The best kid-friendly excursions in Singapore

Burn that energy
Everyone's welcome to bounce, prance and run around SuperPark Singapore, an all-in-one indoor activity park from Finland, located at Suntec City Mall. The double-storey 40,000 square foot play space features over 20 exciting adrenaline pumping games including tube slide, indoor flying fox, and a trampoline zone. This school holidays, let 'em run riot at the iTeacher Lü and SuperBoxer featuring a plethora of interactive physical edutainment games to encourage active learn and play.

Gear up for some action
A huge hit with the kids and kidults since the late 80s, the iconic Nerf brand opens the 18,000-square-feet dedicated Nerf entertainment centre that encourages active learning and team bonding. Get your heart pumping at multiple indoor themed activity zones that test your agility and creativity through active play, teamwork and more. And if all that shooting and dodging flying pellets got you working up an appetite, refuel at the food and beverage areas. There are also retail stalls with exclusive Nerf merchandise for you to expand your arsenal.

Pack new skills
The new massive indoor playground at Marina Square is an interactive play space for children 12 and below. Kiztopia offers an environment where kids can play and learn valuable skills as well. Let them loose at the bouncy castles and trampoline arena, pick up cooking, driving and more at the role playrooms and even bring home the goodies they have made in the kitchen.

Be a speed racer
Let your teens get a headstart at driving their first car – well, almost – when they go-kart on fun circuits at this racing arena. It has different experiences on offer, such as casual Fun Karting sessions and Grand Prix competitive group races that follow the F1 race format. As they bolt through the combination of tight corners, 90-degree turns, overtaking points, and long sweepers, they’re sure to feel the rush of a car racer. Hello, future Lewis Hamilton.

For a splashing good time
A fun and thrilling waterpark for the young (and the young at heart), Adventure Cove Waterpark guarantees a splashing good time for the whole family. From high-speed water slides and lazy river to, err, laze in, it's easy to spend a whole day at this waterpark. Besides the exciting attractions, there are plenty of opportunities to learn and encounter with marine life – you can snorkel with over 20,000 tropical fish, wade among rays and more. 

For supervised frog 'catching'
If you have a fear of frogs, maybe you’d wanna skip this one. Jurong Frog Farm is home to about 10,000 of the amphibians, the majority of which are American Bullfrogs. Staffers here are more than happy to show you around and tell you everything there is to know about frogs – entry to the farm is strictly by appointment from Tuesday to Friday, but it opens to walk-ins over the weekend and public holidays. And this might sound a little macabre, but you can even eat these croaking critters. The farm is known for a Chinese dessert called hashima, made from the dried fatty tissue found near the fallopian tubes of female frogs. Not for the faint-hearted, this one.

For an artsy-science outing 
Shoehorning art and science into the same room and doing justice to both was always going to be a big risk but the concept has proven itself to work hosting everything from touring exhibitions like Disney: Magic of Animation to the permanent ones like Future World where the kids can let their imagination run wild. The showcase features interactive stations where balls change colour upon every touch and drawings come to life on the big screen. 

So kids can live out their dream job
Let the kids try the grown-up world for size and fake it – hopefully – until they make it. Featuring scaled-down ‘real-world’ venues, the edutainment centre allows kidults to run the city and test out career paths such as firefighters, dentists and radio broadcasters.

Giddy up buddy!
If your kid has asked for a pony, give them the next best thing: horseriding lessons. The Bukit Timah Saddle Club will teach the little ones how to appreciate and ride our equine friends. There are Pony Camps ($675, non-members) organised during the school holiday season, as well as Beginner Lessons ($685) for kids 6 years old and up. 

Get your scream on 
Cruise in a leisurely fashion – or race down, if you prefer – between the Dragon Trail, Jungle Trail, or one of the two new tracks with hairpin corners and tunnels. When you reach the bottom of the track, scramble on to the chairlift for a treetop ride back to the starting point, and do it all over again. Sheer fun for young and old.

Nurture the love for the arts 
The largest museum on the island comprises two main galleries: the Singapore History Gallery, which traces the history of Singapore from its beginnings in the 14th century to the present day, and the Singapore Living Galleries, which focus on four lifestyle themes – food, fashion, film and photography. The museum also hosts kid-friendly activities such as craft workshops and storytelling sessions during the weekends for families to bond.

To encourage a love for animals
One of the world’s first ‘open concept’ zoos – residents live in landscaped enclosures instead of traditional cages – this 28-hectare attraction is home to more than 4,000 animals, including the world’s largest colony of orangutans, the exotic white tiger and the Hamadryas baboons. Over at the Rainforest Kidzworld, kids get to interact with bunnies, goats, ferrets, guinea pigs, mini pigs, falabellas (that’s miniature horses for you) and rats. On top of consorting with the animals, young ’uns can also have a splashing time at the pool so be sure to pack some bathers.

Theme park fun
From the rides (Transformers: The Ride, Battlestar Galactica, Mummy's Revenge) to the super fun shows with Sesame Street characters and Donkey (from Shrek), and the death-defying stunts of Waterworld, it's hard not to feel like a kid again at Universal Studios. For the little ones, it's a full day of entertainment and treats with goodies like turkey legs and Shrek waffles. It's safe to say both young and old will go home with a smile on their face.   

For the young scientist
Whether your child is keen to learn about electrons, the human body or space, there's an informative exhibition to stoke their imagination at the Singapore Science Centre which features regular exhibitions promoting physical, life, applied, technology and industry sciences. The centre also has Singapore’s only dome-shaped theatre, the Omni-Theatre, equipped with state-of-the-art IMAX dome technology and there's a free water play area for some post outing fun. 

For kids with gumption 
Forest Adventure is an obstacle course which includes 44 wobbly crossings and 3 breath-taking zip lines across the water. Not to worry parents, safety is their first priority, a briefing will be conducted after your kids are strapped in the harness before taking on the challenge. There are different level of fear factor tailor-made to varying ages, so if the high elements are too much for your kids, start off with easier obstacles and path your way up slowly. 

Not just for ornithologists
This top-notch attraction contains 8,000 birds from 600 species. There’s a multitude of exotic and endangered South-East Asian species, alongside pelicans, penguins, flamingoes, ibises, swans, toucans, birds of paradise – and more. Key attractions include the largest walk-in aviary in the world, where you’ll find a 30m (98ft) man-made waterfall and over 1,500 birds from Africa and South America flying freely within the huge compound. There's also an Early Bird Breakfast Show on daily from 8.30am, along with bird shows and feeding sessions, and free shows scheduled at selected times daily.

For family walks and picnics
That we have our own version of Central Park is often forgotten by Singaporeans. Established in 1852, the Gardens provides a tranquil respite from the city buzz. Highlights include the brand new Learning Forest with its canopy beds, dedicated wetlands area and over 120,000 plant species. Over at the main garden there's the National Orchid Garden with the world’s largest collection of orchids – some 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids, including the national flower, Vanda Miss Joaquim. There is also the popular swan lake where kids can feed the black Australian swans, and the Evolution Garden Walk, a well-landscaped plot containing the fossilised remains of ancient trees. During weekends, tours to its rainforest patch are available, while outdoor concerts are often held at Symphony Lake, ideal for a weekend family picnic. 

An edutainment family playground
Few indoor playgrounds will match up to KidsSTOP's interactive value. An edutainment centre specifically for kids, this interactive space features various areas for them to run wild and dirty their hands. Galleries are divided into themed zones with exhibits that encourage kids to get creative, learn about Mother Nature, nurture their curiosity and open their minds to the wonders of the world.

Everybody jump, jump!
Get amped at Singapore’s first indoor trampoline park, where an hour of non-stop jumping will have your kids sweating and burning energy – without you panting after them. With more than 5,000 sq ft of interconnected bouncing platforms, a foam pit and parkour walls, there’s no limit to the tricks the children can perform: back flips, splits and all kinds of crazy spins in the air. Just be sure to book a slot before you arrive.

Play with butterflies
Featuring specimens of more than 3,000 species of butterflies and rare insects, this living organism museum is a real eye-opener. The highlight is the netted conservatory where 1,500 beautiful butterflies flutter freely around you in a tropical rainforest setting. Learn about the life cycle of butterflies at the pupa house, where the entire metamorphosis from pupa to butterfly is displayed through live specimens.