The March school break is here soon, and you know what that means — bored kids running amok at home, pestering their parents to go out and do something, anything.
Even if you’re not travelling overseas, it doesn’t mean you can’t find some fun things to do with kids in Singapore. There are plenty of events and activities to check out during the school holiday period, and the good news is that many of them are absolutely free! From swim camps to self-defence lessons, cooking classes to hiking trails, here are some of the places to go and the many ways you can keep them occupied.
A playground hunt across the island
This fun-filled quest is not only a great way to keep the kiddos entertained this school holiday, but also a wonderful opportunity to explore the diversity of play spaces Singapore has to offer. Try out this activity for kids today!
With loads of time on everyone’s hands during this March school holiday, take this opportunity to explore the island through the lens of the little ones by taking them across the myriad of playgrounds in Singapore!
1. COMO Adventure Grove
COMO Adventure Grove, for one, is where kids can frolic in nature within the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ new Gallop Extension. Let them swing and slide, or climb on structures inspired by the aerial roots of the Weeping Fig or the warty surface of a cempedak during the March school holidays.
Address: 5 Gallop Rd, Singapore 258960
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday — 7:00am to 7:00pm
2. Admiralty Park
Over at Admiralty Park, kids of all ages will have a blast riding down 26 unique slides, including a 34m-long outdoor slide, a 9m-high tube slide, and a slide spacious enough to accommodate a family of four down the hilly terrain. The enthralling park features three main play areas — Junior Play, Family Terracing Play and Adventure Play.
Address: 31 Riverside Road, Singapore 739087
Opening Hours: Open 24 hours
3. West Coast Park
West Coast Park offers one of the largest playgrounds in Singapore, where the young and the young at heart can romp around a giant pyramid-shaped rope course, a Viking ship, wobbly bridges, and a zip line play area.
Address: W Coast Ferry Rd, Singapore 126978
Opening Hours: Open 24 hours
4. SMIGY at Paya Lebar Quarter
Looking for indoor places to go this March school holiday? SMIGY at Paya Lebar Quarter should offer oodles of entertainment as one of the largest indoor playgrounds in the East where kids can scamper on obstacle courses, swings, trampolines, slides and ball pits.
Address: PLQ Mall, 10 Paya Lebar Road Singapore, #03-05/06, Singapore 409057
Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday — 10:00am to 8:00pm, Friday to Sunday — 10:00am to 9:00pm
5. Kiztopia Club
Find Kiztopia Club right next to Waterway Point in Punggol, a safari-themed indoor playground equipped with a pretend supermarket, arcade games, ball pits and obstacle courses. The latest aviation-themed Kiztopia at Jewel's Toys"R'Us store is also worth a visit!
Kiztopia Club Punggol
Address: 85 Punggol Central, #01-01/02/03/04, Singapore 828726
Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday — 10:00am to 8:00pm, Friday to Sunday — 10:00am to 9:00pm
Kiztopia Club Jewel Changi Airport
Address: Jewel Changi Airport #B1-210
Opening Hours: Sunday to Thursday — 10:00am to 8:00pm, Friday, Saturday, Public Holiday — 10:00am to 9:00pm
6. Canopy Park
Of course, you can’t forget Jewel Changi Airport’s own Canopy Park, the 14,000sqm-wide recreational park packed with exciting attractions such as the Walking and Bouncing Nets, where kids can bounce and walk on giant nets suspended 25 metres above ground.
Address: Jewel Changi Airport, Level 5
Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday — 10:00am to 10:00pm; Friday to Sunday and Public Holidays — 10:00am to 11:00pm
Pick up a life skill in swimming classes
Train your children how to swim well from young and who knows, they could very well be future Olympians! Have them spend their days in pools, where they can learn valuable life skills as a March school holiday activity in Singapore, while still having fun splashing around in the water with new friends.
1. SWISH! Swimming
At SWISH, first-time swimmers can gain water confidence through fun games, songs and water toys. Holiday camps are available for your children to improve their swimming skills and gain water safety knowledge after just one week of consecutive swimming. They'll be gliding underwater, free-floating and climbing out of the pool by themselves in no time.
Address: Dempsey Hill, 72 Loewen Road, #01-08, Singapore 248848
Prices and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for class schedules and camp fees
2. The Swim Lab
The Swim Lab, on the other hand, offers lessons revolving around basic aquatic movements such as foundational swimming skills. Kids will be taught to perform a sitting dive, control their breath underwater, kick in streamlined positions and do some basic swimming with arm movements.
Address: Sports Lifestyle Centre @ Bukit Merah, 3500A Bukit Merah Central, Singapore 159837
Prices and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for camp schedules and fees
3. State Swim Swimming Schools
Founded in Australia, State Swim Swimming Schools has a branch in Singapore that promises to produce confident young swimmers. That’s where their SwimVac holiday programme comes in — the structure ensures that kids can see their skills and confidence progress over the course of a 5-day programme.
Address: 3 Temasek Blvd, Suntec City North Wing, Level 4, Singapore 038983
Prices and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for camp schedules and fees
Whip up a taste for cooking at culinary camps
What better way to get your kids to (literally) develop a taste for good food than getting them to go hands-on with kitchen skills during the March school holidays? Culinary boot camps are available for all junior master chefs out there, where they get to gain confidence in cooking and ultimately be proud of preparing meals by themselves. After the school holidays, you might even have little Jamie Olivers running your kitchen.
1. Cooking Class Singapore
Cooking Class Singapore offers boot camps for kids to learn about healthy food choices, safety in the kitchen, and the art of creative food plating. The Junior Culinary Boot Camp is suitable for children of all age groups, including children under seven (though they will require their parent’s supervision in the kitchen studio).
Address, Price and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for various class locations, camp schedules and fees
2. Camp Asia
Over at Camp Asia, professional chefs promise to take kids through a new world of flavours by teaching them how to cook familiar and exotic starters, mains, desserts and cakes from scratch. Not only will the chefs teach how to prepare scrumptious meals, but they’ll also explain the processes to ensure the kids understand the reasons behind them.
Address: Stamford American International School, 1 Woodleigh Lane, Singapore 357684
Price and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for camp schedules and fees
3. Tomato Cooking School
Another place to consider bringing your kids for school holiday classes is the Tomato Cooking School. The workshops here are perfect for children to get serious about cooking since they’ll each get their own professionally equipped cooking station and whip up dishes independently under the guidance of veteran chefs. In addition, its upcoming "Local Delights" cooking camp will have kids exploring different Singaporean dishes (think kaya toasts, hokkien prawn mee, laksa and more!) to cook and bring home for mum and dad to dig in.
Address: 278 River Valley Rd, Singapore 238319
Price and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for camp schedules and fees
Build confidence with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
The art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) conditions practitioners with discipline, confidence, team building and problem-solving — all great character-building tenets to instil in kids. Plus, your kids will have all the wrestling skills they’d ever need to stand up against larger-sized bullies (only if they have to, of course).
The break is a great time to get them into trial classes! If they’re into this fun activity, you could always sign them up for more classes beyond, making BJJ more than just a school holiday activity.
1. Field Assembly
Field Assembly offers BJJ lessons for children to get them into the sport during the school holidays while still having fun — physically-demanding moves like rolling and grappling on the ground are taught through games and exercises.
Address: Holland Village, 17B Lorong Liput, Level 3, Singapore 277747
Prices and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for class schedules and fees
2. Carpe Diem
Carpe Diem believes in training the innate self-defence skills of kids, letting them build up physical strength, kindness and communication skills that are applicable both on and off the mat.
Address: Serangoon Branch — Spazio @Kovan #B1-03, 767 Upper Serangoon Road Singapore 534635; Siglap Branch — 54 Burnfoot Terrace, Singapore 459839
Prices and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for class schedules and fees
3. Gracie Academy
Gracie Academy will be a good place for parents looking to toughen up their kids. The Gracie Bullyproof programme teaches kids to use verbal assertiveness and several non-violent self-defence techniques to stay safe if physically assaulted by their peers.
Address: 197A Kitchener Road, Singapore 208536
Prices and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for class schedules and fees
Ascend to greatness with rock climbing
Embrace the thrill of heights, strength, and endurance this school holiday in Singapore with an exciting venture into the world of rock climbing.
We all know how much kids just love to climb on things, so might as well give them a safe environment where they’re encouraged to clamber on everything this March school holiday. Rock climbing allows kids to expend their energy while strengthening their muscles and flexibility, not to mention getting them to safely conquer any fear of heights.
1. The Rock School
The Rock School is a state-of-the-art facility offering an array of classes for kids to get started in the sport together with their parents. Its Fun Climb Workshop is conducted every school break for new and experienced climbers to try ascending the gently-sloped walls through fun games. Parents typically sign their kids up for the popular Step Up Coaching Beginner’s module, a crash course that will turn tots into little mountaineers after a 4-day programme.
Address: Bedok Community Centre, 850 New Upper Changi Rd, Singapore 467352
Prices and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for camp schedules and fees
2. My Little Climbing Room
My Little Climbing Room is a facility for kids to try out climbing without adults around, with climbing walls designed to cater to children's height and reach with multiple safety measures. There’s also an augmented reality climbing wall that offers interactive games. Or, sign up for a holiday climbing camp that will have kids psyched up with five days of activities to build their physical and mental strength.
Address: Promenade @ Pelikat, 183 Jalan Pelikat #B1-101 Singapore 537643
Prices and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for camp schedules and fees
Hit the hiking trails
Get away from the urban jungle and immerse yourself in real ones. Another fun activity to do with the kids during the holidays, hiking is a great way to get your children to reconnect with nature and the great outdoors. But it might mean more crowds at popular walking trails across the island during Singapore holidays, so what not go off the beaten track?
1. Bukit Batok Hillside Park
Try taking the whole family into Bukit Batok Hillside Park, a forgotten area where nature has reclaimed old structures like artificial rock installations and broken lamp posts. Kids will have a fun time navigating hilly terrains to find old structures like pavilions and a well — traces of what would have been a vibrant recreational park in this hidden part of Singapore.
How to get there: Across the road from Block 315 along Bukit Batok West Avenue 2, find an opening into the forest — the trodden trail to Bukit Batok Hillside Nature Park should be visible from the pavement.
2. Pulau Ubin
Alternatively, you could always take your kids on an offshore island adventure at Pulau Ubin, where the rustic kid-friendly trails, wetlands and viewpoints serve as a reminder of Singapore’s rich biodiversity. One must-do activitiy is trekking up Puaka Hill on the western end of the island, which offers a majestic view of Ubin Quarry.
How to get there: From Changi Point Ferry Terminal*, take a bumboat (approximately 15min) to Pulau Ubin
*Please check ferry schedules before heading down.
3. TreeTop Walk
If all else fails, entice your children with the chance for Instagram-worthy photos at TreeTop Walk, the 250 metre-long free-standing suspension bridge above the forest canopy of MacRitchie Reservoir. It’s a perfect setting for a #FollowMeTo snap too, thanks to stunning panoramic views of verdant greenery.
How to get there: From the entrance of Windsor Nature Park car park at Venus Drive, follow the trail and directions that will lead you straight to TreeTop Walk after an hour’s trek.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday — 9:00am to 5:00pm; Saturday to Sunday and public holidays — 8:30am to 5:00pm, closed Mondays (except public holidays). Last entry at 4:45pm
Soar at trampoline parks
Looking for exciting things to do this school holiday? Let your kids jump, flip, and soar through the air in a safe and controlled environment at these trampoline parks.
It's a scientific fact that kids have so much more energy than adults, so high-octane activities like soaring in the air sounds like a good time. Trampoline parks have been in trend in the last few years, offering folks young and old a place to bounce and prance around without worrying about broken bones.
1. AMPED
As Singapore’s first trampoline park, AMPED kickstarted the craze with foam pits and parkour platforms to let everyone try their hand at doing backflips safely. Kids should have a blast building up trampoline skills while playing dodgeball, laser tag and Nerf gun battles while bouncing around in their Get Camped school holiday programme.
Address: The Herencia, 46 Kim Yam Road, Level 2 Sports Hall, Singapore 239351
Prices and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for camp schedules and fees
2. Bounce Singapore
Over at Bounce Singapore, there are programmes for people to hone gymnastics skills such as somersaults, doubles and twists. Otherwise, you and your little ones can bounce around in free jumping arenas and try basketball dunks, Ninja Warrior-like obstacle circuits and high-performance trampolines with vertical walls to pull off mid-air tricks.
Address: Cineleisure, 8 Grange Road, #09-01, Singapore 239695
Prices and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for camp schedules and fees
Enter a world of discovery at museums
More than just repositories of ancient artefacts and historical relics, museums in Singapore offer immersive experiences that can educate, inspire, and entertain the kids during the school holidays.
1. Children’s Museum
Children’s Museum Singapore (formerly the Singapore Philatelic Museum) is the first-of-its-kind dedicated to kiddos 12 years and under. At this museum, they’re all for the power of free play and sparking wonder, with ample exhibitions and activities for children to explore and engage while learning about Singapore and the world this school holiday.
Address: 23B Coleman Street, Singapore 179807
Prices and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for entry time slots and bookings
2. MINT Museum of Toys
The young ones (and the young at heart) can marvel at an extensive collection of toys and rare collectibles from an era-gone-by at the largest vintage toy museum in Asia. Explore the four thematic levels of the museum and let your children check out the collection from over 40 countries — you’ll see action figures, first-edition comic books and board games, among other toys.
Address: 26 Seah Street, Singapore 188382
Price and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for daily hours and tickets
3. ArtScience Museum
Another place to visit during the March school holidays has got to be the ArtScience Museum. From its futuristic building facade to the exhibitions that blend art, science, design, media, architecture and technology, here is where art truly meets science. What’s there to do here? Children will love the interactive exhibits, and kid-friendly activities. Be sure to stop by the Future World exhibit and experience the VR Gallery.
Address: 6 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018974
Price and Opening Hours: Refer to their website for daily hours and tickets
Even if you’re spending the school holidays locally, there’s something for every child to spend their days and experience different fun activities here. New adventures await the entire family!
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