Kids Stop Singapore: Hands-On Science Fun for Tots (Part 1)

Kids Stop throws open its doors to the public today!

If you haven't heard, Kids Stop is the new children's Science Centre that caters to kids between the ages of 18 months and 8 years. With a host of interactive stations and plenty of hands-on play, it aims to engage young children and cultivate in them a love for science during their early formative years. This is like the Singapore Science Centre that we know and love, but aimed at younger kids.

Thanks to my Uncle, the kids and I were able to attend a special preview early in May and my two preschoolers had a total blast. Since this is going to be a long two-part post, I'll tell you what I thought of Kids Stop upfront: It is a well-thought-out space which is appropriate for its target age group and for the most part, meets its objective to introduce science to kids in a fun and interactive way. I also liked that most of the sections had a facilitator around to help. My only complaint is that the cost might be a bit prohibitive. (Admission charges and membership info are listed at the bottom of this post.)

Here's what you can expect if you decide to visit:

Kids Stop is divided into two main areas. A main hall and a series of other rooms down the corridor at the back encircling the Omnitheatre. It hence looks deceptively small from the outside but is really spread over 3,000 square metres (over 32,000 square feet) and features over 20 play areas. In this first post, I'll cover the learning/play area you can find in the main hall.

Built Environment is one of the first sections which you will encounter on the right immediately upon entering, and it was one of my kids' favourite sections. Here you can find a mechanical crane which you can operate and use to pick up balls from a tank full of balls and transport them to another location to drop on the floor. Both my kids loved this and Meips in particular had a lot of fun picking balls up from the ground in a wheelbarrow to return to the tank to try again. There was also a wall with a set of mechanical gears which kids could use to create a path to reach a cuckoo clock at one end (and make it chime) or series of lights at the other. Noey also loved the ball run that allowed you to rearrange tubes on a wall to create a path for balls to run. Oh, and you can dress up as a construction worker while you're at it. We spent a lot of time in this section!  

Having a go picking up balls with a mechanical crane. Not as easy as you might think!

Oh no, here come the balls!

How do I connect these gears?

Balls go up and run down a series of tubes. You choose the path!

My little construction worker reporting for duty!

Just behind Built Environment is the Dino Pit where little palaeontologists can to get in and dig away to uncover fossils of their own. Sand pit = always popular with kids. There are also a learning station and a table at which you can shade your own fossil print.

First, get your tools.

Then you can start digging!

Shade your own fossil print.

Across from Dino Dig is the Flight & Space section. Here you'll find an impressive looking mock-up cockpit. It was fun to get in a pretend to fly a plane, though I'm not sure if the panels and buttons meant anything. Just outside the plane is a structure that allows you to "shoot" mini rockets up a tube using compressed air but we didn't play much with this as the loud noise from the release of air scared Meips and she refused to go near. There is also an area where you can work fans by pedaling and also build your own flying contraption and test it out by letting it fly up vertical air blowers. That was very fun!

Pilot Meips takes her equipment through their pre-flight checks.

Starting initiation sequence...

This is your Captain speaking -- welcome on board! 

The next section down and another favourite with my kids was The Supermarket. Grab a little supermarket trolley and shop shop shop! After you're done, bring your trolley to the till where you can add up the total for your purchases.

 

Tubs of fruit and rows of items waiting to be bought at the supermarket.

"Oo, fish!" Meips gets busy filling her cart.

Buy buy buy! Most of her favourites (apples, pears, apple juice, eggs) make it into her cart first.

The most attractive portion of this section to me was the interactive screen to the side which asked the simple question: Where Does Food Come From? You can bring the different items of food in the supermarket to the screen and scan their barcode, after which the relevant video would start playing, explaining how that item of food got to be in the form you see in the supermarket. Noey really loved this and was occupied for a good amount of time grabbing different items to try. He learnt about how apple juice, corn flakes, bread and milk were produced or processed, just to name a few. I thought this was rather interesting and informative!

Scanning the barcode and learning about corn flakes.

There was also a wall where you could learn about spices used in asian cooking and where Noey excitedly related to the Asian Spices that he'd read about in Star Anise Superstar.

Next to the supermarket was The Cafe! I found that rather apt. Here little budding chefs can dress up and cook up a storm. This section was also quite a hit with the parents, thanks to the availability of seats and tables. Haha. Grab a seat and be served a sumptuous meal by your little ones.

The Cafe, all ready and inviting. Step in!

Cute little utensils and cooking equipment.

Somehow I'm not surprised she gravitated towards the food instead of the pots and pans!

Across from The Cafe is Human Body. Dress up as a doctor or a nurse and learn about your internal organs by operating on a plastic mannequin - you can take all his organs out and put them back in again. You can also learn about your senses of sight, sound, hearing, smell and touch from sensory boxes, measure your height and weight, and see how high you can jump. Noey was most tickled to learn that he weighed approximately the equivalent of 2858 one dollar coins.

The operating theatre awaits.

Doctor Noey gets to work on his helpless patient of the day.

Learning about his sense of hearing.

How high can you jump?

Oo, I weigh a lot! Tickled upon learning his weight in gold (coins).

Near the back, you probably will not miss the huge climbing structure, The Big Dream Climber. Noey certainly made a beeline for it. I hear there's a Music section at the top of it though I didn't follow him up so I can't say much about it. He did have fun here burning off some excess energy.

And right at the back, you'll find Giant J, a "thrill ride" where you can experience the feeling of free fall. You have to be at least 5 years old to try. Though Noey was old enough, he chickened out, and frankly, I don't blame him! In Giant J, after suiting up in a protective jumpsuit and helmet, you grab on to a handle and get hauled up to a height of your choice between 3m and 7m (!!!). Then you're supposed to let go of the handle and whoosh down the J. Definitely not for the faint-hearted!

This brave lady made her way up to 7m!

Next to Giant J is a soft play area -- Small World. Not surprisingly, this was very popular with the little ones. Meips also spent some time messing around inside.

Meips getting a feel of the soft play area.

There were a handful of other sections in the main hall like Four Seasons, Smaller World, Nature, Rain Cloud and Virtual Pond, but my kids didn't show as much interest in them. 

Sounds like there's quite a bit to do? Wait, there's more!

>> Click here for Part 2 of this review: Kids Stop Singapore: Where Science and Technology Meet Fun

Kids Stop
21 Jurong Town Hall
Singapore 609233
Web: www.kidsstop.edu.sg
Map & Directions: http://www.kidsstop.edu.sg/getting-here

* Kids Stop Membership is priced at $30 for 1 year. Membership is open to children aged 8 and below and entitles the member plus one adult to ONE FREE ENTRY and a 30% discount on entry rates for the rest of the year, in addition of other discounts on parties, admission to the Singapore Science Centre and at F&B outlets. Since membership is priced at the cost of a single visit weekday for one child and one adult, it makes sense to get the membership if you visit in the weekend or if you're planning to visit more than once.