We moved to Singapore almost three years ago from Bangalore during the Christmas holidays. This gave us a full month to explore Singapore before my daughter’s school and our usual life started in full swing. My first impression of this country was that it’s a wonderful place for kids and for family holidays. It is very easy to travel from one place to another, making it one of the easiest places to visit with kids.
Based on my experiences in the past two years, here are my tips for families coming to Singapore for a holiday! It is geared mostly towards younger kids to help you make the most of your holiday.
Travelling around Singapore:
1. Taxis: Do keep in mind that new laws state that children below the age of 7 cannot travel in cars without booster seats. The only exception is taxis – where kids can just sit with regular seat belts on. This means you CANNOT take a regular Uber/ Grab/ other private cars without a booster seat. Thankfully you can book ‘family cars’ with booster seats in Singapore!
2. Bikes: If travelling with older kids, Singapore has recently started o-bikes, Singapore’s first station less bike sharing platform. O-bikes can be rented/paid for using an app. It is simple, convenient and worth a try!
3. Clothes: Always pack swimwear or spare clothes for the kids. Every tourist spot will most likely have a water fountain for kids to enjoy. On the other hand, due to the humid temperatures, most taxis and malls are air conditioned, so always have a jacket/cardigan handy for the kids.
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The attractions:
There are so many things to do with kids in Singapore that one trip will never be enough. The ease with which kids can be entertained makes you want to come back for more! When planning your sightseeing with kids in Singapore, here are some of the best sights/activities you need to consider:
The best outdoor options – when the sun is shining and you feel like being out there!
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• Singapore Zoo (full day activity)
An amazing collection of animals and animal shows that will keep the young and older kids interested. The children can participate in the feeding sessions which are held throughout the day. The zoo includes a good sized Water park for children! Next to the zoo is the River Safari which showcases the animals found near the rivers of the world and a giant Panda Forest. For the night Safari, you can either take the tram around to watch the animals or set out on foot on the walking trails. Do apply sunscreen and mosquito repellent liberally. It is also recommended to take a stroller for little ones because it can be quite a walk.
• Sentosa (full day activity)
Image source: shutterstock
No trip with kids to Singapore is complete without spending at least a day in Sentosa! There are several ways to get there: taxi, cable car (kids love) or the train from a mall called Vivocity. There are three beaches: Palawan, Siloso and Tanjong.The Tanjong Beach is a bit farther away, but here you will find fewer people and more space for kids. The Tanjong Beach Club is a great place to relax and have a meal while the kids can either enjoy the beach or a dip in the club’s private swimming pool.
â—¦Skyline Luge!
The Skyline Luge is like a go cart in which riders control the speed by pushing the handle bar back and forth (Google the videos). Kids love the thrill of hurtling down the hill and then taking the ski lift back up the mountain!
• Universal Studios: (full day activity)
Do not miss your chance to visit Universal Studios if your kids are slightly older and can enjoy the place to the fullest. Plan to get here early in the morning and stay the whole day! For the little ones, there is a minimum height requirement of 80 cms. If they are below four years old, their ticket is free but infants are mostly not allowed on rides – think again about visiting if you are travelling with infants. There are also lots of shows that happen all throughout the day. Buy at least one Express pass to save the waiting time with little ones (believe me, it is worth the money when you are waiting in the heat).
• Adventure Cove Waterpark: (half/ full day activity depending on your love for the water)
A full day of water fun is what the water park offers! Although most of the fun water slides and rides are more suitable for older children (4+), you can still enjoy floating in the lazy river all day! You can also snorkel at the Rainbow Reef and enjoy interacting with reef fish (min height 107cms) or for an extra cost you can enjoy feeding and interacting with dozens of sting rays at the Ray Bay or dive with the sharks!
• Gardens by the Bay (half a day activity)
Image source: youtube.com
A beautiful and vast park with the world’s most beautiful and largest cooled conservatories – the Cloud Forest dome and the Flower dome (indoors). Kids also enjoying seeing the Supertree groves (outdoors). Don’t forget your cardigan for the kids and yourself when visiting the Cloud Dome (it is usually quite cold especially high up the cloud mountain). The Gardens by the bay also consists of the Children’s Garden which is an attraction for kids aged 0–12 years old. It is near the treehouse and the adventure trail. The adventure trail consists of trampolines, balancing beams, hanging bridges and lots more. Kids can enjoy the amazing water fountains here to cool down from the humidity and heat.
• ECP: East Coast Park/ Beach (half a day activity)
The East Coast Park is a beach park along the east coast of Singapore. It is a popular place for walking/running/inline skating/cycling or relaxing and unwinding by the beach. Bikes can also be rented to enjoy biking along the beach. Marine Cove playground at the ECP is an outdoor playground by the beach for kids (2-12 years). It is also popular not only because of the vast area for the kids to play but also for the row of cafes/restaurants right next to the playground. Do keep in mind that it gets hot in the afternoon, and the play areas are not shaded.
• Jurong Bird Park (half a day activity)
Image source: tripadvisor
Asia’s largest bird park with award winning exhibits, it also offers three shows not be missed: High flyers, Kings of the skies and Lunch with the Parrots. There are feeding times but try to get in early to give your children a chance to enjoy feeding the birds. At Birdz of Play, kids can cool off with water slides and shallow pools. It is recommended to take a stroller for the little ones because of the long walk in the park.
The indoor options, for the days when the skies are grey!
• SEA Aquarium: (half a day activity)
Image source: visitsingapore
One of the attractions at Sentosa is the aquarium where the centre of attraction is the view of the open ocean floor. More parents prefer this to the Universal Studios that is just next door and it’s definitely worth seeing the diverse and beautiful sea life like fishes, sharks, jelly fishes and the magic of more than 100,000 marine animals. Do plan for the fish feeding times at the aquarium (11am and 3pm).
• Art Science Museum at Marina Bay Sands:  (half a day activity)
A beautiful architecture at the Marina Bay Sands, here kids discover creativity at its best through art, science, design, media and technology. One of the popular exhibits with the kids is the “Future World: Where Art meets Scienceâ€_x009d_. Some of the activities kids enjoy: watch gigantic balls change colour when they touch the floor, or scan and view your artwork instantly on the wall/screen along with others’ artwork as part of a city.
• National Art Gallery- Southeast Asian Art Museum: (half a day activity)
Located in the center of Singapore, this beautiful art gallery consists of not only art for adults but also a separate section for families and little ones called the Keppel Center of Art Education. At the Art Playscape, the entire room is beautifully done by artist Sandra Lee to create The Enchanted Tree House (Check it out online – it looks amazing!). Admission is free!
Hope you have a fun filled family holiday in Singapore! And who knows I just might bump into you at one of the local eateries:)
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KSP Team
Mansi Zaveri
Gauravi Vinay
