Call it a fair, a carnival, a festival, or just a fun day out in Singapore jam-packed with family activities. We don’t know about you, but when we were kids “going to the school fair” just meant bobbing for apples, getting our faces painted, and eyeing off the bake stall to see if other kids were getting better choc chip cookies than us [we love you, Mum!]. But in Singapore in 2016, school fairs have been taken to a whole new level. At least, the CIS STEAM Fair has, with the Canadian International School (CIS) putting on the festival to end all festivals! Here the whole family can invent, design, and create to their hearts’ content, and throw Dad in the dunk tank before going nuts on the carnival rides and shopping up a storm at the global bazaar. Welcome to CIS STEAM Fair 2016.
Roller coasters, robots and electric cities: it’s all about STEAM!
What is this ‘STEAM’ we speak of? It’s a global teaching approach that stands for Science, Technology, Entrepreneurship (or Engineering at some institutions), Arts and Mathematics. The aim is to demonstrate to kids how each of these five disciplines are connected, and how they’ll be hugely relevant when it comes time to enter the workforce (no matter what their career dreams are, from fashion design to medical research!). At the CIS STEAM Fair, all the activities will give boys and girls of all ages the chance to create something new and connect ideas that may at first seem unrelated. For example, kids can try their hand at building a mini roller coaster, giving them the opportunity to investigate how design and physics are connected.
Not only are the activities designed to help kids make connections, but also to challenge them to collaborate and take risks. Kids who love the arts can make their own musical instrument such as a drum or guitar and then rock out, or try their hand at designing their own shoe and bringing out their entrepreneurial spark by learning how to advertise their design. Science and technology buffs can try out the 3D printing science booth, get to work building a Microbot, or learn to build and program Lego robots. And, those who are especially curious about math and engineering can dabble in the design and launch of a catapult or invent their own electric city. It’s all about learning to think creatively and critically instead of just memorising solutions to problems that have already been solved. We like it!
Even littlies can get amongst the STEAM fun, with fort building, sand exploration and mural weaving on their agenda. And if it all gets too much for the parents, they can duck into the massage tent for a head and shoulder massage from one of the Singapore Blind Society’s qualified masseurs. Or, just grab a snack, enjoy some music, and marvel at how different the world is since you were a kid. Did we mention entry is FREE? We told you the school fair game has changed.
Register here to secure free entry into CIS STEAM Fair!
This post is sponsored by Canadian International School.