Weekend Wanderings: Sensorium 360º and mucking at the mangroves

Our nature inquiry co-op decided to break from our usual outdoor trips and visited the Singapore Art Museum last week. We explored the Sensorium 360º exhibition, which showcases Southeast Asian and Asian works of contemporary art that focuses on how sensory experiences help us to understand the world and ourselves. 

There was so much to experience in the exhibition, and I think the children had a great time exploring. Most of them loved jumping around in the noon-nom exhibit, which featured soft sculptures covered in organza made to represent female breasts. Another favourite exhibit would be the Cage, which employed the use of green iodide lasers and fog machines. 

You can read about the exhibits in the guide. Sensorium 360º runs until the 22nd of October in the Singapore Art Museum. More details can be found here, and do note it is at the main building of the museum and NOT at the building on Queens Street.)

We had a really full weekend, and one of the highlights was the homeschool festival (more about that next time), as well as a visit to Pasir Ris Park. We visited the stretch of mangrove which I blogged about previously (directions and details here), and the boys had a good time just digging about and spotting all manner of wildlife. We saw fiddlers, we spotted mudskippers and various birds, and even unearthed the shell of a horseshoe crab. 

These times are the best. These are the times when the kids are up close to nature. They have space to run, to explore, to appreciate God's creation. Baby J was so busy looking around he refused to nap! 

 How was your weekend? I hope it was a blessed one.

Fun for Free: Hunting for saga seeds

When I was a child, I loved collecting saga seeds. There was something just so pretty about those small shiny bright red seeds, and I would keep them safely in a jar, and occasionally pour them out to admire them. 

Junior J and Lil J seem to share my fascination with these crimson pretties, and have been picking up seeds at various places in Singapore. There are some saga trees near our church, so they would always ask for time to search for seeds after church. However, the trees are by the road, and we usually don't end up with more than ten seeds each time, since many get crushed by cars, or fall into the drains. Another place that the boys have found seeds would be the zoo: there is a saga tree along the pathway from the Fragile forest leading to Rainforest Kidzworld, as well as another at the kangaroo feeding area. 

Imagine my delight when I read there was a saga tree resource on Google Maps, that showed you the location of many of the saga trees in Singapore! I found out about this when reading fellow mummy blogger Evelyn's post about saga seeds and pine cones, which also has some interesting links about these seeds. 

One of the locations on the map was Ang Mo Kio Town Garden West, where there seems to be at least two trees on the slope along Ang Mo Kio Street 12 (Opposite Blocks 126 and 134):

The park itself is lovely: There are a couple of wide green open spaces that kids can roam freely, and there is a great playground near Macdonald's. Lots to see and do! (Note: Bring insect repellent. There are a fair bit of mosquitoes there!)

Saga trees-wise, the trees are pretty fruitful, and the boys are able to collect a fair bit each time we visit the place. The trees are not easy to spot, but look out for those sporting these leaflets, as well as yellow seed pods that curl open when ripe! Do ask the kids to be careful though, since the trees are on a slope, plus the roots of the trees are home to some pretty big ants.

After our last visit, we counted the seeds we picked up, and Junior J had 117 of them, while Lil J (who refused all help) had about 50. The seeds are fairly easy to spot, since their bright red colour makes them stand out. 

I don't know what it is about kids, but they really love hunting for these little seeds. Even I find it rather therapeutic taking time to spot them and pick them up. Perhaps it is just the act of taking time to hunt for something rather insignificant, that forces me to slow down and notice the little things around me.

We've been asked many times what we are going to do with these seeds. I guess we might try some sensory play, or perhaps do some seed crafts and use the seeds to decorate something! For more ideas, you could check out some seed crafts here. 

PS: I wanted to share about where to find fiddler crabs in Singapore, however, baby has been really cranky with his 5th tooth and the older boys were sick, so I'm going to leave that for another post this week. Stay tuned!

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This August, 31 mums are sharing 31 different places you could bring the kids to explore, and they are all for FREE! Tomorrow, drop by Adeline's blog to discover another playground to check out. Adeline is a true-blue Singaporean, who loves all things free, especially if she doesn't have to queue for it. She believes in sharing all the good deals she can find, and was thrilled to discover this absolutely free playground recently. Do visit her blog, Growing with the Tans, to read about her latest find. 

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And finally, here's the whole list - 31 days of free fun in Singapore. Have fun exploring!

1 Aug: Tiong Bahru Park by Gingerbreadmum
2 Aug: Queenstown Heritage Trail by Princess Dana Diaries
3 Aug: Jurong Regional Library by Finally Mama
4 Aug: Singapore Maritime Gallery by Peipei Haohao
5 Aug: Singapore Philatelic Museum by Kids R Simple
6 Aug: Sculptures of Singapore by Gingerbreadmum
7 Aug: Fire Station by The Js Arena
8 Aug: Esplanade + Merlion by Prayerfull Mum
9 Aug: Bukit Batok Nature Park by Meeningfully
10 Aug: Lower Pierce Reservoir Park by The Kam Family
11 Aug: I12 Katong - water playground by Universal Scribbles
12 Aug: IMM by Mad Psych Mum
13 Aug: Tampines 1 Water Playground by Amazingly Still
14 Aug: Sengkang Riverside Park by Itchy Finger Snap
15 Aug: East Coast Park by Toddly Mummy
16 Aug: Sembawang Shopping Centre Playground by Joey Craftworkz
17 Aug: Animal resort by Raising Faith
18 Aug: Botanic Gardens by Mum's The Word
19 Aug: Police Heritage Centre by Mummy Ed
20 Aug: Venus Loop, MacRitchie by Scrap Mum Loft

21 Aug: Road Safety Park by Miracule

22 Aug: Marina Barrage by J Babies
23 Aug: Gardens By The Bay, Children's Garden by Finally Mama
24 Aug: Changi Airport T3 by Mother Kao
25 Aug: Pockets of Nature by Mum in the Making
26 Aug: Changi Airport T1 Growing with the Tans
27 Aug: Pasir Ris Park Ingspirations
28 Aug: Gardens by the Bay Supertree Grove by My Lil Bookworm
29 Aug: Vivocity Play Area by Amazingly Still
30 Aug: Punggol Promenade + Punggol Waterway by Chubby Anecdotes
31 Aug: Westgate Wonderland by Xavvylicious

Wild Wednesdays: On the trail of train tracks

After our "failed" attempt to visit the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, we decided to bring Junior J for a walk along the train tracks instead.  So off we went to Dairy Farm Road, and took a leisurely stroll in the evening.  There was lots to see as we pottered along the road...

And we ended up among the houses in the Fuyong Estate area, where we spotted corn being grown:

... and a nice little playground, where both hubby and I kept a close watch on the boy as he played (thanks to what happened!)...

We eventually reached the Rail Mall, and scrambled up the little slope to where the train tracks were (I think that's one of the easiest points to get to the tracks).  Again, lots of nature to savour surrounding the old train line...

We tramped down the tracks for awhile, joining the little crowd of camera-toting people as they milled about.  We overheard conversations with grandchildren about the history of the train line, along with teenage boys discussing how to pose in the most theatrical way on the tracks.  Junior J was quiet the whole time, concentrating very hard on balancing and walking amongst the tracks and rocks...

All in all, a nice way to spend an evening.  Its pretty ideal for a family walk (avoid weekends since I think it'll be a lil crowded for now), especially just before dinner when its not too hot (otherwise, do bring your hats!)...  

And if you do go, remember the mosquito repellant.  Hubby and I got bitten left, right and centre during the first part of the walk!  And since the Rail Mall is nearby, you can end the walk with dinner at one of the eateries there.

Most importantly, wear proper shoes for walking (lest you stub your toes).  Thicker soles are better, since  the rocks between the tracks can be hard to navigate especially if you are just wearing thin flip-flops (which I foolishly did!).

Have you walked along the tracks recently?  How was it?

Wild Wednesdays; Monkeying down Old Upper Thomson Road

I've blogged before about our trips down to Old Upper Thomson Road, but I've never gone into the details.    Basically, part of this road winds through a forested area, and its a common sight in the evenings to see single cars stopped along the side of the road, with the windows wound down.  Most of these cars usually contain families, with kids, and all of them stop for the same reason: Macaques.  Loads of them.  Bouncing through the trees, checking out each car, fighting, romping around.  

For those staying around the area, a slow drive down there in the evening after work can be quite fun for the kids, since driving through the area makes you feel like you are no longer living in an urban jungle: Cicadas whining away, the lush greenery, and sometimes, if you go earlier in the morning or after a heavy shower, the mist.

Oh, and the monkeys!  The kids are always fascinated by these furry creatures, but mind you, these are bold and fierce fellows that can bite.  So steer your little fellows clear of them, however interested the kids may be...

More information on this monkey menagerie:

1.  Don't feed them, no matter how cute or hungry they look.  (Read this to learn about why you shouldn't!)  And since the macaques have learnt to associate plastic bags with food, do refrain from holding any of these bags if you happen to be near them, and of course, don't tempt them by eating around them!

2.  Monkeys sometimes are culled here because they wander out of their natural habitats and become aggressive.  Again, this is partially due to people feeding them, thinking they are doing them some good. (And if that's not enough a deterrent, NParks imposes a fine on people caught feeding monkeys!)

3. They are omnivorous, and feed on fruits, leaves, shoots, and small animals like small reptiles and spiders.  (And with all that natural good stuff around, they really don't need your wheat bread or biscuits.)

4. They are social animals, and form a troop of 15-30 individuals, consisting of an alpha male, his harem of females and offspring, plus sometimes a few other males.

5. Look out for various activities that these furry creatures engage in, such as feeding, playing (especially with the younger ones), and grooming.  Grooming to them is akin to couples going on dates: It strengthens social bonds. (And in fact, a study shows that some males even use this to get sex from the females.  Though that may not be a fact you'd want to disclose to the kids!)

For more information on macaques in Singapore, you can visit this site.  Or for the kids, here's a useful graphic I scanned off a postcard:

Taken off a Zo Card that I picked up recently.  Done by the RGS Monkey Business team.

Happy monkeying around! :)

Wild Wednesdays: A zoology lesson, at the zoo

Cotton top tamarin

I mentioned some time back that we went to the zoo over the weekend, and we're planning to go back there more often since we've gotten membership passes!  Now some of you parents would shrug and tell me you've been there many times and you're sick of the hippos. And perhaps you've braved the hot sun and stood the kids in front of the elephant enclosure for 10 minutes trying to get a nice shot, only to get a picture of your kids as well as a couple of huge grey backsides with tails flicking at flies.  

Since I know its a commonly visited spot for any family with kids (the really long line of parked cars extending a long way from the zoo when we went there was probably a testament to that), I won't go much into what animals you can see there, or their various attractions available.  Except maybe that the place has a really good water play area that had the hubby drooling (the hubby, not the boy mind you!):

Anyway, you could explore those things much better over at the official zoo website.  However, I thought I might offer up a few alternative "activities" you could do with your kids when you are there, aside from the usual "Look Ma, there's the camel! And the zebras!", snap snap photos and go home routine.

So how about trying these:
:: Encourage the kids to choose just one species of animal to look at for say, 20 minutes or so.  Give the older kids a clipboard and some writing paper, and encourage them to observe just one animal for 5-10 minutes.  Get them to write down all the behaviours the animal engages in (eg. feeding, moving, fighting, sleeping etc).  For the younger kids, they could just give a code name to each behaviour, like F for feeding, to make things easier.  (Meanwhile, you could enjoy your Ben and Jerry's ice cream, with no one bugging you for a mouthful. :p)  If you've done that, you have basically constructed what zoologists term an "ethogram" (Hop over here to read more about them.)

:: After they've gotten a list of behaviours (ethogram), they could extend it even further (if they are not restless that is!).  You could get the kids to observe just one individual for a set period of time (different kids could follow different individuals, for say, 15 minutes), and get them to note down the behaviours that the individual is engaged in at fixed time intervals (eg. every 20 seconds or so, using a digital watch to keep track), using codes to record them down (codes make recording way easier, but you might want to pre-plan your codes with the kids before you start the observation period!).  This actually is known as instantaneous sampling, and is used frequently for research on animal behaviour (for more info on various sampling methods, check this site.)

:: If you're still not sick of that particular animal, the kids can go back and calculate out the percentage time spent engaging in each activity, and maybe draw out bar graphs or pie charts too!  (If they do that, they would have constructed what we call an "activity budget", which shows us how much time an animal spends engaging in each activity.)

This would probably be more suitable for slightly older kids.  The younger children could also observe the animals, however they'll need a lot more guidance (eg. you could ask them about what the animal is doing every 15 seconds, and help them to record it down).  This way, you'll hone their observation skills (and you'll be teaching them an important skill, rather than just stuffing animal facts down their throat!), help them to learn more about and appreciate a certain animal (you could try others the next round), and even teach them some math along the way!

Oh, and before you embark on this activity, you might want to do some planning first, and read up about the animal BEFORE you head down to the zoo.  For younger kids, choose an animal with a simpler behavior repertoire (eg. the goats at the children's zoo).  If you want a challenge, then try the monkeys or primates, since they have a huge range of behaviors, but be warned, there's usually some sexual components there!

If you ever try this, do let me know how it goes!  Happy observing!

Come and play at the Childhood101 ‘We play link up’!

Wild Wednesdays: Kent Ridge Park

Ahh, Kent Ridge Park.  Its the place where the hubby and I used to go for walks last time (we liked feeding the arowanas in the pond) when we were still studying in the university nearby.  Just last weekend, we decided to pop by the place again with my MIL and Junior J, since we had to pay a visit to Ikea in the morning.  It had just rained...

... but the sun was out when we reached there.

We wandered slowly around the place until we got to the pond, where we spent a happy period of time just looking at the flora and fauna around us:

Dragonflies, darting across the water, in jewel bright colours...

Damselflies, stick-thin and equally pretty...

(Pssst!  Want to know how to differentiate the two?  Look closely at the two photos.  Dragonflies have two pairs of wings which usually differ in size, and are opened perpendicular to their bodies when at rest, while damselflies have two pairs of wings which are similar in size, and are kept closed parallel to their bodies at rest.  Read this if you want more information!)

I was having a great time taking loads of pictures of those pretty winged creatures, but was prevented from snapping too many photographs by this fellow, who was ambling along the periphery of the pond...

Meet Mr Monitor Lizard...

We also got distracted by the many types of butterflies that were fluttering around drinking nectar!

However, it got pretty hot, so we left after awhile, all tired, but happy!

Doggy came along with us.  See his happy face after the long walk?

Some things to bear in mind if you do visit this beautiful gem of a park:

1. Watch out for ants.  They're teeming everywhere, so teach your kids to be careful where they walk and what they touch!

2. Apply mosquito repellant before leaving the car or entering the park, which is swarming with mozzies!  We got bitten many times!

3. This park is rich in history, being sited on the hill which was a battleground in World War II.  Look out for the guns and tank that are displayed!

4. If you would want to give the kids a longer lesson in history, take the canopy walk which links to the museum "Reflections at Bukit Chandu". 

History, beauty, and nature.  What more can you ask for?