Mothers of Singapore prepare to be spoilt! This weekend is all about US! Hurrah! We’ve all been dropping hints aplenty on where we want to be taken for the perfect Mother’s Day brunch, and what presents we really want on Sunday morning (SLEEP, hint hint), but if the family needs more ideas to make the day extra special then make sure they check out our top 10 things to do this weekend in Singapore. What better way to show mum how much she is loved than with a jaw-dropping magic show, adopting her a new furry family member, or maybe a family feast at a gala dinner for a very worthy cause?
1. A bunch of love for Mother’s Day
Is there a mummy anywhere who doesn’t love a bouquet of gorgeous blooms for Mother’s Day? (Or any day for that matter?) If, like us, you get a bunch of flowers and end up chopping off stalks, sticking them haphazardly in a vase and hoping for the best, then you definitely need to get yourself (and your older kiddos) over to this weekend’s flower arranging course by florist extraordinaire, Charlotte Puxley. This three-hour workshop will teach you how to create spectacular table arrangements, provide tips for how to pick the right blooms for the right occasion, and show you the best way to look after your flowers once they are arranged. The husband will also approve of this one: no last-minute dashes to the petrol station for wilted chrysanthemums when he realises he forgot flowers – you will be bringing home two beautiful arrangements yourself, complete with vases.
Where: Charlotte Puxley Flowers, 79 Chay Yan Street, #01-02, Singapore 160079
When: May 7, 10am – 1pm
Cost: $285 (includes the workshop, two floral arrangements plus tea and cake).
2. A magic Mother’s Day
Hands up if you were mystified for years by your dad’s cool trick of pulling coins out of your ears? And who doesn’t love a mind-boggling bit of magic at a kids’ birthday party? May 6 sees the arrival in Singapore of seven of the world’s greatest magicians, collectively known as The Illusionists, who will be doing way more than pulling a rabbit out of a hat over at Marina Bay Sands as part of their 45 city world-tour. So add a bit of magic to Mother’s Day this weekend and catch the show before it disappears in a puff of smoke on May 15.
Where: Mastercard Grand Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018956
When: 6-15 May, various timings
Cost: Tickets from $55
3. A Mother’s Day present for the whole family: adopt a fur baby!
What better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than by adding a number or two to the brood? If you are considering adopting a fur baby into the family then do sniff out the Voices for Animals pet adoption drive this weekend over at Pasir Ris Farmway. There will be plenty of wagging tails of all ages, breeds, shapes and sizes to choose from, and you could very well end up finding the perfect pooch to take into your heart AND your home.
Where: VFA Adoption Drive, 11 Pasir Ris Farmway 2, Singapore 519326
When: May 6 – May 7
Cost: Entrance is free.
4. Beautiful music in a beautiful location
Attention all mothers (and grandmothers) of Singapore! Do you like picnics in a beautiful setting and classical music brought to you live by a symphony orchestra? And free gifts? Well if the answer to these questions is a big fat yes please then get the kiddos to pack a picnic, gather the troops and head to the Singapore Botanic Garden for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s free Mother’s Day Concert. Don’t forget to also pop by to the SSO booth for a special Mother’s Day gift too. And if the kids aren’t relishing the idea of an evening filled with classical tunes then fear not; just agree that you can all stay after the concert so that they can catch the family screening of Pixels. The movie kicks off after the concert, under the stars, at 7.30pm.
Where: Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, Singapore Botanic Gardens
When: Concert starts at 6pm, movie screening starts at 7.30pm
Cost: Free
5. Eyes to the sky!
Get the kids decked out in wellies and mozzie spray and head over to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve for a free What’s in my Sky guided tour. Spaces are limited so sign up quick for this informative, bird-spotting family-friendly adventure in the great outdoors.
Where: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, 301 Neo Tiew Cres, Singapore 718925
When: 7 May, 9.30am
Cost: Free
6. Go Beyond the Haze with a gala dinner for a very good cause
This gala dinner event is being held by Beyond the Haze at the Movenpick Heritage Hotel where ALL funds raised will go directly towards Wildlife Asia and partner organisations in Sumatra. The delish four-course meal is in honour of the school children who recently created posters, videos and other media content as part of a nation-wide competition to educate them, and us, on what we can all do to combat the huge environmental issues Asia is facing. Winners of the competition recently took a trip to the heart of the action on an adventure to Bukit Lawang, Indonesia, where the kids got to visit the orangutans and other endangered wildlife that this campaign is trying so hard to help. The evening has some young and very eloquent guest speakers lined up, as well as a showcase of the competition entries so you can see the talents of these small humanitarians for yourself. A fabulous charity auction seals the deal!
Where: Movenpick Heritage Hotel, 23 Beach View Sentosa, Singapore 098679;
When: May 7, 5.30 – 11pm
Cost: $150 per ticket
7. Check out the cherry blossoms with Grandpa and his little dog Shiro
We here at HoneyKids adore all things PLAYtime over at the Esplanade Theatre Studio! So we are super excited to hear that a new heartwarming tale is stopping by from 6 May for us to take our toddlers to. This theatrical retelling of the popular Japanese folktale, Grandpa Cherry Blossom is a beautiful tale of friendship and gratitude, recommended for two to four year-olds. Even better? If your little one has sensory issues, a sensory-friendly performance will be staged, with no loud noises or dramatic light changes.
Where: Esplanade Theatre Studio, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 03898
When: 6 – 21 May
Cost: From $18 per ticket (or $64 for package of four)
8. Family-friendly Sunday jam…
Sunday jam is back and with a new name and venue, but still with the same great vibes! Head over to Kult Kafe for a family-friendly afternoon and evening of cool music, garden bowling, pool table fun, kids’ activities and a whole heap more as Sideshow and Kult Kafe host the first edition of Sunday on the Hill. Plus did we mention the Pimms Bar? Surely a glass or two on Mother’s Day is a must?
Where: Kult Kafe, 11 Upper Wilkie Road, Singapore 228120; www.kultkafe.com
When: 8 May, 3pm – 10pm
Cost: Free
9. May the Force be with you young Padawans…
Gather your mini storm troopers and head to a galaxy far, far away (well, hop across the border to Malaysia anyway) for some cool LEGO Star Wars fun at LEGOLAND Malaysia! LEGOLAND is celebrating Star Wars Month for the whole of May. We sent our junior reporter, Rafferty, over there this week where he got to meet two real-life Master Builders (father and son duo Dan and Chris Steininger) and helped them to complete the latest LEGO masterpiece, a 200,000 piece Millennium Falcon! This weekend’s schedule includes Star Wars parades, and ongoing events such as a Star Wars Trail.
What’s the perk? Kids dressed as Star Wars characters will receive free entry into the park!
Where: LEGOLAND Malaysia, 7, Jalan Legoland, Medini, 79100 Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia
When: 30 April – 31 May (Star Wars Parade: 7 & 8 May)
Cost: From 116MYR
10. Popcorn and a mysterious abyss…
Head over to one of the 10 Golden Village cinemas on Saturday morning with the kiddos for a special Kids Flix viewing of Winx Club: The Mystery of the Abyss. Those in the know (okay, my daughter) assures us that this film is “super cool with a heap of magic” and definitely one worth sharing a bucket of popcorn over.
Where: Various Golden Village outlets
When: 11am and 11.30am depending on location
Cost: From $12