And get your filters ready. NIKKI FUNG rounds up Singapore’s most kid-friendly street art.
WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
Everton Road
Get your dose of nostalgia at Everton Road near Chinatown, where we chanced upon an amah doing her laundry, a barber giving a boy a haircut, and a provision shop that stocks all your favourite childhood snacks.
These are worth more than a passing glance – on closer inspection, you’ll find details like the old-school tiffin and tray of kueh atop amah’s cabinet, the little boy reading the Lao Fu Zi comic, and the painted puddle of water running towards the drain by the roadside. Amah and the barber are at 40 Everton Road, while the provision shop is at 8 Spottiswoode Park Road, at the cross junction of Spottiswoode Park Road, Everton Road and Blair Road.
FANCY A CUPPA?
A.R.C. Coffee at 29/31 Sultan Gate Some like a fancy cup of latte art, while others prefer a traditional drink. But no matter which side of the fence you sit on, you’ll have fun taking pictures at this mural. To the right, you’ll see a modern coffee roaster and machine. And to the left, a kopitiam man serves up traditional fare. The giant coffee cup is also great for playing with perspective – snap a picture of your hand in front of your camera as if you were holding the cup yourself. And don’t miss the little kitty just around the corner at the end of the mural by the teh tarik man.
CHARGE!
Corner of Joo Chiat Terrace and Everitt Road If you find yourself in the Joo Chiat area with some time to spare, wander into the housing estate to look for this playful mural of two modern-day knights preparing to joust on their doodled horses. And how cute is it that the kids are using household items like a pot for a helmet and a mop for a lance? A-star for imagination!
ALL IN A ROW
Victoria Street, from Jalan Sultan to Jalan Pinang From the man peeking out from the window, to the boy popping out of the exclamation mark and the girl cuddling her cat, this stretch of Victoria Street has quite a few murals for the kids to pose in front of. The one of the two kids playing in the shopping carts even has a fun 3-D effect to it – yup, those are the halves of an actual shopping cart sticking out of the wall. Also take a few minutes to wander down the alleys between the buildings. If you’re lucky, you might find a few smaller pieces, like a pair of skulls.
FISHY BUSINESS
45 Armenian Street The artsy vibe along Armenian Street tends to skew more towards a grown-up taste, but we found these cool gold fish that could serve as an edgy backdrop for your mini fashionista’s next #ootd post. Look out for them on the wall of The Substation in the alley that separates it from The Peranakan Museum – they’re not hard to find.
ANIMAL HUNT
Tiong Bahru Estate Goats, goldfish and a giant peacock on the stairs in the middle of the Tiong Bahru Market – this hipster haunt is turning into a regular “farm”. There are enough animals scattered around the estate to make this a scavenger hunt outing – but sadly, the three roosters that were such a hit in 2014 seem to have disappeared. The best part is that when the kids (or you) get tired, you can pop into one of the many cafes, bakeries or shops to cool down and grab a bite. Or head back to the market for some hawker grub. Find the goats at the Tiong Bahru Market – one on the inside wall of the stairs, another on the outer wall next to the carpark entrance, and the third on the back wall, around the corner of the loading and unloading parking area. The goldfish is on Block 28 beside the post office facing Kim Pong Road.
TAKE A SWING
Stuttgart Blackforest Boutique S-Cafe Express, 367 Beach Road Don’t you wish you had a big backyard with a tree just like this to play in when you were growing up? The smile on the kid’s face while riding the tyre swing makes us wish for carefree days. We also spied a pair of chickens standing by the side. Take note, though, that the building is right next to the road, so be careful of passing cars. There isn’t much space on the sidewalk for you to stand on while snapping the picture, either.
THE GOOD OLD DAYS
Along Upper Changi Road, next to Palmwoods Condominium (450/452 Upper Changi Road) Spot the boys fishing, the otters swimming, the egrets in the water, and the family snacking on fresh fruit… ah, those were the good old kampung days. How cool is it that the artist even managed to integrate the mural to the environment? For example, if you stand at just the right angle, you’ll see the trunk of the papaya tree in the mural extend to the real papaya tree behind the wall. The greenery gets a bit wild along the bottom of the mural, but it’s worth taking the extra step or two to get a closer look – you might find some wild roosters or a pet dog hiding behind them
CATCH IT IF YOU CAN
11 Perak Road Keep your eyes peeled for this cheeky piece of art the next time you’re strolling through Little India. With a bit of creative camera work, you could get some cool jumping shots of the kids here as they try to catch the $100 note. The painting can be easy to miss, so keep an eye out for it under the Perak Hotel sign, diagonally opposite the corner of Mayo Street and Perak Road.
