Singapore is not only known for its modern cityscape and thriving economy, but also for its rich variety of cultural activities and natural landscapes, making it an ideal destination full of educational and recreational activities, especially for families with children. Here are some attractions to explore with your kids during the winter and summer vacations.
National Library of Singapore
The 16-storey main building of the National Library is designed with a glass enclosure, high ceilings and wind tunnels, and a number of sky gardens on the top floor with lush greenery, which not only beautifies the environment, but also helps to lower the temperature of the building, and the design has won the Platinum Award for Environmental Achievement in Singapore.
The library is bright and spacious, with quiet corners ideal for students to study and read, and the collection is so varied and rich that one feels like reading here is a pleasure, so many people often spend most of the day in the library.
Of particular note, the library also has a reading room designed for children, which is made to look like a hole in a large tree, with each area presented in the form of a tree, and even a creative space for reading while sitting on a mushroom mill. In this fun environment, children can release their imagination and enjoy reading.
Address: 100 Victoria Street, Singapore 188064
Hours: Monday to Sunday 10:00 – 21:00
Tiger and Leopard Villa
Tiger Balm Villa is a park-like villa full of traditional Chinese culture and mythological elements, which carries many characters and landscapes from Chinese mythological stories, thus becoming a unique tourist attraction, stepping into the Tiger Balm Villa, as if entering a fairyland full of rich oriental flavor, the park shows a variety of traditional cultures, ranging from China’s “24 Filial Piety” to “Ten Temples of Hell of King Yama”. The park presents a variety of traditional cultures from the Chinese “Twenty-four Filial Piety” to the “Ten Temples of Hell of King Yama”.
elements, as well as impressive sculptures and brilliant colors such as a Japanese sumo wrestler and an artificial pool Buddhist garden. Here you will be immersed in many secular stories of the East.
Built in the 1930s as the former residence of the famous entrepreneur Hu Wenhu, Tiger Balm Villa was destroyed by bombing during World War II but was rebuilt between 1950 and 1959 and transformed into a theme park in 1986. The 80-year-old Tiger Balm Villa has undergone many renovations and alterations and is now open to the public for free.
The villa also hosts various activities from time to time, including weekend flea markets, yoga and tai chi classes, providing visitors with more interactive and experiential opportunities. Tiger Balm Villa is not only a historical and cultural heritage, but also a great place to gain insight and experience the Eastern culture.
Address: 262 Pasir Panjang Rd, Singapore 118628
Time: 09:00 – 20:00 Monday to Sunday
Gardens by the Bay
One of the most iconic attractions you’ll find at the Gardens by the Bay South campus are the spectacular Supertrees, which provide shade and shelter during the day, and are illuminated in a magnificent display of colorful lights at nightfall, creating a breathtakingly luminous landscape.
Surrounded by lush forests, the Gardens by the Bay offers a sense of tranquility and comfort. In the outdoor area, there is a “Children’s Park” for children to play in the water, a walkway along the riverbank with views of the Sands Hotel and the Sky Tree called “Dragonfly Lake” and the “Heritage Gardens Open Air Park”, which includes the Chinese Garden, the Malay Garden, the Indian Garden and the Singapore Colonial Garden, etc. All these outdoor gardens are open to the public free of charge. The outdoor area includes a “Children’s Park” for children to play in the water, a walkway along the riverbank with a beautiful view of the Sands Hotel and the Sky Tree, called “Dragonfly Lake”, and the “Heritage Gardens Open-Air Gardens”, which include the Chinese Garden, the Malay Garden, the Indian Garden, and the Singaporean Colonial Gardens, etc. These outdoor gardens are free and open to the public.
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953
Hours: 17:00 – 02:00 Monday to Sunday
Jurong Lake Gardens
Jurong Lake Gardens is not only a nature lover’s paradise, but also an ideal place for a family outing. The 2.3-hectare Forest Ramble is the largest nature-themed amusement park in Singapore’s neighborhoods, featuring 13 different children’s rides ranging from slides and swings to suspension bridges and miniature trampolines in the shape of water lilies.
Clusia Cove, a children’s recreation area that mimics a sandy beach, has low dunes and shallow water for children to play in. Squirrels, long-tailed macaques and smooth-skinned otters can be seen living freely in the gardens as you travel through this nature reserve.
The gardens are also home to a variety of butterflies, including Plain Tiger butterflies, Chestnut Bobs, and more. The park is flat and perfect for kids to ride bikes and skateboards. And the playground area is very large with lots of entertainment. The water play area is divided into two sections, one with a sandbox and the other with a spray park, and there is also a superbly landscaped meadow, lake and marshland, making it a combination of family and nature.
Address: 100 Yuan Ching Road, Singapore 618662
Hours: 24 hours a day
Twin Creeks Boogie Wetland Reserve
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is known as a world-class eco-tourism destination, first discovered by birdwatchers from the Malayan Nature Society in 1986, the government classified it as a nature park in 1989 and officially opened it to the public in 1993, it is a great place for children to learn and play, with heated lands, mangroves, forest trails, and a wide variety of small animals such as lizards, crocodiles, small snakes, Mudskippers, chameleons, spiders, and beautiful birds of prey and cranes to name a few. It is also easy to watch a variety of birds and spot crabs, mudskippers and mud lobsters living happily in their natural habitats. Visitors can choose from guided tours to get to know the wetlands better, as well as art classes and shrimp farming demonstrations to make the day trip even more exciting.
Address:
Visitor Centre
60 Kranji Way, #01 – 00 , Singapore 739453
Wetland Centre
301 Neo Tiew Crescent , Singapore 718925
Hours: 07:00 – 19:00 Monday to Sunday
