Looking for enjoyable and educational activities for kids in Singapore? Parents tell us about the enrichment classes and programme that their children love, from musical theatre to science, coding classes and introductory sailing lessons.
Musical Theatre for Kids – Centre Stage
Aga and Kris Veriga, Polish and Australian; Jasmine (13), Mia (12), Max (5) and Lily-Rose (3)
When we moved from Dubai to Singapore three years ago, Jasmine already had extensive stage experience and had performed significant roles in West End and Middle East productions.
To continue her musical theatre journey, we looked for the most established, reputable performing arts school in Singapore; Centre Stage was the most recommended.
They provide a holistic approach to the performing arts, offering a wide range of activities from which the kids can benefit. There are several types of classes for dance, drama, creative artwork, speech, singing and improvisation, along with a special by-invitation programme for promising talent.
Jasmine has been attending classes here for three years and she’s doing Musical Theatre on Stage, Musical Theatre Dance, Spotlight and, had previously been doing singing too. She has participated in various productions to date, with the most exciting one being Annie The Musical, in which she played the lead role.
Centre Stage also provides student exchanges with established performing arts schools in the UK and US. Two years ago, we hosted two students at our home and it was such an inspirational experience for Jasmine and our family. We can’t wait to send Jasmine to Europe or the US to experience the West End or Broadway under the mentorships of Centre Stage.
Despite the challenging times, the school has ensured continuity of workshops and children’s engagement by finding creative ways to mitigate the restrictive challenges of in-person practices. No prior experience is required and the children gain confidence and sensitivity. The school community is like a caring family, which makes it a safe environment for children to flourish.
• Block 15 Woking Road
• #01-32 Laguna Park, 5000G Marine Parade Road
centre-stage.com
Grommet Sailing Course – Discover Sailing Asia
Jacqui and David Young, British; Harry (15) and Elizabeth (13)
We were looking for an introduction to sailing for the kids to do and Discover Sailing Asia ranked very high on the radar.
Both Harry and Lizzy did the Grommet introduction course, which is a four-hour programme. It’s a good intro to sailing for young explorers; if they want to advance, Discover Sailing Asia has courses that are accredited by the American Sailing Association.
Both of them loved every aspect of the taster, from the introduction of sailing to winching up the sails while monitoring the wind direction. It was also lovely to be out on the open waters and learn to sail hands-on. We sailed up to Lazarus Island, somewhere we’ve never been before.
It’s a great morning or afternoon activity and the captain and crew make it great fun for the whole family
8267 0886 | discoversailingasia.com
Coding Classes – Coding Lab
Richard Goodman and Winnie Lee, American; Kiraley (8) and Daring (6)
We heard about Coding Lab from online parenting and expat forums – members recommended it as a good place for young children to start experiencing coding. Both our children have been at Coding Lab for over a year; Kiraley has completed Scratch 2 classes. Daring has taken multiple modules and themes for preschool age (four to six years).
Our children have really enjoyed the classes they’ve taken. They look forward to their classes each week – our daughter is especially excited to visit. They’re also happy to share their learning experience after each session and it’s obvious that they want to do more. That’s a great testimony to the engagement and interest that the class content and teachers generate for the young students.
We also like that the Coding Lab uses relatively easy-to-use programs that are intuitive for the children. They can quickly feel accomplished in their learning and have fun in the process too.
The class sizes are good and the children get sufficient attention from the instructors. The most impactful endorsement comes from the excitement the children have to attend their weekly classes, while also clearly learning more of the early fundamentals of coding along the way.
9 King Albert Park, #02-21 and #02-05
6528 2282 | codinglab.com.sg
Indoor Playground Activities for Kids – Petite Tayo KidsClub
Ronald Seet, Singaporean; Aron (4)
We chanced upon Petite Tayo when we were cycling past Kallang Wave Mall. Aron was enthusiastic about it so we sent him there for play and classes – sometimes, he will wait outside until the playground opens!
Aron goes there regularly for play. He attends the Curious Captains Classes (a mixture of art and science); we chose the 5-Class package. He has attended various classes such as Transport TV, Mud on Wheels, and I Spy with My Binoculars.
Aron requests to go to Petite Tayo KidsClub all the time as he has a love for transport vehicles and has bonded with the PlayGuides at the playground. His excitement and enthusiasm for Curious Captains has made us recommend the classes to friends as we believe that their children will enjoy the activities too.
Petite Tayo KidsClub also offers a drop-off option for parents, which makes things easy for me!
1 Stadium Place | 8893 6465 | petitetayo.com
Home-based Tuition – Boutique Education
Venta Norvilas and Scott Dowdell, Americans; Maks (10), Feliks (8), Roze (7) and Violeta (1)
When Maks’ previous tutor had to leave Singapore on short notice in early 2020, I looked for a centre that would provide more continuity. I saw that Boutique Education was recommended in a Facebook group for expats, so I took Maks in for an assessment and he was matched with a tutor that would be a good fit.
Maks has been receiving tutoring twice a week in Reading & Writing and Mathematics. As a mother who has to juggle the activities of four children, it makes my life easier that the tutor comes to my home; I don’t need to shuttle Maks to and from a tuition centre. The tutors help him in completing homework, class projects and preparing for school assessments. They also coordinate with the Singapore American School, Maks’ school, to provide him with additional support in areas of weakness.
Maks, Feliks and Roze were also enrolled in their school holiday camp and they really enjoyed it. They spent a fun and educational week doing activities such as hands-on science experiments.
I would recommend Boutique Education as I’ve seen concrete results in Maks’ academic report card.
9 Mohamed Sultan Road, #02-01 9021 2488 | boutiqueeducation.asia
Multi Activities and Camps – Whizz Kidz
Kate and Philippe, British and French; Julien (18) and Charlotte (10)
Whizz Kidz is an activities and camp provider at the Canadian International School. Our children loved the variety of activities offered, as well as the connection with other children that made our kids excited about going back repeatedly.
Some of the activities they enjoyed include Fun Scentz, which involves making body lotions, bath bombs and more; Science Club with different themed experiments in each session; how to play Minecraft; LEGO Robotics; and how to sew, make jewellery and other crafts. The wide array of activities is provided with the same ethos of connection, discovery and learning while having fun. It doesn’t matter what the class is, the kids just enjoy themselves!
We booked Whizz Kidz for a Science-themed birthday party, prior to COVID restrictions. They organised several experiments that really intrigued the kids such as lava lamps, volcanoes and slime. Then the team cleared it all up! It was a memorable and hassle-free birthday celebration.
Whizz Kidz can bring their camps and activities to many different areas of the island. We live in the East Coast, and having a quality provider of camps and classes that are conveniently located really helps when choosing activities for our kids.
Online Coding and Computer Literacy Enrichment Classes for Girls 7 to 16 years – The Lavender Spaceship Project
Valerie Lim, Singaporean; Amber (11)
As a parent of two young daughters, I advocate that technology should be used responsibly to bring about positive effects to our lives. My elder daughter Amber is exposed to all sorts of smart devices in school. The aspects of technology she’s most interested in are creating games and animations. I researched the most suitable kids’ activities platform that aligns to our purpose and chanced upon The Lavender Spaceship Project. It offers online coding and computer literacy classes designed for girls.
It’s been a year and a half since Amber started her journey with them. She has acquired amazing technical capabilities from programmes such as Scratch, 3D Modelling with Coding and Geometry. She has completed two courses so far and is now onto Digital Making with Micro:bit. Amber looks forward to the enrichment classes each week; and I enjoy browsing through her projects and trying the mini games that she creates!
Through these enrichment classes, Amber has developed better critical thinking and problem-solving skills. She’s able to analyse situations objectively and make sense of their complexities. She has also sharpened soft skills such as creativity, grit and curiosity. These are critical competencies that will prepare her for future readiness. With her exposure to strong female role models in STEM at The Lavender Spaceship Project, it’s my hope that Amber will one day join a similar cause to advance gender equality in technology.
8223 4825 | lavenderspaceship.com
This article first appeared in the January 2022 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!
Here are more fun things to do now in Singapore. Also check out our guide on where to shop online groceries in Singapore.
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