“Did you know that the purple petals of a bougainvillea are actually leaves?” My 6-year-old daughter asked a stranger she passed on the overpass where the iconic ornamental plant hangs above the road. I ask.
This is a fun fact and I recently taught my kids about this plant. Through this knowledge, I hope to give her a sense of connection to her wider world and how she fits into it.
We must start by clearing up common misconceptions. The idea is that Singapore is just a concrete jungle, the natural landscape is boring and all the trees look the same. In fact, there are more than 400 of her parks across the country, offering a wide variety of terrain and habitats to explore, even in highly urbanized areas.
In Punggol, for example, unique birds and insects can be found everywhere, from the man-made floating wetlands in the waterways to the hanging gardens in the town centre.
In the center, buffer parks such as Chestnut Nature Park and Thomson Nature Park help create vast corridors for wildlife to move through habitat.
Much of the greenery found in Singapore is located in parks, park connections and even along roads, and has been carefully selected for the benefit of both human and animal residents.
From spiky trees and evergreen foliage to flowers that are only fragrant at night, every plant has a story to tell: where it came from, why it was planted, and the changes it quietly nurtures in the landscape. There is a unique story to tell. Decades of testimony.
By unlocking these secrets, parents and guardians grant their children access to the vast classroom of nature. The outdoors provides valuable learning tools that can be used to teach children meaningful lessons not only about nature, but also about the society in which we live.
Embrace diversity from a young age
Singapore has a history, dating back to British colonial rule, of planting seeds with interesting features that breed intrigue and conversation. For example, Caroupita guianensis, commonly known as the cannonball tree, was introduced because its fruits and flowers grow from the middle of the trunk rather than the branches.
Just as we cherish the “strange” plants that have leaves as petals, we cherish the fact that Singapore is made up of people with different cultures, abilities, physical appearances and conditions. We should accept it and teach our children to accept it.
All plants and animals have a unique role in our ecosystem. Similarly, there is a place for each of us in Singapore society, regardless of our differences.
Viable alternatives to screen time
My children, like most children, were once heavily dependent on various forms of screen entertainment (including “educational” ones). While honing my knowledge of Singapore’s flora and fauna, I started keeping them away from my devices.