The best kid-friendly things to do during the school holidays

There's nothing to burn the kids out like jumping around a lot – which they'll get to do at Jumptopia Holiday Village. From now till January 2, the 44,000 square foot space at MBS Expo Hall B will be transformed into a festive wonderland of 15 giant bouncy castles, active play areas, craft activities and photo spots. Admissions start at $28 per person for kids and adults, and is open for five sessions per day from Monday to Sunday. For more information, visit kiztopia.com. 

Take your kids on a unique holiday experience at the Singapore Turf Club Riding Centre (STCRC). From now till January 2, the centre will be inviting families of up to five to get up close and personal with their magnificent horses and adorable ponies. Go for a behind-the-scenes look at the stables and learn interesting facts about horses. For a hands-on experience that the kids will love, sign up for the horse grooming session ($88) to learn how to care for horses and even plait their manes. The horse riding and stable tour ($98) takes it a step further – giving you and your child a chance for a short jaunt around the STCRC arena on the back of a horse!

Open doors to a new world of fun at the virtual festival Everyday Creativity. Run by the independent charity organisation Playeum, the festival will feature free virtual play sessions, workshops and talks to inspire children and adults alike to tease out the creative from the everyday and mundane. See how to make chores fun, create art with food scraps, and do crafts with recyclable materials. Everyday Creativity runs from now till December 11 – donations are also welcome to support the organisation's mission to support more children from marginalised backgrounds by creating more safe spaces for them to learn and have fun. 

For Christmas this year, Capitol Singapore and CHIJMES have organized a slew of events for you to have some family festive fun. For starters, try out hands-on craft workshops including punch needling, knitting, embroidery and soap-making, or attend dessert-making classes hosted by The Capitol Kempinski Hotel chefs. Live carolling Capitol Kempinski Singing Tree will also be returning this year, sung in partnership with Voices of Singapore (VOS) and other carolling groups. Santa will also be making an appearance this year, in style of course. Look out for Sidecar Santa, and take Instagram-worthy photos with your loved ones. Did we also mention that there will also be a Christmas market, a skating rink, and heritage tour rides to take you on? 

Who says it doesn't snow in Singapore? It certainly does at Snow City – and they're bringing the temperature down even further with a brand new exhibition for more wintry cheer this Christmas festive season.

From November 3 onwards, head down to the attraction to visit Singapore's very first Ice Hotel Gallery. This new permanent exhibition replaces the Arctic Snow Playground, and features impressive sculptures and furniture entirely carved out of ice. 

Don your warmest winter wear and step into chilly temperatures of -5 degrees Celsius. Lounge at the Ice Bar, which has been furnished with chairs, couches and tables fashioned out of blocks of ice. Admire scenes of flora and fauna, depicted in intricate ice sculptures carved by local award-winning artisan Jeffrey Ng. Check out local icons captured in ice, including the Merlion, Sir Stamford Raffles and more. 

The fun doesn't end there. Rediscover the rest of Snow City – entry to the Ice Hotel Gallery includes access to the rest of Snow City's attractions. Have a snowball fight in the Snow Field and zoom down powdery hills at the Arctic Snow Slide. 

Tickets are priced at an affordable $17 onwards. There is also a 20 percent discount when you purchase a special admission bundle (two adults and two children), with a further 10 percent discount on merchandise at the retail shop. Ready to check out this Arctic wonderland? Get your tickets via ticket.snowcity.com.sg or Klook with SingaporeRediscover Vouchers. 

You can soon experience the magic of Disney in Singapore, thanks to an immersive pop-up exhibition later this year. ‘Pop-Up Disney! A Mickey Celebration in Singapore’ will be held from 19 November 2021 to 20 March 2022, celebrating all things Mickey. Expect to see seven whimsical Disney-themed rooms featuring Instagram-worthy backdrops, and exclusive merchandise. Highlights include ‘It All Started With A Mouse’, which pays tribute to black-and-white Mickey Mouse Comics, a mystical tunnel in Sorcerer Mickey’s room and Mickey & Minnie’s Love room that has a giant ribbon-shaped seat great for couple photos.

Pop-Up Disney! A Mickey Celebration in Singapore is on from 19 November 2021 to 20 March 2022. Open daily 11am-9pm at Suntec Convention Centre Level 3, Suntec City Tower 1. Ticket prices from $25 for adults and $20 for kids. More info here.

Experience arts at your doorstep with Arts in Your Neighbourhood (AYN), an initiative by the National Arts Council that happens every March and November. The second edition this year is happening from November 11 to 28, bringing immersive art trails and installations to Bukit Merah, Jurong, Marine Parade, Serangoon, and Tampines, alongside 10 digital programmes covering other parts of Singapore. Inspired by residents' childhood memories, the unique and ever-changing heritage of each location as well as their flora and fauna, AYN will have you delving into new and surprising sides of Singapore's neighbourhoods. 

For the full programme, visit artsforall.gov.sg. 

Say ‘bello’ to the adorable Minions this end of year; the widely popular characters are hitting up Clarke Quay in a themed pop-up café from Oct 28 to Jan 2, 2022.

Look forward to a range of brightly hued treats that will surely put a smile on your face. This outpost along River Vally Road comes modelled after the official Minion Summer Cafe in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, in a collaboration between official licensee Parco and local restaurant collective 1-Group.

The picture-perfect menu (be sure to bring along your camera) will feature wagyu lunch plate ($28), where minion rice balls are accompanied with inch-thick striploin patty, egg, and smooth potato puree; and spice-scented keema chicken curry ($28) topped with banana chips and sautéed mushroom.

For a local touch, slurp up prawn noodles ($22) lavished with scallops and clams; and munch on steamed pumpkin buns paired alongside chilli crab meat sauce ($14 for four). Those with a sweet tooth will appreciate the too-cute banana boat ($18), a vibrant burst of sugar from sponge cake, candy-coated banana, mango whipped cream, and ice cream in flavours of strawberry and cotton candy.

Don’t forget to make a pit-stop at the merchandise store. Bring home an adorable stuffed Minion, and snag exclusive items that can otherwise only be found in the Japan outlet. The Minion Café is located at #01-01C, Blk A Clarke Quay. 

Take a walk on the wild side at the Singapore Zoo when the sun goes down. The family-favourite Rainforest Lumina returns with a final season that's packed with 10 multisensory zones in a one-kilometre stretch of the lush tropical rainforest. Each zone comes complete with immersive audiovisual and light that will dazzle both kids and adults alike. Quirky virtual animals known as the Creature Crew are your companions on this whimsical adventure, who'll keep you #woke on eco issues. 

Got a mini Picasso at home? Unlock your child's creativity with a multi-sensorial art experience in the first-ever "phygital" edition of the Gallery Children's Biennale. It kickstarts with an online experience, followed by an on-site experience at National Gallery Singapore later in September. With the microsite, the Biennale goes global for the very first time too, making its exciting arty programmes available to children all around the world. Kids can look forward to interactive online adventures, immersive storytelling sessions, and co-creation of art with international artists and fellow children from other countries.