Don’t know where to go with Baby? Take inspiration from these influencer mums’ favourite haunts and dining places. By ELISA CHIA.
Don’t know where to go with Baby? Take inspiration from these influencer mums’ favourite haunts and dining places. By ELISA CHIA.
@leialauren Amber Yong, 33, is a marketing manager. Her twins, Leia and Lauren, are one year old.
Our favourite hangouts The Botanic Gardens, Marina Barrage and Gardens by the Bay. We tend to avoid crowded places as they can get overwhelming for the children.
We like relaxed settings and lots of greenery, where our girls have spacious grounds to toddle around with our dog. Leia and Lauren particularly enjoy kite-watching.
If we’re not at these places, we are often spending family time together by the pool at our residence, or at our neighbourhood park’s playground.
Another great place is the Marine Cove outdoor playground at East Coast Park, which boasts a range of play equipment suitable for children of varying ages. It is packed with families on the weekends, so it’s best to go on weekday evenings when it is not too hot.
Dining places We enjoy taking the kids to DW Workshop, a cafe hidden in a black and white double-storey colonial house at Rochester.
It is spacious and the girls get to roam about in the outdoor patio. It serves delicious food, too, such as savoury chicken, healthy rice bowls, crab salad croissants and cold-pressed juices. Cafe Melba at Mediapolis is also a nice place for children to hang out while parents have their meal. There is a kid’s play area, as well as a huge outdoor deck. For evening al fresco dining, it would be Starker Bistro at Zhongshan Park, where there are activities such as car rides for the little ones.
In my bag I always have baby essentials such as diapers, wipes, milk, snacks and a spare change of clothing. Not forgetting the camera and toys for distraction!
Our stroller We are currently using the Bugaboo Donkey Weekender twin stroller. We love that it is easy to set up, fits through most doorways and, most importantly, provides a comfortable ride for the girls.
On top of that, it is stylish with its denim fabric, casual grey jersey lining, cognac hand-stitched leather-look handlebar and carry handle, and leather details on the sun canopy!
Go-to kids’ fashion brands There are too many to list here. But to name a few: boutique brands such as Buzz Bear Studio and The Wishing Elephant provide quirky dress-ups for the girls, Itty Bitty Toes for glamorous outfits, L’officiel Enfant for stylish collection and Baby Gap for everyday wear.
Lately, we have also introduced the Leia + Lauren brand, a quirky assemblage of little clothes that is inspired by our girls and our travels. The twins are seen a lot in their own collections, too.
Dealing with public tantrums For sure, they’ve had their moments. These tantrums usually come about when they squabble over toys, especially if they are not given one each of everything.
They are also in the phase of toddling and get restless easily when they are in the stroller.
Distraction is key. We’ve resorted to entertaining them with children’s videos on our phones because it is the only way that works, for now.
@tjinlee Tjin Lee, 42, is an entrepreneur. Her kids, Tyler and Jake, are aged three and one, respectively.
Our favourite hangouts We love to visit the museums, like Singapore Art Museum and National Gallery, where the spaces and architecture are beautiful, and there are so many kid-friendly activities and play areas. It’s also sheltered and mainly air-conditioned.
We also like the Zoo and Bird Park; the children love the tram rides there. We go early in the morning, as most Singaporeans don’t seem to be early risers. Typically, we arrive by 9.30am and leave at 11am when the crowd is just streaming in.
Dining places Cafe Melba at the Mediapolis is great because it is babyfriendly and can also be very quiet on weekends, being located in a business hub. We look out for spaces with lots of indoor and outdoor areas for toddlers to roam while we dine.
In my bag I always have baby wipes. We love the ones made of bamboo pulp from Cloversoft, an eco-friendly and sustainable brand.
Our strollers Two of our favourites are the Bugaboo Bee and the Mountain Buggy Nano. The Bee is an all-rounder that is super versatile. I just bought a new canopy cover to update it – it now looks good as new!
The Mountain Buggy Nano is light and compact, yet sturdy. Best of all, it folds up into a square-ish size that is easy to pop into trunks or sling on the shoulder. It is also my go-to travel stroller as it is compact enough to fit in a plane’s overhead compartment.
For head-turning good looks though, I have my Cybex by Jeremy Scott (pictured left). It is the most stylish of all my prams – with big gold wings and stunning gold wheels – and is a showstopper that I take to events or social occasions.
Go-to kids’ fashion brands There aren’t a whole lot of options for boys. That’s why we started our online boutique, Baby Style Icon.
I also love the basics at Mothercare. They are well-priced and excellent value for money.
For special pieces, I like to shop at Alex & Alexa, where you can pick up Kenzo Kids, Stella McCartney Kids, and so on.
Dealing with public tantrums Like most children, they snatch and fight over things, or get angry when they want something that I can’t give them, like my coffee. I am firm with the boys, and consistency is important.
@aarikalee Aarika Lee, 33, is a singersongwriter and businesswoman. Her kids, Zola Mae and Ari Jon, are aged three and one, respectively.
Our favourite hangouts There are very few places we go to especially for the kids – maybe the Zoo or the S.E.A. Aquarium.
We enjoy taking them to places that allow outdoor play because both of them love the outdoors – something that I hope will grow into a love of nature as they get older.
The Marine Cove playground at East Coast Park is one of our favourites. It can get a little crowded on weekends but, if we are lucky on weekdays, it’s a great stop to make after school, between 11am and 2pm.
We like taking them to gigs (husband Kevin Lester is a rapper) and to museums where they can immerse themselves in music and art – things that my husband and I both love, and that have now become something we can enjoy as a family.
Dining places Our new favourite place is Wheeler’s Estate in Seletar. The outdoor area is perfect for children to run around and parents can still enjoy their food and drinks while keeping an eye on the kids.
We’ve been there on weekends spontaneously and they always seemed like perfect times to drop in. The first time we dropped in it was around 11am, and the second time was around 6pm.
I’m not too particular about what my children eat, so they get to pick anything they want from the menu.
Open Farm Community at Dempsey Hill is also great for little ones. My son loves the warm broccoli salad and my daughter will eat any pasta on that menu. The Caesar salad and open-face lasagna are really good, as well. They also love the playground outside the restaurant.
In my bag I don’t leave home without activity books and toys. I have a bunch that I’ve collected from Usborne Books (available at Motherswork) that the children love, and I always have a stash of toy vehicles in there for Ari, too.
Also, kids’ cutlery and food scissors, which are life-savers when we dine out.
Our strollers I use two. One is the Bugaboo Bee with a wheeled board attachment that is perfect for when I’m out with both kids on my own.
The other is the Babyzen Yoyo, which is great for quick outings that might involve public transport. The Yoyo folds up easily and quickly into a compact carry-on that makes it a lot more mobile.
Go-to kids’ fashion brands In Good Company and Sea Apple for special occasions; Le Petit Society and Cotton On for everyday wear. I’ve also picked up awesome items from Zara and H&M Studio.
Dealing with public tantrums I always say my kids are unfiltered versions of us. Tantrums mostly happen when they’re tired. Just like how adults get a little less patient and cranky when we’ve had long tough days, I notice that my children only lose their cool when they need to get some rest.
My No. 1 survival tip is to use the distraction tactic. Whenever they look like they’re about to throw a fit, I’ll find something that will steal their attention.
Be it a toy, or a game or something new to look at, a change in activity has almost always worked for me and then I quickly find a way to finish up what I’m doing, so I can put them down for their nap.
When Zola gets upset, we try to encourage her to tell us what is wrong so we can figure out a way to cheer her up together.
Ari is much younger, but even though he doesn’t have the words, he definitely has the ability to tell us what is bothering him, too. The only difference is that the process is a little longer because it usually takes us a few guesses – he’ll nod his head to tell us when we’ve got it right.
@elaine_kim Elaine Kim, 34, is a doctor and co-founder of social enterprise, Crib Society. She has three sons: Kyan, five, Luke, four, and Nate, three months.
Our favourite hangouts We like Paragon and Vivocity where there’s great shopping, as well as kid-friendly restaurants and playgrounds. And because we live at The Club Residences at Capella on Sentosa, we can go to the beach, which is just outside our home, and to Kidzania, which is a three-minute walk away. We go to Universal Studios a lot, where we have annual passes.
Dining places Kyan loves ebi tempura and soba, and Luke loves ikura and chawanmushi, so we enjoy going to Japanese restaurants, including the ones at The Japanese Association.
In my bag A change of clothes and wet wipes for the older kids, because they can get messy after meals with ice cream and pasta sauce.
They have their own iPad, which is stocked with educational apps. We limit their screen time, so when we do take it out, it keeps them absolutely engrossed and we can enjoy our meal.
With Baby in tow, there will also be diapers, wipes, diaper cream, a change of clothes, a teething toy and a nursing cover.
Our strollers The Bugaboo Bee Plus with a Maxi-Cosi Pebble car seat. I’ve used the same stroller for all three boys; it’s very versatile.
Last year, I also bought a Joovy Caboose Graphite Ultralight stroller for the older boys as we were travelling, and they loved it.
Go-to kids’ fashion brands I love the designs from homegrown label Sea Apple. It off ers baby and kid sizes, so my three kids can match. Le Petit Society also has beautiful kids’ clothes. My children also wear a lot from Kids 21 – we love Paul Smith Junior and Little Marc Jacobs – Armani Junior, Burberry and Carolina Herrera.
Dealing with public tantrums I haven’t had to deal with a full-blown meltdown, thankfully. If I see an impending tantrum, I will get down to their eye level, firmly tell them to behave, do a countdown and then take them away from the public place quickly, if necessary. They know they will get a time-out if they don’t comply by the end of the countdown. Luckily, this method is still eff ective.
@bongqiuqiu Hong Qiuting, 29, is a full-time blogger and mum to twoyear- old Meredith. She is expecting her second daughter in April.
Our favourite hangouts Other than at home in her nursery and at our porch where we have water play and bubble time, we usually spend playtime at indoor playgrounds.
I frequent Cool De Sac because it’s very affordable on weekdays, just $10 for unlimited hours of play for kids under three years old. Inside, there’s a cafe where parents can easily watch over their children. Other than toys, playground facilities and ball pits, they also have activities, like face-painting and glass panel painting. There are even TV console games for older children.
I don’t always like to go shopping with Meredith – it’s boring for kids, unless they’re at the toy department. I can spend an hour with her inside Toys “R” Us for free play!
Dining places Astons has lots of child-friendly dishes, from grilled fish that is not too strong-tasting, to mashed potato and pasta. Meredith loves them all, including the mushroom soup and garlic bread.
Before she turned 20 months old, we always packed home-cooked food whenever we went out. But I’m a lot more relaxed now. She can eat “outside food” after she takes her home-cooked food. Variety in moderation is always good, I believe.
In my bag Diapers, diaper cream, her home-cooked food, kid-size cutlery because she likes to feed herself now, food scissors, a water bottle and baby-friendly snacks.
Our stroller I bought a “pariah brand” from Kuala Lumpur for only $210. I like that it’s very light and portable – I can fold it and hang it over my shoulder, like a big sling bag.
Go-to kids’ fashion brands Gingersnaps, Cotton On, H&M, Mango and Fox.
Dealing with public tantrums So far, I’ve only experienced one episode where she insisted on pushing her own stroller. She wanted to play pretend as “Mama Meredith” and we couldn’t let her because she was too short to do it.
I have prevented many meltdowns by distracting her. For example, if she doesn’t want to return a toy to the shelf, I’d pretend that someone whom she likes – her teacher, yeye (grandpa) or godmother – is looking for her outside the store. She will put it back and hurry off with me without crying or whining.
Sometimes I even tell her: “I think I saw an elephant walk past! Let’s go find it.”
I don’t know how long more these tricks will work though!
