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Becks Kao Going Out! Happy days Invites & Tryouts Milestones and growing up

Hello! Hello Kitty!

March 22, 2014

She’s probably the most famous cat in the world, and one with the fattest bank account, with product range extending from stationery and accessories to toasters and home appliances. She’s entered every possible market from jewellery to aircraft to themed restaurants and more recently, a maternity hospital.

We’re talking about the Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow that has no mouth – yea, the one that’s swept many off their feet almost like a demi-god to worship.

I’m not a fan and never was, but it’s apparently a different story with the little girl, who adores Hello Kitty because – erm, I don’t even know why.

Which was why she was extremely stoked when I told her we were invited to front row seats at The Hello Kitty Live Show at City Square Mall.

Which also explains why this is the first live show I see her actually participating in, like standing up to dance, answering the host’s questions and clapping like there’s no tomorrow.

Yup, that’s the Hello Kitty fan there, yea, that one wearing the purple Hello Kitty dress.

She was a little disappointed that it was Hello Kitty’s childhood friend, Dear Daniel that held her hand at the Meet and Greet, and wished she was standing where Ben stood instead.

Check out that grumpy Hello-I-am-a-Hello-Kitty-fan-not-Dear-Daniel-fan face.

But oh well, I know she’s still happy to have watched her dance and sing, and even happier that Mama’s brought her out this holiday to meet someone really special to her.

More details:

School’s out! Celebrate with Hello Kitty, Dear Daniel and My Melody as they entertain you with song and dance live on stage only at City Square Mal – tomorrow’s the last day to do so at 1pm, 4pm and 7pm!

Redeem a Meet & Greet pass 45 mins prior to each show with $50 spent. (Limited to 50 passes per show, redeemable at L1 stage area) Purrfect for a photo for keepsake for all Hello Kitty fans out there!

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Going Out! Invites & Tryouts Learning fun! Product Reviews Reviews The Kao Kids

Washi-ful, AMAZING fun with 3M Scotch® Expressions Tapes

March 17, 2014

I’ve stayed away – and kept the kids away – from washi-tapes for a long time. You know, those cute Japanese masking tapes typically made from natural fibres from the bark of trees that are native to Japan, yea those. They are super expensive, and if you get one, you sort of have to get all in every design, pattern and colour, cos’ they are all too pretty not to have. Besides, being OCD kind of makes me hesitate getting the kids those tapes because I’d much prefer not to have my furniture and walls embellished, thank you very much.

So since the kids are so extremely deprived of crafting fun, thanks to their not-so-crafty-mother, when an opportunity to craft comes along, I usually don’t say no so the kids can experience making a mess and getting all inspired and creative in an environment that’s conducive and fun.

Just not in our house, is what I’m saying. Hurhurhur.

Two Saturdays ago, we were invited by 3M’s ‘Make Amazing with 3M™ Scotch® Expression Tapes’ Tea Party to put the fun in functional using their bright and colourful adhesive tapes.

At the Tea Party, there was a display of all things washified - from stationery and chairs to shoes!

At the Tea Party, there was a display of all things washified – from stationery and chairs to costume jewellery!

To celebrate the launch of 3M’s Scotch® Expression Tapes, we gathered at Food for Thought @8Q for a no-holds-barred, anything-goes crafting session. We were asked to bring to life a simple IKEA children’s chair with as many Expression Tapes as we wished and turn it into a Rocket Launcher that would take us to worlds beyond.

We were given a demo by the trainers from Artz Graine, a leading art studio that creates a platform for art cultivation

With more than 55 colours and patterns from Magic™, Washi and Masking Tapes, we were truly spoilt for choice!

Tapes Galore!

We started washifying the Rocket cardboard with all the tapes that Ben and Becks had “shopped” for…

Getting ready!

Decorating the rocket with Expressions Tapes!

And when that proved to be a little too challenging for the both of them (because of the corners and odd shaped bits), Ben and Becks went wild making their washi statements on the chair…

Sticking tapes all over the chair, tis’ fun!

Leaving me (who else!) to continue working on the rocket …

All by myself: the OCD Mom did it. I washified NEATLY.

All by myself: the OCD Mom did this too

It’s so easy to use these tapes. They are also easily removed or repositioned and yet sticks securely to most surfaces. And the best part about these tapes is – and check this out – they are 100% TEARABLE (read: no need for scissors!).

Even Nat could help, and didn’t hesitate to join his siblings.

Nat at work

These versatile tapes are available in various textures and sizes in a rainbow of solid colours, prints and patterns to mix and match in almost every possible way. Just look at our final creation, our very own dazzling Launcher Throne:

Ta Daa!

The kids had a really great time playing with tape and discovering how to brighten their world with them. I’m guessing they will be off to upcycle all the ho-hums at home to add some pop to them with all the Expression Tapes 3M got us to take home (and I will try my best not to be OCD) and I am going to be seeing lots of tape around for a long time.

Thank you, 3M, for an afternoon of fun, food and craft. And yes, plus the chair and all the tapes you allowed us to shop for and bring back!

Food, fun and tapes!

More details:

3M captures the spark of new ideas and transforms them into thousands of ingenious products. Scotch® Expressions Magic™, Washi and Masking Tapes are designed to stick on a wide variety of surfaces for both permanent and temporary applications and can be removed cleanly.
These tapes retail at SGD$3.90 to $9.90 and are available at selected Popular Bookstores and other leading retailers.
Get a headstart by visiting MyActivityRoom.com and have fun with various creative projects using 3M Scotch® Expression Tapes!

Disclosure: We were invited to 3M’s ‘Make Amazing with 3M™ Scotch® Expression Tapes’ Tea Party and received many rolls of tape (used and unused) to craft with. No monetary compensation was received for this post and all opinions here are our own.

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Becks Kao Going Out! Happy days Invites & Tryouts Milestones and growing up

A post (finally!) on girls and dolls [Part 2]

March 12, 2014

So I gave in and bought my daughter her first Barbie doll, and this is the post to explain why.

Last week we were invited by Mattel to celebrate 55 years of imaginative play with Barbie®, the world’s most popular fashion doll.

When I got the invite, I did the to-go-or-not-to-go in my head for a long time. Going would mean that Becks, at three-half, would enter into the dream world of fashion and style; afterall, Barbie’s the original fashion icon that’s played muse to designers all over the world and inspired fashionistas worldwide.

In other words, tis’ the start down the road of vanity.

But not going would mean that the Barbie fan in this Mama would miss out on the celebration. I go a long way back with Miss Barbara since the age of 5, having spent much of my childhood pretend playing with her, her on-off boyfriend and her friends at the beach, by the poolside and at her pretty home. Back then my aunt would buy me dolls whenever she returned from the States, and my godfather would buy me houses, accessories and various scenario sets. Those were fun times I’ve had with myself, my sister, and our imaginary friends.

In other words, I was the one itching to go lah.

And so we went. On a mother-daughter date on a Saturday morning to United Square, to join other girls and their moms in the “With Barbie®, Anything is Possible” Roadshow.

All dressed in pink!

Even the drink was pink

We participated in 3 out of the 4 activities lined up for us at the celebration. First, Becks went to the Barbie Style Icon Photobooth and played dress up:

At the Photobooth

Then, we designed our very own Barbie dress with fabric markers, glitter stickers and stencils. This was our favourite activity!

Becks designing a dress

We also tried the Style Icon Dream Closet Augmented Reality Experience where Becks got to play “digital dress up”. She wanted to be a princess – oh who wouldn’t – but somehow became a vet instead.

A veterinarian’s a good career choice, my dear. Better than princess, any time!

The activity which we skipped was the catwalk and runway experience. I’m keeping that away from her for as long as I can. No, make that forever.

I did wish that the celebration (which was of course, in an overdose of pink) would engage girls in more pretend play than dressing up. Like having a few scenario sets out (bring out the vet clinic, the Malibu Dreamhouse, the fashion wardrobe with all the clothes and shoes to change, and the Glam Pool Set, I say!) in a little play corner for the girls, like how there would always be a corner with plenty of blocks and bricks at any Lego Roadshow. Already the poor doll’s been parodied and criticised enough for her unrealistic idea of a body image and her lifestyle choices – so shouldn’t we play down on the dressing up and vanity bit and emphasise more on a doll’s role in inspiring creativity through pretend play through scenarios and adventures?

Which brings me to the reason why I bought my daughter her first ever Barbie doll. We chose a mermaid together, and I wanted her to enter the world of imaginative play with it since she’s already into the princess-happily-ever-after phase anyway. I’m happy to be paying $27.90 for something which can be part of her mythical pretend play of all the whatever that’s Under the Sea – mermaids, mermen and what-nots.

I also told her that she’s got to hold on to this doll for a long, long time and that some day, she should show her little girl how her love for dolls began, beginning with this Barbie mermaid from her Mama.

Her first Barbie doll from Mama!

***

Join Barbie® as she celebrates 55 years of imaginative play at United Square with Toys ‘R’ Us from 6 – 23 March 2014 from 11am to 9pm daily! To participate, obtain 1 stamp from every SGD$30 spent at Toys ‘R’ Us for an opportunity to take part in 1 of 4 activities.

Disclosure: We were invited to the celebration and received a gift bag with a Barbie doll in it. No monetary compensation was received and opinions here are all mine.

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Going Out! Invites & Tryouts Reviews The Kao Kids

The epic Lego Movie experience (warning: contains spoilers!)

February 6, 2014

When he found out that we were going to catch the movie premiere of The Lego Movie, Ben couldn’t contain his excitement for days. He loves, loves, loves Lego and everything he can create with them (although it is still more of Duplo for now) and is a huge fan of the Lego Star Wars – The Movie (he’s watched it like 6 times, I think) ever since we showed it to him at home.

We watched the premiere of The Lego Movie at Golden Village Vivocity in 3D on Monday, and I must say… *beep beep spoiler alert*

<cue to close page if you don’t want to know>

…that I was pleasantly surprised by the twist and the very heart-warming ending. I went in with zero expectations – I really don’t know what to expect from Lego blocks and Lego people, y’unno – but came out a really happy movie-goer.

So beyond the anyone-can-be-a-hero / the-ordinary-can-be-extraordinary message, I think what warmed all our hearts that evening was that the love between father-son was the overarching theme that ran through the computer-animated movie. And I have to say I liked that part best (the heartstrings-tugging part, although the action and humour were also great) – especially since Fatherkao was also there to watch the movie with his sons, and even more especially since the boys (big and small) love, love, love to play with Lego together.

I did wish, however, that the management / logistics folks from the cinema would think about the kids and distribute a couple of kid-sized 3D glasses whenever they are screening a kid-friendly movie in 3D cos’ my kids absolutely hated putting them on. They were heavy and kept falling off; Nat couldn’t even wear one and had to watch the movie unfocused the whole time. Bah.

No like these glasses, say Ben and Becks!

Nonetheless, the kids liked the show and Ben couldn’t stop going on and on about how “everyone can be a master builder” and that certainly is inspiring him to play with Lego more. Thank you, Golden Village, for the kind invitation to experience such an awesome theatrical adventure!

Looks like more Lego it is for the boy who would be turning five in a few weeks. I don’t have to think too hard about birthday presents this year.

Disclosure: We received tickets to watch the premiere of The Lego Movie from Golden Village. All opinions here are our own.

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A-galloping we go!

January 31, 2014

Well, hello Stallion!

It’s Chinese New Year and the year of the horse is here. Oooh, happy feelings all stirruped, cos’ it’s my favouritest animal in the whole wide world, and we all can’t wait to gallop into the new year to feast and fellowship with family and friends!

Have a blessed time, everyone! Giddy up, keep a stable diet and let’s grab life by the reins this year!

P/S: I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who left me messages and sent hugs and encouraging words my way after I shared how challenging it has been these days to stay home with the Kao kids. I believe ever more now in angels, because of people like you.

PP/S: So couldn’t resist those horse puns!

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Christmas happiness Enrichment Going Out! Learning fun! Motherkao loves...

Oh December, you were too short

December 29, 2013

December has got to be the shortest month in the year. Time always flies whenever we’re having fun.

This December, we made some really beautiful memories together. Memories of the wet, dramatic and crafty kind.

In the first week of December, Ben and Becks were invited by Little Harvard International Preschool to join their ‘Christmas Crackers’ Speech and Drama Holiday Programme. We were told that the programme would be conducted by Daniel Jenkins, one of the executive directors of The Little Company and associate assistant directors at the SRT. I’ve heard of the name Daniel Jenkins in the theatre circles for a long time, and know that he’s a legend in his own right. I couldn’t wait for Ben and Becks to meet him and learn from him, and so to Little Harvard International Preschool at Jalan Gelenggang we went for the Speech and Drama Holiday Programme every morning for four days.

And I have to say, this was the best holiday programme we’ve ever attended. Ben and Becks loved it so much, they were ready and raring to go every morning. They absolutely loved Daniel Jenkins, or ‘Teacher Dan’ as the kids address him (or the uncle with the grey hair, as Becks endearingly call him). He makes them laugh, he plays fun games with them, they do craft together and get to pretend to be elves and reindeer. And he does that every day to the point they lament the fun at class is too short and wish they could go back for speech and drama “every day forever”, or so Ben says.

They were no tears, no need for long and sad goodbyes every morning when they were dropped off for the programme. And it was so wonderful I got two-half hours of me time for a few days!

For four days, they learned songs, did craft and practised for a mini concert on the last day. Every child got to play elf, reindeer, fairy or snowman, and all of them helped Santa spread the Christmas cheer!

So, I was really glad it was a drop off programme!

It was indeed amazing to see Ben stand confidently, deliver lines and get into his role as an elf. And even more amazing to see Becks do the same. You’re talking about Becks, who’s almost always too shy to greet a person with confidence. She was one happy bouncy reindeer at the performance!

Introducing Ben the Elf, with his two other elf friends

And Reindeer Becks who would be helping Santa with his sleigh

LittleHarvard_Christmas Crackers Performance 1

The children sing, “Here comes Christmas our favourite time of the year!”

LittleHarvard_Christmas Crackers Performance 2

And do a “Ho Ho Ho!” with a huge leap in the air!

And best of all, it got the kids excited about Christmas, this being the first week of December. With their craft work, we got decorations up and an elf and reindeer in the house all ready to spread the Christmas cheer. What an awesome job Daniel Jenkins did, and I must say, he’s really a legend indeed!

Everyone, meet the legendary Daniel Jenkins

On the second week, the kids were also invited to Artz Graine, a leading arts studio, for their Art Eureka Holiday Programme. In the hour they were there, they made Christmas stockings to put up so that Santa can leave some presents in them.

Of course, these kids are too smart to know that Santa doesn’t exist and their stockings are too small for any presents.

But all in the name of good fun and just cos’ it’s Christmas!

Our family also headed to Festive Hotel for a staycation on the third week of December. I’ve heard so much about the hotel’s deluxe family suite and when I chanced upon a 50% offer on the room rates, I had the suite – complete with a pull-out sofa bed for two, a loft bed and a king-sized bed – booked immediately. My favourite parts of the staycation had to be eating at Chili’s and spending the morning exploring the Hard Rock Hotel’s poolside that had water play features, a child-friendly slide, a jacuzzi and an entire area filled with the finest Australian beach sand.

There’s nothing not to love at the Hard Rock Hotel’s Poolside!

The kids are into getting wet now and not as fearful of spraying water features and wading pools as they were before, so it was all very fun, fun, fun!

Two days of swimming at the Festive Hotel Pool and the ones at Hard Rock Hotel

And just when we thought we’ve gotten enough of getting wet, Port of Lost Wonder at Sentosa sent us an invitation for a day of getting wet and to join them in their Christmas Joy activities.

Our tickets to fun at Port of Lost Wonder

Oh how we missed you, POLW!

We had ourselves another crazily fun, wet day at POLW, running around and in and out of the huge pirate ship, making Christmas candles and gingerbread cookies when we wanted a break from the spewing waters, and running around and in and out of the huge pirate ship again when we were done exploring the various activity stations.

Making Christmas candles

We made some gingerbread cookies for our snack!

We all got a couple of sun kisses that day, but hey, we ain’t complaining cos’ God gave such beautiful weather to play!

Lovely weather to play all day

And to end the month on a sweet note, we had the most awesome Christmas party with the awesomest of company. They came, we ate (or rather, pigged out) and carolled. So spontaneously and melodiously.

P/S to my friends: So I wasn't allowed to put on youtube to make you all overnight singing sensations but you guys didn't say anything about being on my blog. Haha. Everyone's sketched so you shouldn't be too recognizable, yes?

P/S to our friends: So I wasn’t allowed to put you all on youtube to make you overnight singing sensations but you guys didn’t say anything about being on my blog. Haha. Here’s the only picture I have of everyone singing.

And so ever happily. We are truly grateful for such wonderful friends and family in our lives.

December was NO WORK, ALL PLAY. One can never get enough of December!

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Christmas happiness Going Out! Invites & Tryouts The Kao Kids

Riding into Christmas with Thomas & Friends at City Square Mall

December 1, 2013

Christmas came early for us with Thomas the Number One Tank Engine, and his hilarious, fun-loving friends!

We were invited by City Square Mall to celebrate Christmas with Thomas and his friends, Sir Topham Hatt, Dusty and Rusty – the boisterously merry station duo – and a mischievously funny orange cat at their live show, which ran its first performance yesterday. I hear that this musical production of song, story and dance is a never-before-seen worldwide Christmas performance brought specially to town by City Square Mall just for this festive season!

This was the first mall show that I felt was really worth the jostling in the crowd and waiting on a weekend. We waited close to 40 minutes along Kitchener Road in the carpark queue and it was a crazy long wait in the heavy rain and sheer torture being in a car with restless, noisy children who couldn’t wait to meet Thomas the Train.

The production was really solid nonetheless; it wasn’t just a la la la song and dance thingamajig – it was a good half an hour of excellent story telling with a timeless life lesson of learning to make one’s mistake right, exemplified by Thomas the Train. In addition, the characters also shared some eco-tips, teaching the audience how to segregate waste for recycling.

At the end of the show, there were shrieks of laughter and excitement all around as the Christmas journey ended with “snow”!

The Kao kids had lots of fun. There were *finally* no people in costumes to be afraid of and no shaking hands with huge cartoon characters that’s come alive during the meet-and-greet. Even the littlest one loved the show, which makes all the torturous waiting for the carpark queue worth it.

Thank you, City Square Mall, for inviting us to yet another great mall show and Meet & Greet Session once again!

More details:

Christmas with Thomas & Friends Live Show and Meet & Greet Session is happening from 30 November to 15 December daily except Mondays at Level 1 Atrium of City Square Mall!

Time: Tues to Fri 2pm & 7pm | Sat & Sun 1pm, 4pm & 7pm
Shoppers can redeem an exclusive pass for the Meet & Greet session with a minimum spending of $50 (50 passes will be given out 45 minutes prior to each show).

There’s also a Christmas Carnival at the Level 1 City Green Outdoor Park with a beautiful carousel and many other rides, as well as exciting game booths with exciting prizes. You can redeem a Thomas & Friends mini cushion and Christmas Carnival coupon for a ride/game when you spend $200 at the mall. Check out more details of the Christmas celebrations at City Square Mall here.

Disclosure: We were invited to join the Christmas festivities at City Square Mall. No monetary compensation was received for this post and opinions are all Motherkao’s own.

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Christmas happiness Going Out! Invites & Tryouts Motherkao loves... The Kao Kids

A SpongeBob SquarePants kind of Christmas at Changi Airport

November 19, 2013

We’re going to be seeing a lot of yellow this Christmas! As part of Changi Airport‘s Christmas festivities this year, the folks at Bikini Bottom are surfacing from under the sea to spread some Christmas cheer.

Before Bikini Bottom was inflated… there were three kiddos waiting!

We were invited to preview what Changi Airport has in store this Christmas last Saturday, and like what SpongeBob would say, “We’re ready, we’re ready, we’re ready!”

And so we checked out the world’s tallest Pineapple House, standing at 11 metres tall at Terminal 3…

Fun at SpongeBob’s Pineapple House!

…Entered the transit lounge at each airport terminal to see the massive topiaries of famous landmarks – the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Colosseum and the fabled Trojan Horse in Turkey. We also met SpongeBob, Mr Krabs, Patrick, Squidward and Plankton there, all having lots of dress-up fun!

Inside the transit lounge in T1, T2 and T3 to preview the “places of interest”

And at Terminal 3’s Departure Hall (Row 11), we saw a ginormous Bikini Bottom – a bouncy inflatable playground standing at 9 metres, complete with a ball pit, a maze and a slide.

Bikini Bottom now inflated!

The kids haven’t actually watched an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants but they absolutely love the plush toys they were given in their goodie bags and all the photo opportunities while we were inside the various transit lounge. I used to watch SpongeBob A LOT when it was launched in 1999 (I was in JC then!), so guess who was the one most familiar with the characters! It was a fun morning out for me as much as it was for them, being able to relive some teen-hood memories of my couch potato days.

Thanks for the invite and the goodie bags, CAG and Nickelodeon!

There’s gonna be a galore of fun-filled activities this Christmas season at Changi Airport this year, so do make the airport one of your ‘to-go’ places this festive holiday! As SpongeBob would say, “This is gonna be the coolest party eva!”

Chillax’ with SpongeBob and Patrick at Changi Airport this Christmas!

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Going Out! Invites & Tryouts Reviews The Kao Kids

Review: Grimm’s Fairy Tales (and my take on fairy tales for children)

November 9, 2013

We all know how grim fairy tales can be (pun intended). So many of the pervasive stories found in the Brothers Grimm’s tales in their original versions can be terribly terrifying, gruesome and bizarre. Like I would never forget how my Lit teacher deconstructed Little Red Riding Hood for me when I was reading Literature in JC. And revealing the sexual misconducts, blindings of mankind and macabre twists found in well-loved tales like Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty and Rumpelstiltskin. (Thank you, Mrs C, for opening my eyes.)

Which is why I don’t read fairy tales as bedtime stories, and I make sure the kids only watch / read / hear the sanitised, child-friendly versions of them (think Disney and cheery, cartoony books). They vaguely know some stories, like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White, but that’s pretty much it. Ben used to tell me when they were read fairy tales at childcare that “it’s quite scary, those evil witch people” (I think he was referring to Snow White’s stepmother) and I told him to shut his ears cos’ Well, Son, you don’t have to know all these fairy tales, really. Wait till you’re older and Mama will surely tell you more, and take apart the stories so you will never read them the same way again! That’ll be even more exciting! Hurhurhur. I didn’t exactly tell him that; I just told him not to pay attention if it made him feel afraid.

Anyway.

I wrote all these to say that when I Theatre invited us to their final production of the year, Grimm’s Fairy Tales, I did hesitate if I should take the kids. I mean, I’ve done a lot to keep them away from fairy tales, and because of what I know about this genre, I’d prefer they get acquainted later than sooner.

But having caught I Theatre’s Hey Little Mousedeer! earlier in the year, and getting to know this family-focused theatre company, I know – and it is with confidence I say – that I Theatre will surely deliver a brilliant family-friendly production for us all. I have utmost respect for the hands and heads behind this non-profit organisation that exists to create top quality theatre for children and families in Singapore. So it is with this confidence I know that I don’t have to worry about the show being twisted and macabre, and that Ben, Becks and I would have a good time watching this full-scale Broadway standard musical that promises to be suitable for the whole family.

Indeed the production didn’t disappoint. The production had the overarching theme of family, with lovely songs that are catchy and inspiring (Mr Bang Wenfu, you’re a legend!) and brilliant delivery in terms of scripting and acting. The nine stories told were so carefully edited what we got were wholesome, sanitised versions of “happily ever after”, something which I seriously do not mind my children understanding and watching – for now.

The stories were told through eight animals, Wolf, Donkey, Cat, Rooster, Fox, Dog, Sparrow and Goose, and were creatively condensed only to highlight good virtues and values. Like The Enormous Turnip was told with the focus of not being greedy and jealous, and Hansel and Gretel had the message of family love triumphing above all. Rapunzel was surprisingly refreshing as it was told through puppetry, and all I could remember was Ben cackling away as the puppets delivered their lines with humour. And Little Red Cap was all about avoiding the woods, listening to your mother (I like!) and the brave hunstmen that saved the day. All in all, every story – even the not-so-familiar ones like The Musicians of Bremen, Lucky Hans and The Valiant Little Tailor – was all about good triumphing over evil and the joys we find in love and family.

And what we got out of that 90 minutes (15 minutes intermission not included) was that we had our funny bones tickled and ourselves an afternoon of wholesome family fun. I must say these animal storytellers from I Theatre were remarkably exceptional in captivating us with these tales that would have been otherwise so disturbingly grim if unedited!

Thank you, I Theatre, for enthralling us once again with your artistic brilliance!

Grimm’s Fairy Tales runs from 1 to 17 November at the Drama Centre Theatre, National Library Building. Tickets from Sistic here. This production is suitable for families with kids aged 4 and up.

Disclosure: We were invited to watch Grimm’s Fairy Tales by I Theatre. There was no monetary compensation involved and opinions here are all my own.

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Going Out! Happy days Invites & Tryouts Motherkao loves...

Hello Cinema Again!

October 30, 2013

We were invited to the movie screening of the Dreamsworks Animation, Turbo, at Golden Village Katong last week. I can’t believe we got to watch a movie in the cinema again under the ‘Mums & Babies Movie Screening at GV’! The last time we were invited, we watched The Croods at Golden Village City Square and enjoyed the movie thoroughly.

Being deprived of entertainment, unless you count watching my three kids clown around, I lugged all three of them plus the helper to the movie screening by bus – circle line – free shuttle (at Paya Lebar MRT) at 10 last Tuesday morning, so we can get our movie fix.

We arrived at I12 Katong’s Golden Village Cineplex at 11.45am and had ample time to settle in. It was a good thing I didn’t buy popcorn; the kids were given Gerber Graduates Puffs and a box of Heinz Baby Biscuits each. We grabbed three booster seats (which I didn’t find in GV City Square) and trooped into the theatre, all ready for the movie.

All ready to watch the movie!

What I particularly loved about this movie experience was that we were assigned seats all the way at the back and the kids could move around freely up and down the aisles, and in and out of the theatre (perfect for the little one who couldn’t sit still, and the older ones who needed to pee). The doors were kept open throughout the movie, so Nat who couldn’t sit still after half an hour got to roam about outside for a while with the helper. There were also some dim lights along the aisles such that the theatre wasn’t completely dark. At GV City Square where we watched The Croods, the lights were all turned off and the kids were pretty terrified at their first movie experience. There were also babies who were crying non stop then and I thought some dimmed lights might have helped soothe them.

Ben and Becks watching the movie while Nat moved freely around

The kids also had booster seats this time and that too, was a wonderful thing, because I needn’t sit any of them on my lap and hear them complain that they can’t see the screen.

Turbo was a good movie about daring to dream big – because how incredulous is it that a garden snail wishes to be as fast as a racer, right? – and Ben loved the speed and velocity in the movie. So did Nat, who’s into cars and trucks now at 20 months. Becks was a little alienated, but was more than happy to finish the Gerber Graduates.

It didn’t matter that we caught the movie three months after its release. We had a great time, and I totally just chilled out. Those 90 minutes were as good as a me-time I haven’t had in months, cos there was finally no one on my lap, and there was, at long last, silence from the kids for a while.

Thank you, Golden Village, once again, for the invitation!

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