Audition for ChildAid, David Attenborough VR show at ArtScience Museum, The Courage To Be You book

For the first time, adults can audition alongside kids and teens for the annual ChildAid charity fund-raiser (seen here in a 2024 photo).

Published Sep 06, 2026, 12:05 PM

Updated Sep 06, 2026, 12:05 PM

ChildAid 2026 Festival auditions are open, with submissions due by Sept 12; proceeds support youth funds benefiting underserved children.

Ranie Pang’s picture book, The Courage To Be You, addresses early self-doubt in children and aims to help them value themselves beyond comparisons.

David Attenborough’s First Life VR experience at ArtScience Museum offers a 15-minute prehistoric adventure for families, suitable for kids aged 11 and above.

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

Audition for ChildAid 2026 Festival

Looking for a meaningful project this September school holidays? Record a performance video with your kids and audition for the annual ChildAid charity fund-raiser .

Organised by The Straits Times and The Business Times, ChildAid 2026 Festival: Open Stage transitions to a free outdoor event at UOB Plaza on Nov 13 and 14. The fund-raiser started in 2005 with ticketed concerts in venues such as the Esplanade Theatre. In 2026 , funds will be raised via corporate and individual donors.

For the first time, adults can audition alongside children and teens, as long as the act features at least one key performer aged 19 or below.

The organisers are seeking a diverse array of talent, including bands, a cappella singers, dancers, instrumentalists, buskers, magicians, acrobats and variety performers .

To apply, submit a performance video of up to three minutes at str.sg/CA2026audition by Sept 12.

All contributions will benefit The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, continuing an initiative that has raised more than $32 million for underserved youth since 2005.

The Courage To Be You

The Courage To Be You is written by Ranie Pang (right) and illustrated by Kristen Kiong (left). PHOTO: JEN PAN PHOTOGRAPHY

The Courage To Be You is written by Ranie Pang (right) and illustrated by Kristen Kiong (left).

PHOTO: JEN PAN PHOTOGRAPHY

When Ranie Pang’s six-year-old goddaughter entered primary school in January, the former early childhood educator noticed how early self-doubt takes root.

“As I watched her grow, I became increasingly aware of how young children are when they begin noticing differences and comparing themselves with others,” Pang says. “Who is faster? Who learns more quickly? Who is more talented? Who gets praised?”

This inspired the 33-year-old to self-publish her debut picture book The Courage To Be You, illustrated by Kristen Kiong.

Following young Riley, the story mirrors Pang’s own childhood. “I loved dancing, just like Riley does in the book, but comparison, fear and insecurity eventually made me afraid to fully be myself.”

Three decades later, she realised those same questions persisted into adulthood, shifting from grades to career milestones. “I think these are questions that begin in childhood, but don’t necessarily disappear when we grow up. The comparisons simply change.”

Picture book The Courage To Be You reminds children that their worth never depends on their achievements. PHOTO: KRISTEN KIONG

Picture book The Courage To Be You reminds children that their worth never depends on their achievements.

PHOTO: KRISTEN KIONG

Through her book, Pang hopes to protect young minds before insecurity becomes an inner voice, reminding children – and the adults raising them – that “their value has never depended on the outcome”.

Buy a copy at $22 from Kiong’s website at str.sg/gdUh , Books Kinokuniya and Liliewoods Social.

David Attenborough’s First Life

Prehistoric creatures, such as the five-eyed opabinia (pictured), are featured in David Attenborough’s First Life. ILLUSTRATION: ALCHEMY IMMERSIVE

Prehistoric creatures, such as the five-eyed opabinia (pictured), are featured in David Attenborough’s First Life.

ILLUSTRATION: ALCHEMY IMMERSIVE

If your child has a fascination with prehistoric creatures and ancient mysteries, David Attenborough’s First Life offers a captivating virtual-reality (VR) adventure.

Now showing at the ArtScience Museum, this 15-minute experience takes you and your child back 3.5 billion years to witness the origin of life on earth , guided by the iconic British presenter himself. While he also narrated a 2010 TV series of the same name, this 2015 VR short is an original experience.

Slipping on VR headsets, your family will come face to face with extinct marine animals brought to life through scientific discoveries, from the five-eyed opabinia to the spiny, worm-like hallucigenia to the fearsome apex predator anomalocaris .

Running from Aug 28 to Dec 31, this production is suitable for families with children aged 11 and above.

While the VR Gallery undergoes renovation, the experience is housed in the ArtScience Laboratory , located at the museum’s basement 2. There are multiple daily screenings between 11am and 6.30pm. Each session is limited to 10 spots, with tickets priced at $5 a person from str.sg/ia4p

Before or after the show , your family can also explore the free walk-in activities in the laboratory space, which is open from 10am to 6pm daily.

成年人首次可以与儿童和青少年一起参加一年一度的 ChildAid 慈善筹款活动的试镜（如图所示，摄于 2024 年）。

发布于 2026 年 9 月 6 日下午 12:05

更新于2026年9月6日下午12:05

ChildAid 2026 节日选拔赛现已开放，报名截止日期为 9 月 12 日；所得款项将用于资助服务不足儿童的青年基金。

Ranie Pang 的图画书《做自己的勇气》探讨了儿童早期的自我怀疑，旨在帮助他们超越比较，珍视自己。

大卫·艾登堡的《第一生命》VR体验在艺术科学博物馆为家庭提供了一段15分钟的史前冒险之旅，适合11岁及以上的儿童。

新加坡——这些想法和活动会让家庭时光更加特别。

2026年儿童援助节试镜

想在这个九月学校假期找个有意义的项目吗？和你的孩子一起录制一段表演视频，参加一年一度的ChildAid慈善筹款活动的试镜吧！

由《海峡时报》和《商业时报》联合主办的“2026儿童援助节：开放舞台”将于11月13日和14日在UOB广场举行，届时将举办一场免费的户外活动。这项筹款活动始于2005年，最初是在滨海艺术中心等场馆举办售票音乐会。2026年，筹款将主要通过企业和个人捐助者进行。

成年人可以首次与儿童和青少年一起参加试镜，只要表演中至少有一名主要表演者年龄在 19 岁或以下即可。

主办方正在寻找各种各样的人才，包括乐队、无伴奏合唱歌手、舞蹈演员、乐器演奏家、街头艺人、魔术师、杂技演员和各种表演者。

如需申请，请于 9 月 12 日前通过 str.sg/CA2026audition 提交不超过三分钟的表演视频。

所有捐款将用于《海峡时报》学生零花钱基金和《商业时报》新锐艺术家基金，延续自 2005 年以来为弱势青少年筹集超过 3200 万美元的计划。

做自己的勇气

《做自己的勇气》由兰妮·庞（右）撰写，克里斯汀·基翁（左）绘制插图。照片：JEN PAN PHOTOGRAPHY

《做自己的勇气》由 Ranie Pang（右）撰写，Kristen Kiong（左）绘制插图。

照片：JEN PAN 摄影

今年一月，当 Ranie Pang 的六岁教女进入小学时，这位前幼儿教育工作者注意到，孩子很小的时候就开始产生自我怀疑。

“看着她长大，我越来越意识到，小孩子很小的时候就开始注意到差异，并把自己和别人比较，”庞说。“谁跑得更快？谁学得更快？谁更有天赋？谁会受到表扬？”

这激励这位 33 岁的作家自费出版了她的第一本图画书《做自己的勇气》，该书由 Kristen Kiong 绘制插图。

故事以小莱利为主角，反映了庞自己的童年经历。“我像书中的莱利一样热爱跳舞，但攀比、恐惧和不安全感最终让我不敢完全做自己。”

三十年后，她意识到这些问题一直延续到成年，只是从成绩转移到了职业里程碑。“我认为这些问题始于童年，但并不一定会在我们长大后消失。只是比较的对象发生了变化。”

绘本《做自己的勇气》提醒孩子们，他们的价值并不取决于他们的成就。照片：克里斯汀·基翁

绘本《做自己的勇气》提醒孩子们，他们的价值并不取决于他们的成就。

照片：克里斯汀·基翁

庞希望通过她的书来保护年轻人的心灵，防止不安全感成为他们内心的声音，并提醒孩子们——以及养育他们的成年人——“他们的价值从来不取决于结果”。

您可以在 Kiong 的网站 str.sg/gdUh、Kinokuniya 书店和 Liliewoods Social 购买一本，售价 22 美元。

大卫·艾登堡的《第一人生》

史前生物，例如五眼欧巴宾海蝎（如图），在戴维·艾登堡的《第一生命》中均有出现。插图：ALCHEMY IMMERSIVE

史前生物，例如五眼欧巴宾海蝎（如图所示），在大卫·艾登堡的《第一生命》中都有介绍。

插图：炼金术沉浸式

如果您的孩子对史前生物和古代谜团着迷，大卫·艾登堡的《第一生命》将为您提供引人入胜的虚拟现实 (VR) 冒险体验。

这部时长15分钟的VR体验短片目前正在艺术科学博物馆展出，它将带领您和您的孩子回到35亿年前，亲眼见证地球生命的起源，并由这位英国标志性主持人亲自引导。虽然他曾在2010年为同名电视系列片担任旁白，但这部2015年的VR短片却是一次全新的体验。

戴上 VR 头显，您的家人将与通过科学发现而复活的已灭绝海洋动物面对面，从五眼欧巴宾海蝎到多刺的蠕虫状幻影海蝎，再到可怕的顶级掠食者奇虾。

该剧将于8月28日至12月31日上演，适合11岁及以上儿童的家庭观看。

VR展厅正在翻新期间，体验活动暂时移至位于博物馆地下二层的艺术科学实验室。每天上午11点至下午6点30分之间有多场放映。每场限10人，票价为每人5新元，购票链接：str.sg/ia4p

演出前后，您的家人还可以探索实验室空间内的免费参观活动，该空间每天上午 10 点至下午 6 点开放。