Dean was packing our stuff a few days ago, and he found this...
That's us when we were about 10 years old. We didn't know each other then... it's a 'photoshopped' image that we used for our wedding invite.
So where did we meet and how did it all start?
We first met when we were 17, at ACJC Christian Fellowship... we were helping out during Council Investiture... I found him rather charming... but we did not get together until more than a year later.
I can't recall too clearly our first date one-on-one... I think it was Valentine's Day... he came to pick me up in a cab and we had dinner at a coffee shop. Thereafter, we went to Telok Blangah Hill Park, where we chatted under the moonlight. I kinda think it was Valentine's Day cos there were many other couples there and I recall seeing one trying to light candles on a cake and blow it out before the wind got to it. But for us, we were just checking each other out... not a couple as yet.
I still remember the warm fuzzy feeling when we first held hands... this was when we were on a bus somewhere in City Hall... one of his fingers got stung by a bee a few days back, so he was just showing me his swollen finger... and somehow, our hands just slipped together and there... the very first time we held hands... discretely.
And the first time we kissed... that's the day he asked me to be his girlfriend. 19 Jul 1998 :)
I didn't quite like the initial bit when we were still checking each other out... and when I had to wonder if he liked me like how I liked him. I hate uncertainties. We chatted over ICQ quite a bit... I still remember being delighted when I heard the "uh oh!" and it was him sending me a message. :)
This photo of us was taken during our JC prom, when we were only 18.
The intial years were rather bumpy... we were going through many transitions in a short span of time... after we left junior college, he went to the army, and I started university. We only saw each other during weekends, and hardly spoke during the week. He'd call when he had free time at night... and we'd chat for a bit. I remember how I'd be so disappointed with myself when I missed his phone calls for one reason or other. Then subsequently, he started uni, and soon after I entered the working world, 2 years ahead of him. I was also away for almost a year, pursuing my Masters in the US.
I suppose I am glad that he was around to go thru all these transitions with me... the song we chose to play during prayer time at our wedding ceremony was Hillsongs' Through It All, and the words "you are forever in my life, you see me through the seasons", had added meaning for us.
He asked me to marry him on our 7th anniversary... a full 7 years after it became official that we were dating. Then 2 years after that, we got married on 7 July 2007.
I never really fancied plasticine as a kid... it leaves your hands feeling yucky, and the table ends up sticky, and plasticine bits will fall all over the floor. As such, I never really played with plasticine when I was growing up. Then play dough came along... I never had a play dough set, and never wanted one. And for the same reasons, I never got play dough for my sons. BUT, a small tub of play dough ended up in one of those goody bags that Nathan brought home from school a few months back. The day he brought it home, I let him play with it once, then hid it in a corner of his drawer, where he won't be able to access it. So he hasn't played with it for quite a while.
Yesterday, his cousin happened to mention play dough over lunch, and there... memory rekindled. He bugged me to help him look for that tiny tub of play dough... I tried to distract him with other toys, but it didn't work. He insisted on looking for that tub of play dough. Finally, I said... "how about you choose one of your birthday presents... and we'll open it"... his eyes lit up, and he stopped bugging me to look for that tub of play dough. He choose one present (and could even remember that it was a present from Caitlyn), and before he opened it, I reminded him that we were not going to look for that tub of play dough this afternoon. No play dough. He agreed. So we proceeded to open the present... and this was what we found underneath the Toysrus wrapper...
Needless to say, he was thrilled! I just couldn't help but laugh when I saw what was under the wrapper.
Every Friday, we will be sharing products / gadgets / websites / books & other cool stuff that mamas love. These things have made parenting a teeny bit easier in some way or other. Check back every week to see what fellow mums have to recommend... from one mama to another. :)
This week, Steph who blogs at Roo & Red shares with us her love for Baby Sling Carriers. Steph is the mommarazzi to two little spice girls nicknamed Roo and Red, which is what her blog is named after. "Roo and Red" is a chronicle of her everyday adventures with her daughters and her fledgling photography business. It's a happy space, and she hope to pass on their wanderlust, rose-tinted lenses, and “look-to-the-bright-side-of-life” vibe through loads of candid images and simple anecdotes.
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I don’t subscribe to a specific parenting style. Put simply, I’m a firm believer of doing what makes sense and finding practical ways and means to juggle the madness of everyday. So when I first wore tried a sling to wear my first baby, I simply thought “This makes sense."
It’s light. Simple to use. Nimbler than a stroller or pram (especially when you’re taking public transport). And the little ones love being in it. I’ve heard of some babies who are not comfortable in a sling, but thankfully, both of mine were born kangaroos.
It can be used as a modesty shield when breastfeeding. Many times, I’ve fed anywhere I can sit, as the sling affords me the privacy I need. Perhaps it’s selfish of me, but I also love the feel of my little ones falling asleep in my arms and pressed against me as they sleep and dream.
I do love going out on little adventures and explorations with the little ones, so portability is key for us. When Roo was a couple of months old, almost on a daily basis, and I’d walk from Somerset to the National Library, and plonk myself down with a selection of great books with her in my arms, sleeping and waking and feeding to the sound of my heartbeat.
When I had Red, Roo and I would pack her in a sling and try out random restaurants near home and meet up with visiting friends for touristy adventures. Even while the little ones are attached to me, I can eat with both hands during lunches and dinners with friends.
Wearing a baby is like being pregnant again, except the baby’s already out, and you can put the baby down (or pass her to someone else) when you need a break. Grin.
Another thing I love about the sling is that it also doubles up as a pillow or a blanket whenever I set them down to sleep in random surfaces in restaurants or playdates. :) It does get dirty pretty quickly this way, which is why we have at least two, which we regularly alternate with.
There are many different types of slings. I have three: a pouch, a ring sling, and a simple sarong cloth from my younger days. Most good quality cotton cloth can work as a a DIY sling as long as you know how to distribute the weight across your back, shoulders and arms. Personally, I love my self-made sling as well as the pouch sling. My gripe with the ring sling is that the ring tends to bruise my shoulders. But different strokes for different folks…
You can refer to instructions on how to use them here:
Ring Sling - http://www.babyslingsandcarriers.com/babysling_instructions
Traditional Selendang - http://carrymemama.blogspot.sg/2007/09/hip-carry-with-selendang-tied-with.html
Of course back then, my little ones weighed from 2kg to 12kg. Anything beyond that, and it becomes backbreaking. It really depends on your personal limit. Thankfully, by the time the little ones hit that weight range (around 2ish YO), they are more than happy to run around on their own, and oftentimes, insist on it.
I don’t think I would have survived their babyhood and toddler-hood years with as much ease, fun, and versatility if not for our adventure-tested slings. Now that they are bigger and Red has hit 2 years of age, it has become more a blanket/scarf for the little ones when they’re cold in the mall. I still carry Red in it sometimes, but I can’t last more than an hour now with her 12kg lead-weight bum. Most of the time though, it’s now just a toy that reminds them of our exploration adventures, and the fact that their mommy used to be able to carry them the whole day. Used To.
Nathan turns 3 today. We celebrated his birthday (2 days early) with loved ones and friends at Happy Willow. After considering and checking out 2 other venues, I knew that Happy Willow will be the perfect place for his party, and I was right! The playground was big enough for the 3 year olds, and yet small enough that that parents could see what the kids were up to without having to tire ourselves out climbing up and down and thru the tunnels with them. There was also a play area for the younger kids and Noah enjoyed playing with the trains and tool bench. The party room was nice and cosy, and the food was yummy. Kids' food was catered from Pasta Mania and the adults' food was catered from E-Sarn Thai.
The birthday boy and his friends had so much fun! The big smiles I saw and the laughters I heard that day made all the effort I put into planning this party all so worth it. Special thanks to all the staff from Happy Willow for making this birthday extra special... for being so accommodating and patient with us, especially when the birthday cake was delivered late. Nathan still talks about his birthday party at Happy Willow, and I am certain that this is a happy memory that will stick. :)
Dear Nathan, you are growing up so quickly and I although I really like having a big boy, I do miss the baby you. You've brought us so much joy and we continue to pray that you will grow up being a man who will honor God and remember His grace.
Thanks to all for popping by and having fun with us. Nathan's birthday celebrations wouldn't have been so special without your presence. :)
Some random facts about Nathan at 3...
1) Still sucks his thumb when he sleeps, and needs to have Colin with him in bed.
2) Likes to drink soup, hates vegetables. Favorite colour is yellow, likes "red car with eyes" (Lightning McQueen), loves going out to do fun stuff.
3) Enjoys feeding the fishes at the Botanical Gardens.
4) Some of his favorite songs are Jesus loves me, Jesus loves the little children, Deep & wide, Give me oil in my lamb, One People One Nation One Singapore, National Anthem.
5) Recognises / reads over 80 Chinese words.
6) Counts to 20... but after 10, he goes in increments of 2. And to him, 5 is a lot.
8) Likes going to McDonalds... he actually calls it O-McDonalds.
9) Loves coconuts... 公公 did you buy coconuts today?
10) Has a good memory. Remembers details and can relate stuff we did months back.
After the party, as I was taking a shower for Nathan in his bathroom, I told him that he can choose one present to open that night. He said he wanted to open the 'teddy bear present'. I asked him who the present was from, he said Isabel. He's held each present he received (about 12 in all) for less than a minute each before I kept them and he ran off to play. So I was surprised when I went to get the presents from the car boot, and found one with a teddy bear wrapping paper. I took it out, and saw "Isabel's" name on it!
Every Friday, we will be sharing products / gadgets / websites / books & other cool stuff that mamas love. These things have made parenting a teeny bit easier in some way or other. Check back every week to see what fellow mums have to recommend... from one mama to another. :) This week, Connie who blogs at www.rayconniebaby.blogspot.comshares with us her love for Sleep Training. Connie is a FTWM of two lovely kids. He is 5yo and she is 7mo. "I knew I have a strong passion for kids as I already dreamt of having 4 kids when I was 16yo! How crazy is that. But after working with children for the past 12years, I know things are not that easy so we thought these two little precious ones are good for a start. I also love making new friends and exchanging points with mummies so do add me on facebook!" says Connie.
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Sleep expert? Nah I am definitely not one but I think I do better at the above. Yes, sleep training.
For every newborn each family has, I would say one of the (countless) challenging tasks will be one of the topic that I am going to write today. You may ask how you, a new mum on the block, could do this. I would always tell them , "Go goggle it!"
Many years ago when I was expecting my first, google and facebook were not as popular as now. Call me old school but I prefer to read info from books. I count myself lucky as my preschool diploma did came in handy.
Ok let's start the ball rolling.
How I started:
Inculcate habits since young (or better from the womb)
But I did follow this myth and I think it works for my kids in a way or another. I had a rule, if I was/am pregnant, I always go to bed by 11pm. It is easy when I had my elder then and when it came to my 2nd one, it was also quite a breeze cos my elder sleeps about 10pm. So I had this nice and comfortable night routine for the whole of both pregnancies. Though I had to make my way to the loo in the middle of those nights, but I never had a problem plonking back to bed.
Provide a time difference environment
I once had a student's father who shared with me how he managed to "train" his son to sleep through out the night when he was 2mths old and boy I was in for a shock! But after umpteen readings on the net, I was finally convinced that sleep training can start as early as 4mths (or even earlier if baby is ready).
So I did. For both kids, how I trained them was to keep them active during the day and I even went to the extent to wake them up from their naps if I feel the naps were getting too long and too close to their bedtime. I was that routine freak who did not want to bend the rules on this. I started this training when both were about 3mths old. And technically their night sleep hours started to extend from a 3hr to a 5hr.
Under this category, I also trained my babies to take their day time nap in the living room / bedroom with curtains drawn open. Do some day activities routines such as switching on the television or turning on the vacumn while the baby sleeping. Fret not, you will be surprise that sometimes babies sleep better with some of these "noises". And on the other hand, you can create a night time routine for your child e.g. by giving him or her a quick bath, a massage and perhaps some reading or lullaby follow by a milk feed. On top of that, also provide a softer lighting environment in the night so as to ease them into bedtime.
Plan your child's feedings
For the nth time, I am the routine freak mom who believes that training a routine baby was the easier way out.
For a typical young baby say about 3mths or so, their regular milk feedings can be every 3 hours or so.
Here is a feeding scenario:
Baby's feeding time 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm, 12am, 3am and cycle repeats.
So from about 3rd month old or so, I tried to give feedings at a overlap timing: say baby needs to drink milk at 9pm and 12am I would bring forward the 12am feed to 1130pm then after a week, pull it to 1130pm feed to 11pm rather. From this feeding pattern, I realized my babies would sleep better and sleep longer. So instead of waking up at 3am, they will wake up later at 4am or even later. (If baby will sleep from 1130pm to 4am mean you will get 4.5hrs of sleep!) This also depends on how satisfied your baby can get with the total amount of milk he had from 9pm-11pm. Typically a baby would require about 2-3weeks to set into a new routine, so do make sure that you need to persevere with your new routine with your baby.
And from the 6th month, things got easier as semi solids were introduced to them.
Here is the schedule for my kids when there were abt this age:
If you can see, I had deliberately insert an extra feed of cereal at 8pm so that it will help to fill the little stomachs of your baby.
Ok, maybe I cheat a little, I started semi solids with my children as young as 5.5 mths and I straight away introduce at the 8pm feed so they were literally sleeping through the night (meaning sleep at 9pm to 6am when they were about 5.5mths). This is one great way for me to gain back my beauty sleep as studies have shown that sleep depriviation is the major factor to weight gain.
Technically this method works for both my kids and in fact the younger one could already sleep through out the night as young as about 6mths plus. You can also refer to my previous post on how to prepare pureé for your baby.
Hope my sharing helps! Good luck!
Disclaimer: This blog entry is non advertorial based and no monetary compensation was made to me, all opinion are of my own.
This article appeared in the Sunday Times on 2 Sep 2012. It was sparked off by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally where he asked parents not to overwork their pre-schoolers by sending them for tuition. In the article, we see parents whose kids have not had a single day of tuition before Primary 1. At the same time, we see parents who've signed their kids up for classes with the hope that they will be well prepared for Primary 1. Some parents who do not believe in these extra classes feel that the kids will not have time for play if they start attending such classes from young. So are the parents who do send their children for 'extra' classes turning them into 'study machines'? I suppose a balance is required.
Nathan is turning 3 in a week's time. Since the beginning of this year, he has been attending pre-nursery playgroup for 3 hours in the morning. In addition to that, for 3 out of 5 weekdays, he attends enrichment classes in the afternoons. During the school holidays, I sign him up for various school holiday programs. Am I robbing him of his childhood? I do not think so. He enjoys school in the mornings and looks forward to his enrichment classes. He is learning through purposefully designed activities. Although I do (sometimes) get the... "I want mommy to go to class with me... mommy, I don't want to go...", I know he stops fussing 2 minutes after I drop him off, and he has fun the rest of the time. When I pick him up, he's usually all smiles, and all excited to show me what he did/made in class that day.
For Nathan, this is his routine on a typical weekday.
Pre-Nursery Playgroup
In Singapore, most kids start their pre-school education the year they turn 4. The kindergarten that I enrolled Nathan in gives parents the option of pre-nursery playgroup, which starts the year the child turns 3. By the way, I am one of those parents who registered my child for a kindergarten when he was just a couple of months old. I did my research on kindergartens, their values, their curriculum, their facilities, their locations etc and decided on the one I wanted my kids to attend. This 'popular' kindergarten we chose accepts registrations as soon as a birth certificate is available. Nathan is a September baby, so we actually did not stand much chance in getting him a spot. But thankfully, we managed. The registration process was hassle free too. I called to make an enquiry, was told to print out a form which I can download from their website, mail it in with a cheque (registration fees & deposit), and that's all that is required. About a week later, I received a receipt and confirmation that Nathan's got a spot.
Nathan's class has 14 students (including him). Teacher-student ratio is 1:7. Aside from English, Mathematics, Chinese and Art, he also has sand play, water play, outdoor play included in his time table. He learns independence, turn taking, social skills as he interacts with his teachers and peers. Once in a while, they will celebrate a classmate's birthday. Birthday song, cake cutting, goody bags... all kids love birthdays. Being a kindergarten built on Christian values, he attends chapel once a week, where he gets to hear bible stories and sing songs about God. I think his morning is well spent in school.
Enrichment Classes
Three days a week, Nathan attends enrichment classes. At this age, he is like a sponge, learning at an amazing pace. I like that his time is meaningfully occupied. Having him in class also allows me some time to catch up on my work, run errands... and take a breather.
Julia Gabriel EduDrama Program
Once a week, Nathan goes for classes at Julia Gabriel Centre. The class duration is 1 1/2 hours. Through interactive story telling, speech & drama, as well as art & craft, his English language and communication skills is nurtured. Nathan particularly enjoyed the school holiday program I signed him up for in June. He made goggles and a shovel which he used while pretending to look for treasures buried underwater. I read to him daily, usually before nap time and bed time. He clearly loves books and can remember all the stories which he has read before. He is able to draw associations and narrate the stories by himself. Just looking forward to him being able to read by himself.
Berries
As a student, I really struggled with Chinese in school. I spent much time learning 听写 and still ended with tons of 改正 to do. No matter how hard I studied for 听写, I just couldn't remember how to write all the words that I was expected to know. My 听写 exercise books were always used up really quickly because I had to use many pages for 改正. I wasted spent so much time on Chinese in school; time which can be better spent on other stuff if I was better at the language. Not wanting Nathan to struggle like I did, I made it a point to get him started early. After attending classes at Berries, and us spending some time reading Chinese story books and revising the words he learnt, Nathan can now recognise all the Chinese words in the picture below. Each week, he learns at least 2 new Chinese words. Story time and craft time is also incorporated in class. I was told that Berries is more academic driven and some older kids might not find the classes enjoyable. Well, for now... Nathan enjoys the classes and has learnt to recognise so many Chinese words. I certainly hope that he will not struggle (like I did) with the Chinese language when he starts school proper.
Chengzhu Mandarin Centre
In addition to Chinese classes at Berries, Nathan also attends classes at Chengzhu. Chengzhu seeks to nurture a love for Mandarin and its classes appear to be more fun and 'laid back' as compared to Berries. Last term, the theme was animals. Nathan learnt the names of animals and is able to identify the animal (picture) when told its Chinese name. There is no emphasis made on character recognition, unlike Berries. Dramatization and songs are incorporated to reinforce learning, so they'll sing animal songs and hop around like kangaroos for instance. I thought I should not make learning the Chinese language such a dread for him, so I included this class which is supposedly more fun.
On days that he does not have classes, we will spend time learning thru play. Either playing with toys at home or baking cookies. Some days, he will be running errands with me... going to the bank, or to the post office, or to the supermarket to pick up groceries. I enjoy having him as company as I go about doing the things I need to do, though having him does slow me down some days.
During the school holidays, when he does not attend pre-nursery playgroup in the mornings, I will sign him up for other school holiday programs. Like this week, he is attending an art camp at Abrakadoodle. He's liking it thus far. Tomorrow's the last day of the camp, and I get to see all the art work that he's created.
In the evenings, we usually have dinner at home and spend some time with his grand parents or cousins. After that, it's shower time, story time and he's in bed before 9pm.
In time, I intend to introduce sports and music lessons. Will probably start with swimming and violin/piano. Do drop me a note if you have recommended swimming coaches or music teachers. I am interested in group classes... preferably parent accompanied ones for violin/piano.
I have made it a point not to schedule classes on weekends so we can spend time together as a family. Weekends are times when we'd go on simple outings (to the beach, to the zoo, to the museums, kite flying... ) and just enjoy spending time with one another.
So with his sort of routine, do you think I am depriving him of his childhood? He enjoys the classes and his time is meaningfully spent.
What's your take? Will you send your kids for enrichment classes?
Asia's first LEGOLAND is gearing up for its official opening on 15 Sep 2012. The View from Mama's Desk takes a sneak peek at this park that has more than 40 rides, shows and attractions, specially built for kids as young as 2 years old.
How It All Started
Check out Lego's history with this short animated film that was produced for their 80th anniversary. An inspirational film that shows how hard work and perseverance paid off for the Christiansen family. The Legoland we know today is one of the fruits of their labour.
I received an invite to the media preview of Legoland Malaysia on 1 Sept, two weeks before their grand opening on 15 Sept 2012. Nathan has been asking to go ever since we chanced upon their road show at Raffles City several months back. So last Saturday, all of us woke up bright and early and made our way to Malaysia. Getting To Legoland Malaysia
All in all, the trip from our home to Legoland took about 30 minutes via Tuas Link. Immigration clearance was smooth, and the route to Legoland was well marked by road signs. Take Nusajaya exit 312. GPS: 1º 26’ 14" N 103º 37’ 2" E. It is recommended that you have breakfast before reaching the park. Parking is a plenty, but do take note of the row number in which you parked. There are signs erected at the beginning of each row, and by the time you leave the park at the end of they day, there are so many cars, and all the rows look the same, locating your car will be a challenge if you do not remember where you parked.
Ticketing
Buy your tickets online to save time queueing. The last thing you want to do is to stand in line with excited kids who can't wait to get in the park.
The Park
The park is divided into themed sections. Some of the attractions have height and age restrictions. Do check that you fulfill the requirements before you even start queueing. The restrictions are in place for your safety. Noah at 1 1/2 years of age does not meet the height requirements of these rides with height restrictions (usually minimum 90 or 100cm). If you have young kids, it might be a good idea to check out these requirements beforehand. As long as you know your child's height, you'll be able to see the sign boards a distance away with the height requirement clearly marked in red. Steer your kids away if you know they are too short to ride. It'll be much easier than having to deal with a disappointed kid who gets turned away at the queue. The nice thing is that the kiddy rides tend to have shorter queues, and the park attendants are happy to let your kids take additional rounds on these rides if they so desire.
Lego City
Our first stop was Lego City, where we got to see the Driving School, Airport, Fire Station, Boating School, Shipyard and Train Station.
Junior Driving School - Nathan got to ride these cars at the Junior Driving School for kids 3 to 5 years old. There is another Driving School for kids 6 to 13 years. Any older, I'm sorry but you are too old for the Lego Driving School. :P
Noah was too short and had to be content with sitting on the stationary version.
Remote Control Boat - There was no height/age restriction for these remote control boats, but Nathan and Noah were both asked to wear life jackets. Noah was fussing as he didn't want to put on the life jacket, but after some coaxing, he did, and we enjoyed the short cruise down Lego river. :)
The Shipyard - A playground where kids get to climb all the way to the bridge and take in the view from a higher point. There was no one else at the playground when we were there, so my boys had the whole playground to themselves. :)
Lego Rescue Academy - Help to put out the fire using these Lego fire engines. My kids were too young to ride. Nathan was disappointed, but we promised to bring him back when he was older.
Legoland Express - This train takes you around LEGOLAND and gives you a good overview of what the park offers. Do not be put off by the long queues. Trains depart at 5 minute intervals, and each train load takes a sizable group.
Lego City Airport - This looks really fun but was closed the day we were there. :( Note that height restrictions apply.
Land of Adventure
Most of the rides here had height / age restrictions... so we didn't get to try them out. We'll be back when the kids are a little older. We tell Nathan that he needs to drink more milk and grow taller before we come back again.
Imagination
Build & Test - Here we got to build Lego cars and pit them against other Lego cars in a specially designed race ramp. Nathan really enjoyed himself here building his very own car, and getting it to race over and over and over again. The car that daddy and Noah built won all the races!
Subjecting the cars to an earthquake test
The winning car is on the right
I saw a lady building her very own Lego house on stilts and asked to take a picture of it. Nice, isn't it? You'll also get to put your Lego building on a platform that stimulates and earthquake and see if your build is able to withstand the tremors.
This is a nice air conditioned place to 'hide' when you get tired of sweating out in the sun. We spent a good 40 minutes just building, racing and rebuilding our cars.
Observation Tower - This is much like the Tiger Sky Tower in Sentosa. It takes visitors to a position 41m above ground where they can take in an aerial view of the park. I imagine the view to be breath taking. Didn't get to ride as they were running at long time intervals the day we were there and was limited for media personnel only. I didn't want the husband/kids to wait for me in the heat.
Duplo Playtown - A shaded play area with kids' sized Lego vehicles, slides, trains etc. Good for the younger kids.
Duplo Express - A mini version of Legoland Express.
Lego Studios - 4D movies. In addition to 3D images, experience additional effects like wind and water. Three shows running daily - A Clutch Powers, Spellbreaker and Racers. We caught Racers and I am glad that both the boys sat throughout and enjoyed the show, less the bit when water sprayed... Noah fussed (as expected).
Miniland
Miniland is made up of more than 30 million LEGO® bricks. Famous Asian countries and cities are recreated on a scale of 1:20. In the Singapore cluster, we spot The Singapore Flyer and the Fullerton Hotel. It bears a stunning resemblance to the city and even lights up at night!
Lego Kingdom
The Dragon - Judging from the long queues, this is one of the more popular rides. Nathan really wanted to go on this roller coaster ride, but he was 5cm too short.
Royal Joust - A mechanical horse ride for the little ones. Nathan went twice... He liked it but there was one part which he said was a bit scary. Adults are not allowed on this ride. Sorry big kids. :(
Lego Technic
Everything in Lego Technic is big fast and action packed. Most of the rides here had height/age restrictions and at least two of them involved getting wet. So we didn't get to try any of the rides here. Maybe next time.
Speciality Shops
The retail highlight at LEGOLAND® is the Big Shop. It covers an area of 1,000 square metres and has the largest selection of LEGO® toys in Asia. It is stocked with rare items as well as merchandise sourced exclusively by the LEGO Group from Europe. Boasting over 500 LEGO sets and carrying more than 1,500 licensed LEGO products it is a retail heaven for any LEGO fan.
Buy only items that you do not see in retail shops in Singapore. When I compared prices, I found that the creator sets and city sets that are also sold in Singapore are more expensive from the Big Shop. Things to buy would be the collector sets which you do not find in Singapore. I bought the Volkswagon Camper Van. The detail is impressive not just on the exterior, but even the interior. I am hoping to find time to build this real soon. I am a closet Lego fan and this is the first Lego set that I am buying for myself. I feel like a kid again. :)
Another speciality store that I was keen on checking out was The Brick Shop. This is the only shop of its kind in Asia where LEGO® fans can buy single LEGO bricks. There are 275 different LEGO elements to choose from to help fans build their own unique designs. The Brick Shop also features a Build-a-Minifigure section where shoppers can create their very own LEGO figures. Sadly, it was not opened on media preview day.
Baby Care Room
There is one baby care room that is situated at the Imagination section of the park, near the Duplo Playtown. It was still not ready on media preview day but supposedly boasts a baby-changing area with diapers, rocking chairs for nursing mothers and highchairs, as well as a refrigerator and microwave for preparing a baby's meals.
The other toilets throughout the park are equipped with pull down changing tables, so you need not trek all the way here for diaper changes.
Food
There are 7 restaurants / snack bars scattered throughout the park. We had lunch at Market Restaurant which served stuff like chicken rice, roast chicken, nuggets and pasta. Several items on the menu was not available though. Also, not a single high chair was in sight.
Noah wasn't keen on eating anything we ordered. Thankfully, I had packed some snacks from home, so he had those to fill his tummy.
All in all, we spent about 8 hours at the park, from opening time at 10am till 6pm. It is the first theme park visit for both the boys, and evidently, they enjoyed themselves. Thank you Legoland!
Things to Bring
1) Sun block - there isn't much shade in the park, and it gets really hot by mid day. reapply during lunch. that said, not a good idea to visit when it rains.
2) Stroller - if you have young kids, bring a stroller. the park is stroller friendly and you can leave your diaper bag, bottles of water, snacks etc in the stroller.
3) Dark drape (if you are bringing a stroller) - bring a baby blanket or dark muslin wrap to drape on your stroller sun shade so your little ones get less direct sunlight on them. I found the stroller sun shade inadequate. Good for mid day naps.
4) Bottles of drinking water - at least one bottle for every member of the family. rehydrate. you'll be sweating buckets.
5) Change of clothes - the kids get pretty sweaty by mid day, so you might want to change their tops around lunch time. some of the rides involve water, so the adults can get wet too.
6) Lunch / Snacks - there are restaurants in the park, but I think they'll get pretty crowded when it officially opens. you might want to pack sandwiches, bananas, biscuits etc.
