Activities to consider for the March holidays

(1)   ‘We Are Family’

Date: 17-18 March, 12noon - 7pm

Venue:  Changi City Point (opposite Singapore EXPO)

Jointly organised by Frasers Centrepoint Malls and the Businesses for Families Council, the event is called ‘We Are Family’ and will be held at Changi City Point (opposite Singapore EXPO) on 17 and 18 March, from 12noon – 7pm.

The life-sized game has a fun music theme which will enable participants to roll the dice and perform tasks stated on the box they land on, such as ‘Sing Staying Alive with Actions!’ All winning teams stand a chance to win Star Cruises trips and Frasers Centrepoint Mall shopping vouchers worth $5,000!

Entry is free and registrations are open till 15 March and you can sign up here: www.facebook.com/fcmalls and www.fraserscentrepointmalls.com/WeAreFamily


(2) i Light Marina Bay

Date: 9 March to 1 April 2012



i Light Marina Bay, Asia's first and only sustainable light art festival was first held from 15 October to 7 November in 2010. Presented by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and organised by Smart Light Singapore (SLS), the event celebrated Marina Bay's nightscape through the showcase of 25 dynamic and innovative light art installations along the 3.5km waterfront promenade.

This is the second edition of i Light Marina Bay, and will be held from 9 March to 1 April 2012. Themed "Light Meets Asia", the sophomore will feature more than 30 innovative and environmentally sustainable light art installations, with a strong focus on works from Asia.

You can view the festival programme here.

(3) SmartKids Asia 2012 - Singapore's Largest Educational Family Fair
Date: 16th – 18th of March 2012
Venue: Singapore Expo Hall 5

SmartKids Asia, the World's LARGEST Educational Kids' Fair is a fun-filled family event where parents and children 0 -12 years of age can discover and experience educational stimulation and mind-expanding fun through exciting interactive activities put together by 200 leading multinational and local organizations.

Designed with babies and children in mind, SmartKids Asia incorporates step-by-step guidance on Health options, Education opportunities, the best Baby Care products and services.

Visitors can also expect fun and exciting performances and Meet & Greet sessions from our Kids’ Partners such as Nickelodean, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and CBeebies. It is definitely a fun-filled, not to be missed weekend for families with children! For more information please visit:

Website: www.smartkidsasia.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/smartkidsasia

(4) World Storytelling Day 2012

Date: 17 March

Venue: The Arts House @ The Screening Room

Come listen to stories from around the world that you can participate in. Travel to a time when animals talked and tricksters ruled. Join us for riddle stories that the whole family can solve and stories that show you how to craft a piece of art. There will also be something special for young ones to take home to remind them to keep on sharing stories.

The Story Tree will feature stories of animals, magic and wit that will bring young ones closer to nature. This session is recommended for children ages 4 to 6 years.

More details here.

(5) 

Date : 01 Jan 2012 - 31 Dec 2012
Venue: Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, Bukit Timah Core of the Singapore Botanic Gardens


Sara, the Botanicosaurus is back! This time Sara, with her siblings and friends, visit the Supermarket Garden in the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. Join Sara to learn fascinating facts and hear interesting stories about the banana, peanut, soya bean, sugarcane, sweet potato and many more yummy fruits and vegetables in this special garden. Alongside learning about plants which you can eat, pick up tips on being a nutritional winner by eating delicious greens to stay strong and healthy.

Suitable for children in K1 - P2 levels

Duration : 1.0 hour

Fee : $9.00 per child (includes $3.00 “Sara goes to the Supermarket Garden" Workbook) & $6.00 per accompanying adult

For any enquires, please contact the SBG Education Branch at 6471 9961 & 6465 0196 or through email: nparks_sbg_edu@nparks.gov.sg. Online registration is available on www.sbg.org.sg (under "Education")
Contact Info : 6471 9961 and 6465 0196


(6) Sentosa KidZ Flea and more in Sentosa this March




Date: 10 - 18 March
Time: 2.30pm – 7.30pm daily
Venue: Merlion Plaza
Admission: Free*

From 10 to 18 March 2012, ‘Playtrepreneurs’, aged between 7 and 12 and accompanied by an adult, will put on their business suit apron, set up their booths and learn the ropes of selling while having some good playtime on the island.

Find out more about the activities at Sentosa this March here.

(7) Story Time / Stories and Craft at the library


Never really had time to bring your kids to the library for story time or even craft sessions? Why not check out the available programmes this March holidays here? :)

(8) Fun-Filled Robotics Workshops for Children (for ages 5-12 years old)

Venue: Singapore Science Centre

Click here for details.

(9) Barney's Musical Castle - LIVE On Stage

Date: 15-18 March 2012
Venue: Singapore Expo Hall 9

Tickets from $28 (exclude booking fee)
Booking Hotline : 6348 5555
Online Booking : www.sistic.com.sg

Maybank Cardmembers enjoy 15% discount*.
Giant Customers enjoy 10% discount* (with minimum $50 spend in a single receipt)

*Terms and conditions apply

(10) Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate!

Activities for children:

Augmented Reality

Experience the ‘presence’ of Disney characters beside you through an augmented reality. All you or your kids have to do is stand on a marker/sticker pasted on the floor, which will activate the Disney characters to appear on the plasma screen along with them - say hello, hug them, or even dance with them!

Finger Skating Station

Kids will be provided with finger skates, which they will have to put it on their fingers to “skate” around the table where various kind of obstacles will be placed. There is no time limit on this; free play for all. 

Colouring

Let your kids create their own Disney art. A colouring sheet and colouring materials will be provided.

Activity schedule*:

Dates	Venue	Location
March 2 – 4	White Sands	Full Atrium Level 1
March 9 – 11	Tiong Bahru Plaza	Atrium Level 1
March 10 - 11 (Meet and Greet @ 1pm)	West Coast Plaza	The Oasis Atrium
March 10 - 11 (Meet and Greet @ 3pm)	Square 2	-
March 16 – 18	West Coast Plaza	The Oasis Atrium

*A joint collaboration between Feld Entertainment and Asia Malls

Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate!

It’s one colossal party on ice, with all your favorite Disney friends! Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as they celebrate a Very Merry Unbirthday Party with Alice and the Mad Hatter; Mardi Gras with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen; a Royal Valentine’s Day Ball with the Disney Princesses; a Hawaiian luau with Lilo & Stitch; a winter wonderland with Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear; a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains and more in a magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivals from around the globe.  Come join the party at the Singapore Indoor Stadium this March!

Ticketing Details:

Event Name: Disney on Ice Presents Let’s Celebrate!

Date:     15-18 Mar 2012

Venue: Singapore Indoor Stadium
Time:     Thu & Fri - 3.30pm, 7pm

Sat & Sun - 10am, 2pm, 6pm

Tickets:     Cat 1 - S$58.50

    Cat 2 - S$38.50

    Cat 3 - S$18.50

(limited number of Rinkside seats available, visit disneyonice.com.sg for more details)  

**Above prices do not include SISTIC handling fees.

Guest Post: A Healthy Pregnancy for Mom and Baby

Taking a pregnancy test can be nerve wracking; finally seeing that “plus” sign, an epiphany. One of the initial things a soon to be mommy must consider is the impact of the pregnancy may have on her own health. To have a healthy baby, one must be healthy themselves.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Pregnancy and childbirth have a huge impact on the physical, mental, emotional, and socio-economical health of women and their families.” So, as a first step, it is imperative to make sure that a mom-to-be’s health is attended to. A healthy pregnancy aids in the easiest possible delivery, and working towards this actually begins in the first trimester.

Proper nutrition and vitamin supplements should be one of the first things a mother uses to assure her own health, as well as her baby’s. Prenatal vitamins are strongly recommended to be used throughout the duration of a pregnancy as well as months after delivery to help achieve a mother’s full recuperation. In the case of nutrition, cravings will definitely be a part of the process. Indulging once in awhile, so long as you stick mainly to a diet of lean meat and a variety of fruits and vegetables, is completely acceptable.

In the case of baby’s nutrition post delivery, it’s a good idea to consider your options. There are two ways to provide the necessary nutrition to your newborn: the first is breastfeeding, and the second is formula. Each alternative will supply an your infant with nutrients, so whatever way you choose to feed your baby is up to you. If you are considering breastfeeding, there are breastfeeding classes that will help you learn more about the process and techniques involved.

Taking a childbirth class is another great idea. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first pregnancy or your fifth, childbirth classes can help a mother prepare by informing her of the available birth procedures at that facility. Learning how labor will affect your body, what to expect during delivery and options available post-delivery will all help a mother feel more prepared.

Childbirth class will also help you prepare a birth plan if you’d like. A birth plan is simply an outline you can give your medical team about how you’d like your delivery day to go. Things to include are what sort of pain management you’d like to use, how you’d like your baby presented to you, and if you’ll be partaking in any optional procedures, like cord blood banking, post-delivery. Cord blood banking involves collecting the blood from your baby’s umbilical cord and storing it as a potential medical resource for your family to be used to treat potential future diseases that could affect your family.

Finding focus and peace, while adhering to healthy guidelines, are likely the most important preparations a mom-to-be can make.  The benefits of attending to your health the best you can will make delivery day as joyous as it ought to be.

This article was written by Alan Cassidy, an active writer within the blogging community covering maternity and childbirth, and always advocating for infant and children’s health. Connect with him on Twitter @ACassidy22

Review: Nan® Mom & Me Maternal Milk

Nestlé’s latest product NAN® Mom & Me launched in October 2011 is specially made for pregnant and lactating mothers. Having taken various brands of maternal milk in the past 4 years through my two pregnancies and my breastfeeding journey, I would say that Nestle's new product took me by surprise when I first tasted it. Unlike other brands of maternal milk supplement, it is available in vanilla flavour such that it totally covers the strong milky taste which may put off some people. I used to have to add Milo into some other brands of maternal milk powder to camouflage the milky taste till I got used to it but  NAN® Mom & Me needed no extra effort for me to get used to. :) 


Besides its distinctive taste, what I like about it is the fact that it's low in fat (60% lower in fat compared to full cream milk) - perfect for mummies who are conscious of weight gain during pregnancy and during the postpartum days (and months) where we are ever so anxious to shed the pregnancy weight! 


NAN® Mom & Me also boasts of the highest amount of DHA compared to other maternal milk brands in Singapore (as of August 2011) and is the only maternal milk with BL®Bifidus probiotics that helps fight against harmful bacteria to help maintain a healthy system.

The downside of this product is I guess dependent on whether you like the taste of vanilla (as opposed to the milky taste of milk)! :)

This product is available in supermarkets in Singapore. If you'd like to have a free sample, click here.

Additional information:
Nestle will be having a booth at the Mothercare Festival at Harbour Front on two consecutive weekends (3rd-4th and 10th-11th March). Join in for a day of fun with goodies and free treats from Nestle Start Healthy Stay Healthy! 


Furthermore, below are some special promotions:


Store                  Branch                            Date                            Time               
Giant                   Parkway                           3/3/11, 4/3/11               1-8pm            Promotion: Wet Sampling; Product explanation 


Fair Price            Bt Panjang                       10/3/11, 11/3/11            1-8pm            Promotion: Buy 1 get 1 FREE


Fair Price            AMK Hub                         17-19/3/11                     1-8pm           Promotion: Buy 1 get 1 FREE


Fair Price            Tampines Mall                   24/3/11, 25/3/11            1-8pm           Promotion: Buy 1 get 1 FREE


Fair Price            Jurong Point - Hyper         7/4/11, 8/4/11                1-8pm           Promotion： Buy 1 get 1 FREE


Giant                   Vivo City                          14/4/11, 15/4/11             1-8pm           Promotion： Wet Sampling; Product explanation 

Disclosure: I received a free NAN® Mom &Me trial kit as part of a campaign organised by 星星火Wildfire for this review.