Kids will indeed find Happy Homebodies at The Artground in Singapore a joyful place to be at when they slide down a massive bed and crawl through washing machines at the interactive arts play space.
“Wow!” - that was our collection reaction when we arrived at Happy Homebodies at The Artground. The interactive arts play space at Goodman Arts Centre is a gorgeous playground with beautifully-drawn facades and creatively-designed installations of common household items that make you feel like you’re in a magical home.
The charming exhibition is designed by artist and mother-of-two, Gracie Chai, who wants to show children they can make new discoveries through common objects at home. So over here, children will be well entertained by imaginative art installations of home appliances and furniture.
If you haven't visited the exhibition that started on 23 May 2019, read on you'll know why you absolutely have to do so before it ends on 15 September.
The ginormous bed [photo above] was quite a sight to behold. You can climb up to the pillows via gigantic drawers at the side or do like most of the kids there - make a dash to the top! I lost count of the number of times Big E, eight, and Little E, six, ran up and slid down on the bed but they sure were sweaty from this activity at the end of our visit!
Kids will also have a blast maneuvering around this installation [photo above] featuring appliances like a washing machine and fridge, and a trampoline, and then going down a slide like that looks like a roller conveyor belt [photo below].
A word of caution though – a mummy with a four-year-old told me her daughter’s foot got caught and stuck between the rollers when she climbed up on them. Mummy tugged her foot loose and the little girl wasn’t hurt of course given that the wheels were thickly-padded. But if you have younger ones with tiny feet, do watch out for them if they attempt to climb this.
At the kitchen [photo above], kids can 'wash' their hands at the sink, and work on the counter top by pressing down with little hands or utensils on the coloured surfaces and watch the colours spread and form shapes [photo below]. How clever!
There is also a play area fitted with a baby-proof gate for children three years and younger. It comes with a small slide and a sensory corner suitable for toddlers.
The place is great for toddlers and pre-schoolers, which made up most of the children crowd the Saturday we were there. There were only a few primary-school going kids but those there, including mine, could still be seen running around having a ball of a time. In fact, my girls didn’t want to leave even after an hour there!
Not only were our kids happy, adults like my hubby and I felt contented to bask in the cheery environment under clotheslines of socks and baby clothing. All these for free and in the comfort of an air-conditioned venue - it is indeed a happy place to be in.
Bonus tips for your trip:
- A list of ticketed programmes for children with activities involving gardening, story-telling and dancing are available during the weekends. Check The Artground’s programme directory for detailed listings.
- The visual arts play space at The Artground, which is managed by an art charity, changes tri-annually. Admission to these exhibitions are free but you can make a monetary donation at the door if you'd like.
- Parking is available at Goodman Arts Centre, but unlike the electronic parking system we’re used to, the gantry does not open up by automatically detecting your in-vehicle unit. You’ll need to insert your cashcard into the machine next to the gantry, if not, you’d be like us on our first visit where we obliviously waited and waited for the gantry to open.
Find The Artground at Goodman Arts Centre, 90 Goodman Road, Block J #01-40, Singapore 439053. It's open on Wednesday-Thursday from 930am till 5pm, and Friday-Sunday & selected public holidays from 930am till 6pm.
The Artground has had six interactive visual arts play spaces since July 2017. Which is your favourite?
Disclaimer: Admission to The Artground is free but we made a donation on our visit. My opinions and reviews here are strictly my and my family’s own.
©Vivian Teo. All content and photos are copyrighted to Vivian Teo unless otherwise specified.