It’s Playtime Once More at Marina Square

After the Superhero Me festival, we had lunch nearby and then we walked to Marina Square. I saw a picture of some retro playground thing called It’s Playtime Once More at the Central Atrium and was eager to check it out. To be honest, it looks great but wasn’t as fun as I expected it to be. There are two sets of seesaws, a swing, and a very gentle slope in the watermelon slice that I think is supposed to be a slide.

The elephant playground and bumboat playground are just backdrops and there’s nothing to climb on or play with. You can take a step up into the dragon’s head but you can’t climb on the body. The kids had a go on the seesaw, swing, and slide, got restless, and started wondering what they could do next.

They decided to try some of the old school games like spinning the gasing, kicking capteh, flipping flag erasers, and folding origami. I think they managed to have fun after all but I would have to say this retro playground set-up at Marina Square looks better than it actually is. Worth visiting if you want to show the kids what playgrounds used to look like and introduce them to the games you played while growing up.

watermelon seesaw

resting in the pelican

peeping out from the watermelon

a slide, I think

swinging

attempting gasing

a little help from Aunty Von

trying to kick a capteh

hopscotch

origami

what’s going on in that corner?

playing card games and flipping erasers

It’s Playtime Once More
Marina Square Central Atrium
Until 28 June

Superhero Me Festival

So it’s been a crazy June so far and we have been keeping ourselves busy. The holidays are coming to an end but this is one event that’s definitely worth checking out: the Superhero Me Festival at National Library Building Plaza!

Both Anya and Adam are into superheroes. Adam loves Superman and Batman, and Anya is pretty fond of The Incredibles. To them, being a superhero means you need to have super powers. But at Superhero Me, they learn that being a superhero is about building character, celebrating imagination, and doing good! Personally, I’m terribly impressed by how well-organised the event is. The set-up is charming and inspiring.

The kids get to craft a medal at The Power Station and before doing so, they talk about the values of kindness, respect, gratitude, patience and resilience, and the kids choose one of these as their superpower. I like how the facilitators ensured that the crafting was purposeful and focused without unnecessary wastage. They were also very enthusiastic and capable.

the power station

craft materials

Adam working on his medal

Anya gets some help

love the set-up of the place!

posing with her Tree of Resilience medal

At The Meadow, the kids played games and completed missions. I really appreciated that it wasn’t just fun and games but that the activities were very meaningful as well. Inside the Bear of Possibilities (a cardboard bear head built by the volunteers!), the kids watched a film about being a superhero.

having fun at the meadow

hopscotch

pin the power!

not sure what’s happening here!

what’s inside the bear?

a film about being a superhero!

Up & Away is my favourite section and the kids get to put on superhero costumes and pose for photos. The photos are used to make a stop-motion film and you can get a link to view the video on YouTube. You can see Anya’s film here and Adam’s here and we have watched both films numerous times!

time to dress up!

waiting to star in their own superhero film

strike a pose

we had a great time!

There’s a Heroes Gathering Party this Saturday, 27 June, and kids can come in their self-made Superhero Me costume from 12 – 3 pm. The first 100 children in costume will get a goodie bag and children in costume get priority entry. You can snap photo memories at the photo booth and take home 4R prints. There are craft sessions by Timid Workshop featuring MT Tapes and photography workshops for the family led by Hart Tan and Bob Lee. The event is free and you can sign up here.

Superhero Me Festival
10 am to 7 pm daily, until 30 June
National Library Building Plaza