After sightseeing and visiting the usual tourist spots, here are some immersive experiences you can try with your children that you might all enjoy.
Singapore—that beautiful city state on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula— is never short on beautiful sights to see and fun things to do. It is a favorite travel destination for families because it constantly ranks high as one of the safest places in the world and there are many places where children can learn new things and have fun while they are at it.
There are surely more comprehensive lists out there, but these are some of the things I enjoyed doing during my mother-and-daughter trip with my ten-year-old, Chiara. These activities were a good mix of educational exploration, creative applications, and rambunctious fun. And, yes, this truly allowed for a lot of bonding time that will surely land among her core memories.
Learn more about our feathered friends at Bird Paradise
Just opened last year, Bird Paradise in Mandai Wildlife Reserve replaced the old Jurong Bird Park and is now located next to Night Safari, River Wonders, and Singapore Zoo. It was fun touring the different aviaries and learning about them from our tour guide, Afis, who was both incredibly well-versed on the different species and was also really good with kids. The highlights were definitely getting to spend some quality time with their Oriental hornbill, Celi, and feeding the cheeky lories at the Lory Loft.
Visit Future World at ArtScience Museum
At this massive museum at Marina Bay Sands, there are many things to discover for budding artists and curious minds of all ages. A favorite among the young ones is Future World which houses a collection of digital interactive installations. The exhibition is divided into two areas: City in the Garden and Exploring New Frontiers. The Digital Lab Canvas by TeamLab allows your little artist to get their own art up in the digital display.
Get on the go carts at HyperDrive Sentosa
Located right on Palawan Beach, the multi-level race course is the first indoor circuit of its kind in Asia. My sweet girl was a bit intimidated by the roar of the engines, but she rose above her fears and enjoyed a fun leisurely drive around the course. I, on the other hand, got to blow off some steam stomping hard on that pedal and going fast around the curves. What a rush!
Join a cooking class and learn classic Singaporean dishes
Let’s Go Tours Singapore offers cooking classes for those who wish to learn how to prepare traditional Singaporean dishes. Chef Colin Goh (who used to work as a chef in a 5-star hotel and is also a certified tourist guide) taught us how to prepare Hainanese chicken rice, ngoh hiang, and kueh dadar. I love doing cooking classes with Chiara because it is a life skill I truly want her to pick up and so I want it to be an enjoyable experience for her. Our kueh dadar was a total disaster, but at least we had some good laughs.
Do something creative— like tiffin painting!
If all the walking and touring is wearing you down, perhaps it is best to get out of the humid outdoors and enjoy a quiet afternoon in an art studio. Artist Pei Lin and her husband offer a tiffin or tingkat painting activity in their Bugis studio (right behind ParkRoyal Beach Road where we stayed) that is a creative way of immersing yourself and your family in Singaporean culture. At the end of the session, they will varnish and dry your mini-tingkat and you get to bring it home as a souvenir.
Introduce the kiddos to new flavors and global cuisines
Singapore is truly a melting pot of cultures, and while this modern city has all the big food chains, this is the chance for your young explorers to try the different cuisines of the region. Chiara enjoyed the Hainanese chicken rice of Chatterbox at Mandarin Orchard. She had beef horfun while the rest enjoyed the seafood at legendary zi char eatery Keng Eng Lee.
She took a break from noodles and had spaghetti carbonara and truffle fries at PS Cafe overlooking Merlion Park and Marina Bay Sands. And right before we left for the airport, we crossed the street from the hotel to enjoy the famous nasi lemak at The Coconut Club.
