Last weekend, the kids were invited by Sarah of The Playful Parents for a preview of a programme happening at the Esplanade on 5 October. This programme is entitled 'Take A Walk With Me', so I'm sure you can guess that lots of walking is involved.

It's my first time attending an event of such a nature. There was no elaborate setup or equipment. All Sarah had was her enthusiasm, eloquence and lots of passion, and that captivated the kids throughout the two-hour programme. In a nutshell, she took the kids and parents on a walk around Esplanade and stopped at various spots where she did different activities such as encouraging the kids to explore their surroundings, touch and feel sculptures and asked them questions to provoke their thinking and creativity. Kids being kids, they have limitless imagination and it was great seeing many of them participate in the discussions actively.

See what Joey was doing? The kids were told to observe a sculpture from a distance, and then answer questions posed to them. In Sarah's words, she told the kids to take a photo of the sculpture in their minds, and that was exactly what Joey was trying to do. =P

One thing I really like about the programme is how interactive it was. It was certainly not a one-way lecture because the kids were asked questions constantly, and to share their thoughts and ideas openly. She asked many questions close to the hearts of the kids such as, "What do you enjoy doing with your daddy & mummy?" The kids had so much to say!

I also like it that the kids were encouraged to be observant about the things around them. In our fast-paced society, we are sometimes so busy that we fail to notice many things happening around us.

At the outdoor theatre, Sarah brought in the topic of the heritage and history of Singapore by talking about the Singapore River, Merlion and the early immigrants of Singapore. I was very impressed when she told her original story weaving in historical facts of Singapore and with the use of origami. It was so creative!

 

Joey was pretty engaged and interested throughout the programme, which was a good thing. Jayne was less interested because she was a little too young for the programme and so she could not understand many of the things shared. This programme is after all meant for kids between 6 to 9 years old. Overall, I think this is a pretty educational programme for the kids, and a good opportunity for some parent-child bonding time. Kids are encouraged to think out of the box, be creative and be unafraid to share their ideas. Joey was also given a file with questions she could attempt to answer, which was a good way for her to retain the learning points from the programme.

Thanks Sarah for your invitation! You are indeed a playful parent! =D

I took video snippets of the programme - Hopefully it can give you a better idea of how the programme was conducted. If you are interested, you can book your tickets at the link provided below. :)

Esplanade Parentalk – Take a Walk With Me

Oct 5th, 2013
10.30am & 4.30pm
(1hr 30mins, no intermission)
Various locations around Esplanade
Recommended for children aged 6 – 9

$25 per parent-child pair
Package of 3: $30 (Bring your husband!)
Book here on SISTIC