Basic snorkelling lessons; theatre shows on friendship by Emma Memma and dealing with grief

SINGAPORE – Make family time all the more special with these ideas and activities.

PADI Discover Snorkelling programme

If your kids have been dreaming of dipping their toes into the underwater world, Resorts World Sentosa’s Singapore Oceanarium has made that first plunge easier.

Its new PADI Discover Snorkelling programme invites adventurers aged 10 and above to swim above a vibrant marine world and meet animals up close within the Open Ocean Habitat’s controlled environment.

This programme launch commemorates the oceanarium’s accreditation as a PADI 5-Star Instructor Development Dive Resort. PADI, short for the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, is an international organisation that trains and certifies recreational divers and diving professionals.

Besides learning basic snorkelling techniques, your kids will gain a deeper appreciation for marine ecosystems and ocean conservation during the 90-minute session.

For families with certified divers, the oceanarium also offers immersive guided programmes such as the Open Ocean Dive and Shark Dive.

The snorkelling programme runs from Fridays to Sundays at 10.30am in groups of up to eight. Tickets cost $109 a person and include full-day admission to the oceanarium. Make your bookings at str.sg/3yZYUN

Emma Memma & The Wishing Tree

Popular Australian children’s entertainer Emma Memma returns to Singapore with a new show, Emma Memma & The Wishing Tree. Making its premiere at Victoria Theatre from Nov 4 to 6, the 60-minute musical centres on friendship, kindness and gratitude.

This marks her second collaboration with Singapore-based pre-school and early learning group MindChamps.

The titular Wishing Tree draws inspiration from one of the organisation’s key initiatives designed to nurture empathy in young learners. Kids are encouraged to make wishes for others rather than themselves, fostering a natural sense of empathy so they grow into thoughtful, socially responsible individuals.

Joining Memma on stage are alien Kayshita and her robot companion Cutie, two original characters from MindChamps’ proprietary ZunBold Universe, created to teach core values through storytelling.

Memma, whose real name is Emma Watkins, first teamed up with the group in September 2025 for Dance Island Party. Before launching her solo career, she was the first female member of the beloved Australian children’s group The Wiggles from 2013 to 2021.

Ticket prices range from $39 to $69 and are available at str.sg/Hxve

How To Be A Kid

Talking to children about death and grief is never easy and parents often struggle with knowing where to start.

That is where How To Be A Kid steps in. Staged at Gateway Theatre from Nov 6 to 15, this 60-minute production explores grief through a tender, uplifting lens.

Adapted by Singapore director Ian Loy from British playwright Sarah McDonald-Hughes’ work, it is recommended for children aged seven to 12 and their families.

The play centres on 12-year-old Molly after her grandmother’s death. Rather than expressing sorrow through tears, she pours everything into keeping the household together – cooking, cleaning and caring for her grieving mother and little brother Joe – and nearly forgets how to be a kid herself.

Watching characters like Molly and Joe navigate sadness and resilience opens a gentle doorway for families to broach subjects that often feel too intimidating to raise at home.

For Loy, who lost his father at age 10, the piece is deeply personal. “Do I need to be strong, since I’m the older one? That was my mentality,” he says. “I hope this play empowers them to talk openly, so the child does not carry the weight alone.”

Every show includes a guided post-performance discussion. Tickets cost $45 a person at str.sg/s8wD

Elisa Chia is a correspondent at The Straits Times, writing parenting and lifestyle features.