Mega Bugs

Since we are currently in the midst of a bugs theme for our reading corner, I thought a trip to Megabugs Return! at Science Centre Singapore would be very apt. And why not make it more fun by having a playdate there? So a playdate we had, with Sha and Sya.

Entrance to Megabugs exhibition

It was the little girl's first trip to the Science Centre, with more to come I hope. For me, every trip to the Science Centre, either on my own or with students, reminds me of my primary school days. I had a wonderful form teacher from P4-6, who was also the teacher in-charge of the Science Club. She used to drive a few of us in her car, back then when it was possible without all the red tape now, to the Science Centre after school so that we could do our Science projects for the Young Scientist cards. 

I'm very, very sure that my passion for Science started then and it was because of an inspirational teacher who went out of her way. Mrs Angela Khoo, I still remember you after more than 20 years! I'm looking forward to the day when I can show my 11 badges and certificates for having completed 11 of the Young Scientist cards. Back then, there were only 12 cards to complete, unlike now. Yes, I'm very proud of my badges till now!

Returning from memory lane and back to Megabugs. We saw giant bugs (what else?), both static and animatronic, and of course, the little girl wanted to touch them all. There were signs everywhere not to touch the exhibits but what's the fun of just looking and not touching, right? It's not like the mega scorpion would sting or something. Not all children are visual learners.

Big bugs everywhere

When the little girl met her friend, she was busy colouring some bugs at the colouring booth. She joined her for a while, but then got distracted by the mega bee, praying mantis and grasshopper nearby. I overheard a parent telling her child that she could take some colouring pages to colour them at home. Even free colouring pages have to take home, huh? No wonder there were very few left.

Colouring together

Apart from the giant bugs, there were some live ones in glass enclosures - Madagascan hissing cockroaches, crickets and stick insect. I was happy to point out the stick insects to the little girl and how they blend in with their surrounding to escape detection from predators. She had asked me about the insect before when she saw it a book. I can't say I was as excited about the hissing cockroaches but I didn't want to show it. The little girl was the least bit scared. She asked if she could touch them. Yikes!

There were big informative panels on the life cycle of insects too. I didn't know that a 4-stage life cycle (butterflies, mosquitoes) is known as a complete metamorphosis while a 3-stage cycle (grasshopper, cockroach) is known as an incomplete metamorphosis. Hey, I learnt something new after teaching about life cycles for ten years!

A complete metamorphosis

Then there were the preserved insect specimens on display which again reminded me of my primary school days. One of the projects for the Young Entomologist card was to make an insect display with, I can't remember, 10 or 20 insects. So I did just that in a big Rocher box, complete with cotton wool to lay them on and pins to stick them down. I think I was one of the very few who was admiring the specimens. Even the little girl wasn't interested in them.

Bug specimens

I think the highlight of the Megabugs exhibition for the little girl was crawling up and down a carpeted slope like a fly. The two girls were totally hogging the place and were at it for quite some time. There were 2 pairs of "fly shoes" with Velcro-like material at the bottom for them to hold onto as they crawled up and down the slope. The thing is, we didn't even have t tell them what to do with those "shoes". They figured it out themselves and had lots of fun and giggles together. Watching them play just warms by heart.

The cutest flies around

Then we went to the Omni Theatre to watch an IMAX movie, Flight of the Butterflies. Although all three toddlers fell asleep halfway through the 40-minute movie, but the mummies enjoyed it tremendously. It was a moving story of the greatest and furthest migration on Earth, that of the Monarch butterfly. I don't know about Sya, but Sha and I definitely teared during the movie. If you happen to be at the Science Centre, this movie is a must-watch.

After their nap in the theatre, they were rejuvenated and continued playing outdoors. Thankfully Sya had told us about an outdoor trampoline and so we headed there for some jumping around. Then we went to an open space where the girls had a sing-along session with Sha with a bugs theme. Sha is definitely one creative mummy when it comes to on-the-spot lyric making, unlike unmusically-talented me. 

Singing together

After singing, dancing and running around, the little girl didn't want to let go of Sha's hand. She kept calling her, "Aunty! Aunty!" and asked to hold her hand or be carried by her. I love that she interacts not only with the kids, but with the adults that she's familiar with too.

Not wanting to let go

Now that we know of the fantastic outdoor play area at Science Centre, we will definitely be back. It would be nice to see the water wheel in action (the water source had been turned off then) and explore more of the area. In fact, we didn't enter the main Science Centre building at all so a few more visits are definitely in order for us to look at the exhibits, run around outdoors and get soaked at the water play area. Science Centre playdates, anyone?