Let your little ones try their hand at operating construction equipment
Last weekend, when we went to OneKM Shopping Mall to watch one of the Christmas stage shows that we listed in a previous post (although most of these are now over, you might still consider some of these activities), we came across Diggersite, which is essentially a construction site and play area tailored especially for little builders, where children can learn through play.
There, kids can learn about different construction vehicles and how they operate, and their hands-on experience operating the individual vehicles is great for hand-eye coordination. Sand play also helps children to develop their small muscle skills, and social skills as they play with other children.
We had previously heard of Diggersite when it first opened at East Coast Park, but had also heard that it gets extremely hot due to the lack of shelter. We were thus somewhat dragging our feet at bringing our nearly-5-year-old (nicknamed Barnacles) to check it out, even though we were quite sure he would enjoy it. We found out that it has since moved to a new location in Yishun, which is apparently much cooler than the East Coast site.
When we came across the Diggersite roadshow at OneKM mall, it definitely served to pique our interest. It was a small area, with just three construction machines and a smaller table area with blocks and small construction vehicles for younger toddlers to play with. Even though it was late morning on a Sunday, it was not crowded, and kept our kids well occupied before the stage show started. Barnacles managed to ride all three vehicles without needing to wait. He enjoyed an added bonus as we were told by the staff that if he could complete the task on the construction vehicle, he would receive a free yellow construction vest. He’s since been wearing it with pride at home.
Tickets are sold at three rides for $18 (each ride lasts five to seven minutes, so that can really add up if you need to wait for a few children), or a pass of 10 rides for $50. We decided to go for the 10-ride pass, as it was more value for money and also because we could use it at the other venues we plan to visit in December. We were informed that the pass was only valid for three months but, if necessary, we could request for a validity extension.
Since we bought the Diggersite pass, we decided to head to the Suntec City outlet last Friday in the mid afternoon. We were pleased to find that it was not crowded, and the kids did not need to wait for the machines as there were five available. We found the Suntec venue better than the one at OneKM, as the former has a sizeable sandpit with a wheelbarrow, spades and lots of mini construction vehicles. Barnacles spent a good hour playing in the sandpit scooping sand, and while our younger nearly-2-year-old (nicknamed Kwazii) disliked getting any sand in his toes, he had a good time stacking blocks and hoops at the mini play tables nearby. Also, as we went with good friends this time, the kids definitely had more fun playing together than they would have playing alone.
Apart from the main outdoor outlet at Yishun, Diggersite is also having roadshows at JCube, OneKM Mall and Suntec City. The Yishun outlet would be the most realistic as it is in an outdoor setting. It also has the most machines (nine in total) as compared to the other venues, and is definitely our next place to visit.
Before we end off, we’d just have to add that if your kids are fascinated by construction vehicles and Diggersite in Singapore is something they liked, Diggerland in the United Kingdom is a must-visit. With huge real life-sized vehicles to operate, great weather, and huge construction rides, Barnacles had so much fun (at 2.5-years-old when we visited back then, before we had Kwazii) he didn’t want to leave – we spent an entire day at the park. It’s definitely on our ‘to visit again’ wish list the next time we head to the UK. Have fun ‘constructing’ with your kids!
Mummy and Daddy Daycare are the pseudonyms of a Singaporean husband and wife who are raising two young boys aged four and one, nicknamed Barnacles and Kwazii from the children’s Octonauts series. Get into the minds of this couple who describe parenthood as a lifetime adventure – you are always learning something new! Whoever said parenting was a walk in the park?
Other articles by Mummy and Daddy Daycare:
