Top 10 things to do with kids in Singapore

My kids have rounded up their Top 10 favourite activities here in our little red dot. We are not that boring after all. (Singapore, I mean. My kids will tell you that our family is really boring.)

1) Sentosa

Our island resort has seen extensive transformation over the past decade to become Singapore’s bona fide playground for the whole family.

Start the morning by taking the Cable Car over from Mount Faber to enjoy the scenic view. Delve right into the excitement with the Skyline Luge, a non-motorised vehicle using gravity to zoom down the slopes.

During the hottest part of the day, take shelter in 4D AdventureLand where admission fees include unlimited entry to the multi-sensory simulation rides and interactive shoot-out game.

In the evening, head out to Palawan beach where the adults can sit and sip a pina colada while watching the kids play at the beach. Or head over to Port of Lost Wonder, a pirate ship water play area designed with the young kids in mind. For the older kids, get their hearts pumping at the MegaZip Adventure park, Wave House, or Flying Trapeze.

If you prefer something more chi chi, Quayside aisle @ Sentosa Cove is the answer, as you dine within view of million dollar yachts. Satisfy your gastronomic cravings with their wide selection of fine restaurants and casual cafes.

Best suited for: The entire family
Approximate duration: A whole day, or two!

Sane tip: The island resort is also accessible via monorail from Vivocity, by foot along Sentosa Boardwalk, or by car/taxi. Grab a map of Sentosa as the island is divided into segments such as Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), Imbiah Lookout, Palawan Beach, Siloso beach, Sentosa Cove and more.

There are several hotels spread around Sentosa, the most family-friendly being Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa along Siloso Beach which has a kid’s club. Within RWS itself, Festive Hotel offers family rooms, and staying on the island is convenient if you are spending the day at Universal Studios theme park. The older kids would also love Adventure cove, a water park situated within RWS.

Official website: Sentosa

Photo credit: Sentosa

2) KidsSTOP @ Singapore Science Centre

Learn Science in a fun and engaging way at KidsSTOP. Plenty of hands-on experiences including flying an aeroplane, dino pit excavation, pretend play at the supermarket, stop-motion animation, making friends with the feathered, furry and four-legged, and even a two-story climbing structure with mind boggling exhibits.

Best suited for: Ages 2-8
Approximate duration: 2 – 4 hours
Sane tip: Strollers are not allowed inside the premise. Socks are required for some areas.

Official Website: KidsSTOP @ Singapore Science Centre

Older kids can explore the adjoining Science Centre which includes an Omni-max theatre and outdoor water play area.

KidsSTOP

3) River Cruise @ Marina Bay

Swimming (or taking selfies) in the infinity pool on the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands hotel has attained the ‘must experience before you die’ status. Another fabulous way to soak in the breath-taking Marina bay skyline is to hop aboard a traditional bumboat for a leisurely river cruise.

Best suited for: The entire family
Approximate duration: 40 minutes
Sane tip: Avoid the hottest part of the afternoon

Official Website: Singapore River Cruise

For the younger kids, take them on the Duck Tour which departs from nearby Singapore Flyer, and watch them squeal with delight as the Wacky DUCK bus transforms into a boat and makes a splash into the bay.

Marina Bay

4) Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum

Get up close and personal with three diplodocid sauropod skeletons nicknamed Prince, Apollonia and Twinky and feel the bone of the edmontosaurus dinosaur which lived 67 million years ago. There are more than a million specimens preserved at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum located on the grounds of the National University of Singapore.

Best suited for: Ages 6 and up
Approximate duration: 2 hours. Longer if the older kids are interested in reading all the information presented.
Sane tip: Tickets have to be pre-bought via Sistic, and collected at their authorised agents, for crowd control. However, they do sell left-over tickets at the door on a first-come-first-serve basis. Call +65 6601 3333 to try your luck!

Official website: Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum.

For history buffs, it is worthwhile to visit the National Museum of Singapore and it has areas dedicated to children. For art enthusiasts, make some time to visit the newly opened National Gallery.

Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum

5) Parkland Green @ ECP

The East Coast Park (ECP) belt has been transformed with a new stretch of F & B outlets at Parkland Green to enhance the outdoor seaside experience. Have a leisurely tea break with unobstructed view of the beach while your kids play a round of laser tag. If you are feeling active, rent the family bicycle from Lifestyle Bike & Skate which can sit 6. Be prepared to sweat it out, especially if you are the only one paddling your tots!

After all that hard work, reward yourself with a satisfying dinner at East Coast Seafood Centre, and don’t forget to order Singapore’s signature Chilli Crab dish.

Best suited for: The whole family
Approximate duration: Varies
Sane tip: Most of the restaurants are crowded on weekends, make a reservation or have an early dinner.

Photo credit: Mamawearpapashirt.com

6) Trampoline Park

The weather in Singapore is erratic, and if faced with wet weather, let your kids expand their energies at an indoor trampoline park. According to my kids, the trampolines at Amped are bouncier and the large main arena provides sufficient space for stunts like back flips while Zoom Park Asia is more interesting with segregated areas for dodgeball, slam dunk and a rock climbing wall.

Best suited for: Kids of all ages, even the parents!
Approximate duration: Bookings by the hour.
Sane tip: Pre-booking required, and of course, a pair of socks.

Official website: Amped, Zoom Park Asia

Amped @ Jurong
7) Children’s Centre for Creativity

Nestled in the quiet Gillman Barracks off Alexandra road is the Art of Speed, an installation for kids to explore the essence of speed through four different but interconnected sensory and open-ended environments. Build your own cars and zoom them down the slope. The catch is, there is a hurdle right in the middle which the cars have to cross!

Best suited for: Ages 2-12
Approximate duration: 2 hours
Sane tip: Check their website for Busy Times as they may be closed for school bookings.

Official website: Playeum, Children’s Centre for Creativity
Art of Speed
8) Family-friendly dining

Why not incorporate some fun and lovely ambience into your meals? Our latest dining haunts are Brewerkz at Sentosa Boardwalk, and the Open Farm Community.

All time favourites include the award-winning Shunjuu Izakaya Japanese restaurant at the hip yet chill Robertson Quay, and the DIY pancake cafe Slappy Cakes at The Grandstand. (You might like to spend an afternoon at The Grandstand, where the kids can have a spin on the Go-Karts or fidget away at Fidgets World Indoor Playground while mum satisfies her retail craving at Pasarbella, the unique farmer’s market.)
Brewerkz @ Sentosa Boardwalk
9) Gardens by the Bay

Before you leave, don’t forget to make a stop at Gardens by the Bay, winner of several prestigious international awards for creative excellence. Stroll around the beautiful gardens, or pay for admission into the 2 domes with rotational displays.

The highlight of this yuletide season is the Christmas Wonderland attraction, where visitors will be enthralled by the combination of magnificent sculptures of light and sound. Do expect a huge crowd. 

Best suited for: The entire family.
Approximate duration: 2 hours
Sane tip: Savour our local cuisine at Satay by the Bay where there is a wide range of cuisines available, and little tables for the kids. Situated in the corner of Gardens by the Bay. Do go early as it gets crowded at mealtimes.

Official website: Gardens by the Bay

Photo credits: Gardens by the Bay

10) Indoor playgrounds

Besides the usual indoor playgrounds, unleash your child’s creativity at Kaboodle where they can build with giant foam blocks. Located at East Coast Park (visit #5 Parkland Green at the same time). For the under 5s, Hokey Pokey at Millenia walk has a huge array of play things to keep them entertained in a safe environment.

If time permits, other staple tourist attractions include Singapore ZooNight Safari and Jurong Bird Park.

Kaboodle at ECP
This post was first published as a guest post on Kuala Lumpur Kids.

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~ 

Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum

Kate has been watching the Jurassic Park sequels with #5 and had a lot of questions about dinosaurs. She asked if we could go and see them, like the animals in the zoo. I told her that dinosaurs are extinct and the closest we could get was to look at their bones in the museum and she was really excited.

Fossils of 3 dinosaurs

The first thing that greets you when you step into the museum is the majestic sight of three diplodocid sauropod skeletons named Prince, Apollonia and Twinky.

The older kids were blown away by the fact that this bone was inside a dinosaur around 67 million years ago! The Edmontosaurus is a type of hadrosaur, a “duck-billed” dinosaur.

Femur of Edmontosaurus

Somehow I had the impression that this museum was mainly about the dinosaurs. Little did we know that there are actually over a million specimens preserved here at this research centre. Wow.

Level 1: BIODIVERSITY – embark on a journey through the diverse groups of life forms on Earth, with a focus on native and Southeast Asian flora and fauna.

Crocodylia, Indonesia, Sumatra, 1912

Although Kate was not afraid of any of the specimens, it could be a little upsetting for some young kids. Kate was intrigued by them and went up close to have a good look. It’s like her encyclopaedia had come alive!

Leopard, Malaysia, Johore, 1970s

Level 1 is segmented into 15 zones: Life, Plants, Dinosaurs, Fungi, Towards animals, Molluscs, Arthropods, Reptiles, Birds, Tropical rainforest, Marine cycles, Mammals, Amphibians, Fish and Water to Land.

Japanese Spider Crab

The Japanese Spider Crab has the largest leg span of any living arthropod, capable of reaching 3.8m claw to claw! In spite of its size, it has a gentle disposition and is an omnivore which feeds on animal matter on the sea floor.

Orangutan, Borneo of Sumatra, 1930s

Level 2: Heritage – Singapore’s landscape and the study of biodiversity has evolved over the years. Delve into the nostalgic past and discover the museum’s history and Singapore’s geology. 

Black Marlin

The Black Marlin is one of the largest bony fishes and can reach speeds of 130 kilometres per hour! This 3.3m long specimen died after being stranded at East Coast Park in 1986, and weighed 245kg in life!

The dinosaur can be seen so closely on Level 2 that Kate was prompted to draw it. She took out her sketch book which is always kept in her bag, and spent almost half an hour with her drawings.

Twinky is about half the size of the other two sauropods, measuring 12m long. It is the first diplodocid dinosaur found with a complete, undisturbed series of vertebrae preserved in a continuous row with even spacing, from the atlas to the beginning of the whiplash tail. It seems to be a juvenile or sub-adult, and lived during the Jurassic period, around 156 to 148 million years ago.

“Twinky Delano MS LEE”

There is so much to take in that we will have to come back repeatedly over the years. Lots of information for the older kids to look at, read about and digest.

Gift shop

Sane tips: Tickets have to be pre-bought via Sistic, and collected at their authorised agents, for crowd control. However, they do sell left-over tickets at the door on a first-come-first-serve basis. Call +65 6601 3333 to try your luck!


There isn’t any food outlets situated here, but the gift shop sells instant cup noodles, a small range of snacks and cold drinks.

Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
National University of Singapore
2 Conservatory Drive
Singapore 117377

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~

Zoom Park Asia – Trampoline Park

It seems trampoline parks are the in-thing right now. Not too long ago, Amped opened their 2nd outlet in Jurong, and now Zoom Park Asia has opened Singapore’s largest trampoline park, also in Jurong. The West is set to be transformed!

Foam Pit

Zoom has many different arenas for the kids to play in, besides basic jumping. The foam pit even has a rock wall at the end.

Main Court

However, the kids were wondering why there are pyramids at the main court yet they are not allowed to climb them, like at the other trampoline parks. It seems to be for the staff to watch that everyone is playing safely, which is great. Kate loved playing with the plastic balls at the Dodgeball arena.

Dodgeball

Pretty cool to jump towards the basketball hoop and dunk the ball in whilst being high up in the air!

The kids spent the longest time at the Extreme Dodgeball arena. They split up into 2 teams and Kate had fun running from side to side, not quite knowing how the game went.

Extreme Dodgeball

There’s a mini snack/drink counter with some tidbits and muffins on sale.

It is mandatory to purchase these bright orange Zoom socks for $2 each, which has rubber padding on the base.

Kate wearing her zoom socks

Their verdict?

Pros of Zoom:

  • Great variety of arenas, something for everyone
  • Toddler friendly spaces, and balls to add more fun
  • Slots can be purchased in blocks of 30 minutes
  • The kids felt that the trampolines here are not as springy as those in Amped, so this would be a plus for the younger kids who are just starting out and are a little fearful
  • Kate jumped and played around for a full hour and didn’t even take a break to ask for snacks. She came out all sweaty and happy!

Pros of Amped:

  • Very springy trampolines make it easier for the older kids to do somersaults and other fancy moves
  • Wide open spaces so they can create their own fun and games
  • They love climbing up the pyramids
  • The Jurong outlet is air-conditioned which makes it more comfortable

Sane tip: Trampoline parks are ‘mum’s best friends’. The kids are happily entertained for an hour and when they get home, they are knocked out at bedtime. Kids below 3 need an adult supervising them at all times. Kids above 3 need an adult on the premise.

Save tip: Weekday rates start from $7.50 for 30 minutes.

Zoom Park Asia
200 Pandan Gardens
Singapore 609336

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~

Parkland Green at East Coast Park

We were invited to the launch of the brand new family-friendly spot in East Coast Park known as Parkland Green. National Parks’ latest efforts to rejuvenate the green spaces in our City in a Garden has certainly hit the mark with families. It comprises of 8 dining establishments, 2 sports shops and a laser tag arena. A large open lawn between the sea and the restaurants allow for outdoor activities like kite-flying, ball games and picnics to be enjoyed. Here is a run-down of some of the dining and retail shops we visited.

1. Atmosphere Bistro

We started off our food trail at Atmosphere Bistro, a seaside dining concept catering to families in the day and transforming into a sports bar at night. For the month of December, they offer Kids Pizza making workshops every Tuesday from 5.30pm to 7pm. Tel: 64409705

BBQ Pork Ribs, Mini Burgers, Flaming Pizza

The kids were served Iced Chocolate and were amused by the very cute latte art.

3D latte art

Their chocolate lava cake was very yummy, and the kids attacked it with relish, not knowing we were in for a whole afternoon of other delectable delights.

2. SandBank

Next on our trail was SandBank, and beat this, they have a children’s pool and a 15m plunge pool with jacuzzi on their premise! What a fabulous idea. The adults can enjoy a leisurely time eating while the kids play contentedly in the pool. We will definitely be back to check out the pool once it is ready. For the rest of the school holidays, they are offering 10% off main courses (valid till 31 Dec 2014). Tel: 62477988
Charcoal grilled cola marinated chicken wings

3. Patro’s Sports Bar & Restaurant

We moved along to Patro’s Sports Bar & Restaurant, which serves Mexican & North Indian cuisine. I found the standard of the food to be really good, but was a little doubtful that my kids would like it. Turns out they said it was delicious! From now until 21 December 2014, kids enjoy one-for-one main course from the kids’ menu.

Chicken Fajitas

4. Bakery Bar ST. MARC

I was quite stuffed by now, but there were still a few more stops to go. Next up was Bakery & Bar St. Marc, and here at their Parkland Green outlet, they serve All-day dining with Japanese fusion cuisine. The kids managed to run around between the stops and had space in their tummies to chomp down these chocolate croissants. I tried a bite, and must say that they do taste quite good! I will be back next time for a proper tea and have a whole Chococro to myself.

Chococro

The lovely wait staff came around with plates of their signature Spaghetti Carbonara, but we had to pass on it. I saw some of the other kids clean up their plate, so it must have been good. Currently, they are having discounts on any 2 waffle cone desserts on weekdays from 11am to 5pm, valid till 29 December 2014. (Closed on Mondays. Tel: 63421786)

I can just imagine this place on the weekends, with kids happily playing in the open green fields while the parents relax at the cafes with good food and drinks. My idea of a perfect day. Now I wish I lived back in the East.

Little Fuji
5. Pick me up Cafe

Next, we were ushered to Pick me up Cafe, an artisan cafe offering healthy home-made yogurt gelato and an all-day breakfast menu. We were served their signature Smoked Salmon on Miso Waffles and The Manuka Waffles (Chef Waffles).
So many flavours to choose from
#1 is into healthy eating and loved their cold pressed juices which they squeeze on the spot. There is a cosy little corner at the entrance for the little ones to hang out at. Tel: 63481909
Pick me up Cafe

6. Starbucks

This needs no introduction, and was a favourite with the older kids. I tried to keep my children away from caffeine for as long as I could but once they entered the P6/Sec1 age, the ‘cool’ thing to drink seems to be Starbucks coffee. Naturally they were delighted when the friendly staff came out with trays of drinks.

Toffee Nut Latte, Christmas Tree Danish

They have both indoor and outdoor seating, and I would say this is their best outlet to chill at, being right by the seaside.

7. Killiney Kopitiam / Cheers

Last on our food trail was Killiney Kopitiam, which boasts an interesting concept. This is the first time Cheers is collaborating with Killiney Kopitiam to offer affordable food coupled with a convenience store to serve their customers better. Expect to find the usual popular local dishes here such as Mee Siam, Laksa, Mee Rebus and Curry Chicken. The cafe opens until 10pm, while Cheers is open 24 hours on weekends. From now till 1 Jan 2015, they are offering discounts on their toast sets.
Killiney Kopitiam and Cheers

And finally, we were done with the food stops and moved on to what the kids had been waiting for.

8. Tag Team

This is Singapore’s largest indoor laser tag arena, and the first and only multi-arena and multi-weapon laser tag facility. Just the thing to help us digest all that food.

I normally don’t join them in such physical activities (yes, yes, I have to stop being lazy) but it looked pretty harmless and 1 arena lasts for 15 minutes. That, I can manage. We broke up into 2 teams (I joined the other team as they were short of 1 player) and my kids had a field day shooting the mummies down. Yup, our team lost. Well, the 3 year old gave up her gun halfway as it was too heavy for her, and the 2 other mummies with toddlers in tow were no match for my very energetic kids swarming around us. Ok, I’m starting to sound like a spoilsport.

It was surprisingly good fun and I was tired after the short 15 minutes of running around in wedges (Btw, they are not particular about footwear. You can even go barefoot if you wish). The kids went on to the next arena (which was air-conditioned) while I waited outside. Kids from as young as 4 are allowed to play, but they would have to be motivated enough to carry the slightly heavy gun for 15 minutes. If your kid can carry a thick dictionary and run around the house, I’m sure he’ll do fine. All my kids enjoyed themselves thoroughly, even the older girls. For the month of December, they are offering family packages with a discount on 5 ‘mission’ tickets.

To avoid disappointment in case they are closed for private events, do call them beforehand. Tel: 63482696

Practising his aim

9. Hvper Sport

This huge sports shop specialises in skating products, and they carry a wide array of scooters, skateboards and inline skates. They also have lots of beach toys, and other sporting accessories. With our $50 voucher, #3 got a good quality water bottle, a hammock and a ball for Kate. 

Hvper Sport
10. Pro Cycle

They stock a mind-boggling array of bicycles, balance bikes, scooters and safety gear, for children and adults. They carry the local brand Valo with bikes starting from $115, as well as the French brand Cronus with bikes starting from $185. What sets them apart is that they encourage their customers to try out their products before buying. All the bloggers’ kids were happily riding round and round their shop!

They also provide bicycle repair services (even for bikes not bought from them) and they have an outdoor bicycle tyre pumping facility which is available 24/7. For the month of December, they are offering 20% off all bicycles storewide. I spotted this really cool looking pink bicycle going at $105. Pretty reasonable considering the bicycles we bought from the HDB shops cost us about $90 each. Would have bought this if Kate was older!
Pro Cycle

To be honest, the last time we went to East Coast Park for a day out with the kids was probably 4 or 5 years ago. I don’t like crowds and prefer to take them cycling at less populated parks. With the new Parkland Green amenities facing the sea and the great food options, we will definitely be back very soon!

Parkland Green
920 East Coast Parkway
Singapore 449875


Disclaimer: We were sponsored this Food and Fun trail by NParks and the participating establishments. All opinions are my own.

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~

Labrador Park: I love it!

We’ve been doing this parenting thing for so long that it’s getting tiring to plan activities and take them out. I guess there’s a reason kids grow up and need less physical parental input. But with 6, it doesn’t seem to end! The hubs has long copped out and most times it’s just me taking them for the outdoor stuff while he joins us for meals.

I know we have to at least put a bit of physical activity back into our lives, especially now that we have Kate. I’ve been bugging him about it so off we went to Labrador Park. It’s situated near the PSA building where Alexandra Road meets Tanjong Pagar road and Pasir Panjang road.

Wish we were on that boat

I’m not particularly fond of taking them to either West Coast or East Coast Park because of the crowds. This place is perfect. Scenic views, not too crowded even on weekends, and besides, where else would you get to ogle at handsome boats while cycling?

Perfect to watch the sun set

We rode all the way to Keppel Marina and ended up at this place which is a perfect picnic spot. Next time we can perhaps pack a sandwich and a drink each in a backpack and have a simple picnic. The kids would be more than happy to kick a ball around.

Of course she’s smiling… she’s not the one doing the cycling


The next time, we can check out the war relics and secret tunnels.

Directions:

Labrador Villa Road, off Pasir Panjang road

MRT: Labrador Park station

West Coast Park

With the older kids, we used to frequent West Coast Park a lot. There’s so much to do there and they could easily play for hours. There are a lot of play structures to keep the little ones occupied and there’s sand everywhere so we’ll bring our sand toys along. They would also bring their bicycles, roller blades or skate scooters. Once, we tried to fly a kite as there is a huge field with lots of people flying beautiful kites. However, we failed. Don’t ask me why. It wasn’t that there was no wind, because other kites were flying gaily high in the sky. When I mentioned it to a friend, he tried to explain to me how you have to gauge the direction of the wind and go along with it (or was it against it) so that the wind will gradually push the kite from below. And you have to tug at it in a certain way so that it will climb higher and higher. Gosh. Sounds so complicated. Oh well. That was probably our first and last time flying a kite.

Pirate ship

I was surprised to see that it was not as crowded as before. Later I realised why. The main climbing play structure with the high slides was closed for renovation. So although the older kids were disappointed, I much preferred it!

“I think you better stop, uncle”

There’s still enough to keep the younger ones happy for a good few hours. This ‘crazy’ bus was very popular with the kids as it is attached to some springs below. This dad was really involved, and he kept acceding to his boys request to shake the bus. And shake he did! Kate stood there for a long time, spell-bound, as the kids on the bus were being shaken vigorously and were squealing in delight.

Made a new friend

The older girls had to coordinate to get Kate across the net safely. She is indeed fortunate to have siblings who dote on her.

Requires good balancing skills

They were having so much fun that I decided to try hanging too. Could only manage a couple of seconds. Ahem… better get started on that exercise program I’ve been meaning to for years.

3 little monkeys swinging in the park

As usual, Kate wants in on everything.

One little monkey…

Sane tip: In my opinion, the best time for the little ones to go is now. Once the main play structure is ready, be prepared for a throng of older children. We love to pack food along and have a nice relaxing picnic. There’s a MacDonald’s on the premise as well. We’ll going to try camping here the next school holidays!

Save tip: It’s free!
~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~

KidsSTOP @ Singapore Science Centre

The latest attraction for kids from 18 months – 8 years is KidsStop at the Science Centre. They have an impressive gamut of activities which promotes experiential learning with a lot of fun!

I waited for the initial excitement to die down before taking the kids so that it wouldn’t be so packed. We went after school on a Friday and it was perfect as the place was not crowded at all. Kate and #5 had a whale of a time there as there is just so much to explore.

Kate patiently waiting her turn to fly the plane

Uh-oh. The two pilots ran off, along with the outfits. Oh well, we can make-believe just as well without the uniforms.

“You are my co-pilot. Must listen to my instructions ok?” “OK, gor gor!”
#5 finds our anatomy very amusing
Blasting off into space together. So long!
Everyone wants to touch the chick

We learnt how to tell the gender of the chicks. The females have a brown marking while the males are yellowish white in colour.

“Worm!” (She doesn’t know about millipedes yet)

#5 gave me a run down on hermit crabs – on how they ‘borrow’ shells, and about mud skippers. I didn’t know he knew so much about science!

Karoke Queen wannabe 
First you build the Lego
Then you use it for Stop Motion Animation
Be prepared for them being sandy!
After more than 2 hours of playing, Kate was ready to call it a day.
“Playing is such back-breaking work!”
Sane tip: Don’t forget to bring socks as some of the areas require socks to enter. They do very thorough health checks on the kids at the entrance so getting in takes a little while. You can purchase tickets either from the main Science Centre entrance or at KidsSTOP itself.

Save tip: I absolutely love this hands-on science museum! Definitely getting the membership the next time round. It’s $30 for a year and you need to bring along a passport photo and a copy of the child’s birthcert. Benefits of membership: 1 free admission for the child and accompanying adult. Subsequently, 30% discount off entry fees. Full benefits here.

KidsSTOP @ Singapore Science Centre
21 Jurong Town Hall
Singapore 609433

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~

Food for Thought @ Singapore Botanic Gardens

It was a rare opportunity that I had my oldest and youngest home with me on a school morning. #1 had a day off from school as she wasn’t taking certain subjects for her ‘O’ levels prelims. Instead of my daily jaunt with Kate at the playgrounds, I decided to take them for a leisurely breakfast. We needed a cafe that was open early and where Kate could roam for a bit after breakfast. Food for Thought nestled in our beautiful Botanic Gardens was a perfect choice.

Ample seating

This eco-conscious cafe is very kid-friendly and has several configurations of seatings to accommodate groups of different sizes. It is very spacious (no problems with strollers), and has a playground right outside.

Grilled Ham & Cheese $9

We ordered the Ham & cheese and the mixed berries pancakes. All their pancakes are served with fresh cream and gula melaka syrup. Kate loved the pancakes and helped me finish half of it!

Mixed Berries pancakes $11

After she had her fill, she went off to play by herself in the little playground outside. It’s great that the outdoor area is separated by glass walls so we could keep an eye on her while we finished up our breakfast. Even though the playground is outdoors, it is pretty much shaded by trees so it wasn’t that hot.

Deep in thought

This signage cracked the both of us up! Check out rule #2. Hmm, are adults so deprived of fun? Perhaps they also need to run around and de-stress.

Small but fun playground

Right above Food for Thought, there is a little koi pond and Kate was mesmerised by the fishes. We spent some time just hanging around enjoying the lush greenery. What a perfect morning. Lovely. Just lovely.

Sane tip: Bring some wheelies along and let the kids loose in the beautiful gardens. Will do that when I take the whole bunch of them here the next time! Parking is right outside Food for Thought.

Save tip: Early bird special (8-10am) – Chicken laksa or Mee rebus @ $5, add coffee/tea for an extra $1

Food for Thought
Botanic Gardens
1 Cluny Road (Tanglin Gate)
#B1-00
Singapore 259569
Tel: 64791080

Opening hours:
Daily: 8am – 9pm

~ www.mummyweeblog.com – a blog on parenting 6 kids in Singapore ~