Some of my ex-students will probably remember this video (sorry, I realize the video can't be seen on some browsers) where Ch answered my questions about the circulatory system when she was 3 years old. I believe children should be exposed to Science from young as the subject is filled with interesting information which, when fed in bite sizes, will stay in a child's memory for a very long time.
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| My attempt to teach Ch about her organs. |
I heard about the new Science Centre exhibition called the Human Body Experience (HBX) from Ch - that it allows us to walk into a human body sculpture to explore the fascinating systems we have. Imagine an indoor theme park all about Science! What an excellent way to experience fun facts about our human body and be able to have sensory play at the same time!
Main entrance of the HBX
We got our tickets from the main ticketing counter and proceeded to Hall B where we were greeted by a humongous face with a big mouth. Do take note that you need to inform the ticketing staff if you want to visit the HBX as the standard ticket to the Science Centre does not include this exhibition. L started getting nervous about the whole experience and almost didn't want to enter. We had to assure him that we will stay with him throughout the journey. This is why it is not advisable for children under five to enter as they may be scared by the dark areas, loud sounds, confined spaces and dramatic structures. After much persuasion, L nervously crawled up the giant tongue.
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| Prepare to be swallowed alive! |
Larynx
After trekking up the tongue, we had to slide down the throat to reach the larynx. Inside the voice box, we had fun making music with the membranes of the vocal cords to hear sounds of different pitch.
Tip: to help your child relate the sensory experience with his own body,
get him to place his hand on his own vocal cords and say "um". Let him feel the vibrations made by his vocal cords. Then get him to press on the 'vocal cords' of the exhibition. This will strengthen his learning of the larynx.
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| Notice the 'cilia' hanging down the passageway? |
Ch and L acted as germs to attack and punch the lungs. Maybe they were relating to K's pneumonia episodes? It was hypnotizing to see the lungs getting inflated and deflated, and to hear the breathing sound from the speakers as we breathe.
From the lungs, we proceeded to the alveolar sacs where we saw the grape-like alveoli and the network of blood vessels. Here, we had to weave in between the blood vessels and the only helpline we had in this dark room was the small lights that guided our path towards the cardiovascular system.
Tip: If you have some Biology knowledge of how the gas exchange takes place in the alveoli, this is a great chance to describe it to your kiddos as they imagine the process with the visuals surrounding them.
Cardiovascular system
Over at the cardiovascular system, the loud "lub dub" of the heart (too loud for my kids) got the kids very anxious during our first round there (did I mention that the tickets allow two rounds of the exhibition?) and they kept hurrying me to get out. L even said "Mommy, can you go? Why do you keep taking so many photos??!!" Fortunately, they loosened up after that, and I was able to hang around in this chamber longer during the second round. Ch and I bounced on those big red balls that represent red blood cells while L took photos of our silly looks (heh, do you think I'll show you my silly face here?)
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| Biconcave-shaped red blood cells and white blood cells on the walls. |
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| Too noisy for the kids. They just wanted to get out of here! |
Immune system
It was a pity that we didn't realise we were supposed to function as white blood cells to fight the viruses on the walls, even though there were hints of rod-shaped bacilli and spherical cocci hanging above us. The "whack-a-mole" play concept here would be an exciting play area for the kids!
Nervous system
We explored the giant inflatable brain and learnt about the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Ch was intrigued by the fact that about 90% of the human population are right-handers, meaning that their left brain is probably more dominant .
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| Relaxing in front of the giant jelly brain |
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| Inside the brain |
From the brain, we went on to a small and dark section which have beautifully-crafted neurons. This is literally a pop-up version of those images I showed my Bio students when I taught the human nervous system.
The brain's ability to hold our memories is represented by a mirrored room with flashing LED lights to give a dream-like optical illusion. It almost felt like we were suspended in a large empty space with nothing but stars.
Digestive system
One of the main highlights of the HBX exhibition is the digestive system - one of my favorite Bio topics to teach. When I learnt this topic as a student, one of the things I did to help me remember the massive amount of facts was to keep talking about the various processes that take place in the digestive system as I ate my food. And I did this frequently enough to make me remember the facts till now. But with the HBX, it makes visualization of the digestion system and the functions of the organs easier!
We had to squeeze through the muscles of the oesophagus while walking on soft, squishy grounds. The squishy grounds extend all the way from the oesophagus to the large intestines. The kids had fun imagining they were food boluses and jumped and tossed around. We also got sprayed by mist that represent gastric juices from the stomach. The most fun part was squeezing through the sphincter muscles to get into the intestines. The inflatable structures would balloon up when we approach it (is there a sensor somewhere?) and L even needed Ch to help him squeeze through.
We had to squeeze through the muscles of the oesophagus while walking on soft, squishy grounds. The squishy grounds extend all the way from the oesophagus to the large intestines. The kids had fun imagining they were food boluses and jumped and tossed around. We also got sprayed by mist that represent gastric juices from the stomach. The most fun part was squeezing through the sphincter muscles to get into the intestines. The inflatable structures would balloon up when we approach it (is there a sensor somewhere?) and L even needed Ch to help him squeeze through.
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| Pushing against the ''muscles" of the oesophagus! We had to use a lot of force to squeeze through! |
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| Be warned of the sudden spray of mist which represents the gastric juices. |
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| Tactile surfaces that resemble the folds in the stomach. This is like a giant stomach castle and we had a great time bouncing here! |
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| Squeezing through the sphincter muscles into the small intestines. |
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| Girl power to help the brother squeeze through! |
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| Do you spot the "faeces" on the intestinal walls? |
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| L giving me a hand to pull me through the sphincter muscles. |
Getting out of the exhibition was as interesting as how we egest our undigested matter from our rectum. We had to squeeze through the inflatable balloons that represent the anal sphincter muscles! After we left the HBX, while L was in the toilet, he chuckled and said that he was squeezing out his "poo poo" just like how he squeezed out of the HBX!
Other than the multi-sensory fun learning at the HBX, you can also pick up facts about the human body from Professor X who appears on a mounted frame to give a brief description of the organ system you are at.
Some points to take note if you want to visit the HBX:
- Please wear comfortable clothing and appropriate footwear as there are some physical elements and unsteady grounds.
- Bags are not allowed in the HBX. You can keep your things in the lockers provided nearby.
- Flash photography is not allowed.
- There are exit points in the HBX should you feel uncomfortable and want to end your experience.
- The HBX will be closed for maintenance on the following dates:
- 21 and 22 Jul 2014
- 18 Aug 2014
- 15 Sept 2014
- 20 Oct 2014
- 17 Nov 2014
- 15 Dec 2014
Would you believe me if I tell you that I used to be part of my secondary school's cross-country team? I hear you laughing, but I'm serious. I may not look that athletic now, but I was definitely leaner then. Though I still love running now, most of the time, the spirit is more willing than the flesh. I took part in a number of races as a student but since then, I have not been able to join any as most races take place on Sunday mornings. So, when I heard of the Jurong Lake Run (JLR) that was to take place on a Saturday evening (and mind you, it was not any ordinary Saturday. It was on the 21st of June - a special date marked on our family calendar for ZY's birthday), you can imagine my excitement right? I gave ZY a call immediately to ask if he was also keen to participate in the competitive race. He hesitated, suggesting the 2.5 km Community Walk-a-Jog instead because of his health condition. It turned out to be a good alternative as the Kids Run was also the same distance and both the flag-off timings were at the same time. This meant that we could all run the same route together! What a great way to pass on this liking for running to my kids!
L was very excited about the run, especially about the part that he would get a Finisher medal after that. He waited eagerly for 21st June to come and said that he aimed to come in first. Ch, on the other hand, didn't appear that enthusiastic. Not even during our practice run one week before the JLR. The Finisher medal didn't seem to motivate her much. Even when I encouraged her to dedicate the Kids Run to our dear K and Renner (will write about this remarkable boy soon), she looked disinterested and walked most parts of the practice run.
On the actual day of the run, we got the kids to take an afternoon nap as they woke very early to prepare for ZY's birthday party. Our excitement grew as the flag-off timing approached, and left home early to prevent any delay in reaching the starting line near the Science Centre. While waiting for the flag-off, I gave Ch some last-minute tips to encourage her to continue running even if she was tired. I was hoping that she would show some level of resilience and persevere to the end despite the hot weather and tiredness from the running.
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| Monkeying around while waiting for the flag-off. |
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| Mr Tharman and Ms Grace Fu waiting to flag off the 2.5 km Kids Run and the Community Walk-a-Jog. |
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| We are proud to be part of the 16,000 participants of this year's JLR! |
The kids were asked to move ahead to the starting line so that they could start running after the flag-off at 5:30pm. The adults slowly picked up speed after most of the kids left. It was indeed a hot day and I felt the heat overcome my body even before I ran 500m! ZY ran off to catch up with Ch and L, and saw a heart-warming sight. The two of them had agreed earlier to run together, so when Ch started slowing down along the Jurong Town Hall Road, L gave her some extra push to encourage her.
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| L cheering his sister on. |
By the time I caught up with Ch, ZY and L were nowhere in sight. I ran together with Ch for the rest of the route. Throughout the journey, I observed how Ch pushed her physical limit. When she was tired, she walked, but she made it a point to resume her run shortly after. If she was ahead of me, she would turn back and look out for me too. Her whole face was red but not once did she stop and whine about her tiredness. She conserved her energy and channelled it to power her leg muscles, keeping quiet throughout the whole run. I must say that I was pretty impressed with her attitude after seeing how disinterested she was during the practice run!
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| Ch edited this photo right after her run. |
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| Ch reaching the finishing line. Pride filled the Mommy's heart! |
L, on the other hand, dashed off towards the finishing line and completed it in less than 17 mins! Even faster than me! ZY shared that he had a hard time trying to keep up with L's pace! See how happy Ch was to receive her Finisher medal? L was too tired to smile for the camera though he was also very happy to receive his medal. He just kept drinking his 100plus drink that was available at the water-point.
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| Proud moment for Ch and a tired L who received their Finisher medal after the Kids Run. I love their medals! |
After the run, we took a slow walk around the Jurong Lake Carnival and joined some of the games. There was a movie screening of Turbo nearer the evening, but we gave it a miss.
The JLR is a meaningful run for me as I have been staying in the Jurong area since young. Though many people complain about the bad air we have here, I guess I am used to it. Sometimes, we will be rewarded with a nice aroma of cocoa or bread as the housing estates are quite near the factories. Also, in upholding the spirit of giving back to the Community, S$1 from the registration fees was donated for every kilometre completed by each participant. A total sum of S$150,000 was raised for five beneficiaries. How cool is that to be able to run and do charity at the same time!
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| This was the amount raised by the participants who completed the 2.5 km run when I reached the finishing line. |
At the same time, I Run 4 Renner and my dear K, two beautiful and amazing children whose moms crossed paths despite being miles apart. Our personal stories speak of Hope and faith in God, and a deep love for our children. We may live in a different time zone, but we encourage and cheer each other on in good and bad times. This is the second run I have done in the name of Renner since we were matched as running buddies. If you would like to run for someone to encourage that person, you can read more about the I RUN 4 (IR4) organisation here.
Lastly, I can't say enough of how impressed I was (and still am!) with my children's positive attitude and performance. They too, were proud of their achievement. They did not give up, but pressed on towards the end-point. L asked how he could have run for Renner and K. My reply to him was that in dedicating this run for them, he had thought of them in a loving way and put in his best for them. I hope that in the future, they will also have the Courage to share about their little sister's stories and how amazing a child with Down Syndrome can be, and to have the courage to share about Christianity to their friends.
As a family, we value meaningful activities that we can participate together, so as to build the character of our children, and to create special memories in the hope that when our children are older, they can look back at their childhood and be proud of this family unit. There is a saying, "A happy Family is but an earlier Heaven." I say, it takes more than being happy to be a family. It takes great love and fear for God, a humble serving spirit, and care for every family member to make it work. This memorable 2.5 km run is definitely one of the catalysts to help us build that family God wants us to be.
I look forward to next year's Jurong Lake Run! Maybe a 6 km competitive race then? Would you like to join us next year?
*The JLR core values are Pride, Community, Family, Courage and Hope.
June is an important month for our family: it's our big man's birth month, my own father's birth month too, and it's also the month where we celebrate Father's Day. So, for the whole of this month, I'll post a Wordless Wednesday picture to thank ZY for being the best dad to my three children. I don't say it often enough, but I appreciate all the effort you have put in and the sacrifices made for the family.
June is an important month for our family: it's our big man's birth month, my own father's birth month too, and it's also the month where we celebrate Father's Day. So, for the whole of this month, I'll post a Wordless Wednesday picture to thank ZY for being the best dad to my three children. I don't say it often enough, but I appreciate all the effort you have put in and the sacrifices made for the family.
