Discover a playful new space where families can bond over food, creativity, and hands-on fun.
Venue: Children’s Museum Singapore (23-B Coleman Street)
Date: 20 Jul 2025 to 31 Mar 2026
Time: Opening hours follow the museum’s daily schedule
Fee: Included with museum entry (charges may apply for selected workshops)
Discover the All-New PLAY + MAKE Maker’s Space
As part of SG60 celebrations, the Children’s Museum Singapore (CMSG) is unveiling a new maker’s space — a creative environment for children to learn about Singapore’s rich food heritage through hands-on activities. From 20 July 2025 until 31 March 2026, PLAY +MAKE is set to transform the Discovery Room at CMSG into a vibrant space that complements CMSG’s existing special exhibition, Into the Hawkerverse.
Co-Created With Kids, Inspired by Makers
In a uniquely collaborative approach, CMSG co-developed PLAY + MAKE with children from Star Learners Preschool and its very own Little Ambassadors (volunteers aged 7–12 years). These young voices helped shape the experience through focus groups that surfaced creative ideas and sensory preferences — including texture, scent, and interactivity.
CMSG also partnered with local makers from brands like Reckless Ericka, Tuckshop, and Artisan Bricks, who offered insights into their creative processes. These collaborations led to the creation of the Maker’s Cabinet — key highlight for PLAY + MAKE.
Maker’s Cabinet
The Maker’s Cabinet showcases various items used in crafts, such as pottery, basketry (rattan), and tailoring. These include a black pearl durian-inspired dress by Reckless Ericka, shoes inspired by Hokkien Mee and Nasi Lemak made by Tuckshop, and a LEGO Tingkat by Artisan Bricks.
What Kids Can Do at PLAY + MAKE
Inside this vibrant creative space, children can:
- Assemble their own outfit on a mannequin, inspired by fashion designers
- Touch and explore different fabric textures and patterns
- Stage their own stories, fostering creativity and imagination
- Design their own kamcheng, inspired by a real kamcheng
- Make different types of kueh and throw a kueh tea party, embracing Singapore’s love for food traditions
- Learn about different materials related to local food heritage: wood, metal and rattan
Rotating Craft Activities by Season
- Jul – Sep 2025: Create paper dolls and explore fashion through design
- Oct – Dec 2025: Design and decorate your own crockery
- Jan – Mar 2026: Weave patterns and celebrate traditional crafts
A Parental Guide for Meaningful Bonding
As part of CMSG’s efforts to support the well-being of both children and parents, it has co-developed a parental guide with therapists from BRB Kids, a Singapore-based mental wellness service, that will be available at PLAY + MAKE for visitors to browse and engage with during their visit. This guide is designed to support meaningful engagement and conversations between parents and their children through making and bonding activities. It encourages hands-on exploration, storytelling, object-based learning and play, supported by prompts that build language, emotional awareness, and problem-solving skills.
Specially Curated Programmes
Photo Credits: Children’s Museum Singapore
From September 2025, look out for a series of specially curated programmes to complement PLAY + MAKE:
- Free drop-in storytelling and crafts sessions
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Paid programmes, such as excursion experiences that bring participants on a facilitated learning journey within PLAY + MAKE, followed by a visit to local maker spaces
Highlights include:
- “Bubu and the Big Catch” storytelling + craft by Orang Laut
- Snow-skin mooncake workshop with Tong Heng Delicacies
- Sauce Discovery Tour with Nanyang Sauce Academy
Details and booking info will be announced closer to the dates.
Workshop for Schools: SG60 Into the Hawkerverse Special: Be a Changemaker
CMSG is excited to present a workshop for schools in celebration of our nation’s 60th birthday, SG60 Into the Hawkerverse Special: Be a Changemaker, at the Children’s Museum Singapore. This will be piloted with NAFA Arts School on 29 July 2025, and with White Sands Primary School on 30 July 2025. It will be open to more schools from 12 August 2025 onwards.
This workshop brings students on a creative journey to revive Ah Huat’s hawker business through design and roleplay. The workshop is aligned with the Ministry of Education’s Social Studies curriculum and the Nurturing Early Learners framework and aims to support learning across preschool and primary levels by providing an engaging and immersive educational experience.
PLAY + MAKE Travelling Exhibition
CMSG will also be organising the PLAY + MAKE Travelling Exhibition, bringing Singapore’s food heritage to children across the nation, from August 2025 to January 2026.
Storytelling sessions will be held at various libraries across the island, featuring tales that inspire children to think outside the box and explore creativity through the lens of food, culture, and creativity.
List of Travelling Exhibition Venues & Storytelling Details
- Jurong Regional Library
- Travelling Exhibition: 1 to 29 Aug 2025
- Ang Mo Kio Public Library
- Travelling Exhibition: 1 to 30 Sep 2025
- Storytelling: 27 Sep 2025, 3pm to 3.30pm (Programme Zone, Level 1)
- Bedok Public Library
- Travelling Exhibition: 1 to 30 Oct 2025
- Woodlands Regional Library
- Travelling Exhibition: 31 Oct to 1 Dec 2025
- Storytelling: 1 Nov 2025, 3pm to 3.30pm (Everest Room, Level 4)
- Jurong West Public Library
- Travelling Exhibition: 2 to 30 Dec 2025
- Punggol Regional Library
- Travelling Exhibition: 2 to 30 Jan 2026
- Storytelling: 9 Jan 2026, 3pm to 3.30pm (Stories Come Alive Room, Level 1)