Relive your childhood at Sentosa's larger-than-life carnival Toybox

SINGAPORE - If you grew up playing with Nerf guns, Transformer toys and Cluedo or Monopoly board games, you'd be right at home here.

Toybox Powered by Hasbro, which opens on Friday (Feb 1), is the toy and board game company's first multi-brand carnival in Asia.

The event features seven popular Hasbro brands - Transformers, My Little Pony, Nerf, Monopoly, Cluedo, Baby Alive and Play-Doh - and will have activity zones, merchandise, food and beverage stalls spread across a 4,800 sq m playground.

Among the highlights are Super Claw, an over-sized human claw machine - Singapore's largest - where visitors are strapped in a harness and "become" the claw to grab toys and prizes.

Children can get a My Little Pony-inspired makeover - complete with face paints, clip-on hair extensions and a tutu - and design their own figurine at the My Little Pony Rainbow Kingdom.

While they are occupied, their parents can put on the detective hat at the Cluedo Tudor Mansion, an escape room modelled after the popular board game.

Selfie opportunities with Transformers characters Optimus Prime and Bumblebee are available, and visitors can also interact with Mr Monopoly and Play-Doh mascots, who will rove around throughout the day.

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In addition, Monopoly fans can step into the iconic green house or red hotel from the board game, or test their luck at a chance vault, where they can win vouchers amid a whirlwind of Monopoly money.

Prosperity will be in the air, as Mr Monopoly leads dragon dances to celebrate Chinese New Year from Feb 4 to 6.

The family-friendly carnival aims to promote family interaction and bonding through play and education, said Mr Anthony Chong, 58, group managing director of Kingsmen Exhibits, the event's organiser.

"The whole family can look forward to a day of fun at Toybox - no matter the age," he said.

"They can relive their childhood and play like a child again at the game stations, take photos with life-sized toys and watch their favourite mascots take to the stage in exciting song and dance performances."

The event hopes to attract a crowd of 100,000 to 120,000 people.

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Mr Chong said: "Our event is a unique, first-of-its-kind carnival in Singapore that is based on everyone's favourite Hasbro toy brands."

He noted that such intellectual property-based carnivals tend to attract a loyal fan base who want to participate in experiences that bring their favourite brands to life.

Among the people who attended a media preview of the event on Thursday (Jan 31) was Mr Lau Kia Heng, 31, who gamely tried the Super Claw and won two Nerf guns.

The engineer, who was with his wife, financial adviser Sabrina Seah, 29, said carnivals like this were a fun way to spend time together as a couple.

For seven-year-old Kayla Lee, fun meant picking out hair extensions and a stick-on tattoo for her My Little Pony makeover. She said: "My favourite pony is Fluttershy, because she is sweet and gentle."

TOYBOX POWERED BY HASBRO

When: Feb 1 to 17, 10am to 10pm daily (last entry at 9.30pm). The venue will be closed on Feb 11 for maintenance.

Where: Palawan Green, Sentosa

Admission: Free. Credits for games, activities, food and beverages can be purchased on-site or online. A single wristband, which allows for a single day entry, with 17 credits, costs $20.

Info: toyboxsingapore.com

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.