What is one cherished childhood memory you have that includes water?
Carefree days of splashing in happy rain puddles. The excitement of watching translucent, colourful water beads (or as we more affectionately called them: ‘water babies’) breathtakingly expand almost exponentially in a cool cup of water over the days. Even raindrops sliding down the windows were transformed into an exciting, imaginative race to our younger selves.
To many of us as children, water was more than just a resource; it was a big, big world of exciting opportunities to learn more about the environment around us whilst having fun and playing with the stress of academics off our backs.
Even now, as slightly older, mature adults, being near the sea, hearing the comforting sound of rain, and even taking a relaxing stroll by the beach or reservoirs can make us feel at peace. Are we aware of the joyful and tranquil ways we could connect with water, even as adults?
And how can we encourage our children to connect with water, to appreciate and save it as they grow up?
To create precious childhood memories of their own?
To answer this question, we’ve tried out these uniquely local experiences for ourselves, and curated an exciting parent-child date for you and your family in our Singapore World Water Day Adventure Playbook. So, are you ready to make a splash with your family this World Water Day?
#1 Embark on a Play Journey!
We’ve all heard of learning journeys, but what about a play journey? Playing is often seen as an immature activity that interferes with a child’s development, but according to Cambridge University, play is “essential to children’s development” as it encourages exploration.
Help your children learn about the importance of water whilst developing a positive emotional connection with it at water parks or tranquil strolls at reservoirs.
- Encourage younger children to record and express their pre- and post- feelings on our Water Adventure Guide. Simple drawings, emojis and short sentences will help them get in touch with their feelings and reinforce the value of water after the refreshing trip.
- Bring: Sunscreen, hats, water bottles, appropriate footwear and swimwear.
- List of water parks to explore: Wild Wild Wet @ Downtown East, Water Playground @ Marina Barrage, Jurong East Swimming Complex, Happy Park @ Waterway Point… Just a few we’d like to recommend.
- List of reservoirs to visit: Bedok Reservoir, MacRitchie Reservoir, Lower Peirce Reservoir Park, Upper Seletar Reservoir, Jurong Lake Gardens, the list goes on!
#2 Go on Interactive Learning Journeys.
A family that learns together, grows together. Learning doesn’t have to be confined to classrooms. Take your child out on an interactive and captivating educational trip to NEWater Visitor Centre this World Water Day!
With fun games that teach about the importance of saving water, a movie-like screening about the Singapore Water Story, and an immersive walkthrough experience to learn about the water filtration system in Singapore, your children will certainly enjoy it and… well, you might just feel like a child again too.
In addition to booking a guided tour at the NEWater Visitor Centre, you could also bring your kids out on a fun day to the largest water catchment area in Singapore — Marina Barrage. Witness people gliding across the water in spectacular water sports such as kayaking and dragon boating, and let your children learn more about how water is collected before being treated for potable use in Singapore.
#3 Try out sensory DIY Water Activities at home.
Explore the different uses of water at home together with your children this World Water Day. Engage their senses through the following activities:
- Touch: Play with water beads.
Remember playing with these, soft, slippery beads when you were young? Water beads have many uses, such as beautifying floral arrangements while releasing water for the plants to absorb.Buy a few packets of coloured water beads with your children and plop them into a glass of water. Watch these translucent beads grow over the next few days and be mesmerised by their different colours glimmering together in the sun.
- Hearing: Create easy-to-make instruments which use water, or listen to calming YouTube rain sounds.
Children often like arts and craft, so use the opportunity this World Water Day to bond with them by creating instruments of their own. You could create a rain stick, which mimics the soothing sound of rain, or pitched bottle flutes by adding water into recycled plastic bottles. The sound of water has a way of helping us feel more relaxed, which will also help you to get some peaceful down time with your children.
- Taste: Freeze chopped fruits or berries in the freeze to form fruity ice cubes. Your children are in for a sweet surprise as they enjoy a cool drink of water.
- Sight: Spot any activity which uses water around the house!
- Scent: Breathe in the fresh smells of rain after a heavy downpour.
All these activities can help both you and your child to be aware of the variety of ways water is present all around us, and enjoy some bonding time together as well.
#4 Record water usage in a Water Journal.
Conduct a fun water audit with your children to help them understand their water usage patterns. We’ve provided a simple table format in our Singapore World Water Day Adventure Playbook for your children to track their daily water activities.
Encourage them to record down their daily water activities, such as flushing, showering, and brushing their teeth. This will help children be more aware of their water consumption patterns daily, and which areas they can save water in more.
#5 Create an Action Plan to save water.
Finally, create a plan with actionable steps to help your children learn how to reduce water usage based on their audit results. With practical, realistic and achievable steps, taking shorter showers, closing the tap while washing our hands or watering plants with rice water will be easier for children to practise good water-saving habits.
To end off, create a “Water Pledge” card with their commitments! Allow them to write their names in bold colours, write their own commitments and stick to them. You can continue to check in on how they are doing monthly to encourage them.
Over time, you might just find your children encouraging you to save water too.
What is World Water Day?
Water is an integral part of many communities around the world, but it’s easy for us to forget when we live in a country as privileged as Singapore. Turn on the tap, and an immediate stream of water flows out. Some do not live with as much access to these precious resources as we do.
The celebration of World Water Day, spearheaded by the United Nations, reminds billions around the world of the global water crisis we face, the 2.2 billion people who live life without safely managed drinking water services. In Singapore, we do our part to raise awareness on how important water is through educational and visual means, like our national City Turns Blue movement.
To raise awareness amongst our dear customers, we have launched our limited-edition Noel Water Wonder Rose Bouquet that will be available for purchase till 24th March only. And if you’ve been wondering why our usual, classy red website has gone blue, now you know!
As we enjoy our water resources, may we also learn and nurture our next generations to be a people who don’t take water for granted, even if it’s one step at a time.
Learn more about how to save water with our National Water Agency, Public Utilities Board (PUB) this Singapore World Water Day.
Know someone who loves blue? Don’t miss out celebrating World Water Day with them this year with our blue Noel World Water Day Collection here.