The June school holidays are here and, for some primary school pupils, that could mean schedules packed with academic revision, remedial lessons and tuition.
But there is also value in giving children free time and space to initiate their own activities, which can complement their learning in school, say educators.
Already, schools have introduced homework policies that aim to reduce the burden of academic assignments during term time and school holidays, after then-Education Minister Heng Swee Keat first made a call for such guidelines in 2011.
Riverside Primary School, for example, states on its website that pupils should spend just about three hours on homework for each subject over the June holidays.
Mrs Tonnine Chua, principal of Concord Primary School, said the school ensures that its holiday programmes "would be enriching and different" from normal lessons.
For instance, the school runs coding programmes that enhance logical and creative thinking, and a media literacy programme on cyberwellness so that pupils are "discerning" when they use online media.
Dr Sirene Lim, a senior lecturer at SIM University who specialises in early childhood education, said parents can balance children's academic work with "interesting real-world experiences" not found in existing enrichment programmes.
This can involve learning an art form, constructing, creating or building things, or delving into topics that interest the child, such as dinosaurs, machines, space, or cooking.
"What's important for today's children, who tend to have short attention spans, is for them to develop sustained interest in people and things that are around them," said Dr Lim.
Amid the Smart Nation push for more innovation in society, events such as the Maker Faire, have proven increasingly popular.
First launched as a "Mini Maker Faire" in 2012, Maker Faire has grown into a full-scale event with over 200 booths this year. It showcases do-it-yourself projects and adopts novel approaches to the use of traditional and new technologies.
Last year, 12,000 visitors attended the free event. It will be held on June 25 and 26 at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) this year. Science Centre Singapore (SCS) is organising the event with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), the Infocomm Development Authority, and SUTD.
Dr Tay Hui Yong, a lecturer in the Curriculum, Teaching and Learning department at the National Institute of Education, said activities that help children see authentic applications to what they have learnt in school result in "more robust understanding" compared with repeated assessment exercises.
"When they see different manifestations of concepts and how they can be applied, they are more likely to recognise them in novel situations," added Dr Tay.
There has been growing interest in the integration of Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) disciplines with art, said enrichment providers. Such projects are also linked to design thinking, which requires thinking out of the box and looking beyond disciplinary boundaries.
"Making emphasises self-directedness and choice, so their creative pursuits are driven by interest and passion," said SCS chief executive Lim Tit Meng.
Ms Nathania Christy, assistant marketing manager at education technology start-up Imagin8ors, said waiting lists for its monthly open-house events have doubled since the first one in March, with slots for 15 families getting over 25 sign-ups.
It will be offering holiday programmes for children next month that incorporate technology with multiple disciplines.
At its "Tech-Artists" camp, for example, children aged between three and nine can use recycled materials to build musical instruments, puppets or buildings, and bring them to life with technology such as motors and LED lights.
"More parents are realising the importance of creativity to inspire their children to see beyond academics and empower them to be entrepreneurs in the future," said Ms Christy.
Parents have also shown steady interest in non-academic skills, such as physical activities, etiquette and character education.
ActiveSG, the national movement for sport, has expanded its June holiday programme offerings this year. Dr Esther Chia, who is part of the programme innovation team at Sport Singapore, said participation in sports - or just playing in the playground - lets children interact and develop social skills such as learning to respect others.
Schools running courses in character education have also since seen more interest.
It is important for parents to ensure that children have adequate leisure time over the holidays, stressed Dr Lim and Dr Tay.
Dr Tay said: "Spending time with children is about family bonding, affirming their effort and growth... All children (and adults) need to balance activity with non-activity to allow the mind to wander."
Dr Lim said children can become self-motivated learners if they get more say in what to do with their free time.
"If adults overly structure children's use of time and always decide what they should do, children are less likely to take the initiative to be curious... or even be responsible for their own learning, choices and interests in life."
Homeschoolers' playful way to learn about design
Architecture has long held the interest of homeschooling mother Sarah Lee-Wong, 38.
"I've always felt that it's an important part of our urban life, as it affects how we live and interact with one another, and with the environment," she said.
At the same time, she wanted more opportunities for outdoor play with her two sons, aged six and eight.
Last month, she started DreamBig Playgrounds for a group of 15 children, aged six to 10. The group includes her sons as well as homeschooling parents from eight other families.
It is her very own "maker" project which will be showcased at the Maker Faire next month, a two-day event that celebrates innovation and creativity.
Consisting of five weekly sessions, the teaching project is aimed at getting children to learn about design by visiting and studying playgrounds - "a place that children naturally enjoy going to", said Mrs Lee-Wong. Through observation and reflection, children think critically about what the concept of "play" means, she added.
Over the past two months, the children visited a variety of playgrounds - from those bearing design traits of the 1970s in Dakota Crescent, to the Future World exhibition at the ArtScience Museum, which is marketed as a "digital playground" and has immersive high-tech art installations.
They were asked to compare and contrast the designs, and observe the materials used in the "playgrounds" and the purposes they served.
"One child said that we were travelling through the 'time-tunnels' of playgrounds," said Mrs Lee-Wong.
Questions such as "Where can people play?" and "Where can we create places for people to play?" also got them thinking broadly about what play can encompass, and the need for inclusivity in different play spaces.
The children also visited design consultancy firm Ortus Design, and were invited to come up with their own designs for playgrounds or playground equipment at the end of the project.
Mrs Lee-Wong, who first attended Maker Faire last year, said this experience has taught her a lot about what the "maker movement" is. "It empowers the children with the knowledge, confidence and skills to make and create things. They know that they can be not just a victim of the environment and can do something to change it," she said.
She hopes to develop and refine the programme for the education market, starting with pre-schools.
She encouraged other parents to take their children to Maker Faire.
"Even adults will find themselves becoming curious about new projects that they encounter, and they can join their children as learners at the same time," she said.
ActiveSG to offer over 50 programmes for kids
Children keen to get out and play next month can look forward to more than 50 holiday programmes at 19 ActiveSG sport centres islandwide, including ones in Ang Mo Kio, Jurong West and Bedok that house swimming pools, gyms and tennis courts.
ActiveSG - a national movement that aims to encourage Singaporeans and permanent residents of all ages to take up a healthy lifestyle through sports - has expanded its holiday offerings this year. New activities include scuba diving and Boogie Bounce Xtreme - an aerobic workout carried out on mini trampolines.
This is in response to strong interest from the public, said an ActiveSG spokesman.
Last year, about 8,000 children took part in ActiveSG programmes for kids.
Anyone who signs up with ActiveSG will receive a complimentary credit of $100, which can be used to help pay for up to 30 per cent of the programme fees.
ActiveSG clubs and academies that hone children's skills in sports were also launched last month. Children aged six to 12 can sign up for the Football Academy, helmed by former Singapore striker Aleksandar Duric, as well as an athletics club led by head coaches Melvin Tan and Steven Quek, both established instructors in the local athletics scene.
Dr Esther Chia, who is on the planning committee of the ActiveSG Athletics Club, said the academies were introduced to give children more opportunities to take part in sports.
"We found that there are many Singapore children who actually enjoy sports, but slowly lose interest because they lack opportunities to play, especially if they are unable to make the cut for their school teams," she said.
She also encouraged mums and dads to take up some of the parent-child activities on offer, such as golf or archery.
"Parents can engage in the same activities as their children, so they can learn what their children are going through. They can guide the children throughout the learning process and foster family bonds," she said.
Senior engineer Ong Gin Yong, 45, hopes to send his eight-year-old son for badminton programmes next month.
"He attended a three-day football workshop during the March holidays and really enjoyed it. He really likes football, but couldn't get into the school's team, so it was a good chance for him to relax and enjoy the sport," said Mr Ong.
More to charm school than table manners
Character and values education in schools were given a boost when the Education Ministry introduced a curriculum in this area several years ago.
In recent years, parents too have been paying attention to character education outside the classroom, say enrichment providers.
Ms Krystal Tan, 40, who founded Krystal Charm Etiquette Academy in 2014, said she used to run holiday classes with as few as four children in a class when the academy was first set up.
Now, she often has to turn some away when the maximum capacity of 12 is reached. Over the school holidays, she will be running two etiquette and character education workshops, lasting for three hours and costing about $100. There will also be three half-day programmes conducted at childcare centres.
During the classes, pupils aged four to 13 will learn about values such as respect, responsibility and empathy through interactive games. For example, children are given flash cards and asked to decide if the scenario depicted reflects a certain value, such as respect. Scenarios can include greeting a teacher or helping a friend on the slide at the playground.
Ms Clara Tan, 35, who runs Molly Manners Singapore, an etiquette school, has also seen more interest in her classes. The school has received about 30 per cent more inquiries from schools and parents since 2013.
This June holidays, it will be organising three-day holiday camps for children aged four to 12. Prices range from $150 to $220.
"Singapore kids have a sense of entitlement, expecting to be served and spoon-fed. They fail to see themselves as contributors to society as well," said Ms Clara Tan.
The classes emphasise not just table manners but long-lasting life skills as well. Through interactive activities, discussions, craft and quizzes, children learn concepts like sportsmanship, respect, courtesy skills when using mobile phones, e-mail and texting, and how to talk about money.
"Parents now recognise the importance of soft skills, especially in this global economy where one has to work in groups, mix with people of different nationalities and cultures, and adapt quickly," she said.
Property agent Jolyn Tan, 46, sent her 12-year-old daughter for classes at Krystal Charm last year. "I was looking for something that wasn't too focused on academics," she said, adding that her daughter has "become more conscious of her behaviour and how it impacts other people".
yuensin@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on May 30, 2016.
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