Singapore National Day Papercraft (Download Printable)

Description

Singapore National Day Papercraft (Download Printable)

Download a combo of 2 National Day papercraft: Merlion Papercraft and bumboat papercraft which can be cut and assembled easily by children.

Merlion Papercraft

Have you ever seen the merlion lit up in colourful shades during the Marina Bay countdown and during the Light shows?

We created a Merlion papercraft in which children can express their creativity by choosing any colours and designs they want on their Merlion. 

Learn about how Merlion has become the icon of Singapore and how and why it was moved. 

What is a National Day celebration without the Merlion? Have fun with your class by making this cool Merlion papercraft. 

Bumboat Papercraft

Yes, the Merlion is rowing the paddles on the bumboat! The oar of the bumboat will move as you move the merlion back and forth. Cute right?

Since some children are doing home-based learning while others are having their summer holidays, this is a great stay-at-home activity for the young and old. This craft is simple to do yet fun to play with.

We recommend that you take a look at the significance of the bumboats to the economy of Singapore before embarking on this simple bum boat art and craft. 

Shipping: NIL. This is a download.

Recommended age: 6 years and up.

Origins of Merlion

The Merlion consists of 2 parts: mer (maid) and lion. 

Singapore was founded by a Malay prince, Sang Nila Utama. He saw a lion when he first stepped foot on this sunny island. Though there was no lion in Singapore, the story stuck hence found in many Singapore elements. The lion symbolizes bravery and strength which describe our country aptly. 

Mer- part, refers to the lower part of the statue: its fish body. Singapore was a fishing village and a seaport – back when the city was still called “Temasek”, which is “sea town” in Javanese.

Merlion was designed for the logo of the Singapore Tourism Board. Although the logo has since been changed, the Merlion continues to be a symbol of Singapore in the minds of many around the world. 

 

Significance of Bumboats in Singapore

(Image Source: National Archive of Singapore)

A bumboat is typically a flat-bottomed barge mainly used to transport goods from the ship to shore and vice versa. Since They are adapted from the original wooden European-style lighters. Since Singapore is a significant ‘entrepôt‘ (or ‘trading post’) over the next 150 years thanks to its strategic position on the India-to-China trade route, these bumboats contributed significantly to Singapore’s development. 

The front of these boats is often painted with “eyes” to enable them, metaphorically, to see the dangers ahead. Old rubber tyres tied to these boats are used as shock absorbers in case of collisions with the jetty or other boats. In Singapore, bumboats are also called twakow or tongkang. Most were navigated by oars or guided by long poles up the rivers.

Since the river clean-up campaign in 1983, bumboats have been used as river taxis to ferry passengers along the Singapore River for sightseeing. Pickup and disembarkation points include Boat Quay and Clarke Quay.

 

That is why we chose these 2 iconic items to be part of our Singapore National Day papercraft download.