Things to do with kids: Mario Kart-themed fun at Jewel Changi Airport, ballet show for children (2025)

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

Mario Kart fun, Nintendo pop-up store

The only Nintendo pop-up store outside Japan returns to Jewel Changi Airport from April 25 to July 24.

The store at level 4 retails more than 500 items, including some 150 exclusive merchandise items from Nintendo video games such as Super Mario, Animal Crossing, Zelda, Splatoon and Pikmin.

This is the second time the store is operating at Jewel, with the first being a 1½-month stint during the 2023 year-end holiday season.

Coinciding with the store’s return are Mario Kart-themed installations making their South-east Asian debut at Jewel. If your family enjoys the Mario Kart video game, visiting the Forest Valley at level 1 will be fun as it features a recreation of Rainbow Road, a popular racecourse from the game.

You will be greeted by a vibrant, 5m by 4m centrepiece featuring moving lights and beloved characters Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach, as well as other kart-racing crew.

Keep your eyes peeled for a 1.3m-tall “banana”, a reminder of the obstacle in the game. Meanwhile, the iconic soundtrack plays in the background, adding to the immersive experience.

There are also Mario Kart-themed photo spots from levels 1 to 5, where you can also find stamp collection points. Collect all six stamps on a “rally card” to redeem a Mario Kart sticker pack, which contains a mystery character and three power-up items.

Find out more at str.sg/bjq3

Peter & Blue’s School Holiday ballet show

Looking for diverse theatre experiences for your children? Ballet production Peter & Blue’s School Holiday offers a unique option.

The one-hour show, recommended for families with kids aged three to eight, will be staged at Esplanade Theatre Studio from June 26 to 29.

Join Peter and his dog Blue as they head to the zoo and the beach, embracing the carefree spirit of a vacation.

Choreographed by Singapore Ballet’s artistic director Janek Schergen, the performance aims to introduce children to the magic of dance and creative expression. He created the show during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A shortened version can be watched online, while the full-length live performance was last staged at the School of the Arts’ Studio Theatre in 2022.

“Experiencing the arts can never start too early, and an appreciation of movement, music and spectacle can lead us into wonderful realms of possibility,” Schergen says.

For the upcoming production at the Esplanade, free-seating tickets are priced at $28 each for children, students and senior citizens, and $35 for adults. Buy them at str.sg/JgAYG

Final season of Apple TV+ series Jane

The third and final season of Apple TV+ series Jane, which draws inspiration from the work of celebrated ethologist and conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, has been released.

The show centres on nine-year-old environmental enthusiast Jane Garcia, who uses her imagination to go on adventures and help protect endangered animals. After all, her idol, Dr Goodall, famously said: “Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, can they be saved.”

The first season, which premiered in 2023, was recognised for Outstanding Visual Effects for a Live Action Programme at the Children’s & Family Emmy Awards.

Dr Goodall, a United Nations Messenger of Peace, makes a special appearance in the latest season’s last episode.

She says: “I believe that stories have the power to inspire people to action. I am very hopeful that this series will encourage young people, their families and friends to help save animals around the world.”

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