Little Ant Kingdom At a Glance

Imagine this—as you step into the thematic playground, you are instantly transported into an immersive world where you shrink to the size of an ant. Surrounding you is a vibrant landscape filled with gigantic flowers, leaves and logs. As you weave through tunnels, you learn fascinating facts about the daily lives of your nestmates and the critical roles you play in the ecosystem. This is the experience that awaits one at Science Centre Singapore KidsSTOP™'s thematic playground— Little Ant Kingdom.

Blending education and play, this innovative exhibit playground at Science Centre Singapore proudly designed and built by SPACElogic sparks curiosity and wonder in children about the microscopic universe that exists right under our feet.

The Brief by Science Centre Singapore

Design Brief

Aimed at creating an immersive and engaging exhibition for the young visitors at KidsSTOP™, the brief by Science Centre Singapore called for a thematic gallery centred around ants that weaves educational content with interactive play elements— fostering curiosity, learning, and appreciation for the fascinating world of these industrious insects.

Design Challenges

To bring the "Little Ant Kingdom" to life, several key challenges had to be addressed:

• Creation of a space that captivates while imparting knowledge in a bite-sized way—striking a careful balance between detail yet not being overwhelming for the young minds
• Spatial planning that replicates a real subterranean ant ecosystem while aligning with the broad content curation and sequence
• Designing interactive exhibits, each with a specific sub-topic knowledge to convey
• Ensuring the exhibits align with the overall ant kingdom theme

SPACElogic’s Creative Solutions for Little Ant Kingdom

Our team tackled these challenges with innovative and thoughtful solutions:

• Seamless integration of facts about ant biology, behaviour, and societal structures into engaging displays and activities. This approach made learning enjoyable and effortless.
• Incorporation of tactile elements, such as tunnels mimicking ant nests, allowing children to explore and experience the ants' environment firsthand.
• Utilisation of mechanical interactives to teach scientific concepts such as food transference and the ants’ defense mechanism—bringing the ant kingdom to life in vivid detail.
• Procurement and Production: Careful consideration of ergonomics and safety standards to ensure the exhibits cater to children of various ages and abilities.

Creating an Immersive ‘Little Ant Kingdom’ Thematic Playground

Thematic Immersion

Spanning 125 sqm, this thematic playground was designed to mirror an ant's nest and offer visitors a captivating glimpse into the life of ants. Vibrant murals depicting ant colonies and their intricate networks adorned the walls, while interactive displays allowed children to learn all about ants.

Multiple teams worked cross-functionally on this—each handling different aspects from design conceptualisation, to procurement team dealing with material purchase, production team meticulously fabricating intricate builds and project team orchestrating end-to-end timeline and completion.

The result is a mesmerising underground habitat that transports visitors into the realm of ants.

From the layout and décor to the interactive stations, each element contributed to the overall thematic cohesion.

Fostering Curiosity and Knowledge

Visitors can observe a real ant colony, and learn about the fascinating life cycle of these tiny creatures. Interactive stations like 'Whack-an-Ant' and 'Feed Me!', designed, fabricated and installed by SPACElogic's in-house teams, demonstrate unique ant behaviours like mouth-to-mouth feeding, making learning both fun and engaging for the curious young minds.

Interactive Learning Through Role-Play and Unravelling Ant Mysteries

Explore the intricate world of ants through innovative features like the RFID-enabled Food Block Puzzle game and Pheromone Trail maze. Gain an ant's perspective as you navigate these challenges, unravelling the mysteries of how ants communicate, forage for food, and work together as a thriving community.

Conclusion

The Little Ant Kingdom thematic playground demonstrates the power of blending education and play. By taking a creative, immersive approach to designing an exhibit focused on ant ecology, we were able to craft an experience that engages young visitors on multiple levels.

When visitors are empowered to explore topics for themselves, they walk away with a deeper understanding and appreciation. By melding entertainment and pedagogy, themed exhibits like this project prove it is possible to educate and enthral at the same time.

About KidsSTOP™, Science Centre Singapore

KidsSTOP™ is the Science Centre Singapore’s dedicated Children’s Science Centre. Officially opened on 5 June 2014, children aged 8 years and below can learn to inquire, investigate and innovate in a safe and conducive gallery that focuses specifically on science for kids.