Looking for weekend inspiration? Check out these workshops for the whole family, a heap of cool performances around town, and a last chance to have lunch with Pokemon… We've got 15 fun things to do this weekend!
What do we have in store for you this weekend? Lots is what! We are talking National Day rehearsal fireworks lighting up our skies, a phizzwhizzing BFG inspired art ‘n’ craft project run by two of our favourite bookstores, a chance to take part in some floral family fun at Gardens by the Bay, and a street festival in our favourite part of town, just for the kiddos! Bring it on!
1) Enter the BFG Dream Jar Contest!
We won’t gobblefunk around with our words: we love the BFG here at HoneyKids’ HQ, which is why we can’t wait to start getting crafty with the kids for the upcoming BFG Dream Jar Contest. Let the kids go wild with their imagination to create a jar that captures their magic and dreams, pop the jar over to competition organisers, Woods in the Books or Books Ahoy, and swap it for a Golden Ticket (which will give you 20% discount on your next Roald Dahl purchase). There will be a Roald Dahl themed prize up for grabs for the best jar, and the contest runs from now through to 11 September. Plenty of time to create something delumptious and hopscotchy!
Where: At home with the kids!
When: Whenever you like (competition ends 11 September)
2) Join the Tiong Bahru trail for kids!
Head over to Yong Siak Street for a special street event for kids, and see Tiong Bahru come to life with a fun and wondrous trail of activities. Expect hidden treasures and animals, arts ‘n’ crafts, face painting, storytelling and cotton candy! Kids will be invited to add their own touches to the trail too by visiting the chalk colour station and getting stuck in with some street art of their own. The first 60 kids collecting four or more stamps from the various activity pods along the trail will snag a goodie bag too. Stores taking part in the fun include Books Actually, nana & bird, Plain Vanilla, Strangelets and Woods in the Books (so pop your dream jar in while you are there!).
When: 31 July, 10am – 6pm
Where: Yong Siak Street, Tiong Bahru
Cost: From free to $18 for activities
3) Watch a bite-sized theatre show!
If your little ones get ants in their pants trying to sit through a theatre performance, then this could be just the weekend event for you! Bitesize Theatre over at Bishan Public Library is presenting two plays in less than half an hour! This specially prepared production is short enough, and entertaining enough to enthral the most fidgety of kids (ours!), and it’s free (is there anything more annoying than shelling out for theatre tickets and having to leave after just ten minutes with your noisy, wriggling kids?). Win, win.
When: 30 July, 6.30 – 6.50pm
Where: Exhibition area, Central Public Library, 100 Victoria St, Singapore 188064
Registration: None required
www.nlb.gov.sg/golibrary
Singapore’s 51st birthday is just around the corner, and the practise sessions for the celebrations are well under way. Catch the last round of rehearsal fireworks which will bursting into the skies this Saturday. When: 30 July, 8pm
Where: National Stadium Singapore
www.ndp.org.sg
5) Discover your inner parenting superhero
Join Families for Life at the Singapore Parenting Congress 2016 for a great workshop aimed at parents with kiddos age between four and 12 years. The Are You a Superhero to Your Child workshop explores topics such as screen-time boundaries, building resilience in our little ones, how to find ‘me’ time as a parent (we would love the answer to that one!), and also includes a session just for grandparents too. We are all superheros in the eyes of our kids, but this useful event will help boost parenting confidence skills too.
When: 30 & 31 July, 9.30am – 6pm
Where: Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre, Level 3
Cost: From $12 per person
www.familiesforlife.sg
6) Catch a last chance to visit the Pokemon Cafe
Unless you have been hiding out in a cave for the past few weeks, you’ll know that the whole world has gone Pokemon nuts. If your own little pocket monsters are obsessing over the well-loved Japanese franchise, then head over to the pop-up Pokemon Cafe this weekend before it bounces back out of town! This is one of your last chances to feast on 12 Pokemon-themed dishes and we also hear that a giant Pikachu and friends will be putting in an appearance. Gotta Catch ‘Em All before the doors close for good on 10 August.
Where: 200 Victoria Street, #04-05, Bugis Junction, Singapore 188021
When: Now until 10 August
www.facebook.com/pokemoncafeinsg
7) Support young people in theatre
The M1 Peer Pleasure Youth Theatre Festival encourages young people aged 13-25 here in Singapore, to try their hand at stage productions in a professional theatre venue. We love seeing young people being passionate about drama, and there are some great performances going on over the weekend: the more productions you catch, the cheaper the tickets!
When: Now until 30 July, various timings
Where: Esplanade Theatres on the Bay
www.esplanade.com/festivals-and-series
8) See snow in Singapore!
Summer Escapade over at Snow City (Singapore’s answer to a blizzard in the tropics), gives us all a chance to cool-off in real snow, mingle with the Inuit while learning their fascinating stories, plus take part in a heap of fun, snowy activities too. Check out the full deets before you head on over to the snow flurry!
When: until 31 July
Where: Snow City, 21 Jurong Town Hall Rd Singapore
Cost: Most activities are included with Snow City admission price
9) Try out origami!
If you’ve got some time to spare over the weekend, and fancy picking up a fun new arts ‘n’ craft skill, then head on over to Bishan Public Library for a drop-in origami workshop. The session promises to teach kids and grown-ups how to make an origami model in just ten minutes! Cool craft for free: hurrah!
When: 30 July, 11am – 12pm
Where: Bishan Public Library, 5 Bishan Pl, #01-01, Singapore 579841
Registration: None required
www.nlb.gov.sg/golibrary/
10) Watch the Shaolin monks on stage
Kung Fu meets choreography and drama in this fabulous production: Shaolin is in Singapore for one more weekend only! Kids (and grown ups) are going to love this incredible show at Marina Bay Sands, full of superhuman tricks and feats. It’s not every day you get to see a troupe of Shaolin Monks demonstrating their authentic martial arts wizardry on stage!
When: now until 31 July, various timings
Where: Sands Theatre, MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands
Cost: From $45
www.sistic.com.sg
11) Shop at the Baby World Fair
If you are sporting a baby bump right now, or have a new addition in the family, then you may want to take advantage of huge savings and a massive array of vendors over at the Baby World Fair this weekend! Bag yourself up to 90% discount on popular brands including Medela, Maclaren, Avent and The Baba Sling, while you shop for everything from children’s clothing and bespoke nursery furniture, to maternity wear and baby care options, all under one giant roof.
When: 29 – 31 July, 11am to 9pm
Where: Singapore Expo, hall 5, 1 Expo Drive, Singapore 486150
Cost: Free admission
www.babyworldfair.com
12) See a puppet show starring the Monkey King
It’s all going on at the Esplanade this weekend, so once you are done with the Youth Theatre Festival then how about catching a family-friendly, puppetry take on a classical Chinese epic: Journey to the West: Treasures from the Dragon Palace. This fun tale, part of the Feed Your Imagination initiative, follows the powerful but rebellious Monkey King as he goes on a quest around the Earth and the Heavens to hunt down the perfect weapon to fend off evil. Expect audience participation and the chance to learn more about the evolution of traditional hand puppetry and its techniques.
When: 30 July, 4pm
Where: Theatre Studio, Esplanade Theatres on the Bay
Cost: From $20
www.esplanade.com/festivals-and-series
13) Join a free phonics and reading workshop
It’s Singapore’s first National Reading Day this weekend, and phonics guru Miss K is hosting a free ‘Parenting Talk on Phonics’ workshop over at Bedok Library. Join Miss K, from Phonics & Reading Classes by Miss K, as she shares tips and techniques to help you to teach your little bookworm to read.
When: 30 July, 3 – 4pm
Where: Bedok Public Library, 21 Bedok North St. 1, Singapore 469659
Registration: This is a free event but registration is required. Contact Bedok Library on 6332 3255 to reserve a space (limited seats available).
www.facebook.com/events
14) Don’t miss the Garden Festival!
If you love gardening and all things green, then head over to Gardens by the Bay for the final weekend of perennial fave, the Singapore Garden Festival (SGF). Expect fantasy and landscape show gardens, floral windows, a brand new exhibit in the Flower Dome, festival-feel performances by local musicians, and a fabulous market full of food, offering eats and drinks, arts ‘n’ crafts plus a ton of gardening goodies too.
When: now until 31 July, various timings
Where: Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953
Cost: There are lots of free things to do, but some fees apply to various activities. Check out the website for full deets.
www.singaporegardenfestival.com
15) Get into maths, games and gaming at the Singapore Science Festival
Kiddos will love this three hour workshop run by maths wizard, Dr Golam Ashraf, where curious little minds will learn about maths in games and animation. Visual SG Workshop: Shape & Motion Wizardry With Math is part of the ongoing Singapore Science Festival, an initiative to encourage young, busy brains to love science.
When: 29 & 30 July, 3 – 6pm
Where: Science Centre Singapore, 15 Science Centre Road, Singapore 609081
Cost: The workshop is free but admission fees to the Science Centre apply.
Registration: Participants will need to register at www.sciencefest.sg