Ready, set, soar! Singapore Writers Festival For Families is Bigger and Better Than Ever

The Singapore Writers Festival returns this November, with 66 special events just for kids and families (most of them FREE)!

Ready, set, soar! We’re talking about little ones’ imaginations, mama: the 2016 Singapore Writers Festival will be on from 4-13 November, and for the first time this year its awesome family component (Singapore Writers Festival for Families, aka SWF³) will offer events for little ones as young as 18 months old.

Even better, out of more than 60 SWF³ events, all but five are FREE! From bilingual storytelling sessions (a super fun way to introduce your little ones to Chinese, Tamil and Malay), to craft activities, to musical performances and writing workshops, there is SO much to get young minds whirring, mama! In fact, a number of books recently featured in Sassy Mama – including The Amazing Sarong, Afternoon Tea at Raffles Hotel Singapore and The Magic Spicebox – will all be offering events; check the schedule for all the deets.

There will be some really cool parent-specific events, too, including Tuition Nation (“For parents wanting to do things differently”) in which NMP Kuik Shiao-Yin shares her thoughts on kiasuism and the value of social awareness in youths, as well as How I Coped with an Eating Disorder (for kids 12 and up), where author Rachel Tey will discuss her own struggles and the therapeutic effects of writing, including how the experience inspired her to pen her first children’s book.

We also love that SWF³ will be featuring its first ever Dad-specific event: Daddy Boogie-Woogie, a totally fun jam session where dads will be encouraged to show off their dance moves while bonding with their little ones (and before you turn green with envy, mama, know that moms are welcome, too!). Just be sure to register for [free] tickets, as spaces are limited for this workshop!

Want to know more? Here’s a quick rundown of some other free and ticketed events:

Write Your Own Pirate Stories
Let your imagination run wild with Gareth P Jones, the author behind the popular Adventures of Steampunk Pirates series, as he rallies participants in writing and living their own pirate tales.

When: Saturday 5 November, 2pm to 3.30pm
Where: Asian Civilisations Museum – Ngee Ann Auditorium
Ages: 10 and up

Classroom Series: Grow Food in Your Own Backyard!
Go green in this session with Edible Garden City, champions of the Grow Your Own Food movement in land-scarce and import-dependent Singapore. Kiddos (and parents!) can learn how to grow plants (and create a forest) in your backyard/corridor. A must-attend event for everyone keen to connect to nature and support the environment.

When: Sunday 13 November, 11am-12pm
Where: Asian Civilisations Museum – Shaw Foyer
Ages: 7-12

Lego Stop-Motion Filmmaking Playshop
Bring your favourite LEGO characters to life in this stop-motion animation ‘playshop’ by Paperplane, and learn how to create a one-minute animation film. This could be the start of your own version of The Lego Movie!

When: Sunday 13 November, 2pm to 5pm
Where: The Arts House – Living Room
Ages: 14 and up

Spices Have Superpowers!
Parents and children can have some fun together in this magical story-telling and hands-on spice blend creation workshop conducted by writer Namita Moolani Mehra and illustrator Heetal Dattani.

When: Saturday 12 Nov, 2.30pm to 3.30pm
Where: Empress Lawn
Ages: 3-6, but parents are welcome, too!

There is seriously SO much kid-friendly goodness going on over these 10 days in November, mama. Be sure to check out the full list of events for all the info, along with this handy map of event venues (just about everything’s happening within a one-block radius in the Civic Distrcit). We’ll see you there!

www.singaporewritersfestival.com