Kuala Lumpur has something to offer the whole family
We recently took advantage of the Deepavali public holiday to take a short trip to Kuala Lumpur, one of our favourite nearby destinations.
For this trip, our two boys had a lot of fun together as our now 21-month-old (nicknamed Kwazii) could play much better with his 4.5-year-old elder brother (nicknamed Barnacles). We also took the trip up with a couple of close friends who also have two children about the same age, so the kids all had a lovely time together.
We booked a flight via Malaysia Airlines, and then took a Grab MPV from the airport to our hotel. It was a breeze booking our ride through the Grab taxi app, just like in Singapore. We also used Grab when commuting within KL, and had comfortable rides to all places we visited. For safety, we brought along Barnacles’ Mifold car seat, and Kwazii’s Cosco Scenera Next car seat, which fit nicely in the car. The Cosco fit nicely on top of our Joovy Caboose Too double stroller when we reached our destination, and Kwazii could still sit on it safely.
For this trip, our main focus was on kid-friendly activities. Mummy managed to squeeze in a bit of shopping while the kids busied themselves at the playgym with Daddy. So, if you’re a family with young kids looking to take a fuss-free trip with minimal planning, here are fun places we suggest you visit in KL that your children will enjoy.
Food
Just like Singapore, KL is a food paradise where dining options abound. Thanks to the strength of the Singapore dollar relative to the Malaysian ringgit (S$1 = RM3.1), you and your kids can feast to your heart’s content without breaking the bank. Many of the popular food chains found in Singapore are also in KL, so if you are creatures of habit like us, you can enjoy the culinary comforts of home while there.
Hotel
Our favourite hotel is The Boulevard Hotel, as it is reasonably priced (about S$100 a night), and directly linked to Mid Valley Megamall, just adjacent to another big mall (The Gardens). If you’re looking for a slightly posher hotel, The Gardens hotel under the same hotel chain and just a stone’s throw away, is also lovely.
Entertainment
1. Mid Valley arcade and rides: While we are not fans of noisy video game arcades, as we think they have too much stimulation for young children, the Aeon department store at Mid Valley has a small arcade (Molly Fantasy) within the children’s section on level 2, with several nice token-operated rides for young children. The rides cost between 2-3ringgit (less than S$1).
2. The Gardens Mall: Our children both love the Isetan toy section in The Gardens, as it is usually not too crowded and has a good array of toys to choose from.
Also at The Gardens is a playgym (Kids E-World) which was perfect for the kids. Kwazii could climb up and run around the tunnels safely by himself, and Barnacles had a ball of a time running through the mazes. The playgym was also well-kept and clean.
3. The Curve mall: We loved the Curve mall as it brought back wonderful memories of our trip to the UK, with major British retailers like Debenhams. There are also local retailers available, and we enjoyed walking along the outdoor flea market (held weekly) that offers quaint fashion, collectibles, toys and arts and crafts. For children, there is also a free indoor playground, with an array of kid-related shops such as Mothercare and Mamours.
KidZania is also just across the road from The Curve, where our two kids had a blast. We would recommend KidZania for kids aged four and above as the first time we went, Barnacles was three and was not ready to go in by himself as parents are not allowed into the occupation areas. However, at four-and-a-half years, he was much more willing to participate and had a wonderful time playing police officer, doctor, construction builder, and painter. He also fully enjoyed himself in the toddler area with Kwazii, where they both played cooking and bounced around in the large ball pit. Prices are slightly cheaper for toddlers three and under, and do book online the day before for a slight discount.
We did not manage to visit the places below in our most recent visit, but have previously been there.
4. One Utama: One Utama is another huge mall just a 10-minute drive away from The Curve, with lots of food and shopping. If you are into rock climbing, there is also a huge indoor climbing gym (Camp5) for you to burn off some energy by scaling the walls.
5. Berjaya Times Square theme park: If you like theme parks but dislike the heat, the BTS indoor theme park is an ideal option. It’s great for children aged about four to seven years old, with some rides for younger toddlers. If you are an adrenaline junkie yourself, there are also a few rides for adults (we liked the roller coaster), but bear in mind the rides are mostly aimed at children. The mall is also sizable with numerous food and shopping options, with an adjacent hotel (the Berjaya Times Square Hotel) at reasonable prices.
6. Sunway Lagoon and Sunway Pyramid: If you have children taller than 110cm, Sunway Lagoon, with its Nickelodeon theme park that opened in 2016 will be ideal for a fun day out. There is also a dry theme park inside.
Just next to the park is Sunway Pyramid mall, which has a large indoor ice skating rink. What we liked about this mall were the independent shops, and our kids loved the big toy section at the Parkson Grand department store.
So, if you’re looking for a short, fuss-free weekend getaway with young children, spending two to three days just at Mid Valley and The Gardens malls would be more than enough to fill your days while still getting your fill of excellent food and shopping. Of course, if you want to venture out further, you could also explore one of the other options that we listed above. Happy holidays!
Mummy and Daddy Daycare are the pseudonyms of a Singaporean husband and wife who are raising two young boys aged four and one, nicknamed Barnacles and Kwazii from the children’s Octonauts series. Get into the minds of this couple who describe parenthood as a lifetime adventure – you are always learning something new! Whoever said parenting was a walk in the park?
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