Fun With Kids

Free National Day long weekend entry to Science Centre S’pore; camera made just for children

AI generated

SINGAPORE – Make family time all the more special with these ideas and activities.

SG Science Fest

Planning your family’s National Day long weekend? Science Centre Singapore is offering free admission to SG Science Fest for Singaporeans and permanent residents from Aug 8 to 10.

A highlight of the ocean-themed fest is Shipwrecked: Uncover The Mystery, a self-guided quest challenging families to solve puzzles and uncover the truth behind a shipwreck. There are interactive stations to test ship buoyancy, experiment with metal corrosion and simulate coral restoration.

Be sure to catch Robot’s Bytes To Bites, a performance pitting a robot against a hawker in a showdown featuring fire demonstrations and liquid nitrogen experiments.

Outdoors, the fun gets splashy with Splash Battle, a group water fight, and What Time Is It, Mr Shark?, a wet twist on the classic playground game. So, remember to bring a change of clothes.

Around the venue, look out for photo ops with Quby, the chubby-cheeked character whose presence injects extra fun into the Centre. The WeChat and WhatsApp sticker icon, created by Chinese artist Zhong Chaoneng, is celebrating its 10th birthday with a year-long partnership here.

While entry to SG Science Fest is free for citizens and PRs, it is recommended that you pick your preferred time slot and book at tickets.science.edu.sg

Discounted bundle passes are also available, including $9 access to the One Ocean exhibition with its virtual-reality experience, or entry to interactive space KidsSTOP for $5 an adult and $10 a child aged three to 12.

myFirst Insta Lux camera

Encourage your child to explore photography with myFirst Camera Insta Lux. While built for little hands, it should not be dismissed as a toy. The 5-megapixel camera, which ST recently tried out, produces decent photo quality for small prints and social media.

Designed by Singapore kids’ tech brand myFirst, it comes with a LED flash and a Smart Exposure feature that balances images in both bright sunlight and low light. Your child can use the 7.1cm colour screen to frame their photos, then add built-in filters and frames to give every shot a personal touch.

Weighing 310g, it is nearly twice as heavy as a standard compact camera, but that extra bulk actually makes it easier for kids to hold it securely.

Photos can be saved to a memory card or printed instantly. The camera comes with a 4GB memory card, plus a starter cartridge of 10 photo papers. Printouts are water- and fingerprint-resistant, and are said to stay vibrant for over a decade without fading.

The camera also doubles as a standalone photo printer. It has built-in Wi-Fi, and you can download and use the myFirst Circle app to print pictures from your smartphone gallery directly as keepsakes.

A full charge takes about 2½ hours and gives you up to five hours of use.

Available in grey or Cotton Candy Mix – a blend of blue, pink and lilac – it currently retails for $229 (usual price $239) at Popular Bookstores. Each purchase comes with a bonus two-cartridge refill pack (worth $19.90) on top of the starter cartridge. You can also order online at str.sg/bYo8