| Please pre-book a slot for your visit. |
The Playmakers (A child-led, open-ended play programme) is a creative communal play space designed for young children to engage actively in their urges of independent play while meeting other children for early socialisation.
Children construct meaningful connections and firsthand discoveries through the wonders of open-ended everyday objects & upcycled materials with no right-or-wrong way to use them.
Each session offers children an opportunity to lead their play and be that competent, creative, meaning makers. The Playmakers is a safe space for young children to experience the joy of true play and for parents/caregivers to connect and learn about who our children are. Ruby, the facilitator, will also engage with the parents individually during the sessions to share her observations and insights about how each parent can facilitate their own play at home with their little ones.
Each Playmakers slot is for 2 hours. Participants can arrive anytime, go out for a break and/or come back, within this 2-hour duration. We recommend that audiences spend at least approximately 45min within the playmakers space to experience the session. EXPLORE "A Curious Garden" will also be accessible during your 2 hour slot.
Please bring a small towel and an extra set of clothes as things may get messy.
Themes and descriptions:
Week 1 (23 & 24 Oct)
Under the Sea
Sea Creatures, Mermaids & Other Ocean Stories…. What might we discover beneath the waves?
Come explore an open-ended underwater world filled with textures, movement, loose parts, sea creatures and possibilities.
There are waves to move through, treasures to discover, creatures to hide and find, coral reefs to build and oceans to create.
A shell might become a treasure.
A piece of fabric might become a wave.
A basket might become a boat.
And a child might become a shark or a mermaid...
Children are invited to touch, explore, collect, build, pour, hide, discover, imagine and play alongside others.
At The Playmakers, we celebrate the process over the product — giving children the time, space and freedom to follow their own ideas.
Week 2 (30 & 31 Oct)
If you go down to the woods today
A pumpkin rolls.
A little fox hides.
The spider is busy weaving.
Something rustles beneath the leaves.
Come wander into a woodland world made for little hands and big imaginations.
Explore natural treasures.
Build tiny homes.
Make forest potions.
Crawl through the web.
Hide and peek.
Gather, carry, mix and discover.
Just a little bit of autumnal whimsy, lots of loose parts, and a forest waiting to become whatever children imagine.
Play it. Change it. Make it yours.
Week 3 (6 & 7 Nov)
The Big Bowl
Imagine a room filled with bowls, cups, baskets and vessels of different sizes, shapes and textures, surrounded by loose parts that suggest food without defining it.
A cork can be an ingredient.
A scarf can be noodles.
A pinecone can be something crunchy.
A wooden ring can be a bagel — or a wheel — or a bracelet.
A bowl can be a drum.
A spoon can be a digging tool.
The child decides what the “food” is.
Hello! I am Ruby Topas, a name filled with gems. As it turns out, I love everything that is glittery and colourful. One of my favourite childhood snacks is iced gem biscuits.
I am an early childhood educator for over 15 years. I was leading a child care centre for 5 years. Inspired by the many child-centered approaches to education, in particular, the Reggio Emilia and Constructivist Approaches, I believe that young children are meaning-makers that express themselves simply through purposeful play as well as creative art and movement.
My favourite things are reading and collecting baby and children’s storybooks, visiting neighbourhood and thrift stores for all the quirky interesting materials and tools used as children’s play and art making, as well as collecting sea shells and rocks.
I am glad that I am finally realising my dream of founding a play space called The Playmakers specially for very young children. If you would like to contact me, please email me at rubytopas@gmail.com or follow our IG on ruby_topas. I’d love to hear from you and talk to you all about play and learning. Let’s build a community of true play together.
The Origin of The Playmakers
The Playmakers is a play space created for infants, toddlers, young children and their families. Our journey began recently in July 2021. At The Playmakers, we celebrate every child as a whole-being with his/her own thoughts, feelings, perspectives and preferences. We design programs to cultivate children’s thinking skills through purposeful play as well as creative art and movement. We want to partner with families to create a community which believes in the importance of respecting children and creating a safe space for them to explore, wonder, ideate, and create freely. This, we believe, is the most natural way for children to make meaning of this world.
We believe that it takes a village to raise not only the child but to support every parent as well. We hope that at The Playmakers, we will be able to do just that, bringing joy to every child’s learning journey.
Dates & Times:
23 Oct Fri: 9.30am - 11.30am & 3.15pm - 5.15pm
24 Oct Sat: 9.30am - 11.30am
30 Oct Fri: 9.30am - 11.30am
31 Oct Sat: 9.30am - 11.30am & 3.15pm - 5.15pm
6 Nov Fri: 9.30am - 11.30am
7 Nov Sat: 9.30am - 11.30am
For ages: 6 months - 3 years (With admission up to 4 years)
Ticket Price: $35 per child, $15 per adult (You may purchase tickets for up to 2 accompanying adults per child for this programme.)
Duration: 2 hours (Participants can arrive anytime, go out for a break and/or come back, within this 2-hour duration. We recommend that audiences spend at least approximately 45 min within the playmakers space to experience the session. EXPLORE "WonderGround" will also be accessible during your 2 hour slot.)
Venue: One Holland Village
See More
Terms and Conditions (Please read carefully before you purchase your tickets)
- This ticket gives you access to the PROGRAMME Playmakers and EXPLORE: "A Curious Garden". Each slot is for 2 hours and participants can arrive anytime, go out for a break and/or come back, within your session. We recommend that participants spend at least approximately 45min within the playmakers space to experience the session.
- Programme + Explore tickets are chargeable with each person (adult or child) counted as one pax. A baby in arm is also counted as 1 pax. Please note that tickets are sold PER PAX.
- Programme + Explore tickets are strictly non-refundable. If you are unable to make the Programme for any reason (including covid-related matters), you may transfer your ticket/s to another family (child/children have to be within the age stipulation). No credit notes can be issued and change of dates/ times are strictly not permitted. Please choose your date and time carefully.
- Each child must be accompanied by at least one adult into the programme.
- This programme is age-specific and The Artground reserves the right to refuse entry to children who are not within the stipulated age group, even if you have purchased a ticket. No refunds will be issued.
- Audiences have to exit The Artground once the programme is over to enable staff to clean and santise the space.
- Non-slip grip socks are mandatory for everyone (except pre-walking babies). Socks will be available for sale $3/pair for those who do not have them.
- Photography and Videography may be taken by event organisers for marketing and archival purposes.
