Emma Memma & The Wishing Tree Singapore: Celebrating Childhood with MindChamps

Emma Memma & The Wishing Tree at Victoria Theatre, Singapore

What stayed with me after attending Emma Memma & The Wishing Tree was the children’s response. In the photographs I brought home, you can see hands raised towards the stage, faces turned towards the performers and a theatre filled with families.

The event felt meaningful to me because it brought a familiar question into focus: what kinds of experiences do we want our children to grow up with?

ANZA’s event feature announced the musical, featuring Kayshita, at Victoria Theatre from 4 to 6 November 2026. It identifies the presenter as MindChamps Emma Memma Production and describes connections to music, reading and theatrical creativity, alongside themes of kindness and friendship. ^[1]

Music, movement and storytelling: an invitation to participate

A colourful performance can offer children many ways to respond. Some join the movement. Some watch closely. Others want to talk about a character afterwards. I value that room for different responses: participation can begin with curiosity, and confidence can look different from one child to another.

For me, the link to preschool is a practical one. When parents visit a school, they can ask how educators make room for children’s questions, imaginative play and individual interests. How does a teacher encourage a child who prefers to observe before joining in?

Connecting a shared story with everyday conversation

MindChamps’ published Chinese preschool curriculum includes music, language activities and Creativity & Theatrical Strategies, with storytelling and imaginative role play among its approaches. ^[4] A useful next step for families is to ask the teachers what those ideas look like during an ordinary school day.

At home, you could continue a theatre experience with three simple invitations:

• “Which character would you like to tell me about?” Give your child time to choose what mattered to them.
• “Can you show me your favourite movement?” Let them demonstrate in their own way.
• “What would happen in your version of the story?” Follow the direction their imagination takes.

These are suggestions for sharing the experience together. The value is in listening to your child’s response.

“I hope our children have the confidence to join in, the freedom to imagine and the kindness to make room for others.”
— Andrew Koh

Meet the characters: friendship, communication and care

The published show information confirms Emma Memma and Kayshita as its central named characters. MindChamps also identifies Cutie as Kayshita’s robot companion in its wider storytelling. The reflections below suggest conversations families could have; they are not a scene-by-scene account of the musical.

Emma Memma: an invitation to communicate

Created by Dr Emma Watkins, Emma Memma brings music, movement and visual communication into children’s entertainment. Her official introduction places gesture, mime, dance and Auslan sign language at the heart of that approach. ^{[5] [6]}

My reflection: Children can connect and express themselves in different ways. A welcoming learning environment makes room for watching, moving, signing and speaking.

Ask your child: “How could you help someone join a game if they communicate differently from you?”

Kayshita: a visitor who opens a conversation about belonging

The organiser identifies Kayshita as an original MindChamps character appearing alongside Emma Memma. In MindChamps’ wider character introduction, she comes from the planet Oro’tika and shares stories and learning experiences intended to encourage confidence and empathy. ^{[5] [7]}

My reflection: A visitor from another world is a starting point for talking about someone who is new to our own. A greeting, an invitation to play or a patient explanation can make a difference.

Ask your child: “What could we do to help a new friend feel welcome?”

Shu: bringing the ZunBold Universe into children’s learning

Shu is the red character pictured with families in my Victoria Theatre foyer photograph. Shu belongs to MindChamps’ proprietary ZunBold Universe, alongside characters including Kayshita and Iggy.

A Sassy Mama feature produced in partnership with MindChamps PreSchool describes these characters as part of the curriculum: through storytelling, imaginative play and everyday classroom experiences, they help make concepts and values relatable to children, supporting confidence, resilience, emotional maturity and a love of learning. This is the shared educational role of the character group; the feature does not assign Shu a separate curriculum responsibility. ^[8]

Try this at home: Ask your child, “What would you say to Shu?” or “How could you help a new friend feel welcome?” These are suggested conversation starters for families.

Cutie: a companion and a prompt to think about helpfulness

MindChamps identifies Cutie as Kayshita’s robot companion. Its published introduction connects the pair with storytelling, confidence, empathy and social-emotional learning. ^[7]

My reflection: Companionship gives families a way to discuss what it means to help: paying attention, offering support and being present for someone else.

Ask your child: “How do you notice when a friend needs you?”

The Wishing Tree: an image for thinking beyond ourselves

The show’s official description places wishes, imagination, kindness and friendship at its heart. ^[5] My interpretation of the tree is an invitation to ask a generous question:

“If you could make a wish for someone else, what would it be?”

We can then ask what small act of kindness we could offer today. For JTC Summit and Thomson families, these conversations can continue through stories, imaginative play and everyday friendships.

During a school visit, ask how educators help children include others, express feelings and resolve disagreements.

Character note: Emma Memma’s official wider cast also includes Elvin Melvin, Waffles the Wombat and BB Butterfly. Their individual roles in this particular production are not detailed in the public show synopsis, so no specific plot actions are attributed to them here. The Wishing Tree is discussed as a story element.

The people who turn experiences into connection

A performance has its cast, musicians and production team. A preschool has educators who welcome children, notice their interests and work alongside families. I left the theatre thinking about how much the people around a child matter.

Thank you to the performers and everyone who helped bring this event to life. To our JTC Summit and Thomson educators: thank you for the care and imagination you bring to your work with children.

Get to know more of the team through People Behind Our Champs .

Emma Memma Singapore and Kayshita sing-along: parent questions