses, all of great benefit, and all levels of yoga students are welcome. Bring your own yoga mat and enjoy some free outdoor yoga.

We are going to enjoy the Free Film Screenings at the Botanical Gardens. For two weekends, classic films by Hitchcock (North By Northwest on 30th October and Dial M For Murder on 31st October) Vincent Minelli (An American in Paris on November 5th) and the greatest musical film ever made- Singing in the Rain (6th November), will be shown at the Shaw Foundation Theatre at 7pm. So bring your picnic and a rug and enjoy some of the most entertaining films ever made under the starry night.

For a full programme of the Singapore Sun Festival 2010, go to the Singapore Sun Festival website.

Photo-booth fun Japan-style

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 02:47:00 +0000

Choosing the poses for the photos

I took Maya and two friends to the Japanese neoprint shop Pretty in Tokyo at Orchard Cineleisure the other day. I had no idea this sort of thing existed but it's a huge hit with teens and pre-teens. The large photo-booths are imported from Japan and still take Japanese Yen to operate, which you exchange for your $11.

Girls especially love it as they can choose different templates for their photos stickers, and once they have posed for the camera they nip around to the editing booth to touch up their portraits. They use touch screen pens to add symbols, glitter, cute Japanese-style decorations - they can even colour their hair and add lipstick.

The touch-screen pens are fun to use

There is a time limit for use of the machine and it takes a while to figure out how to use all the functions as everything is in Japanese, but these technical wiz-kids soon get the hang of it. It would be good to have a Japanese friend with you if you really want to know what you're doing though. Don't rely on the staff to give you any clues-they couldn't care less.

Once they have finished decorating the photos, all you have to do is wait a few minutes for them to pop out. The photos are pretty tiny but perfect for decorating a wallet, phone or diary, and they are all stickers. The shop is buzzing with giggling girls who of course love the cutesy images.

Adding the finishing touches

Maya and her friends tried two different machines ($11 each) and so had two different templates to cut up and share between the three of them. They are so cute and there was even enough for me to stick a few inside my wallet.

Pretty in Tokyo is on the second level, shop #2-10. Go up the escalator, turn right and it's tucked away on the left just passed Diva.

Halloween Spooks @ACM

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 02:11:00 +0000

We love Halloween and every year Singapore seems to be embracing this fun holiday more and more. This year there is a FREE Halloween Fright Night party happening at the Asian Civilisations Museum on Saturday 30th October. This event starts at 5pm and finishes at 1am for all those night owls. There will be free access to all the exhibition rooms.

For the kids there will be craft activities starting at 5pm, with dance performances, Crystal Ball demonstrations and other surprises from 7pm. There will also be trick or treat bags for kids and prizes for the best dressed. So if there's no trick or treating in your neighbourhood, this could be a spooky alternative!

Halloween Fright Night

Asian Civilisations Museum

1Empress Place

5pm-1am

Saturday 30th October

Free admission

Halloween Party for little groovers

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 01:58:00 +0000

Nightclub Zouk is about to be overtaken by lots of excited youngsters who love to dress up and party. Baby Loves Disco is holding their Halloween Party at this seriously hip nightclub and the under-sevens are sure to have howling good time!

With interactive Mambo dancing from Studio Wu, balloon twisting and face painting, this will be a party not to be missed. The club will be baby-proofed to provide a safe environment for youngsters and the decibels toned down for young ears.

The party is recommended for ages six months- seven years but older siblings are welcome as well. Adults are not allowed in without a child, although grandparents, family members and nannies are welcome.

Dress up your little darlings for the party and the best dressed will win a photography package with Episode Photography. All ticket holders will be entitled to a 15% discount at Episode Photography.

Baby Loves Disco was started by professional dancer Heather Murphy in Philadelphia, USA in 2004 and has since spread across the USA, to UK, Japan, UAE and now Singapore. The launch party in Singapore in August, 2010 was a huge hit, with lots of families enjoying the disco music, magic show and bubble machine. You can check out some photos of the event here.

For tickets to the Halloween Party, please log in to the Baby Loves Disco website here.

Venue

Zouk, Velvet Underground

17 Jiat Kim Street, Singapore 169420

Sunday, 24 October, 2010

2pm-5pm

Tickets

$30 Adults

$10 children

non-walking babies free

Silly Bandz make it to Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:02:00 +0000

image by Beth Whitehouse

I hate to be feeding the latest kids' craze, but Crazy Bandz are now available in Singapore. Apparently these silicon rubber band bracelets are all the rage in North America and U.K. and kids love to do some serious trading with them. They are so popular that some schools have had to ban them because they are too distracting in the classroom.

The popularity stems from the array of colours, shapes and themes the bracelets come in and the fact that they spring back to their original shape when taken off. Kids wear multiple bracelets and because they are relatively cheap to buy they are a fun to swap with friends.

Singapore expat mum Kate couldn't find any Crazy Bandz in Singapore for her kids, so decided to import them herself. She has started selling them at the Singapore Fairs- The Shophouse Fair and Loewen Gardens Fair, and will also take orders via email and sms straight from her website, Sillybandz Singapore. Kate says she is blown away by how fast the bands are selling and has been ordering Halloween bracelets in time for 31st.

The bracelets come in packs of twelve and are a very reasonable SG$3 per pack. There are various shapes, each pack having a theme, such as 'Princess', 'Rainforest' and 'Sea Creatures'. Kate now has glow in the dark animal shapes which are hugely popular. They make a great party bag filler and the Halloween bracelets will be a great giveaway. Just don't buy them all before I get a chance to grab a few!

Kids' yoga through storytelling

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 02:36:00 +0000

Fun with Tree Pose

Yoga and nature seem to go hand in hand when teaching children. Cat Pose, Downward Dog, Tree Pose - they all lend themselves to children's yoga perfectly. When you can teach children about body awareness and healthy exercise through stories, then it is fun and rewarding for them.

EcoFrenz has just begun their special "Story Telling Animal Yoga" for kids aged 4 to 8 years old. Held in the Leaf Room at HortPark on Friday 1st October, the kids will enjoy a great workout through various stretches done through story-telling.

EcoFrenz aims to provide quality programmes and products that promote an understanding of the environment and nature. They are also holding a craft workshop on 23rd October at the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden where parent-child teams learn about the importance of the three Rs- Recycle, Reuse and Reduce. Participants will make their own stationary and file holder by using recycled cardboard boxes and decorated with printed cotton cloth and decorative items.

There are still places available for Friday's yoga class, and the fee is a reasonable $18 per child for two full hours. Registration is essential via the website and payment can be made on the day. Please note that a handling fee of $5 will be charged for cash payments, so bring along your cheque book. The "Create My Own Stationary & File Holder" workshop is three hours long and costs $60 for parent/child team. This fee included food and materials.

For more details on these great workshops and others, go to the EcoFrenz website

Children's Day Fun@ Esplanade

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 05:05:00 +0000

image by zach.williams

Children's Day is officially celebrated in Singapore on 1st October every year, and for next weekend there are many child-oriented activities happening in Singapore. At Esplanade there will be a whole range of ticketed shows as well as FREE performances and activities.

I managed to grab some tickets to see the ballet Sleeping Beauty, performed by Singapore Dance Theatre as part of Esplanade's Dance Appreciation Series. Aimed at educating children, excerpts of the ballet will be performed and educational elements such as visual explanations of common terms in ballet will be explained. And we get to meet the dancers after the show!

Between 30 September and 3rd October,2010 the free activities include a drawing competition for children aged 5-12 and a non-competitive colouring activity for the younger kids (2-4 year olds). Free story-telling sessions will be held in the Jendela (visual arts space) and the concourse will be busy with Japanese Storytelling (Kamishibai) and lots of performances such as Peter and the Wolf by the Kreutzer Wind Ensemble, and Taro the Dragon Boy by ACT 3 Theatrics.

For a full schedule of all the activities and performances, go to the Esplanade website and download the schedule under Stage Me a Story! Free Performances!

First Singapore Guitar Show

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 08:59:00 +0000

For all the guitar enthusiasts out there, stay tuned for the upcoming Singapore Guitar Show (sorry about the pun)! It is the first ever exhibition ever in South East Asia dedicated to the appreciation of fine guitars and the art of building these amazing instruments.

Organised by on-line guitar magazine Guitarbench.com, the Singapore Guitar Show is an opportunity to witness some beautiful hand-crafted guitars by artisans from USA, Australia, New Zealand as well as Singapore. There will also be workshops, demonstrations and live performances to inspire the budding guitar heroes. Even though most of the guitars are high-end pieces, there will be plenty for kids and families to enjoy.

Venue

Suntec Convention Centre

Rooms 325-326

October 2-3, 2010

Time: 10am-6pm

admission: FREE

Family-friendly photo competition

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 07:23:00 +0000

Here is a local Singaporean photo competition ideal for all the families who read this blog. Organised by the Businesses for Families Council (BFC) and supported by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), all you have to do is upload a photo of you favourite family-orientated business along with a description, and stand to win some great prizes. Tell the story of how the business actively demonstrates the "We welcome families" mindset so that other families can try out your recommendation.

Think about where your family is most comfortable. It could be your favourite restaurant with its great kids' menu, a shop with great discounts, or service centre with easy access for strollers and toddlers. It could be the friendly welcome you get that makes the business special or the great service that makes it really appealing for families.

The top prize is $2,000 and there are great weekly prizes, including vouchers for Resorts World Sentosa and NTUC Fairprice. The competition is open until 17th October, so get uploading!

Here's how to enter:

Submit your entry between NOW and 17 October 2010 via:

	Website: www.pickabiz.sg
	Website: MMS to 83377565 in the following format:
	NAME NRIC NO. WRITE-UP (Why do you like this ‘We Welcome Families’ establishment?) NAME OF BUSINESS LOCATION E.g .Paul Tan SXXXXXXXX I like this business because… ABC Café XYZ Road
	Mail: PO Box 144, Bras Basah Post Office, S'pore 911805
	E-mail to: contest@pickabiz.sg
	Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BusinessesforFamiliesCouncil

Free fun with MoonFest@Esplanade this weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 08:55:00 +0000

image by Adrian Godong

Did you know that Esplanade always have a great line-up of free performances at the outdoor theatre and the forecourt inside? Every night of the week there is something to inspire and entertain.

This weekend is Mid-Autumn Festival and to celebrate Esplanade is having a full programme of performances both inside and outside at the Waterfront Theatre and around the forecourt.

There will be Traditional Chinese riddles to solve, roving stilt walkers, wushu and other performances around the forecourt. There will be short performances inside at the forecourt over the afternoon (3pm-5.30pm), then the evenings from 7.30pm will be filled with more music.

At the Outside Theatre, you can enjoy "Moonlight Melodies" between, 6.45pm-11.30pm on Saturday and "Beautiful Moments" between 7.15 and 10.30pm on Sunday.

There will be free traditional lantern-making for the the kids between 2pm and 7pm at the concourse and then you can join the lantern walk along the waterfront. Gather at the forecourt at 7.45pm on Saturday 18th or Sunday 19th and you'll be treated to a beautiful display of twinkling lights.

For a full list of the events, go to Esplanade website here.

Join the fun at Charity Family Fun Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 05:31:00 +0000

If you're looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend, why not join in the activities at the Riding with the Disabled's "Family Food & Fun Fair" this Saturday, 18th September. There will be lots for the kids to do including pony riding, face painting, bouncy castle, kiddies' assault course, market stalls, games, Harley Davidson bike rides as well as plenty to eat and drink. There is also a great line-up of arts and sports programmes for children.

The arts programmes will be provided by some well established Singapore groups including Positive Focus' iGeninus, My Art Studio, KinderMusik and Abrakadoodle Art.

The sports programmes are being provided by Hyn Academy, First Kick Academy(soccer), Kinder Golf, Aikido, Wanderer’s Rugby & Singapore Cricket Club Cubs Cricket Clinics. You will need to pre-register your children for these programmes, which can be done at the Riding for the Disabled website. You can download the form from there, and one pre-registered child will win a prize valued at $50. Spaces are limited so sign up today.

Tickets are $20 which gives you $20 worth of vouchers, redeemable at various stalls and activities. You can purchase more vouchers on the day and of course the fun is all to help the charity.

Riding for the Disabled Association of Singapore (RDA Singapore) is a registered charity that provides free therapeutic horse riding for the disabled. Horse riding is wonderful for instilling confidence in people with disabilities and gives them courage to face the world. It also has positive physical benefits including increased balance and improved blood circulation. RDA Singapore is the only organisation who provides these free lessons and all maintenance and operating costs are covered by donations and charity drives.

Venue

RDA Centre,

5 Jalan Mashhor (off Thomson Road)

Time:

10am-5pm

Saturday, 18th September, 2010

National Stamp Collecting Comp on display

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:29:00 +0000

Enjoy a free display of stamps and philatelic materials this weekend, put up by over 700 Singapore students. There are many creative displays arranged in themes such as nature, culture and history, each telling a different story. The winning entries will be on displayed so come a support the great work by Singapore's primary, secondary and tertiary students.

I want a Fracture!

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:42:00 +0000

If you're like me and take thousands of photos of your children, they never seem to get passed the computer harddrive. The hassle of printing the photos, finding a cute frame, and then mounting them on my crumbling walls seems like too much bother. But I hate having everything hidden away in the computer-where's the joy in that? There are so many options with digital photography these days, so why not experiment?

This new product, Fracture, has just introduced a whole new way of printing photos. It's fun and easy and get the photos on the walls where they can be admired. The digital images are printed directly onto shatter-proof glass and everything needed for mounting is included. All you have to do is go to Fractureme.com upload your photo, customise it so it looks just the way you want it, and it will be posted back to you printed on the glass with the mounting included.

I heard about this product through twittermoms.com, and if I am one of the first 100 bloggers to review the product I can win a free Fracture. If this happens I will write a follow-up post to tell you how the process goes. And for everyone outside the U.S, they do international shipments.

Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post in response to a TwitterMoms RAMBO alert, making me eligible to get a Fracture picture frame for review. You can learn more about Fracture at http://www.fractureme.com.

Back to school lunch and snack tips

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 01:58:00 +0000

image by Amber Karnes

My kids went back to school on this week after their long summer break. Thankfully they were both excited about starting school and couldn't wait to get back and see all their friends again. After the first day the excitement hadn't diminished as Maya now has her own MacBook in the classroom and Ben is now able to buy his own lunch and have lunch with the older kids.

For me, back to school means planning healthy lunches and snacks for the kids. I do let them buy the school lunch a couple of days a week, as a treat, but I still like to have a little control over what they eat.

In Singapore, because of the heat and humidity, preparing healthy snacks can be a little challenging. But an insulated lunch box with ice packs is an essential investment and will go a long way to ensuring that the food stays in a relatively appetising condition. Cutting up fruit is not popular, apart from watermelon, as fruit such as apple and pear go brown when sliced. Bananas always get squashed, although half a kiwi fruit usually gets eaten.

In the UK over summer we ate plenty if the very popular snack they call flapjacks. These delicious muesli-type bars made with oats, butter and golden syrup can be chewy or crunchy depending on your preference, and are easy enough for kids to make. They are also filling and although pretty sweet, are a good source of fiber.

If you do want some inspiration for school lunches, check out JustBento.com. I usually make a humble sandwich for my kids, but at this website you can see how a little imagination can make kids' lunches so much more interesting. The Japanese Bento-style lunch is so nutritious, colourful and fun-what kid could resist! This post especially has inspired me to try to give the kids a little more variety.

Baby Loves Disco set to rock Singapore!

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 03:20:00 +0000

Is your little one a bundle of energy you sometimes don't know what to do with? Does he or she love to bounce around to your favourite tunes, while you join in just for the sheer joy of it? Dancing is one of the best stress-reliefs and to dance with your kids is simply enormous fun!

If you are looking for something a little different from the usual play-date and want to have as much fun as your kids are having, then Baby Loves Disco is for you. It all started in 2004 in USA and has since spread worldwide, to countries such as UK, Japan, Poland, Australia, South Korea, and now Singapore.

Baby Loves Disco is an afternoon dance party featuring real music spun and mixed by real DJs blending classic disco tunes from the 70s, & 80s, guaranteed to get those little booties moving and grooving. So mums and dads will love the music just as much as the kids so everyone can get up and groove- and Barney is banned!

The launch party of Baby Loves Disco Singapore will be on August 28th, 2010, from 2pm-5pm at DXO, which is a very hip and happening nightclub. Not only will this be a great afternoon out, but it will also be an excellent way to socialise and meet other families who love to have fun.

The recommended age for the event is 6months to 7years, but older siblings came come along and enjoy the party. The music is turned down to toddler-friendly levels so as not to burst any ear drums and the lights are a little brighter than a regular club for safety reasons. There will be a 'chill-out' area with games and toys if the kids want some 'down time' as well as a spread of healthy snacks and a free-flow of fruit juice and soft drinks.

If you are interested you will need to go to the Baby Loves Disco Singapore website to register. Tickets are priced at $26 for adults and $8 for children (non-walking babies are free). Adults will not be allowed in without a child, although Grandparents, friends and nannies are all welcome. There may be tickets still available at the door ($30/$10) unless tickets are sold out, which is a definite possibility. If you do miss out this time around, these events will hopefully be organised ever month, depending on demand.

Venue

DXO, Colours By the Bay

8 Raffles Avenue

#1-13F Esplanade Mall

Date

28th August 2010

2pm-5pm

Tickets

Adults $26 children $8 (non-walking babies free)

Go to Baby Loves Disco Singapore to register for tickets

Get experimental at the Kids' Science Fest

noreply@blogger.com (Milly) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:28:00 +0000

Renae and Carly inspiring youngsters to love science

I can't remember science being fun when I was a kid, but these days science is not only fun to learn for kids but also awe inspiring. Kids love interactive tools, games and activities to make science subjects come to life and this week they get a chance to experience many amazing science experiments, games and theatre at the Kids' Science Fest at the National Library Building.

Featured will be the Magnetic Theatre, where kids will have the opportunity to operate their own magnetic puppets and props to produce their own play. Or they can find out how different plastics behave when exposed to heat. The kids will decorate plastic sheets and then shrink them in the oven-definitely not something to be done at home!

There is also The Cell Is A Very Busy Place Science Show performed by Renae and Carly from Scitech in Perth. These two lively girls will take you on a journey to discover the life of the human cell through some amazing demonstrations and interactions.

Some other interesting activities and demonstrations are the Light Piano, which plays without having to be physically touched, making straw musical instruments that actually play tunes, 3D picture gallery, using the Bernoulli Flower to discover the physics behind flight, learning about gravity and balance through mobile making, making bouncy balls from glue and discovering how to make a colourful maze, plus lots more.

Tons of fun for all and its all free!

Kids Science Fest

11th-14th August 2010

11am-5pm (closing 4.15pm on 14th)

National Library Building, Level 1

100 Victoria Street (City Hall or Bugis MRT)

Admission FREE