A kid-friendly art tour from the National Gallery to Little India

Kids are never too young to be introduced to art and creativity , and what better way to do this than with a kid-friendly art tour through the city? In Singapore, you’d be surprised at how much fun you and the kids can have exploring its artistic side – both indoors and outdoors !

On our first #SingaporeRediscovers Adventure, we check out some of the best places in the city to experience art first hand.

From learning about art in the National Gallery, to creating it ourselves in an art studio, and exploring it on the busy streets of Little India, this is a great way to spend a day out with the kids.

In the video you’ll see we had two special friends along for the ride. Merli the Merlion loves exploring Singapore, and Jewel the Hornbill enjoys all things beautiful like art, culture and fashion. They are Singapore Tourism Board’s mascots and offer lots of great tips for enjoying art around the city.

1. Experiencing art through play and exploration at the National Gallery

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The National Gallery is Singapore’s former City Hall and Supreme Court. It reopened as a museum championing local and regional art in 2015. While its colonial exteriors are carefully preserved, inside it houses over 8,000 pieces from Singapore’s national collection.

The National Gallery, 1 St Andrew’s Road, Singapore 178957

2. The Keppel Centre for Art Education – where kids go to get creative in the National Gallery

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The museum plays host to the Keppel Centre for Art Education, where kids as young as five can explore immersive spaces and take part in family-friendly programmes.

Exploring the Sculpture Studio

Inside the Sculpture Studio, kids can get creative or even get their hands dirty creating the tasks at hand. The space is designed to teach kids about sculpture form and tools.

They can then create a virtual sculpture and have it projected on the wall. Families can also try creating an origami boat, inspired by the gallery’s national collection and recalling how important trade by the seas were to Singapore in the past.

Robotics at Ink Studio

At Ink Studio, children can watch in awe as little robots come alive and explore surfaces, tracking paint that becomes art as they go. The question asked is, “Can robots replace artists?”. Children are invited to think about the answer and leave their thoughts on the wall behind.

3. Get moving in the Project Gallery

The Project Gallery is a wide open space in the museum dedicated to outside exploration. Children are invited to explore the yellow cage-like structure and use their imagination to picture what it reminds them of.

From there, they can move on to the large wooden installation and ask themselves what it is. These structures, designed by artist Zainudin Samsuri are designed to tickle your imagination – it could literally take you anywhere!

4. Get creative with some art jamming

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Another way to get the kids more involved in art, is to create it! Art classes (for both kids and parents!) have become much more popular these days. Some of the ways to get the family involved include art jamming sessions.

Art Jamming can be guided or non-guided. At Little Artists Art Studio, the guided sessions involve a teacher helping with the initial selection and sketching of the image, as well as any help along the way the kids (or adults!) might need when it comes to producing a masterpiece.

Little Artists Art Studio has been around for over 20 years, nurturing the creativity of young and mature creatives through painting, sculpting and sketching. Their programs include art therapy for schools and hospitals, as well as for children with special needs.

Little Artists Art Studio, 2 locations including The Mandarin Gardens, 15 Siglap Road, #01-07, Singapore 448912

Art Jamming around Singapore

There are many other places around the country where you can test out your arty skills. Some of these include:

1. Arteastiq

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Combining a love for tea and art, this studio-cum-cafe has three locations including one of Jewel Changi, and one in Orchard Road.

Mandarin Gallery, #04-14/15 333A Orchard Road, Singapore 238897

2. Artary

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Artary offers a wide range of classes for children designed to nurture their creativity in various art mediums. They have eight locations including one at Harbourfront Centre.

1 Maritime Square, #02-66, Singapore 099253

3. Artify Studio

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Besides art jamming, Artify Studio also uses it space to hosts parties, art camps and workshops that focus on specific skills like oil pastel landscapes or acrylic painting.

200 Jalan Sultan, #12-07 Textile Centre, Singapore 199018

5. From creating art inside, to exploring it outside

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After creating a piece of art with the family, why not take to the streets to see how professional artists have used Singapore as both inspiration and canvas? Little India plays host to a myriad of murals by artists who took inspiration from the area’s history and heritage.

You could easily spend a few hours exploring alleyways looking for these murals and then sampling the traditional sweets and snacks found in Little India.

1. Mayura – Little India's longest mural

From creating art inside, to seeing how it can be explored outside, the colourful murals of Little India showcase how artists have interpreted and showcased Singapore’s culture.

This particular mural by artists’ Boon and Jaba symbolises the cycle of time in Hindu scripts and depicts the Mayura, which means “peacock” in Sanskirt. At 70 metres, this is the longest mural in Little India. See if you can get the kids to explore its whole length!

 22 Belilios Lane

2. Traditional Trades of Little India – a look at the past

This huge mural just around the corner from Mayura depicts the traditional trades commonly practiced by Indian immigrants in the past in the Serangoon area.

These include garland making, parrot astrology and laundering. The mural was painted as part of  Artwalk Little India 2016 and is a great spot for photo-taking where kids can interact with the bicycles and sheets near the sidewalk.

8 Belilios Lane

3. Loops of the Precious – a tribute to an old trade

Just across the street is this mural you can see along a walk through Little India, “Loops of the Precious” which you can find on Serangoon Road. It was created by artist Priyageetha D/O Diayalan in honour of her grandfather, who was a goldsmith, which was a traditional trade found in Little India.

The simplicity of the colours and design stand out against the white of the surrounding walls. Can your kids count all the loops in the mural?

92 Serangoon Road

4. Weaving through time – a tribute in graffiti

For this piece, artist SONG drew inspiration from the shophouses and relief sculptures that pepper Little India. He used graffiti to represent how vibrancy, texture and architecture are intertwined in the fabric of Little India. Its bright colours are a reminder of how modern techniques can represent the past.

2 Veerasamy Road

5. Looking to the future with Future Reminiscence

On Rowell Road, French artist Jaba’s “Future Reminiscence” offers up a blend of past, present and future in bright, vibrant colours. The artist was inspired by the architecture of temples and how these religious structures exist through the ages. The contrast in the old and new can be found not just in the mural, but all around and will definitely be a hit with the kids thanks to its “flying saucers”.

109 Rowell Road

If you’re interested in visiting more murals in Little India, here are a few more you can take the kids to!

6. Merli and friends' adventures continue!

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Merli and friends also went on an adventure in the National Gallery and Little India. Let them help you and your kids explore Singapore in new and exciting ways. Catch the ‘Merli & Friends’ animated series on YouTube.

For more itineraries and promotions to help you explore the city, visit Singapore Rediscovers now.

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.