Sesame Street? Peppa Pig? 5 Etiquette Tips When Watching "Live" Shows

Didn't realise we blocked George.  :(

Every yearend, there will be plenty of "live" shows, meet and greets going on in the shopping malls.

As it is also the school holidays, such shows are usually jam packed with lots of people and very excited children.

We have been attending many shows and for the benefit of each child who wait in participation to see their favorite characters on stage, I compiled what we think should be the etiquette when catching such shows at the malls.  Each person's perspective differ and I do not mean you have to agree though. 

1. There are some very popular shows that we will definitely see the seating area in front of the stage starting to be filled up as early as 1.5 hours before the show starts.  If you want to have the best views, arrive early.

2. Do not hoard places.  It is fine if one is reserving the area for 2-3 pax as we know that children tend to be restless and need a walk around.  However, please do not 'chope' an area that can sit a kampong. 

3.  People arrive early because they wanted the view they deem best.  If one is late, please do not demand and insist that the child can squeeze into that tiny space (although it is obviously impossible to sit in that tiny space without making others sitting uncomfortably) just so that he/she can be right in front of the stage.

4.  Never stand when everyone is sitting. Especially so when there is someone behind who is seated.  There is no reason why the parent needs to stand and carry the child, saying the child is unable to see the characters on stage if seated.   One of the reasons why the  characters are so huge is so that everyone can see them.  

5. Many understand that some children can not sit still.  However, while parents entertain them by carrying them up and down, dancing them around, please remember that the space is very limited.  Be careful not to elbow, knee kick or hit another child while doing all those. 

So, hopefully most of us remember that such free shows are meant to be enjoyed and let's all be considerate to fellow parents and let the little children have fun while we go around chasing the shows this December.

Check here for a list of where to go, who to see and what to do this December.

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{Review} Let's Pull, Heave, Tug at The Enormous Turnip by I Theatre

Currently showing at SOTA Drama Theatre, the 55 minutes (no intervals) production by 
I Theatre is yet another hit with the 2 boys.  It is also a hit with most, if not all the children who were there.  They cheered, interacted, screamed and some were even part of the play at some point!

Photo Credit : I Theatre

Lovely house that I like, the story surrounds that of the gardener's and his wife, a tiny grey mouse and an enormous turnip.

A slight twist from the original Enormous Turnip story we all know (maybe), the catchy songs, entertaining conversations and excellent puppetry works makes what we think is one of the best production by I Theatre.  What a way to end the year!

Photo Credit : I Theatre

My favourite Eek the mouse.  The mouse who is deemed so tiny and weak.  But is it really so?

Photo Credit : I Theatre

Seriously, as a parent, if you listen carefully, the play is not just an entertainment or... just another play.  Children learn much from such plays - synonyms, adjectives, verbs.  They also learn about feelings and emotions.  

Much to discuss about, I will say.  Questions like, "how many times should you forgive someone when they make a mistake?", "is being small simply a weakness?" etc..

A fast paced, colourful and very interactive play.  Designed specially for children from as young as 3 years old, the cute characters and fun songs will definitely capture the children's attention.  In fact, the boys are asking to watch it again!

If you are thinking to bring your children to their first play, I say, let this be the one.  Book your tickets at Sistic now, before it ends on 6 December 2015.  A hint if you are booking, try to get the first few rows as you can see, there's a chance for children to participate!

Photo Credit : I Theatre

Disclosure: We were invited to The Enormous Turnip by I Theatre.  No monetary compensation was received.  All photos of the production (except that of Meet & Greet) are courtesy of I Theatre but all opinions are true to my own.

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School Holidays & Festive Season - Where To Go?! Who To See?! What To Do?!

The yearend and Christmas activities are here once again! 

Apart from catching the live shows, meet and greet sessions, redemptions with purchases, catching the snow, taking photographs, sit back and relax as well as we enjoy the last 6 weeks of 2015.

Here is a compilation of some of the happenings.  I spotted some must-go.  What about you?

Changi Airport

B-b-b Bouncy Castle and Obstacle Course with BB-8

Terminal 3, event are opposite Check-in Row 11

12 Nov 15 - 5 Jan 16

Daily : 12pm - 10pm

Spend a minimum of $30 to participate in each activity.

Changi City Point

Photo credit : Frasers Centrepoint Malls

Magical Bubble Shows
14 - 17 Dec 15 : 12.30pm & 6m
18 - 20 Dec 15 : 12pm, 3pm & 6pm

Bubble Shower
14 - 17 Dec 15 : 1pm & 6.30pm
18 - 20 Dec 15 : 12.30pm, 3.30pm & 6.30pm

Bubble Play Zone
14 - 20 Dec 15 : 10am to 10pm

Forum the Shopping Mall

Photo credit : Forum the Shopping Mall

The Princess and the Snow Bear
4 to 15 Dec 15 (except 9 Dec 15)
Mon - Fri : 1pm & 3pm
Sat & Sun : 1pm, 3pm & 5pm

Yuletide Skating Fun
4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14 & 15 Dec 15
4.30pm & 5.30pm (pre-registration 30 minutes earlier)
For children 7 to 12 years old on a first-come, first-served basis.  Limited to the first 12 children per session.  Parents are required to sign a liability form.

ION Orchard

Photo credit : ION Orchard

Bubble Snow Snow
L1 ION, Christmas Park
Thu - Sun : 6.30pm, 7pm & 7.30pm

Children's Choir Performance
L1 Atrium
Thu - Sun : 6.45pm & 7.45pm

Meet and Greet with Santa
L1 Atrium & L1 ION, Christmas Park
5 Dec - 20 Dec 15
Sat & Sun : 6pm (Photo-taking with Santa Claus at L1 Atrium) & 7pm (Special appearance by Santa Claus at L1 ION)
21 Dec - 25 Dec 15
Everyday : 6pm (Photo-taking with Santa Claus at L1 Atrium) & 7pm (Special appearance by Santa Claus at L1 ION)

Present any same-day receipt(s) to have a photo opportunity on a first-come, first-served basis.

Junction 8 / Sembawang Shopping Centre

Photo credit  : Junction 8

Strawberry Shortcake Live Show
Junction 8
27 Nov - 6 Dec 15
Level 2 Atrium

Sembawang Shopping Centre
8 Dec - 13 Dec 15
Level 1 Atrium

Tue - Fri : 1pm & 7pm
Sat & Sun : 1pm, 4pm and 7pm
No shows on Mondays

Simply spend $30 for a meet and greet pass after the show.  Limited to 30 passes per session.

OneKM Mall

Photo credit : OneKM Mall

The Little Big Club - Happy Together "Live" and Meet and Greet Thomas The Tank Engine / Fireman Sam & Norman / Barney & Friends
25 Nov - 7 Dec 15
Mon - Fri : 1pm & 7pm
Sat & Sun : 12.30pm, 3.30pm & 6pm
No shows on 2 Dec 15

Spend $50 to redeem a Meet & Greet photo queue number.  Limited to first 50 families per session.

Photo credit : OneKM Mall

Photo credit : OneKM Mall

Peppa Pig Workshops and Meet and Greet
11 Dec - 23 Dec 15
Mon - Fri : 1pm & 7pm
Sat & Sun : 12.30pm, 3.30pm & 6pm
(No meet and greet on 16 Dec 15)

Pepper's Christmas Surprise Workshops
Mon - Fri : 12pm to 7pm
Sat & Sun : 11am to 7pm
(Last craft session will commence at 6pm.  No activities between 4pm to 5pm.)

Spend $100 to receive an activity pass for workshops and Meet & Greet.  Limited to first 100 families.

Plaza Singapura

Photo credit : Plaza Singapura

Sesame Street Showtime and Meet and Greet
4 Dec - 20 Dec 15
Level 1 Main Atrium
Mon, Wed - Fri : 1pm & 7pm
Sat & Sun : 1pm, 4pm & 7pm
No shows on Tuesday

Spend minimum $30 to reedmen a photo pass for family of 4.

Kids' craft workshops: 11.30am to 6pm daily - Free entry

Tea Party
10 Dec & 17 Dec 15
Level 1 Main Atrium
4pm

Spend minimum $80 to reedmen for entry pass, spend only $60 for Hamlets receipts.  Each session admits 20 pax.

Tanglin Mall

Photo credit : Tanglin Mall

Create Your Personal Gift
5, 6, 12, 12, 19 & 20 Dec 15
3pm
Spend $30 to enrol the little ones in the Kid's Christmas craft workshops.
Pre-registration required at Information Counter, Level 2.  Limited to first 20 children from 5 to 12 years old per session.

Meet Santa and Friend
5, 6, 12, 13 & 20 Dec : 4pm & 5pm
19 Dec : 1pm & 2pm

The Centrepoint / Eastpoint Mall

Photo credit : Frasers Centrepoint Malls

Alvin and the Chipmunks Live Show Plus Meet & Greet
The Centrepoint
Level 1 Atrium
20 - 29 Nov 15 (no shows on 23 Nov 15)
Level 1 Atrium
1pm, 4pm & 7pm

Eastpoint Mall
Level 1 Atrium
1pm, 4pm, 7pm

Alvin and the Chipmunks Glitter Tattoo Stations
Eastpoint Mall
Level 1 Atrium
8 - 11 Dec 15 : 11.30am
12 & 13 Dec 15 : 2pm

Alvin and the Chipmunks Figurine Painting
Eastpoint Mall
Level 1 Atrium
8 - 11 Dec 15 : 2pm
12 & 13 Dec 15 : 5pm

The Seletar Mall

Photo credit : The Seletar Mall

Precious Moments Christmas Concert

Atrium

9 - 23 Dec 15

Tue - Thu : 1pm, 3pm & 5pm

Fri - Sun : 1pm & 5pm

Tea Party

11 - 13 Dec, 18 - 20 Dec 15

3pm

Spend a minimum of $30 for an exclusive tea party.  Open for kids from 5 to 12 years old.

United Square

Photo credit : United Square

Peppa Pig's first Christmas "Live" Show and Meet and Greet
25 Nov - 7 Dec 15
Mon - Fri : 2.30pm & 7pm
Sat & Sun : 2pm, 5pm & 7pm
No shows and meet & greet on Tuesday.

Spend $50 in a single retail receipt to redeem a Meet & Greet photo queue number.  Limited to first 50 families per session.

Photo credit : United Square

The Little Big Club "Live" Show and Meet & Greet
10 Dec - 17 Dec 15
Mon - Fri : 2.30pm & 7pm
Sat & Sun : 2pm, 5pm & 7pm
No shows on Tuesday.

Spend $50 to redeem a Meet & Greet photo queue number.  Limited to first 50 families per session.

VivoCity

Photo credit : VivoCity

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Atrium Event

2 Dec - 20 Dec 15
10am to 10pm
A chance to wield the Lightsaber and catch a glimpse of the Ultimate Millennium Falcon.

Musical Christmas Tree with Choreographed Music and Light Show
Level 3, Sky Park
13 Nov - 25 Dec 15
7.30pm, 8.30pm (except 24 Dec 15) 9.30pm

I am sure there are lots more activities that will be going on during this festive season and school holidays.  Do drop me an email if you know of any and I will be updating this space too.  

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{Review & Giveaway} Simply Life Collections

Sometime back, we were invited to the launch of Simply Life but we were unable to make it.  Despite not attending the launch, the folks at Simply Life sent us some lovely items from their collections.

Simply Life, a new homegrown brand, believes in designing safe and quality products for babies and children.  From baby's wear to homeware, beddings to children's accessories.  

One will also find that in some of their products, there are encouraging visuals and positive words, uplifting one's mood simply by looking at them.  "Dare to Soar", "Blessed", "Dare to Dream" being some of them.  A gift for a child, a student?  These will be perfect.

My first reaction upon receiving them.  So soft!!!  Not the bottle lah.  I meant the towel, pillow case and bolster case covers, underpants (briefs) and socks.

And this was because of the high composition of superior bamboo fibres.  The composition of bamboo in most of Simply Life's range of clothing, bath and bedding products is 95%, thus making it ultra soft and comfortable.  More hypoallergenic, antibacterial and anti-fungal, the all-natural bamboo material is also highly absorbent and moisture-wicking.  Something new to me is the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification.  It is always good to know that the fabrics used is OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, which means that the textile used is free from harmful substances.

Very much loving this towel.  It is soft after the initial wash and still soft after a few washes.  Who doesn't like soft and fluffy towels, right?  :)  I think this will make a great gift for newborns / babies because their skin is so smooth and soft that we do not want to "hurt" them while drying them after a bath.

The pillow and bolster set, is split between the boys.  Someone took the pillow, while the other took the bolster.  Can you guess who got what?  :P

D loves the bolster and in fact, it is somewhat a right size for him.  Because it is made of 95% bamboo, it is soft to the touch.  The elastic ends also means no dangling of strings and such that could well be a hazard for children.

I hardly buy big bottles for the children as they are more difficult to handle for the small hands.  However, this 450ml BPA-free bottle size is just nice.  The extra piece that helps with regulating the water while drinking is good yet bad.  Good because the water will not be "poured" out at one go and wet the children.  Bad -  it makes refilling of water troublesome.  Upon checking out other brands of water bottles, I noted that this part is available to most of them.

And D does not have any trouble screwing / unscrewing it on his own which is a plus for me.

Socks!  Many socks out there for older children no longer have anti-slip studs.  But the ones at Simply Life for older children and in white or black do.  You might not think that older children need them.  But I think they do need especially when they are in the indoor playgrounds, or indoor areas where socks are needed.  Unlike toddlers, parents sometimes let them be on their own and that is when they tend to run and chase their friends.  Safety, will never be the first thing on their minds.  And that's when the anti-slip studs come in, especially on slippery floors.

Photo credit : Simply Life

Now, since it is the end of the school term (oh well, I know it is not applicable to babies and toddlers), I have a special giveaway!

Sponsored by Simply Life, someone will be winning this water bottle, together with a bamboo towel.

Photo credit : Simply Life

To enter:

1. Be a B.C.D.E. That's US Facebook page fan.

2. Be a Simply Life page fan.

3. Like and share the corresponding Facebook post and tag 3 friends.

4. Leave me a comment telling me which item you love the most from Simply Life's collection.

5. Bonus!!!  Follow me on Instagram and regram the corresponding image for an extra chance!  :)

Giveaway ends 4 December 2015, 8pm.

Please note:

- Winner will be chosen at random

- Items are not exchangeable for cash or for other items, unless otherwise notified by the sponsor.

- The giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.

- Winner will be announced on blog, Facebook and notified by email.  Please respond within 48 hours, failing which, a new winner will be chosen.  

Good Luck! 

Disclosure:  Items shown were sponsored by Simply Life for the purpose of this review.  No monetary compensation was received.  Unless otherwise stated, all photographs and opinions are true to my own.

 
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#StarWarsatChangi - Something for Everyone at The Force Awakens at Singapore Changi Airport

{Media Invite}

May The Force Be With You.

This sentence, many of us know, don't we?  With the new movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens premiering on 17 December 2015, Star Wars is set to take the world by storm once more.

And can you imagine our excitement when we got to know that Singapore Changi Airport is bringing a part of the galaxy far, far away to fans, travellers and visitors alike, with two of the film series' iconic star fighters.

The life-sized X-wing fighter

On 12 November 2015, at the unveiling of the starfighters, we watched the meeting of the Imperial Stormtroopers and the X-wing pilots as well as a one-time only launch parade where they walk from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2 where the other starfighter, the TIE fighter stands.

A selfie with the little one on my shoulder (the things mummies do)

At Terminal 2's (T2) Departure Hall, the signature starfighter of the First Order is just magnificent.  Despite the crowd, look at how the life-sized TIE fighter stands tall.

Passengers travelling though T2 can also expect to catch a glimpse of a Star Wars-themed gate holdroom and aerobridge at gate E26, where more life-sized figurines of the First Order Stormtroopers and the astromech droid R2-D2 are stationed to welcome passengers.

Back to T3.

From 13 November 2015 to 5 January 2016, airport visitors get a chance to don Star Wars costumes and take the seat behind the controls in the cockpit of the X-wing fighter.  You will get to bring home a photo memorabilia for free too!

Weekdays / Weekends : 
10:00 - 12:00
13:00 - 15:00
16:00 - 18:00 (only weekdays)
19:00 - 21:00

Tickets to board the X-wing fighter will be given on a first-come-first-serve basis.  There are 80 tickets given out for each time slot.

Chewbacca, Jedi, X-wing fighter pilot?

He just wanna be himself.  :)

Also at T3 Departure Hall - Immigration, there will be 7 appearances by the Stormtroopers and X-wing pilots over the next few Saturdays (14 Nov, 21 Nov, 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec, 26 Dec & 2 Jan 16) at 4pm.  Definitely a photo opportunity not to be missed!

The year-end celebrations will also include other fun-filled activities and one of them, a bouncy playground at T3's Departure Hall (opposite Check-in Row 11).  The Norway-themed playground features a 4-metre high slide, an illuminating ball pit and a rock climbing lighthouse station.  All for the little children.

And for the older children or even adults, there is the obstacle course.  But it is to be navigated by the BB-8 App-Enabled Droid.  It might look difficult, but it gets easier once you get the hang of it.

If you are travelling this festive season, you will be happy to know that photo opportunities are aplenty at the airport's departure transit halls.  From London Bus to the Plaza De España of Spain, check-in early and be captivated by the displays.

Did you see these limited-edition Star Wars plush toys?!  Exclusively available at Changi Airport, each of these plush toys can be purchased when released, with a minimum spending at Changi Airport.  Details here! 

Thank you Singapore Changi Airport for this once in a lifetime experience.  Visit Changi Airport soon, we shall.

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