June 2014 Play Dates

If you're in Singapore in June, please come to any and/or all of our MOPS play dates! Feel free to email us at mopssingapore@gmail.com for contact information for the organizers and information on July/August play dates!

Tuesday, 3 June, 10:00am-11:30am

Gardens By The Bay Water Play Area

Location: 18 Marina Gardens Drive Singapore 018953

How to Get There:  MRT:  Exit Bayfront MRT Station and take Exit B and follow the underground linkway.  Exit and cross the Dragonfly Bridge or Meadow Bridge into the gardens.Car/Taxi:  From East Coast Parkway (ECP) and Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) in the direction towards the city:

• Continue onto Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE)

• Take Exit 3 onto Central Boulevard

• Turn right into Marina Gardens Drive

From Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) in the direction towards the city:

• Continue onto Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE)

• Take Exit 2 onto Central Boulevard

• Turn right at Marina Gardens Drive

From Ophir Road:

• Head towards Sheares Ave

• Exit onto Marina Boulevard

• Turn left to Marina Gardens Drive

*Come with kids in swimsuits!  Bring sunscreen, water, towel, and a dry change of clothes.

Tuesday, 10 June, 10:00am-11:30am
IMM Rooftop Playground

Location:  IMM Building 2 Jurong East Street 21 #04-60, S(609601)

How to Get There:
MRT: Take to Jurong East MRT and walk 5 mins.  When exiting the MRT, walk into the JEM Mall and turn left (there will be signs to IMM Mall)  Once in IMM, take the lift or escalator up to the rooftop!
Bus: 52, 99,105, 183, 188, 333 & 502
Car:  There is a huge car park under the mall accessible from Boon Lay Rd. (Boon Lay is the West side of Commonwealth)
*This is a fabulous FREE covered playground.  There is also a water play area, so bring swim gear and a towel for your little ones.  Please notice this playground doesn't open until 10am.  The mall has plenty places to eat, and a Starbucks if you need a coffee! :)  

Tuesday, 17 June, 9:30am-11:00am
Labrador Park Adventure Playground

Location: Labrador Park - Labrador Villa Road, Singapore 119187

How to Get There:
MRT:  Labrador Park Station - there are maps upon entrance.  Walk toward car park B 
Car/Taxi:  Main entrance is at Labrador Villa Rd.  When coming from Vivo/Harbourfront go straight through the Alexandra light, then turn left immediately after that light onto Labrador Villa.  This road will curve to the left, then follow to the right toward CAR PARK "B".  When looking at the ocean turn right and you'll see the playground in the distance.
*Bring sand toys, sunscreen, mosquito spray, and lots of water to drink!  There is also a nice scooter/bicycle trail along the ocean.

Tuesday, 24 June, 9:30am-11:00am

Food for Thought at the Botanic Gardens

Location: Botany Centre 1 Cluny Road,  Tanglin Gate, #B1-00, S259569

How to Get There:
MRT:  The station is at the northern tip of the Botanic Gardens.  Food For Thought is at the southern tip creating about a 20 - 25 minute walk. 
Car/Taxi:  Car park entrance and taxi drop off is at 1 Cluny Rd, just opposite Gleneagleas Hospital.
*This is a lovely cafe with a small toddler playground.  If you have older children, bring along scooters and some stale bread for turtles - we can wander down a bit to the swan lake to feed the turtles after everyone arrives.  Bring sunscreen, mosquito spray, and some money if you would like coffee or brunch.

**In the event of heavy rain, we will cancel Gardens By the Bay and Labrador Park.  If anyone is interested we can meet at Starbucks at IMM Mall, and have brunch at Food For Thought if it's storming outside.  Be sure to check your email the morning of each playdate for weather updates.**

It's a wrap!

Tuesday, 20 May 2014
9:30-11:30am

At this last meeting of the year, we'll be having Sarah Wong of The Playful Parents come share with us on creating playful environments for our kids.

Come early or stay after to have a look at the lovely bags and accessories sold by Kingdom Treasures, a charity that helps provide vocational training in Cambodia. Also, please join us for a POTLUCK lunch after the meeting!

Getting Ready for the Summer!

Tuesday, 6 May 2014
9:30-11:30am

Can your believe this is our second to last meeting of the year? To help us all prepare for school holidays and summer vacations, our meeting is going to be our "Getting Ready for Summer" meeting. We'll be hearing from speakers on "first aid for summer", "scheduling summer fun during routine-free days", discussing our own "traveling with tots" wisdom and more. It will be full of practical tips, tricks and advice to help you get excited for and keep everyone happy and healthy during our upcoming school holidays and summer vacations. 

Make sure you sign up for the summer playdate email list, be prepared for some MOPs trivia and fill out our end of the year MOPs survey. 

A Personal Story of Easter

Tuesday, 15 April 2014

9:30-11:30am

At our next meeting Tuesday 15 April we'll have a chance to reflect on the meaning of Easter with two guest speakers, some table conversation and a craft. 

We will be ordering pizza after Tuesday's meeting. If you want to stay and talk a little longer and also have some lunch (for both moms and kids), please just bring $5 to cover the cost of pizza. You're more than welcome to bring a lunch or snack of your own too if you're not a pizza fan!

***

Have you enjoyed being part of MOPS this year? Do you have a passion for keeping MOPS going strong? Would you like to become part of our leadership team either as a Discussion Group Leader (DGL) or a member of the Steering Team? Please email mopssingapore@gmail.com if you would like more information on the available roles and time commitment.

POPs Panel

Tuesday, 1 April 2014
9:30-11:30am

The upcoming meeting topic is one of our favorites at MOPs: our POPs Panel. What is a POPs Panel, you ask? It's a time to gather some of the husbands and dads who are doing this journey along side some of us to give us their perspectives on the Beautiful Mess that they also are finding themselves in these preschool years. It is always a meeting that increases our understanding and appreciation of our husbands and helps us come together more as a parenting team. 

So, please email us (mopssingapore@gmail.com) any questions that are on your hearts and minds that you would like to ask our POPs! (example from last year: when you have had a full day at work, what is the most helpful way for you to re-enter our home? Celebrations, pre-schooler style, or just some quick hellos and hugs before you have some down time? or How can we help support you in your role as a father? What is the hardest part of your role as a father? etc…) Or any thing at all! Just email Anna so we can get the questions to our dads to prepare a little before the meeting! 

MOPS Calendar Spring 2014

We have just a few meetings left and two play dates, so come join us and make the most of our last get-togethers of the spring term!

25 March: Play date at Gardens by the Bay, Children's Garden from 9:30-11:30am. Meet by the amphitheatre near the water play area. Contact person: Amy. Please email mopssingapore@gmail.com for more details.

1 April: MOPS Meeting- POPS panel

15 April: MOPS Meeting- Easter

29 April: Play Date at West Coast Park from 9:30-11:30am. Meet by the Viking boat play structure. Contact person: Gillian. Please email mopssingapore@gmail.com for more details.

6 May: MOPS Meeting- Getting ready for summer

20 May: MOPS Meeting- End of year celebration

MOPS Recipe Exchange

Here they are, your MOPS-mom-tried and kid-tested recipes! Dozens of ideas for when you have the kitchen blahs! Many thanks to our MOPS moms for sharing their secrets for making meals that appeal to everyone in the family!

Please click on this link for the MOPS Recipe Exchange .pdf file.

And, just in case you missed it the first time, here's a link to another helpful MOPS publication: Our Singapore Favorites.