Parenting on Purpose

Cluck Cluck! Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the Golden Eggs of course! Wait a minute. That doesn't sound right. Of course.  She crossed the road because the sky was falling! Oops. I meant she actually had some delicious bread to bake, but no one was there to help her! Oh no. I got it all wrong. But did i? I Theatre presents a new and interactive musical production that tells the story of not one, not two, but three feathered friends! There's The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs, The Little Red Hen, and Chicken-Licken! And the trio band together to hatch a tale which stitches together a whole host of well-known folk stories. And it's no fowl play. The chickies will be sharing with the audience how a musical is made, and will share about the themes and morals of the stories. As I Theatre promises, the show is "g uaranteed to engage young and old alike", and is "specially designed with exciteme...

When the Brothers' Grimm first published the tale of a beautiful princess and her encounter with seven vertically-challenged individuals, they did not expect the story to be a resounding success the world over; with numerous adaptations of the tale, not least by the great animation spinmaker Walt Disney. Indeed the German tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwalves  has been retold countless times, with several modern adaptations hitting the big screen in recent years. ACT 3 International has chosen to bring in a Canadian version of the tale for this year's ACT 3! Festival for Children.  Elaborates the Artistic Director of ACT 3 International Ruby Lim-Yang, the festival is imbued with themes that are "relevant for today's children", but yet do not "lose sight" of the " artistry, craftsmanship and beauty of live theatre, as well as the fields of visual and literary arts". Snow White , to be run daily from 24 to 29 May 2016, will be p...

What happens if your BFF suddenly declares that you are boring and not worth her attention? What if this was the same friend that you had always looked up?  I Theatre's 15th Anniversary Production, "The Rainbow Fish", takes you to a world of adventure and exploration; of friendship and of community. Under the Sea. The fishy community welcomes you to the show! Enter Rainbow. She's a dazzling display of beauty; especially given her lovely shiny scales. And she's no less than a celebrity to all the other fishes, which makes her proud and arrogant. But the final blow is when Rainbow decides to insult her long-time fan and supporter, Small Blue, leaving him... well let's say our little friend was  feeling  more than a little blue.... What if no one ever talked to her again? Is it too late for Rainbow? Will she live a forever friendless life? "Bubble Bubble...." says the Starfish. "I can't hear you...." I Theatre's Brian Sewa...

Dive into the deep and be treated to a musical extravaganza that will dazzle the senses! I Theatre celebrates its 15th Anniversary with a re-make of its groundbreaking play, "The Rainbow Fish"! The play is  based on Swiss author and illustrator Marcus Pfister's award-winning book series, which was transformed into a TV series in the United States. I Theatre is bringing the show back after a 5-year hiatus. Artistic Director Brian Seward says  the show has been staged seven times, and it's been all over the world, including India, USA, Australia and the United Kingdom.   When?   26 April to 15 May 2016 Where?  Drama Centre Theatre, Singapore Who? Anyone from 3 to 103 years old! What can we expect? Like any good I Theatre production, expect a wholesome family production with strong characterisation, catchy songs and dances, and a moral in the story. And, I Theatre promises to showcase  the various techniques it has learnt over the ...

As parents, we sometimes wish that things at home would change in a therapeutic twinkling of an eye. That the spirited tantrums in our toddlers would somehow mellow, and what seems like perpetual shyness in our school-aged children would be overcome by a sudden burst of enthusiastic bravado. Unfortunately, that rarely ever happens. The intentions and interventions we try to put into play in our parenting often result in small, barely discernible steps in their intended direction.  However, sometimes we come across glimmers of hope, and help from the most unexpected places.  A serendipitous link-up with one of our favourite mummy-author friends Melanie Lee (watch this space for our upcoming review of her latest  Squirky  books!) allowed us the chance to meet up with the lovely Leila Boukarim, a down-to-earth and unassuming mother of two boys.  As she shared with us the story of how her first title All Too Much for Oliver came into publication ...

A story my boys have been asking me to tell them over and over again is the one in which my Chinese teacher threw my Spelling book out of the window and I had to sorrowfully go out to retrieve it at recess time. The story well encapsulates my subsequent experiences with the Chinese language. Let it be said that it was a hate-hate affair. I went on to fail my "AO" Levels twice before passing finally, I'm sure, due to my desperate prayers out of fear of having to attend Chinese Camp before my entrance to Uni. Fast-forward 30 years, and I find myself at home with two young boys who are looking to me to teach them the same language I struggled with for so many years. It soon became clear that I needed some help, especially when my older boy recently went into a phase of constantly asking, "What is ______ in Chinese?" and I was forced to Google translate most of the answers. I have been trying various approaches to our Chinese lessons. I use a lot of kinaest...

I have always wanted to own a children's picture book store, somewhat like Meg Ryan's The Shop Around the Corner  (in the classic romance movie You've Got Mail ), with gorgeous, illustrated books lining the shelves and cosy throw-lined sofas for reading corners. There is something about a good picture book which makes you smile and lifts your spirits on a dull day. I had my very own picture book collection before I even started work proper, bought with allowance I made working at my aunt's friend's children's bookstore.  Sadly, most of those picture books have been replaced by iPads and computer games in children's lives. Picture books play such an important role in children's love for reading. For me, they opened up a whole world of people with different experiences from mine. I felt their pain and their joy. There is still much to be said about introducing quality books to children from as early as you can. But what makes a good children's ...