Best outdoor parks for kids in Singapore
If you thought Singapore was just about shopping and eating, think again—nearly 47% of the island is covered in green, and there is more to our beautiful parks than just colourful flowers. In times of fine weather, seize the opportunity to get acquainted with Singapore’s parks and have some fun with the family. Better yet if there are playgrounds to keep the little ones busy!
Get ready to run, climb, bike or just simply pack a picnic basket and hunker down for a lazy afternoon. Here are the top picks of the best outdoor parks in Singapore for you and your children:
West Coast Park
Location: Parallel to West Coast Highway
If the East Coast is the king of sandy beaches and cool sea breezes, then the West Coast Park must be the king of playgrounds. It has about SEVEN different types of play areas, which cater to different age groups—from toddlers to teenagers. And standing at the core of the park is the Adventure Play Area with a giant spiderweb-like structure that allows kids (and adults) to scamper up to dizzying heights. There are also Ninja Warrior-inspired obstacle courses and a Flying Fox installation that is sure to challenge one’s agility. The little ones do not get left out either—there are two non-sand areas that cater to the youngest of toddlers.
Bishan - Ang Mo Kio Park
Location: Along Bishan Road and Ang Mo Kio Ave 1
What once was a concrete canal, which ran through both of the old Bishan Parks, is now a naturalised, meandering river teeming with aquatic life. River Plains (formerly Bishan Park 2) consists of a playground, a Dog Run and lots of eateries. Pond Gardens (formerly Bishan Park 1) is where the action picks up though—with two exciting playgrounds (one of which is a water play area) and an enchanting Lotus Garden. Kids will also be able to get close to the river bank, and observe the wildlife in the water. Who knows, they may just be able to catch a glimpse of the purple herons, who are known to make regular appearances at the river!
Jurong Central Park
Location: Jalan Boon Lay junction with Boon Lay Way
Besides sporting a huge eight-hectare area for kids to run themselves silly, Jurong Central Park is the first park in Singapore to have life-sized board-game features in a park: Snakes and Ladders playground and Ludo Garden. The pavement around the playground area is marked with numbers and visitors can move around just like on an actual game board by using the dice tower built in the park for game play. Rules for the Snakes and Ladders playground is just like its namesake board-game: landing on a ladder will see one climbing across the obstacle to reach a higher board space while landing on a snake will allow one to descend to a lower board space via a slide. So much fun!
Sembawang Park
Location: At the end of Sembawang Road
Sembawang Park re-opened with a huge surprise for kids—a Battleship Playgound. Presumably as a nod to Sembawang's naval history, the Battleship comes complete with gun turrets, smoke stacks, propellers and even a rudder. I have to admit; I myself did a double take when I first saw the playground simply because for as long as I can remember, I can't recall the last time when a playground made me go 'WOW!'. There are loads of rope ladders, rock walls and grid nets for kids to navigate and keep them duly occupied. To top it all, there is a red climbing net reminiscent of a naval flagstaff and an insanely fun pendulum swing beside the Battleship too!
Gardens by the Bay
Location: 18 Marina Gardens Drive Singapore 018953
There is more to Gardens by the Bay (read: FREE) other than the ticketed admission to the Cooled Conservatories. Enjoy the sights of flowers and fruits in bloom, and venture into the Secret Life of Trees, and take in the impressive sight of topiary animals such as the orang-utan, pangolin and hornbill at the Web of Life. Better yet, thrill the kids with a visit to the Children’s Garden—a must-see for families with young kids. Not only is it Singapore's newest outdoor playground, it is by far the largest one. The Children's Garden was especially created for children up to age 12 and seeks to further encourage interaction with nature, together with integrated play equipment and water play features spread over four main play zones—Adventure Trail, Rainforest Treehouses, Toddler Play Zone and Water Play Areas. All amid a luscious garden setting, no less.
Kelvin is a Daddy Blogger and is remarkably blessed with 3 kids, 2 terrapins and 1 fabulous wife. Other than masquerading as a part-time superhero to his kids, he loves sussing out the best kid-friendly places in town. Watch him get twirled around their fingers at www.cheekiemonkie.net. Kelvin also co-founded Daddy Matters, an online community of active dads, hoping to learn as well as promote the message of active fatherhood through to everyone.
