We always look forward to the annual contemporary arts exhibition for children at Singapore Art Museum and this year’s offering, Imaginarium: A Voyage of Big Ideas, will run until 19 July. We popped by on Saturday to check out the Children’s Craft Fair and decided to hang around to explore the exhibits.

First stop: We Built this Estate! by Chiang Yu Xiang. Squishy blocks shaped like Tetris pieces allow the kids to build whatever they want, and then run all over what they have built. This room is the most baby-friendly and Baby D had fun running around catching balloons and tearing velcro-ed motorists from the walls.

We took a long time to walk up the stairs to the next level because the kids were busy looking for their favourite doodle out of the impressive Imagin-a-doodle illustrations by the Band of Doodlers on the walls. Look for the Merlion!

For the crafty kids, the Let’s Make! Studio by Izziyana Suhaimi is a dream come true. Kids can make pom poms, weave yarn, or try some embroidery. Anya and Adam made some pom poms (with some help from the husband, of course) and have been carrying them around like little pets.

Our favourite room is Greenroom II: Interstellar Overdrive by Vincent Twardzik Ching. Lights and sound are generated when you cycle so you get some exercise when admiring art. Not bad at all! They should totally have this system at the gym so you don’t get to watch TV or listen to music unless you work for it. I love that the bikes had baby seats so Adam and David could be part of the experience even though they are too small/ too short to reach the bike pedals.

Our last exhibit for the day was Dream House by Lee Jeeyoung. When the kids saw the sweet set-up, their faces lit up and they had a fun time hanging up sweets in the garden. It’s a good thing that they couldn’t actually eat the sweets.

To be honest, Kiko’s Secrets by Kumkum Fernando made me feel a bit uncomfortable with the UV light, the strange music, the psychedelic colours, the insects, the eggs made with tiny objects, etc. and there’s a notice outside that children below 1 year old should not enter. The kids thought it was a bit creepy but liked the bit where they got to fit plastic shapes into fish scales.

You can buy a limited-edition Passport to the Moon! at the front desk and take selfies at The Original Selfie Machine in the lobby. Make sure the kids are tall enough or standing on the seat when you take your pictures. Check out the details about programmes, workshops and film screenings here.

SAM at 8Q
8 Queen St
Singapore 188535
6589 9580 / 6589 9564
[email protected]
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 10am to 7pm; Fri: 10am to 9pm

Admission:
Citizens/ PRs and children under 6 – Free
Foreigners: $10 for adults and $5 for students & senior citizens