Weekend Workshop Calendar: Music & Art Fairs for Early Childhood Development

Table Of Contents

• Introduction
• Benefits of Music and Art Workshops for Early Development
• January-March 2026: New Year Rhythm & Creative Beginnings
• April-June 2026: Spring Melodies & Sensory Explorations
• July-September 2026: Summer Beats & Expressive Arts
• October-December 2026: Festival Sounds & Year-End Celebrations
• Preparing Your Child for a Music & Art Workshop
• Conclusion

Benefits of Music and Art Workshops for Early Development

Before we dive into the calendar of events, it’s important to understand why these workshops are so beneficial for our youngest learners. The early years from birth to age four represent a critical window of development, during which children’s brains are extraordinarily receptive to sensory input and learning experiences.

Music engages multiple areas of the brain simultaneously, creating neural connections that support cognitive development. When babies and toddlers participate in music workshops, they’re not just having fun—they’re building pathways for mathematical thinking, spatial reasoning, and memory formation. Similarly, art activities stimulate visual processing, fine motor skills, and creative problem-solving.

At Tenderfeet, our infant care classes, we’ve observed how even the youngest babies respond to rhythm and melody with focused attention. By 18 months, children in our Happyfeet program demonstrate remarkable progress in movement coordination and social interaction during musical activities.

The workshops featured in our 2026 calendar have been selected because they align with key developmental milestones and offer age-appropriate challenges that build confidence and skills. Each event provides opportunities for:

• Multi-sensory engagement through sound, touch, sight, and movement
• Language development through songs, rhymes, and storytelling
• Social-emotional growth through shared creative experiences
• Fine and gross motor skill refinement through instrument play and art-making
• Cultural appreciation through diverse musical and artistic traditions

January-March 2026: New Year Rhythm & Creative Beginnings

Lunar New Year Music Festival for Little Ones

When: January 18-19, 2026
Where: Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
Age Range: 6-47 months

Celebrate the Year of the Horse with this immersive festival designed for our youngest music enthusiasts. Children will experience traditional Chinese instruments up close, participate in dragon dance movements, and create rhythm with simple percussion instruments. The festival features designated areas for different age groups, including a sensory-rich space for babies similar to our Tenderfeet program, where they can feel vibrations from gentle gongs and explore tactile materials inspired by Chinese music traditions.

Little Hands Art Exploration Weekend

When: February 22-23, 2026
Where: National Gallery Singapore
Age Range: 12-47 months

This toddler-friendly art weekend offers developmentally appropriate stations where young children can experiment with non-toxic, washable art materials. Activities are designed to promote fine motor skills and sensory exploration rather than finished products. Parents of children in our Happyfeet and Groovers programs will recognize how these art experiences complement the musical movement skills their children are developing.

Early Spring Music & Movement Workshop Series

When: March 8, 15, 22, 2026 (Sunday mornings)
Where: Botanic Gardens Symphony Lake
Age Range: 4-47 months

This outdoor workshop series combines nature sounds with musical instruments, allowing children to distinguish between environmental and created music. Each session builds upon the previous one, helping children develop auditory discrimination and movement coordination. The workshop approach mirrors our Scouts program, where scientific concepts are introduced through musical experiences.

April-June 2026: Spring Melodies & Sensory Explorations

Bilingual Music Adventure

When: April 11-12, 2026
Where: Central Public Library
Age Range: 18-47 months

This innovative workshop introduces simple songs in both English and Mandarin, supporting bilingual development through musical play. Children will engage with picture books that come to life through sound, creating connections between languages, images, and melodies. Parents whose children attend our SMART-START Chinese program will find this workshop reinforces the bilingual foundations being built in class.

Sensory Symphony for Babies

When: May 16, 2026
Where: Esplanade Recital Studio
Age Range: 4-18 months

Designed specifically for our youngest music lovers, this gentle concert experience features professional musicians playing soft, age-appropriate compositions while babies explore tactile elements that correspond to the music. The sensory-rich environment stimulates cognitive connections and provides valuable bonding time between caregivers and infants. The approach aligns perfectly with our Tenderfeet philosophy of introducing musical concepts through multi-sensory experiences.

Preschool Readiness Arts Weekend

When: June 27-28, 2026
Where: Science Centre Singapore
Age Range: 36-47 months

This workshop bridges creative arts with early academic concepts, preparing children for the transition to preschool. Activities include pattern-based music games, counting songs, shape-inspired art, and collaborative musical storytelling. The integrative approach mirrors our SMART-START English program, which uses music as a vehicle for developing school readiness skills.

July-September 2026: Summer Beats & Expressive Arts

International Children’s Music Festival

When: July 18-19, 2026
Where: Marina Barrage
Age Range: 4-47 months (different zones for age groups)

This expansive festival celebrates musical traditions from around the world with interactive stations designed for different developmental stages. Babies can experience gentle drumming vibrations and singing in the dedicated infant zone, while older toddlers can try simple instruments and join movement activities. The festival’s approach to cultural exploration through music complements the diverse musical styles introduced in our Groovers program.

Nature Art & Music Camp

When: August 8-9, 2026
Where: Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden
Age Range: 24-47 months

This weekend camp combines outdoor exploration with creative expression, allowing toddlers to collect natural materials for art projects and create music inspired by nature sounds. The interdisciplinary approach helps children develop observational skills and make connections between natural science and artistic expression—concepts that are central to our Scouts program.

Mid-Autumn Lantern & Music Celebration

When: September 26, 2026
Where: Chinese Garden
Age Range: 12-47 months

This evening workshop offers families the opportunity to create simple lanterns and participate in a twilight music parade. Children will learn traditional Moon Festival songs in both English and Mandarin, reinforcing cultural understanding through music. The bilingual musical experience supports language development goals similar to those in our SMART-START Chinese curriculum.

October-December 2026: Festival Sounds & Year-End Celebrations

Diwali Rhythm Workshop

When: October 24, 2026
Where: Little India Arcade
Age Range: 18-47 months

This cultural celebration introduces children to the rhythms and colors of Diwali through age-appropriate activities. Toddlers will create simple rangoli patterns with safe materials, explore basic percussion instruments, and move to traditional festive rhythms. The workshop’s emphasis on rhythm and pattern recognition complements the mathematical thinking developed in our Happyfeet program.

Holiday Music Making Weekend

When: November 28-29, 2026
Where: ArtScience Museum
Age Range: 4-47 months

As the year-end holidays approach, this workshop introduces festive songs from different cultural traditions alongside creative instrument-making activities. Babies can experience sensory explorations of holiday-themed materials, while older toddlers can create simple shakers and drums to accompany seasonal songs. The inclusive celebration of diverse holiday traditions mirrors our approach to cultural appreciation through music in all our programs.

New Year Countdown Arts Festival

When: December 19-20, 2026
Where: National Museum of Singapore
Age Range: 12-47 months

This year-end celebration offers creative stations where children can make musical time capsules, create artwork representing their hopes for the new year, and join in countdown songs and dances. The festival incorporates elements of reflection and anticipation appropriate for developing minds, supporting the social-emotional development that’s central to our Groovers and SMART-START English programs.

Preparing Your Child for a Music & Art Workshop

To maximize the developmental benefits of these workshops, consider these preparation tips based on our experience at The Music Scientist:

For Babies (4-18 months)

Timing is everything with our youngest participants. Schedule workshops during alert periods between naps and feedings when babies are most receptive to new experiences. Bring familiar comfort items to help them feel secure in new environments, and don’t be concerned if they observe more than they participate—absorption is a valid form of learning at this age.

Parents of babies in our Tenderfeet program often notice that after several weeks, their infants begin to show anticipatory excitement before music sessions. This same pattern of growing comfort and engagement will likely develop as you attend multiple workshops throughout the year.

For Toddlers (18-36 months)

Prepare toddlers with simple language about what they’ll experience. Phrases like “We’re going to hear music and move our bodies” or “We’ll use our hands to make colorful art” set clear expectations. Allow for movement breaks and respect when your toddler needs to step back from group activities—learning to regulate sensory input is an important skill.

Children in our Happyfeet and Groovers programs show remarkable growth in their ability to participate in structured activities over time. The same developmental progression will unfold as your toddler experiences more workshops.

For Preschoolers (36-47 months)

Involve your preschooler in choosing which workshops to attend, building excitement and investment. After each workshop, engage in reflective conversations about what they experienced and learned. These discussions reinforce cognitive connections and language development.

Our Scouts and SMART-START participants demonstrate how these meta-cognitive conversations enhance learning retention and application. The workshops become even more valuable when connected to ongoing discussions at home.

Conclusion

The 2026 calendar of music and art workshops offers Singapore families extraordinary opportunities to nurture their children’s development through creative experiences. By thoughtfully selecting events that align with your child’s age, interests, and developmental needs, you’re providing valuable building blocks for cognitive, physical, and emotional growth.

At The Music Scientist, we understand that these weekend workshops complement the consistent developmental support children receive in ongoing programs. The combination of regular classes and special workshop experiences creates a rich tapestry of learning that supports whole-child development.

We encourage you to mark these dates on your family calendar now and watch as your child’s relationship with music and art evolves throughout the year. Each workshop builds upon previous experiences, creating a progressive journey of discovery and growth.

Remember that the most important element in these creative experiences is your presence and participation. When children see their caregivers engaged in music and art, they internalize the value of creative expression and develop confidence in their own abilities to explore, create, and learn.