June is fast approaching, and that means an entire month off school for the little ones! With travel proving impossible, parents might be hard-pressed to think of ways to entertain their kids.
Luckily, we have just the thing: Explore these four one-day itineraries that span across Central, North, South, and East Singapore.
Central
Start the day on the right foot by visiting the Botanic Gardens! Clinching UNESCO World Heritage status in 2015, the Botanic Gardens is a beautiful 162-year-old garden oasis amid the city’s hustle and bustle.
Troop the kids over to Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, which is Asia’s first children-dedicated garden. In fact, adults cannot enter the garden without a kid in tow. Embodying the theme of Life on Earth Depends on Plants, Jacob Ballas allows children to learn about the environment through experiential learning and hands-on discovery activities. The newly opened Gallop Extension’s nature-themed adventure playground is also great to explore. Emulating the experience of climbing trees, the playground is a sprawling mass of ropes, tunnels, and slides.
Fuel up with brunch at Food for Tots – located at Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden – which is an eco-conscious café catered for kids. Let your little ones loose at the interactive play area, before digging into their all-day brunch menu.
Next, check out Amazonia, which is located at Great World City. Amazonia is a paradise for kids that love being active – think: a huge play-gym that is over 3,000 square feet, a 10-metre-high wave slide, multiple trampolines, a giant ball pit, and more. Amazonia also has Singapore’s first video interactive gaming wall, as well as a dedicated toddler play area.
Distance: 13-minute drive from Food for Tots to Amazonia
After all that play, take a breather at the Rail Corridor with a scenic walk. The Rail Corridor has a few entry points; we recommend parking your car at Rail Mall, where a short flight of landscaped stairs leads to the Upper Bukit Timah truss bridge. You do not have to do the entire four-kilometre stretch; it is entirely up to you and your family!
Distance: 15-minute drive from the Rail Mall to Dempsey
For dinner, indulge in sumptuous fare at the Baker & Cook café and bakery, situated at Core Collective in Dempsey. Share a large plate with the entire family, or a delicious pizza from Plank Sourdough Pizza. The kids can play to their heart’s delight at the on-site playground, which offers a swing, a little treehouse, and more.
Distance: 15-minute drive from the Rail Mall to Dempsey
North
It is funny to imagine Singapore was once a kampung, especially when we are faced with the glittering facades of our now concrete jungle. Escape to the northern end of Singapore for a blast to the past, where you can get up and personal with goats at Hay Dairies Goat Farm! Hay Dairies is easy to explore on your own; reach the farm before 10.30am to view the milking process. Grab some hay to feed the goats, or even try a sip of the goat’s milk for yourself.
Next, hop on over to the nearby Bollywood Veggies, often touted as ‘Paradise on Earth’ – the Singapore version. Started in 2000, the place offers farm tours, culinary classes, and more. Fuel up at Poison Ivy Bistro, a farm-to-table establishment that serves only the freshest produce. The menu is seasonal and changes often; you never know what you will find!
Distance: 6-minute drive from Hay Dairies Goat Farm to Bollywood Veggies
Pick your poison: relaxation or adrenaline! The former would delight in a trip to Sembawang Hot Springs, Singapore’s only hot spring park. Try your hand at cooking eggs with the steam from the pools, soaking your feet in the footbath pool, or enjoying the new Floral Walk.
Adventure HQ, on the other hand, is an exhilarating indoor playground that is a godsend for thrill seekers. Fly down Singapore’s longest indoor slide at 14 metres long, navigate the Urban Climb Zone, jump through the air off a suspended platform, race each other at the Vertical Race Wall, and more. The highlight is the Parabolic Slide, which hoists individuals eight metres into the air, then drops them down a daring 90-degree drop.
Distance: 22-minute or 24-minute drive from Bollywood Veggies to Sembawang Hot Springs or Adventure HQ respectively
Continue the adventure at ORTO, a 24-hour leisure facility. Be spoilt for choice with plenty of activities available: Go prawning, longkang fishing, go karting, bounce away at a trampoline park, or engage in a game of paintball. Take your pick from a plethora of dining options for dinner as well. Think: mookata, Thai cuisine, local classics, tapas, and much, much more.
Distance: ~8-minute drive from either Sembawang Hot Springs or Adventure HQ to Orto
South
This itinerary is all about discovering the magic of the sea! Start with the Sea Show at Singapore Maritime Gallery that channels the discovery of the sea through artworks created by 30 artists and illustrators. Kids can embark on a maze-like journey through larger-than-life installations, completed with a ‘Where’s Wally?’-inspired game and augmented reality filters.
Dine with a view at Bayswater Kitchen that overlooks the Marina at Keppel Bay Harbour. Offering both indoor and alfresco seating, the restaurant is a breezy affair that boasts a menu that revolves around wild-caught seafood. The best part? The restaurant has a recreation room that contains a foosball and ping-pong table, and is also adjacent to a playground. On Sundays, the restaurant even organises colouring activities for the little ones.
Distance: 12-minute drive from Singapore Maritime Gallery to Bayswater Kitchen
Once your family’s stomachs are satiated, it is time to soak up some vitamin sea with an island adventure! Head to Marina South Pier, and hop on a ferry to either Kusu and St. John’s Islands, or Sister’s Island. Explore these lesser-known islands, and do not forget the swimsuits or sunblock. And if you have not utilised your SingapoRediscovers Vouchers, now is the best time to do so with the ferry rides.
Distance: 13-minute drive from Bayswater Kitchen to Marina South Pier
Finally, spend the rest of the night unwinding at Sentosa’s Coastes Beach Bar & Restaurant. Dig your toes into the sand, and indulge in their hearty all-day-dining fare. If you still have the energy, you can end the night by catching the Wings of Time, a dazzling light water show topped off with a majestic fireworks display.
Distance: 16-minute drive from Marina South Pier to Coastes Beach Bar & Restaurant
East
Be transported to the 80s at HiRoller, a dynamic indoor skating rink complete with pulsating disco lights. If your family does not have much experience with indoor skating, do not fret. The area is segregated into blue and red zones, which cater for beginners and experts respectively. Take your time to warm up; you will be whizzing round and round before you know it.
Grab lunch at the Coastal Settlement, which offers another nostalgic blast to the past. A rustic establishment nestled in the outskirts of Changi, the vintage interior wows at first sight. Feast your eyes on the dangling chandeliers, antique furniture, polished wood panelling, and plenty of items from the past scattered all around. The menu is quite extensive – there is something for everyone.
Distance: 10-minute drive from Hi-Roller to Coastal Settlement
Who does not love the iconic Bob the Builder character? Allow your kids to step into Bob’s shoes for a day at Diggersite, where they can try their hands at operating kid-sized construction machinery in a safe environment. Kids can pick up various items from a sandpit whilst seated in an excavator; safety helmets complete the experience, with the area sporting multiple yellow ‘CAUTION’ signs.
Distance: 20-minute drive from Coastal Settlement to Raintree Cove
Next, travel to the prehistoric era at Jurassic Mile. Park your car at Changi Airport Terminal 2, and rent a bike from GoCycling. A four-kilometre route will bring you to East Coast Park, where you will pass by Jurassic Mile along the way. Jurassic Mile is a one-kilometre stretch that is lined with multiple life-like dinosaur replicas. Get ready for a roaring good time.
At East Coast Park, take the chance to cycle around and take in the sea breeze, and indulge in some hawker fare at East Coast Lagoon Hawker for dinner. If you like, you can even drop by Coastal Playgrove, a large free adventure playground. Clamber up vertical climbing nets, whiz down long slides, make your way through a bamboo tunnel, and more. Once you are done, cycle back to Changi Airport for a fantastic end to the day. If you wish, you can keep dinner for last, and have a sumptuous meal at Jewel.
So there you have it, four action-packed one-day itineraries that are bound to entertain every single member of your family. Which one will you do first? Happy holidays!
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