Port of Lost Wonder at Sentosa: a Dummy Guide

Port of Lost Wonder is a really cool place for parents who does not know what to do with their energetic kids. 

POLW is Pirate themed but not in a scary way.

Here is a simple guide for first time visitors: 

1) "Curio coins" 
Given out together with a "port pass" book when you purchase your tickets. They are paper coins on a piece of hard paper. Keep them.

2) POLW activities
- Check out the different activities for the time you are there
- Choose the ones your kid will like
- Budget the "Curio coins" accordingly
(You will need them to join the activities or to redeem a candy floss)
- Make sure your kid is at the right place for the selected activity

If your kid is old enough, they can do the planning and budgeting themselves. What fun.

 

3) Port Pass
This is a loyalty reward sticker book. With each activity, your kid gets a stamp. You get prizes with stamps collected. I would focus on step 2 unless you really want a prize. Click below for more details.
http://www.polw.com.sg/check-us-out.aspx#/portpass

POLW is a very easy place. You would want to grab a table/seats as soon as you enter. The only air conditioned area is in the port belly restaurant. 

Arrrr matey.....
The bucket tilts when it gets filled up.

Bubble play is one of the activities in POLW. It's a big tub filled with bath foam!

The place is relatively safe with staff watching over the people at play. They have a staff permanently watching over the slides to make sure no one gets hurt. Always good to know that safety is a priority here.

There are open showers available in the female loos. Bring along your toiletries and towels.  

It is a bit more of a hassle for people using public transportation. I would suggest bringing along a stroller or a trolley luggage. It's worth the trip.


Official website:
http://www.polw.com.sg/check-us-out.aspx

Admission

Weekdays: $10/ child*
School Holidays, Weekends & Public Holidays: $15/ child*

Parents will be granted free admission but only one parent allowed in the waterplay area.

*For children aged 12 and under

Located at Palawan Beach (near Beach Car Park).

Opening Hours:

10 am to 6.30pm daily
(Pirate Ship closes at 6:00pm)

Restaurant (Port Belly):

10am - 9pm (Sun – Thurs) *Last order at 8.30pm
10am - 9.30pm ( Fri – Sat) *Last order at 9pm

Retail (Just Wonder):

10am – 6.30pm daily

                   

 

Mini Tic Tac

I made an amazing discovery of a mini tic tac and couldn't resist buying it for the little chickadee.

I think they are totally adorable.

They are easy and light to carry.

There are minimal tic tacs in there, so kids are not able to overindulge.

The little chickadee loves it. Perfect mint size for little kids. 

Make-up for kids? Go with lip balms

I personally will never apply any make up on kids. Unless of course it's for a once-in-a-blue-moon stage performance. 

I am aware that there is probably a demand in the market as there are now toy make-up sets for kids in shops. My niece received one during Christmas recently which she immediately opened to use. It did not work for us. We used the brush provided, rubbed it against the colors, but we could not transfer the color to her face. It never came off the brush.

I would still not have put it on the chickadee's face. I have put too much effort scrutinising the things that go into her toiletries to wreck it with toy make-up.

I would still let the chickadee play with my spare make-up brushes. You will not believe the imagination a kid has.

But to further appease the chickadee, I went with the closest thing to a lipstick - The Lip Balm  

l have fallen in love with the twotreehouse brand which is handmade in Australia. They are perfect for kids.

After testing it on myself, I have the chickadee using them now. Here are the reasons why:

1) They are natural ingredients which are great for kids.

2) It moisturisers her lips.

3) I do not worry even if she over applies (which kids normally would)

4) They come in three kid perfect sizes (lose one, use another)

5) They come in three different yummy flavors (bored with one, use another)

6) Comes in cute matchboxes which we recycle to keep other trinklets.

 

 

7) Mummy - daughter bonding item. We can both use the same product 

8) It fits perfect in her hands.

9) Kid friendly

10) They are great chilled too! Just pop them into the fridge

 

She loves them. I love them.

 

Official Website
http://twotreehouse.com/

Mid Autumn Festival (Mooncake & Lantern)

Here are facts I found interesting about the mid autumn festival.

1) This is celebrated by Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Taiwanese and Japanese

2) It is similar to Thanksgiving with families getting together

3) There is always a full moon on this day and the roundness of the moon symbolises family unity and harmony

3) The Chinese legend. Here's my summary: There used to be 10 suns in the sky which was killing a lot of things with its heat. A guy shot down 9 of the 10 suns and became a hero. He was awarded an elixir to ascend to heaven and become a God. But he chose to stay with his wife. One day in a struggle for the elixir with a bad person, not wanting it to fall into the wrong hands, the wife took it. She immediately ascended but stopped at the moon as it was the closest to earth (where her husband is). The hero was devastated and so were the people. From then on, they would worship the goddess on the moon on this day.

Here's a few suggestions on things to do with your kid during Mid Autumn Festival (MAF):
1) Gaze at the moon and tell the story

2) Eat a mooncake
Mooncake is a symbol of family reunion. The cake is traditionally cut into pieces that equal the number of people in the family.

3) Walk around with a Mid-Autumn lantern
There is so many designs available these days. Some still go with the traditional candle lit ones. Just be careful if you hand that to a kid.

Historically, there would be a handwritten riddle placed within each lantern which was hung from a tree. Children who could properly answer the question from their selected lantern would receive small prizes.

Isn't culture and its history interesting?

 

 

 

 

Daiso - hair accessories

Having a girl means spending on hair accessories.

I searched everywhere to find value for money rubber bands and pins. I have learnt not to overspend on these items as the Chickadee loses them all the time.

I have to say, I am now officially a big fan of Daiso. The Chickadee is an ambassador of Daiso when it comes to hair.

Look at what they offer for S$2! Wear it lose it. It does not hurt me as much. They come in various sizes and colors. 

They were even packaged in a small pretty pink bag. We have since recycled it by stuffing the chickadee's drawing items for her to carry out.

They also have heaps of small black or dark brown bobby pins in various packaging for you to choose.

I bought these sparkly hair pins for her. 
 

Look at how cute they are.

You can find Daiso in a few malls. Next time you see one, have a look inside. I found a lot of little treasures for the chickadee there.

Tip: Daiso Singapore charges items at S$2 and Daiso Malaysia costs RM5 per item. Not much difference but it is cheaper in Malaysia depending on currency fluctuation.

Details
This site lists out the location of Daiso shops in Singapore
http://search.insing.com/s/daiso

Graffiti Cafe at NEX Serangoon

I recently stumbled upon the Graffiti Cafe when I was in NEX Serangoon.

The first thing that caught my interest was the $4.80 set meals that consist of one plate of wanton mee with a choice of a drink or dessert.

I thought it was a bit odd that it was called Graffiti Cafe until I stepped into the cafe; after placing my orders and grabbing my drinks at the cashier. 

The tables were small with simple stools provided. There are bigger tables at the back of the cafe.

The walls were actually covered with graffitis. This tiny cafe design will not be something is expected for a place that serves wanton mee and traditional chinese deserts.

The walls kept the Chickadee entertained throughout the meal.

You get your food at a little kitchen window once your number is displayed on the wall.

If you are looking for a Malaysian-style black sauce wanton mee, this place offers authenticity on a plate. Their combination of sauces comes quite close.

The cafe gave fried wanton in the noodles and also threw some wantons in their tasty soup. Their drinks were decent and I was quite aware that there were people ordering their desserts to dine-in or takeaway.

Tip: Make sure to mention that 'No chilli" if you are ordering for your child as it will come with.

Details
Address: B2-62, 23 Serangoon Central, Singapore 556083

Pony Rides at Bukit Timah Saddle Club (BTSC)

A few months shy of 3 years of age, I decided to take the Chickadee for a pony ride at Bukit Timah Saddle Club. I opted for this club as the stables are open to public and there are decent cafes nearby.

BTSC is a proper riding school. When I visited, their stables were clean and there was a buzz around it as how it should be; horses neighing, people in horse riding outfits and staff fussing over the horses.

BTSC caters to the younger amateur group by offering regular pony rides. This is available on weekends from 10.30am to 1pm. The fee is $10 for a ride. 

Look for a crowd of people under a small canopy near the "pony rides" signboard. That's where the queue for the rides is.

With BTSC, safety comes first, they provide little helmets which is a perfect fit for kids. It didn't hurt that it was oh-so-cute as well!

A little step stool was provided for the little ones to mount the pony.

Two staff members were at hand to help the Chickadee on the pony and to make necessary checks before the walk.

The pony pretty much trotted around the corner and back. The route taken was quite scenic with heaps of greenary. (Don't forget the mozzie spray).

I, for one, had such a blast snapping pictures of the Chickadee. 



I'm amazed at how many shots I took in such a brisk walk. 

If your kid is ready to sit on a saddle, I would recommend BTSC for a riding experience.



Address
Bukit Timah Saddle Club
51 Fairways Drive
Singapore 286985
+65 6466 2264

Website
www.btsc.org.sg
http://www.btsc.org.sg/riding/pony-rides/

Pony Rides Hours & Fee
Every Saturday & Sunday, 10.30am – 1.00pm
S$10 per child per ride