SINGAPORE – Make family time all the more special with these ideas and activities.

The Magic Paintbrush play

Village boy Ma Liang loves to draw, but is too poor to afford a paintbrush. One day, he receives a magic paintbrush that brings to life anything he draws, with one condition – that he must use it to help those in need.

Based on an inspirational folk tale, The Magic Paintbrush is Gateway Theatre’s first Mandarin play for children aged five to 12.

William Tan, who is the production’s writer and director, says: “In every line delivered and every scene enacted, we whisper the message, ‘Your gifts are not just your own, but a treasure to be shared for the betterment of the world.’”

He also plays the role of a greedy magistrate who schemes to get the magic tool.

Schools can book group tickets from May 2 to 8, except May 4 and 5, which are open to families at $30 a person.

Each 45-minute show is designed as a relaxed performance and suitable for neurodivergent individuals, including those on the autism spectrum. The show is also accessible to wheelchair users and individuals with mobility restrictions.

Find out more at str.sg/MBxg

Let’s Discover Our Farms, Singapore! book

Singapore has an estimated 260 farms, according to a Singapore Food Statistics report in 2022. How many are your kids familiar with? The book Let’s Discover Our Farms, Singapore! aims to introduce children aged three to eight to local places where crops and animals are raised for food. These include farms for dairy, eggs, fish, frogs and mushrooms.

Written by scientist Amalina Ebrahim Attia and farmer Kenny Eng, the book also shares the country’s 30 by 30 goal.

“Singapore imports 90 per cent of its food from other countries,” they write. “We want to grow 30 per cent of the food we need in Singapore by the year 2030.”

Kids can pick up fun facts too, such as how a fish farm can produce as much as 1,000 tonnes of fish a year, or 90 double-decker buses full of fish.

Mr Eng, who is director of horticultural business at Nyee Phoe Group, says: “We want to simplify the farm-to-table experience for our young readers and help them grow an appreciation for our local farms.”

The book retails for $12.90 (paperback) and $19.90 (hardcover) on publisher WS Education’s website (str.sg/kBF6).

CQ Streetfest

Catch street performances by artists from around the world at CQ @ Clarke Quay’s Fountain Square. There will be 45 free shows from April 17 to 21 as part of CQ Streetfest.

The line-up includes Rob Roy Collins, one of the UK’s leading escape artists, and acrobat Pancho Libre from Mexico.

There is also Italian Richard Garaghty, who is known for his comedic juggling routines and skills on a 3m-tall unicycle. Support Singaporean aerialist Adelene Chua-Adams too.

Go to str.sg/7MbX for the show schedule.