Top Dad-friendly places to take the kids in Singapore

Our fave Dad-approved/kid-friendly spots around Singapore

We’ve polled our in-house Sassy Papas to find out where they most love taking the kiddos; from the best parks and playgrounds to the best places to watch sports, we’ve got you (and your partners) covered, mama!

And for even more Dad-spiration, check out our series of Cool Dad Hangouts in Singapore!

“West Coast Park is a great place to take the kids to let off some steam. Bring kites, scooters, a football – there are patches of open grass, a few different play areas that are good for different ages, a zipwire, sandpits and proper swings. Grab a coffee at McD’s (no better options, unfortunately) or bring your own picnic to make a day of it.
We also love a morning’s walk around Sungei Buloh to try spot otters or crocodiles or a whizz on the slides at Admiralty Park.”

-David, husband of Editor Beate

“One spot I regularly take my energetic 2-year-old is Gardens by the Bay East. It’s usually empty apart from a few walkers and cyclists so you have the entire place to yourself. Make sure you bring a scooter or a bike for the little ones as there’s plenty of ground to cover; especially now that it’s connected to the East Coast Park. Go early to beat the heat and bring water and snacks for the kids.”

-Kelvin, husband of Managing Director Emilie

“When I get the kids to myself we like to go to the huge Decathlon in Bedok. We’ll have lunch over there, play ping pong, shoot some hoops and buy a bunch of new pool toys.  Then we’ll spend the afternoon at our condo pool with new boomerangs, frisbees and floaties that keep us entertained for the rest of the day.”

– Adam, husband of Partnerships Manager Marisa

“I love to take the kids to Jurong Bird Park. It’s always a great walk with a lot of colourful birds to discover. When the kids have enough of walking we usually go to the water play area. Good changing rooms and never crowded.”
The Singapore Zoo is always a good one, too. Bathroom, food and services are great. The kids love to watch the sea lion show.
And finally, the light expo at the ArtScience Museum at MBS is always great when it’s raining.”

– Alban, husband of Partnerships Manager Abi

“I like taking our baby and the dog to East Coast Park early on Sunday mornings to let Kate sleep in; it’s great with a stroller and they both love watching all the birds. I also like Tanglin Mall because it has (1) tons of kids stores (2) Chili’s and (3) baby changing stations in the men’s room.”

-Jim, husband of Senior Editor Kate

It’s good to get the kid out of the city and into nature, so the various nature reserves around Singapore are usually a good choice. I can think of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, which is not for from the city center or the Dairy Farm Nature Park where you can visit the Wallace Environmental Learning Lab (also called the WELL). You won’t see cows there anymore, but kids can discover Singapore’s natural heritage in a fun way. For the more adventurous, Kranji Marshes is my choice. It’s one of Singapore’s largest freshwater marshes and therefore home to a rich flora & fauna. Perfect to observe birds and reptiles in their natural environment. There are of course a few more options, but I’ve been told to keep this story short. Very important: make sure to dress appropriately for a nature walk, pack your lunch boxes, and bring enough water with you. And yes, you better bring your favorite mosquito repellent along.

– Claudio, husband of Partnerships Manager Nadia

“If I’m doing a solo morning I have a few things I like to do : we often head to Tiong Bahru Bakery for a croissant and coffee (for me!), then wander around the neighbourhood picking up some fresh flowers to bring home and a run around in Tiong Bahru Adventure Playground.

Or we do breakfast at Common Man then take scooters to the Botanic Gardens where I mostly end up carrying them around while the girls walk or feed the fish there. If I want to do a longer outing we’ll hit up River Safari or the Zoo and finish up with lunch at Din Tai Fung or Suju in Mandarin Gallery where the Chawanmushi is always a hit”.

-Chris, husband of Founder and Creative Director Hester

“A friend invited us to a barbecue at Pasir Ris Park, and I was so impressed with the kids’ play area there. We set up at one of the barbecue pits and played cricket and frisbee, and one of the guys brought a blow-up kayak for the kids to paddle off the beach. Beer in hand, it was a really chilled afternoon.

I also like taking my kids to Vivo City, as there’s so much to do there. They can ride cars for $5, and there ‘s the Cinema, bloke-friendly shops (Best Denke, Giant etc), great activities and play areas for the little ones, as well as a large array of food options from cafes to good restaurants.

Finally, Boomarang is great for lunch because they put the sport on and the kids can scoot on the path outside.”

-Rich, husband of Partnerships Manager Amanda

“I recommend City Square Mall. There is a playground outside, a Timezone fun centre, a movie theatre, two play places, and plenty of food options. At Timezone there is an art game where kids can draw pictures and print their work. My daughter loves it. On B2 and other floors there are Zoomoov rides where kids can ride motorised stuffed animals. It is connected to the Farrer Park MRT so getting there is easy, especially if you live on the NEL.”

-Chris, husband of Sassy Mama contributor Jennifer

“I like taking my twin boys to NEX, because it has a public library, a great playground, a sports store, Popular (the bookstore) and Smiggle. We usually end up spending half a day there, starting with a junkie treat (Mc’Ds, KFC or Carl’s Junior, even Din Tai Fung if the queue isn’t ridiculous!). Then we’re off to the shops and finally wind down with a sundae from Baskin Robbins.”

-Rohit, husband of Sassy Mama contributor Priyanka

Whew! Hopefully you can share this list with any dads in your life looking for inspiration, mama. And don’t forget to look after yourself with some Mother’s Day pampering or a fab Sunday brunch!