Singapore is a pleasant and clean city. Its culture is a blend of Asian and European, with influences from Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures.
We had a couple of setbacks with cab drivers there but other than that our holiday went about smoothly. We took the kids with us and didn’t create a strenuous itinerary. If we went to Sentosa Island or the Zoo one day, we would wake up late and leisurely explore the nearby areas the next day. So, depending on your interests and energy levels, you can plan, get ready and enjoy your stay in the country previously called ‘Singapura’ (which means Lion City in Sanskrit)!
Here are 10 fun things to do with kids in Singapore!
Considering that our flight time was during the night, we slept as soon as we landed in Singapore. The hotel allowed us to check in earlier but at a high cost. We did not have much choice so paid the price. Sleep is imperative if you want to enjoy your holiday, especially with kids in Singapore.
Once we were fresh, we had lunch at an eatery nearby and then went walking towards Jubilee Park, Fort Canning Park, Little India (a street filled with Indians of every kind) and Arab Street. The most photographed place at Fort Canning Park is the spiral staircase covered with trees (Tree Tunnel). There was a long queue so I wasn’t really interested in waiting there to click a picture. There were several eateries and shops in Little India. We also saw a temple there. On Arab Street, similar things existed along with a beautiful two-golden-domed mosque (Sultan Mosque). We just browsed through and then had dinner at one of the open-air restaurants on Arab Street.
The next day was spent at Sentosa Island from 1000 to 1930 hours. We visited Universal Studios, S.E.A. Aquarium and Harry Potter: Visions of Magic. We skipped Dolphin Island and Adventure Cove Waterpark. You can always go to the other two attractions the following day.
There are several restaurants around the place.
On day 3, we walked to One Fullerton (a mall with several eateries and shops) and had lunch at Jypsy, a restaurant with a view of Marina Bay. After a yummy lunch, we walked to Merlion Park. The current Merlion statue looks funny. I liked the Sentosa Merlion better (demolished in 2019). At least, it looked like a proper lion!
Anyway, then we went on the Singapore Flyer (3rd tallest observation wheel in the world) after buying tickets at the kiosk located at its reception. The ticket for the same included a historical tour with immersive reality (Time Capsule).
Once we were done viewing Singapore from 541 feet above ground level (around 42 storeys high), we walked along Gardens of the Bay, through Marina Bay Sands Resort and admired the canal that flowed through The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.
We then walked to Satay Street (Lau Pa Sat) and had dinner there. It’s a huge food court with a variety of cuisines available to satiate your hunger.
We got out at around noon and strolled through Clarke Quay (pronounced clark kee. Yes, Quay is ‘kee’) to Chinatown. We explored the streets, did some shopping and visited the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. Its design is inspired by the Tang Dynasty Chinese Buddhist architecture that features intricate carvings. It houses a prominent golden stupa. You have to remember to cover your knees before entering the temple. If they aren’t, you will be given a wrap-around skirt to cover up before stepping into this place of worship.
We then had an early dinner at Sichuan Village Restaurant.
We reached Mandai Wildlife Reserve at 1100 hours. The Singapore Zoo, open from 0830 to 1800 hours, is another must-visit for kids. There are various animals, zones and activities to keep the kids busy throughout the day. We chose to delay our arrival at the zoo as we had booked the first slot of the Night Safari.
We were in the Night Safari zone for one to one-and-a-half-hour. I did not find it that interesting as we only spotted 5 to 6 animals in the dark. We waited for more than 30 minutes to take a tram and finished the tour in a little more than half an hour. The tram was too noisy. We could barely hear what the guide was saying about the animals. Maybe it would have been better to walk around the trails instead.
Once we were done seeing animals for the day, we got back and had a good dinner at Sanchos in Clarke Quay.
We chilled in the hotel all morning until we were hungry. We had a good lunch at Wine Connection and then headed to an Asian cultural park called Haw Par Villa. The park was created by the Aw family – the founders of Tiger Balm. The entry is free and you can spend around 2 hours admiring more than 1,000 statues and reading the folklore related to them. Try and immerse yourself in the history of this park. And, take plenty of crazy pictures!
Caution: Make sure to spray yourself and the kids with mosquito repellent and beware of huge red ants in certain corners.
We took a bus and went to Vivo City mall. Just FYI – there is a Bath and Body Works outlet there.
When I opened my eyes, the family was still asleep. So, I got ready and went for a walk. I admired many churches, temples and museums on the way. I even went into the Tree Tunnel of Fort Canning and clicked the famous tree cover finally, but without me in it.
Once the family was ready to get out, we headed to Science Centre Singapore as suggested by one of the cab drivers. The kids had so much fun that we regretted not reaching there early. There were lots of things to entertain the kids and keep them busy building or creating. The mirror maze was also a fun activity for the kids. If you’re lucky, you will get to watch the Tesla Coil show.
When we found that The Young Geneticist Trail is nothing but a corridor where the kids need to find answers to the questions mentioned in the book (you have to visit the Visitor’s Center to receive the same), I told the kids to skip the corridor and go to the other activity zones as we were already running behind schedule. The kids indeed had a ball! They were sad the place closed before they completed their obstacle course.
We suggest that you NOT make the same mistake that we did. Get there on time and let your kids become little scientists for the whole day!
There are many more things to see and do with kids in Singapore but we only had seven days so made the most of it. If we had more time, we would surely revisit Chinatown. And, perhaps visit the Science Center once again. Nevertheless, Singapore is a great place to visit with kids. So, if you want to explore this island country soon, save this post and let us know if this blog helped you!
Happy journey!
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.
You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter
29 Comments
These are great places to enjoy with kids, we missed these parks. I think we will cover this when we take the kids this time
We are hoping to visit Singapore soon because I heard it is great for a kid’s first international trip. But seeing your post, I think I will wait for Piyu to be a little older so that she can enjoy this itinerary as well. Maybe a beach destination would suit now!
Yeah at her age, beaches are a thrill!
Most Singapore posts talk about Sentosa Island, Universal Studios and Marina Bay. Thanks to you, there are so many more things we can look forward to and explore. Perfect for kids!
I dream of visiting Singapore one day; hopefully I do it sooner. If not for a week, I’m sure, I can refer to the tips when I refer to these places. Thanks.
Thank you very much Cindy. With all these tips and tricks we will definitely enjoy the Singapore visit more. Specially when it is kid friendly, it will not be exhaustive. I enjoy the trip with your post. We will plan Singapore in upcoming year and this post is helpful for me.
Great visuals and great write-up, Cindy! We have been planning Singapore as a family trip for a long, long time. Your blog, I believe, has pushed it up the ladder!
Glad, Ratna!
Singapore has long been on my travel list and I would love to take my kids there. Even the airport is lovely! Have transited through it a couple of times and is great fun!!
Yes it is, Sakshi!
Oh Cindy for the first time a destination of yours matched with me and I am feeling so happy. I have been Singapore years back and I throughly enjoyed it but what I can see in your list of exploration few new places which I didnt visit that time. I already started irritating my husband saying lets go once more to Singapore and this time the Kiddo will also enjoy. Let me see when I succeed in convincing him and will update you. Singapore Indeed is a love place , it made me feel home away from home. In love with Singapore
All the best, Samata!
You always takes us on a tour of the place you are talking about with your gorgeous photos and anecdotes. I love reading your travelogs.
Thank you, Adi.
I am so glad we covered most of the above when we went to Singapore with my children. Won’t feel guilty now 🙂
I am enjoying reading your Singapore posts and the kaleidoscope of pictures that you are posting here. Singapore looks like a great destination for a family vacation.
Sounds like you had a great time in Singapore. I too prefer keeping a relaxed itinerary, especially with the kids. It really helps to enjoy the trip without feeling rushed. And yes, the mix of cultures there makes it such a fascinating place to explore.
Wow, like that!
That sounds like a fun trip. I am very fascinated by the Merlion. Yes, I’d like to try the Arab street for sure. And the science museum. I have heard a lot about the botanical gardens, maybe I would add those. Though am not fond of zoos, but the night safari does sound intriguing.
Maybe we would have done Botanical if we had more time. Not a priority though.
Your travel posts are really a learning experience. Each has something for every traveller. Sentosa and the science centre would have my grandsons really excited. My elder grandson, Arian stood fourth in the National Robotics Competition in Mexico. He made a fighting sumo wrestler.
That’s great, Harjeet!
If we ever plan a group trip to Singapore, its very likely that there would be kids involved now. This post would be a saviour at that time. I like your honesty and how you’ve divided it in a manner that there’s something for all age groups actually
Thanks Cindy, for sharing this helpful guide for a family trip to Singapore! I love how you’ve made the itinerary relaxed and kid-friendly. It’s great to see all the fun activities, from Sentosa Island to the Science Centre, and the tips are spot on.
Through your post I have discovered so many fun things to do in Singapore especially when you are travelling with kids – The Singapore Zoo and The Science Centre catch my Fancy totally. I also agree with your observation that the previous Merlion looked more majestic.
Thanks for c9ming up with a detailed kid-friendly itinerary. Definitely saving the post for future reference. Not only you sorted the places to visit with the kids but also provided tips and learnings from your own experience. That was incredible!
Thanks, Pinki!
I really enjoyed your list of fun things to do with kids in Singapore! Sentosa Island and the Singapore Zoo are such great picks, and I like how you’ve mixed in both chill and adventurous activities. The way you’ve combined sightseeing with family-friendly fun makes it feel like a perfect trip for families. I also appreciate your honesty about the Night Safari—sometimes what we expect isn’t quite what we get!
True, Romila!