Run out of kid-friendly places to visit? Load your calendar with ideas from our guide to family fun – many for free!
Run out of kid-friendly places to visit? Load your calendar with ideas from our guide to family fun – many for free!
MALL PLAY
GROUNDS COMPASS ONE
Kids who love adventure will enjoy the Ninja Trail on Level 4 of Compass One, which is linked to Sengkang MRT station. The mall was formerly known as Compass Point and reopened in September last year.
The water obstacle course has 17 play features, such as Jelly Jumping Pads, which they have to jump on to find bursts of water, and the Soaking Monkeys, where kids will have to navigate through “fog” while hanging from monkey bars, before ringing the bell at the finishing line. Pack a change of clothes; there are toilets beside the playground. VISIT www.compassone.sg.
VIVOCITY
Level 2 is home to a recently renovated outdoor playground with two play areas for children of various age groups. The younger ones will enjoy bouncing on the trampoline, and the slides here are shorter.
Those aged six to 12 will love the swings, climbing ropes and ladders, sliding poles and slide. There is also a wet play area fitted with rhythmic water jets that light up in a colourful pattern every day, after 7pm. VISIT www.vivocity.com.sg.
WATERWAY POINT
PARKWAY PARADE
OUTDOOR PLAYGROUNDS
YISHUN RIVER GREEN
Not many neighbourhood playgrounds feature art installations, but this one does. Created by US-based light sculptor, Mini Pool consists of 16 pads on the ground that light up and change colour when they are stepped on, according to a Straits Times report.
Complementing the playground’s whimsical theme are three crooked houses that seem to have been plucked straight out of a Dr Seuss book, the report adds. There is also a kinetic hammock trellis – a swing set with nine seats installed at different heights.
Block 330 Yishun Ring Road
CANBERRA PARK
If your kids love swings, this 1.5ha adventure park has the most in Singapore, according to a Straits Times report.
Among them are the Swings of Differences, which cater to various age groups and abilities, from toddlers to special-needs kids. There’s also an amphitheatre, BBQ pits, bicycle and fitness stations, and cycling and jogging paths.
Opposite Block 325 Sembawang Crescent
MONTREAL GREEN
One of the rare playgrounds with a sandpit, this is divided into two sections. A taller slide and a mini rock climbing wall are perfect for bigger kids, while the younger ones can hop aboard a seesaw or a mini merry-go-round.
Block 589A Montreal Drive
INDOOR FUN
CLIP ‘N CLIMB
This indoor climbing theme park opened last December at the new HomeTeamNS clubhouse in Our Tampines Hub, a huge community complex opposite Tampines Central.
Here, you’ll find 19 quirky wall routes, where both kids and adults – beginners, as well as experienced climbers – can enjoy the thrill of scaling 8m-high walls.
As the grips are unique to each climbing station, you get to face a variety of challenges. Instead of dull grey walls that you might find at other climbing centres, Clip ‘N Climb is awash in bright colours, with energetic music to boot.
The concept hails from New Zealand and there are now over 100 branches worldwide.
There is no minimum age for climbers; they just need to weigh between 10kg and 150kg. If you're not joining your kids, make yourself comfortable at the waiting area, which has sofa benches – and free Wi-Fi.
HOW MUCH $18 for members, $22 for People’s Association or Safra members, and $25 for guests.
VISIT www.fb.com/ClipnClimbHomeTeamNS.
PLAYEUM
Located in Telok Blangah, this hotspot for creative learning is the first of its kind in Asia.
Dedicated to producing learning opportunities for children, Playeum’s third exhibition, A World Full Of Stories, provides unique environments and installations, within which children can create their own stories, as well as immerse themselves in stories from different cultures.
HOW MUCH $20 per child (12 months to 12 years old); free admission for one accompanying adult; $10 per additional adult.
VISIT www.playeum.com.
THOW KWANG POTTERY JUNGLE
Take your little ones on a historical tour through Singapore’s oldest surviving brick-built, wood-firing dragon kiln, erected in the 1940s in Jurong West. You also get to see a live demo at the potter’s wheel.
Another option: take part in a hands-on pottery session with your child to create your own masterpiece.
HOW MUCH $35 per child or adult for a hands-on workshop (two hours) with one handbuilding artwork; $50 per adult for a workshop (three hours) with hand building and using the potter’s wheel to create two artworks.
VISIT www.thowkwang.com.sg.
KIDZANIA
Children get to work, learn and play in this educational theme park, which offers fun and interactive activities. They can also role-play to be whoever they want to be – a surgeon, pilot, museum curator, pizza chef, journalist, fire fighter, ice-cream maker, dentist, and even an actor at the theatre where parents can watch a show put on by the kids.
HOW MUCH $25 per toddler (two to three years old); $58 per child (four to 17); $35 per adult (18 and above).
VISIT www.kidzania.com.sg.
KIDSTOP @ SCIENCE CENTRE
The exhibits at the Science Centre can be too intimidating and complex for preschoolers, which is why it created this special space for them.
At its permanent exhibit on marine conservation, little ones can colour their favourite fish and scan it to watch it come alive on the ocean screen.
In March, Kidstop will launch a new programme for ages two to three, where you and your child can learn more about science themes through dance and play. Each theme consists of four one-hour sessions, and is priced at $150 for four sessions. Themes will change monthly.
HOW MUCH From $10 for children and $5 for adults.
VISIT www.kidsstop.edu.sg.
TRAPPED ESCAPE ROOM SINGAPORE
Imagine being trapped in a room. To find your way out, you and your team (two to 10 people) have to solve puzzles, discover hidden clues, and uncover mysteries.
The experience at this escape room in *Scape, Orchard Road, is guaranteed to come with lots of laughter and fun. Check the website for information on which rooms are suitable for younger children, as some may have props and themes that may be too scary for them.
HOW MUCH $28 per person; off -peak rates are $22 per person on weekdays before 6pm, and $18 for students aged 21 and below.
VISIT www.trapped.sg.
URBAN SKI
Who says you have to travel overseas to ski? Enrol your kids in Urban Ski’s schoolholiday ski clinics, and watch as they fall in love with the sport. Better yet, learn to ski as a family.
It’s hassle-free as all equipment, boots, poles and helmets are provided, and there is no need to wear thick, cumbersome winter jackets.
If your kids are aged four and older, and have mastered skiing basics, they can also participate in Saturday morning play-and-learn sessions at Millenia Walk.
HOW MUCH $130 per session for Kids Club Ranger members (four to eight years old), and $80 per session for Kids Club Explorer members (nine to 13 years old).
VISIT www.urbanski.com.sg.
iFLY SINGAPORE
Here’s your chance to do something amazing with the kids (they must be at least seven years old), by defying gravity at Singapore’s only indoor skydiving facility, located in Sentosa’s Siloso Beach.
Under the watchful eye of professionals, you and your children can skydive solo in the world’s first largest themed wind tunnel for indoor skydiving that is almost fivestoreys high. The Challenge includes two skydives, and The Adventure, four.
HOW MUCH $119 for The Challenge and $199 for The Adventure per person. Super off -peak rates are available if you book online in advance.
VISIT www.iflysingapore.com.
KATAPULT
A whole new level of fun awaits you at this indoor trampoline park in Sembawang, which also offers slacklining, slamdunk, dodgeball, wall running, and free-falling.
Children below seven can enjoy the 60-minute Kid Jump. Older kids can sign up for an eightweek long Gymkour class, which combines the art of trampolining and parkour, to take their flips and somersaults to the next level.
HOW MUCH From $15 per hour (Mondays to Thursdays, all day; Fridays until 5pm); $11 per hour for students (weekdays, before 5pm).
VISIT www.katapult.com.sg
TAG TEAM
Kids and parents combine forces to engage in multiweapon battles, where each team player uses his own weapon of choice from Tag Team’s laser series.
Young ones will have a blast trying out the laser rifle, laser handgun, laser sword, laser bow and the laser glove. There are two centres, in East Coast Park and Downtown East in Pasir Ris.
HOW MUCH From $13 per person.
VISIT www.tagteaminc.sg.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
SUNGEI BULOH JUNIOR EXTENSION TRAIL
One of the shorter and more child-friendly trails, this is located next to the Visitors Centre. Kids can take part in different activities, ranging from a pulley boat challenge to hopping over pencil roots and crawling under prop roots to see what it feels like to be a mudskipper or crab. Children under the age of 13 must be supervised.
VISIT www.nparks.gov.sg/sbwr.
GALLOP STABLES
Fancy feeding a donkey? Then a visit to Horsecity to meet and be charmed by Prince – Gallop Stables’ friendly resident donkey – is a must.
Little ones will also love the fun pony rides here. This public riding school accepts children aged seven and older for group horse-riding classes. Younger ones need to sign up for private lessons. Best of all? There are no membership fees involved.
HOW MUCH From $45 for a pony trail ride (20 minutes) for kids aged three and above; $10 for a three-round pony ride in a pen.
VISIT www.gallopstable.com.
PULAU UBIN
Step back in time and explore the last of Singapore’s remaining kampungs on this rustic island. While you’re there, hire a van from the jetty to Chek Jawa Wetlands (open from 8.30am to 6pm), where you might spot resident creatures like hermit crabs and mudskippers when the tide is low.
Stroll on the boardwalk along the coast and mangrove swamps, or climb the 21m-tall Jejawi Tower for panoramic views.
HOW MUCH Price: $3 per boat trip from Changi Point Ferry Terminal; add $2 if you’re bringing your own bicycle.
VISIT www.tinyurl.com/ UbinSG.
QIAN HU FISH FARM TRADING
Your little ones can learn about unique fishes from Singapore’s largest ornamental fish importer and exporter, housed in Sungei Tengah.
Or try longkang fishing, a fun activity from the good ol’ kampung days when kids used to catch fishes in canals and streams.
At the fish spa, garra rufa – also called doctor fish, or nibble fish – help make your feet smooth and soft. The kids will be fascinated by the fish swimming between their toes and nibbling away at all that dead, hard skin.
HOW MUCH $6 per child for longkang fishing (30 minutes); $5 per child aged 12 and below, and $10 per adult for a fish-spa session (30 minutes).
VISIT www.qianhufish.com.
SINGAPORE WAKE PARK
Singapore’s only cable-ski park has reopened after two years. Its new design makes wakeboarding more accessible to all, with a gentle speed increase and new safety measurements, allowing even kids as young as six years old to try wakeboarding. The park is located next to the East Coast Lagoon Food Village along East Coast Park.
HOW MUCH From $40 on weekdays and $60 on weekends.
VISIT www.singaporewakepark.com.
WATER FUN
WILD WET
Spanning some five football fields, the newly expanded Wild Wild Wet will wow you and the little ones.
The revamped water park will feature seven new attractions, including milder ones for young kids, such as Kidz Zone, a water play area, and Splash Play, a shallow wading area with water jets and sprays.
HOW MUCH From $14 for children aged three to 12 years old, and from $20 for adults.
VISIT www.wildwildwet.com
JURONG EAST SWIMMING COMPLEX
Arguably Singapore’s largest public pool with the most comprehensive water park facilities, this amazing playground promises to draw out your adventurous side.
Three intertwining spiral water slides – ranging from 5.5m to 17.7m (that’s as high as a three-storey house!) in height – take centre stage.
There’s also a wave pool that comes alive with the sound of music and gentle sprays of water from the rock caverns for 15 minutes every hour.
When you want to take it down a notch, enjoy a slow ride down the winding lazy river or relax in the Jacuzzi area. Little ones will also enjoy splashing around in the kiddy pool.
HOW MUCH 80 cents (weekdays) or $1 (weekends) per child; $1.50 (weekdays) or $2 (weekends) per adult.
VISIT www.tinyurl.com/JEPool.
SPLASH@KIDSAMAZE
Afraid of getting a tan? Take the family to Singapore’s first indoor water playground in Safra Punggol. Spanning 24,000 sq ft and designed with a deep-sea theme, this is where kids can splash away on play decks, challenge themselves to five slides, and try the themed splash pad.
To promote bonding, parents are encouraged to join in the fun with their little ones on the slides and at the main play structure.
HOW MUCH $20 per child (18 months to 13 years old); $5 per accompanying adult. Kids under 18 months old enter for free. Family package are available.
VISIT www.tinyurl.com/ SplashKidsAmaze.
STAYCATIONS FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SINGAPORE
Located just off Orchard Road, this luxury hotel surprises with its thoughtful list of childfriendly services, from stools that help your little ones reach the sink, kid-size bathrobes and slippers, and even water-soluble markers for them to doodle on the mirrors in the bathroom.
There’s a play tent for young guests to romp around in, and welcome amenities such as cute cookies and the hotel’s new mascot, Leone the stuffed toy lion, are sure to bring a smile to their faces.
The hotel provides a host of entertainment options from DVDs to video games, but if you’d like a more restful staycation, book a parent-child treatment at its spa, which is the first L’Occitane spa in Singapore.
On Sundays, make sure you head down to its award-winning One-Ninety Restaurant for Sunday Brunch, which has a supervised Kid’s Playland, as well as a buffet spread just for them (including healthy options). Under- ves dine for free. Rates start from $399++ for a deluxe room.
VISIT www.fourseasons.com/ singapore.
SHANGRI-LA’S RASA SENTOSA RESORT & SPA
There’s so much to do at Singapore’s only beachfront resort that one night just isn’t enough for a staycation.
Besides its huge natural water pools, the resort boasts water slides and a sheltered kids’ pool, as well as a fun splash pad.
If you need we-time with your spouse, its Toots Club provides supervised play activities throughout the day for ages five to 12, and includes lunch and dinner if you sign up for the full-day programme.
There’s a Mini Toots Club for under-fives, but your child must be accompanied by a guardian.
The resort’s latest addition is the Fun Zone – which has Xbox One and racecar simulators – and air hockey, available from June.
The kid-friendly Silver Shell Cafe has a dedicated Baby Zone that provides everything from bottle sterilisers to diapers. One child aged five or younger dines for free with an accompanying adult during buffets.
Check out its ongoing Family Fun package, which offers plenty of extras, from spa discounts to water sports. Rates start from $505++ per room per night.
VISIT www.tinyurl.com/ RasaSentosaSG.
TEXT LYNN WEE, HANNAH MARIE, ELISA CHIA & STEPHANIE YEO / ADDITIONAL REPORTING CANDY LIM/SIMPLY HER / PHOTOGRAPHY (MAIN) VERNON WONG / ART DIRECTION & STYLING LOY SZE JIN PROPS STYLIST’S OWN.
