Army Open House 2012

The Army Open House is happening this weekend at the F1 Pit Building and we cheekiemonkies were given a sneak preview on Tuesday. Faced with the prospect of coming face to face with tanks, helicopters and all things cool, di-di & I gladly reluctantly skipped school.

And it seemed that we were not the only ones who skipped school. Heh.

Hello Sengkang Babies! We were glad for their company, because 4 boys mean more havoc created! See the stretch of walkway behind us in the photo above? It's called the Army Avenue - stunning displays of our Full Spectrum 3rd Generation Army, featuring SAF's latest gadgets, weapon systems and of course all the fighting machines that kids love!

And as an added bonus, most of the vehicles along the Army Avenue allow the public to climb onboard for a closer look!

We could even get a first-hand experience of what it feels like to be seated in such a military vehicle.

But the one which really delighted di-di & I was the Super Puma helicopter.

Can you tell how happy I was to be in the cockpit? Hee.

There were also many other vehicles that we kids loved climbing in and out of - just don't ask us if we remember their names.

But they did open our eyes to the many different battle machines that our Army has, and simply put, we were happy enough just to be able to get so close to them.

And if adrenaline is more your kind of thing, there is the Adventure Soldier zone, where one can partake in Rock climbing, Rappelling, Firing a rifle, Paintball sessions... all of which we didn't have time to try.

We didn't have enough time because di-di spotted something in the sky.

Red parachutes dotting the skyline!

It was time for the 30-minute Dynamic Defence Demonstration (or D3, for short) at the Dynamic Show Arena, where the Red Lions had marked as their landing pad.

The D3 show pits SAF's men and machines against terrorists in a mock operation, and a word of caution - it can get really LOUD.

Perhaps too loud for one monkie? Heh.

Nah, my ears were itchy when Daddy snapped the photo.

We got a chance to go down to the arena for some photo-taking with the stars of the show.

Needless to say, di-di & I were not shy at all.

The D3 show is happening on Saturday & Sunday at 10am and 4pm. And here's a tip - get seated about 15 minutes early to catch a glimpse of the Red Lions free-falling from the sky.

There is another Military Show in the evening at 7pm on both days, and this one includes pyrotechnics!

After having our skin beaten mercilessly by the unrelenting sun, our next stop was a welcome change.

It was the NS45 Showcase... and it was air-conditioned!

The NS45 multimedia exhibition showcases the past, present and future of SAF as Singapore celebrates 45 years of National Service this year. This exhibition is based on the theme - Celebrating 45 Years of National Service: From Fathers to Sons.

Di-di & I loved the exhibition... yes, because it was air-conditioned... but also because the exhibition had  lots of hands-on stuff for us kids to try out and learn in the process.

Then it was time to head out into the sun again, but this time we were not complaining one bit. Why so? Because of this.

This is THE ONE zone which di-di & I had been looking forward to the entire morning! A ride in the  LARC V fast craft. Woot!

And while the adults went about marveling the gorgeous scenery of the Bay area as we cruised along...

... we kiddos were more focused on spotting the landmarks along the Bay.

And our verdict of the 'Wet & Wild' ride?

However, do take note that the minimum height requirement for the water rides is 1.20m. And that include the Battle Rides on land as well.

Di-di & I didn't go for the land rides as we were ushered to another zone. Daddy, however, tried out the Bionix ride as it brings its passengers over simulated terrain.

And his verdict? Very bumpy, but FUN!

Daddy only tried out one out of the 3 land rides though, due to time constraints. But if you have the time to queue, do not miss the Light Strike Vehicle (LSV).

Uncle Andy of Sengkang Babies tried it out, and it was exhilarating to say the least. But with the immense popularity of these rides, expect a long queue for both the land and water rides.

But what if kids are below 1.20m?

Fret not, because there is an entire zone of activities dedicated to younger children!

The Kidz Boot Camp has tons and tons of activities to keep us children occupied. And you know what, di-di & I didn't even have the time to complete every single one of them!

There is the mini Obstacle Course by Forest Adventure.

I liked it so much that I went on it twice.

Photo courtesy of Dawn from MINDEF Public Affairs

For the younger kids, there are kiddie rides in the form of camouflaged jeeps.

One can even role play and dress up as an Army Officer at the Army Photo Booth.

Or if you prefer to get your face dirty, you can put on some camouflage make-up... just to hide from your parents.

For the ever so hyper kids (that'll be us!), there is the bouncy maze castle. Never fails to bring out the joy in kids if you ask us.

Looking for something more challenging? Then try shooting some hoops at the bouncy basketball zone.

It isn't easy as it sounds, not when one is being secured to an elastic strap while attempting to run as near to the hoop as possible! But it was very fun!

4 hours flew past just like that, and we didn't even get to try out everything! But I don't think there is any need to ask di-di & me what we thought of the Army Open House. Heh.

Thanks to MINDEF for inviting us down for the preview. We had a blast! Oh, and a big thank you to our NSF 'minders' too - they were tasked to look after us all the time and they did such a good job, leaving our daddies to go snap photos with a piece of mind. :)

And we loved the goodie bags too!

Our final thoughts?

Useful Information:

Venue: F1 Pit Building

Dates: 26 & 27 May 2012

Time: 9am - 8pm

FREE admission. All rides and activities are FREE.

Click HERE for more information, or 'Like' Army Open House on Facebook for updates.

Map of Event area

Click HERE to download a copy of the Army Open House 2012 Brochure.

Lastly, have fun! And remember, bring your caps & sunblock and drink lots & lots of water!

Daddy took so many pictures that we can't possibly put all of them here. So head to our Cheekiemonkies Facebook page album for more photos HERE.