My family often frequent the new The Grandstand (formerly Turf City) even before its makeover. Well, actually, just one particular establishment there - Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant. In all honesty, we never really checked out the other parts of this mall. So when we were offered the chance to visit the new The Grandstand and the various shops on the fourth floor that are targetted at kids, we grabbed it.
Kiddy Fun
So on a fine sunny Saturday morning, DaddySay dropped us off at The Grandstand, and together with another mummy blogger, our hosts (The Grandstand and Openrice.com) brought us to the first stop of the day - Kiddy Fun. As with any new environment, EV was a little hesitant at first, but she immediately brightened up the moment she set her eyes on the indoor playground. While she was working through her internal uncertainty, I led her in, took off her shoes, brought her to the playground itself and bam! She was off faster than a bullet, you would never guess she was feeling unsure just the second before. She made a beeline for the balloon play area, and couldn't stop shrieking in delight with all the balloons flying around her. It's brilliant what a few balloons and an electric fan can do to a kid.
We haven't brought EV to many indoor playgrounds, to be honest, as we didn't want her to get too used to playing indoors. We also didn't want to spend the money. I mean, why pay for an indoor playground when you can play outdoors? But with the haze, yes, I think we will be spending more time at indoor playgrounds, like Kiddy Fun, which is very near the grandparents' home. After all, I don't think the kids like being cooped up within four walls for too long; neither do the parents either.
Kiddy Fun has several soft play equipments that make it look like a children's carnival, such as the tea cup ride, the see-saw heli-marine (as it looks like an oblong submarine with helicopter-like rotars at the top), the mini merry-go-round of sea mammals, the swing-about ride, the find-my-way-out maze below the balloon play area, and even a vertical tunnel that tests a kid's flexibility and sense of adventure. So many fun play things for kids between 1.5 to 8 years old, and EV couldn't stop running from one to another. But she soon discovered her favourites - the see-saw heli-marine, swing-about ride and the balloon area.
Besides a special area just for babies below 1.5 years old, complete with slides, ramps and climbers, there is also a wooden blocks area that is sure to tickle any kid's curiosity. EV discovered the ball bit and the air-cushion play area and couldn't stop bringing stray balls from the latter to the former.
Art Grain
Next stop: art school Art Grain. The folks there had already prepared a room for us, so it was great that we did not have to wait very long. The theme of the day was dinosaurs and shades. I knew EV was going to enjoy this session, as it was painting, and she had also recently taken a liking to dinosaurs.
The teacher first explained about shades and how to create them. Then EV was asked to choose a paint colour. Surprise! She chose green instead of her favourite blue. Then on a paper plate covered with clear wrap, the teacher created four different shades of green by adding different amounts of white paint. She explained that EV was to paint different parts of the dinosaur model using different shakes of green, and then EV started doing her thing.
I must say, EV was pretty good at this, ensuring that every part of the dinosaur was painted. She has a love for hair dryers, I discovered too, as she was insistent on blow drying her and her friend's dinosaur.
Before leaving, the teacher secured the dinosaur on a black board, and sprayed a layer of protective lacquer. EV named her dinosaur Victoria.
My Kid's Spa
Our third stop was My Kid's Spa, which specializes in massage services for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and older children. It occupies a corner on the fourth floor, and the moment we stepped in, we were welcomed by a very open concept with a bright chill-out area on the left and a cosy play area on the right. Behind the play area is where the massage activities take place, with a nice foot spa corner and back massage seats that are designed just for children.
By this time, EV was getting tired, and she was not that keen to do any massage. She was more attracted by the television in the play area. However, just before we left, she suddenly decided she wanted a massage. She got a quick one for her legs. Any longer, and I would have to carry a sleeping EV to our next stop.
If you are planning to bring your kids to check out The Grandstand, do note that the area outside Kiddy Fun is open air. The toilets are also located around the same open air area. Art Grain and My Kid's Spa are located in the air-conditioned area. While the weather is expected to be clear these few days with low PSI and PM2.5 readings (based on National Environment Agency's health advisory), please remember to be prepared with masks and lots of water.
Stay tuned for the second part of our visit to The Grandstand, where we will share some yoga poses and yummy dishes.
Disclaimer: We were invited by Openrice.com and The Grandstand to attend the Kids' Day Out @ The Grandstand event. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions and images are my own.
