Hands up if you’ve watched Barney (yes, also known as the sometimes annoying purple dinosaur…) as a kid! I definitely did, trying to memorise the lyrics and singing-a-long to the songs he and his friends would sing, thanks to the lack of cable tv back then. And while I wasn’t a fan of his lack of varied expression as the years went by (how can anyone always be that optimistic???), I’ve started to re-appreciate his easy-to-sing and catchy songs as a mum now.
If you’ve attended a playgroup (or resorted to youtube for some kids entertainment, hehehe) at least once like we did; or started sending your kid to preschool…you or your child probably would have learnt to sing that popular “I love you” song that’s always on Barney’s playlist!
Admit it or not, Barney & Friends do have their appeal. Sure, he and his friends smile and dance a lot, sometimes too much for parents who don’t agree their boys should be twirling around too much (I’m definitely not one of them), one thing’s for sure is that Barney & Friends evokes happy vibes.
When we were at City Square Mall last weekend, I was surprised at the huge turn out which looked something like this:
{photo credit: City Square Mall | my hands were too full and shaky with Ollie in my arms to capture a decent shot of the crowd}
Even Liam who is in a “Thomas and Chuggington” train phase currently, bugged me incessantly to squeeze a spot out for him so that he could have an unobstructed view of Barney and Friends LIVE performance (note to self: must arrive earlier next time). The Bo ended up carrying Liam on his shoulders for the entire duration as the little fella sang and clapped along. I couldn’t resist bopping and swaying along to the beat even while baby wearing Ollie in the carrier. We must have looked really silly, so I thought. Till I spotted a few other parents doing something similar! Heh.
City Square Mall always impresses me with their themes. It may only be the 2nd LIVE performance we’ve caught since our very first experience with the Chuggington LIVE Show last Dec, but I feel it’s a well thought out execution, extending the fun and activities beyond the stage of LIVE performances. Especially if we have already made the trip down to the mall just to catch the show AND have to deal with the kids wanting more post LIVE show.
With an overarching theme of “super fun retro” and “blast from the past”, City Square Mall transformed the City Green Park (the outdoor area just outside Toast Box and the Hong Kong Cafe) into a retro carnival. And by retro, I mean having old school carnival games and rides (which are super kids friendly) such as Pirate Ship, Carousel, Bumper Car and Tea Cup! Heh, anyone still remember good ole simple carnivals before the ‘UK Funfair’ evolution?
Liam was thrilled to have his first bumper car experience. The bo was a little hesitant about letting him sit as he wasn’t sure if he would be able to navigate properly. Turns out joystick control of bumper cars are easier to manage than the steering wheel + step pedal ones!
And not forgetting the choo-choo train which never fails to get Liam’s attention:
I sobbed a little when we were denied parent accompaniment with Liam on all the rides because he had reach the “official height limit” where he could sit on the ride alone. And while our little fella was only too happy to exercise his new found independence, I couldn’t help but sigh at how much and fast he’s grown!
Thank you City Square Mall for the media invite!
DEETS:
City Square Mall’s June School Holiday activities and promotions run from 29 May to 28 June 2015.
1. Barney’s Jukebox Party ‘Live’ On Stage
Date: 6 – 21 June (Daily except Mondays)
Time: 1pm & 7pm (Tue – Fri); 1pm, 4pm & 7pm (Sat & Sun)
Venue: Level 1 Atrium
This June school holidays, City Square Mall proudly presents the highly anticipated live show – Barney’s Jukebox Party! Sing and dance along to a collection of your favourite hits with a new twist, in a musical celebration like no other! With a minimum spending of $60*, shoppers can redeem an exclusive pass for the Meet & Greet session and a carnival ticket one hour prior to each show. Limited to 50 sets per show.
2. Barney’s Jukebox Cookie Art Session
Date: 6 – 21 June (Daily except Mondays)
Time: 2.30pm
Venue: Level 1 Atrium
Children aged four years old and above are invited to come in their Barney clothing and decorate their own delectable cookies in this exciting activity where creativity meets delicacy! Furthermore, you’ll get to bring home a Barney gift, free cupcake and your cookie. With a minimum spending of $100*, shoppers can redeem a limited pass for the Barney’s Jukebox Cookie Art Session one hour prior to each session. Limited to 40 passes per session.
3. Good Ole Fun In The Park
Date: 29 May to 28 June
Time: 6pm – 10pm (Mon – Fri); 12pm – 10pm (Sat, Sun & P.H.)
Venue: Level 1 City Green park
For those who drive, you may want to check the activities at City Square Mall on a weekday since there’s FREE weekday lunchtime parking for the first 1 1/2 hours between 12 to 2pm (except public holidays) and a $3 parking coupon if you spend a minimum of $60* on weekdays.
*terms & conditions apply. Please check with L2 Customer Service Counter for more details.
{We were given a media invite for the purpose of this shout-out}
Leave a Reply