5 Things To Do In Singapore With A Child

Aside from sampling copious amounts of food in Singapore (encouraged by my friend, Gen, who lives in the city), we did manage to fit in some activities and found Singapore to be a very child friendly city to navigate. It has an efficient transport network in the MRT and it is easy to get around with a pushchair. Here is what we did with our daughter (who was 19 months old at the time).

SINGAPORE ZOO

A trip to the world famous Singapore zoo is a must! We went to the daytime zoo rather than the Night Safari (which is excellent) but not ideal for a small child who is usually in bed when it is just kicking off.

Singapore Zoo is impressive and was perfect for Mrs T (and us too). She loved looking at the animals, learning a fair few new names along the way (hippo, giraffe, zebra). All the animals are really easy to view and they have lots of space to roam too which is always reassuring. There are several walk through exhibits and there were a number of small monkeys roaming above us in the treetops near the Orangutan area which allowed us to see them up close. Although seeing the rhinos indulging in a ‘personal moment’ was maybe a bit much (sorry had to include this pic)!

There are daily animal feeding events and different shows like one put on with the elephants where we could see the animals in action and get a wealth of information from the zoo rangers too. Our highlight was seeing the rare and very beautiful White Tigers.

We did a lot of walking but there is a little tram which can take you from section to section as well as a river safari. It was rather hot wandering around (as you’d expect in Singapore) but if you are after a cool down head for the polar bear enclosure.

Singapore Zoo is a MUST for children (and as you’d expect in Singapore, the food is pretty good at the onsite food court too).

COST (in Singapore dollars):  Under 3’s – Free, Children 3-12 – $18 (£8.50), Adults – $28 (£13.50), Senior Citizens – $12 (£5.75)

CHINATOWN

If you are after a bit more history and heritage from your Singapore trip then head down to Chinatown. Not only will you find a Hindu and Buddist temple but you’ll also have the opportunity to try some authentic Chinese street food, buy some Chinese tat (well, why not) and have a general wander around.

There are places serving beer if you want to rest your weary feet and a pedestrianised area which makes it better to navigate with children. It is very easy to get there via the underground network (MRT) – which in itself is a bit of an adventure for children AND air-conditioned. Just head for the ‘Chinatown’ stop.

MARINA BAY SANDS HOTEL

One afternoon we headed to the Marina Bay Sands hotel. It is allegedly the world’s most expensive building costing an estimated £3.4bn!!  Worth checking out if only to see the opulence money like that can buy. You may know the building as ‘the one with a ship on top’. This part is called the SkyPark which houses an infinity swimming pool (for guests only), bars, a club and two restaurants – including one run by local celebrity chef Justin Quek.

We weren’t staying at the hotel so couldn’t take a dip in the pool. For us, the best thing about this 57 storey building were the views over the city. There is an observation deck with 360 degree views (which you have to pay for) but we went for a glass of wine and some food in Ku Da Ta restaurant where we had a great view of the marina area – for free!

Mrs T enjoyed herself. At one point she started pulling out some moves on the dance floor in the club/bar adjacent to the pool and loved people watching (it is quite a bustling area) and checking out the views.

Other than the SkyPark, the huge building also has a casino and a mall development with amazing architecture AND a canal with boats – well, for that money would you expect anything less? Worth a gander!

GARDENS BY THE BAY

Just a stones throw from the Marina Bay Sands complex is Gardens by the Bay. Recently opened, it is a completely man-made area which offers a new dimension to Singapore, away from the towering high rises which dominate the city. What intrigued me was the promise of ‘Supertrees’. For some reason I was expecting a large, roomy, Enid Blyton style magical treehouse. I was a little disappointed.

They might be striking but Supertrees are more ‘Hunger Games’ than ‘Far Away Tree’. Their tall trunks are a cylindrical mesh of coloured metal interspersed with plants which fan out at the top. They aren’t the most beautiful of structures although at night they give off impressive light displays. They have other functions too. One houses a restaurant and two are adjoined by a 122m metre footbridge, 22 storeys up – giving excellent views over the gardens.

You could spend a lot of time at Gardens by the Bay. There are acres of gardens to wander around (although with the Singapore weather, prepare to sweat)! If you are looking for a cooler area, head to the flower domes which house plants from different climates from across the world or ‘Clouds in the Forest’ which has an indoor waterfall and 35 metre mountain covered in vegetation.

COST: Much of the gardens are free but you have to pay to go in Flower Domes, Clouds in the forest and Skyway.

SHOPPING

Singapore is famed for its dozens of malls and as well as eating, another favourite pastime for the Singaporeans is to shop. As a tourist, take advantage of the competitive prices, range of products on sale and if you’re on the petite side (like me) stock up on clothes that actually fit. I have to admit, I was pretty restrained on this trip. The last time I was in Singapore, nearly seven years ago, I really went for it. On this occasion I just bought one dress…and four pairs of shoes too…well, they are so CHEAP! The great thing about the shopping malls is not only are they air conditioned so provide a cool sanctuary away from the heat and have lots of lifts, but there are also loads of stuff for the kids to do. One had this amazing balloon exhibition on display.

They also have soft play areas, small playgrounds and loads of fun machines to go on which quickly dispense of your coins.

Plus, there are great changing facilities and places to breastfeed, get hot and cold water and heat up bottles.

Singapore is perfect for families wanting to dip their toes in Asia. It is an Asian city for beginners really. Its English speaking population helps ease the stress of travelling with children but it still offers a multicultural experience. A great stop off if you are going somewhere even more far flung.

Have you been to Singapore? What were your experiences? Have you any other suggestions? As ever I would love to hear from you, just comment below.