Not your traditional playgrounds, these nature playgardens promise oodles of fun and learning opportunities for both kids and adults!
We’re always dishing on what’s great about raising a family on this little red dot, and it just keeps getting better! We routinely scour Singapore for only the best kind of kid-friendly fun, from the best parks, amazing playgrounds, kid-friendly dining and more. Here’s what we’re currently obsessed with: the nature playgardens sprawling across this island!
What are nature playgardens in Singapore?
Conventional playgrounds are all about neon slides, swing sets, climbers, and more — psst, have you checked out these cool ones with the kiddos yet? – and are typically located around residential areas and parks. Chances are, your child already has a favourite one and enjoys zooming down the slides or trying to scale the clouds on the swing sets and more!
Nature playgardens, or nature playgrounds, are more of a hybrid experience. Their designs use the natural terrain of the environment, with interesting elements such as logs made into obstacle courses, tree houses, boulder structures and rope bridges! Unlike traditional playgrounds, which are instant fun, nature playgrounds tend to be more open-ended in how kiddos can have fun. These playgrounds invite children to decide how they might like to play. It’s a great way for kiddos to engage with nature using their imaginations and encourage independent thinking! We particularly love how nature playgrounds present a two-in-one fun opportunity to soak up nature and have fun in it.
Things to note before you visit a nature playgarden in Singapore:
- Make sure that you check the weather before heading to one, as most of them are outdoors. Have a Plan B should the weather go awry.
- Hydrate. We’re living in unprecedentedly hot climes, so pack the kiddos some extra cool drinks to have as they play.
- Help your child to interact with the environment. Some nature playgardens might be intimidating or hardly look like much, so guide kiddos to find ways to have fun if necessary.
- Slather on that sunscreen and mosquito repellent to keep on the safe side while lapping up the fun.
While it is typical for nature playgrounds to be made of natural elements, we also include ones resembling traditional playgrounds made with the natural terrain in mind.
16 Fun nature playgardens for kids in Singapore
1. HortPark
HortPark needs no introduction and is part of the Southern Ridges and the Labrador Nature Park Network. It is a one-stop gardening resource hub where you will find a variety of gardening-related, recreational, educational, research and retail activities. You’ll want to check out the themed gardens, amenities galore and even a vineyard! The nature play garden at HortPark is just the place for kids to let their imaginations run wild on a sunny day. It’s a wonderful place to visit, weather conditions permitting! There are nine nature-inspired play features at HortPark for kiddos to create their own kind of fun. Kiddos can scale the valley of logs structure and create fun games with this natural play feature. The logs were placed along the existing topography of the area. They can also work up a sweat as they run through tunnels and hideouts created using local flora and fauna or seek refuge from the main flow of activity. HortPark promises a really fun day out!
Where: HortPark, 33 Hyderabad Rd, Singapore 119578
2. Rumah Tinggi Eco Park
The Rumah Tinggi Eco Park may well be a hidden gem! This green corridor is sandwiched between buildings along Leng Kee Road. This little slice of nature is that pop of rusticity in the urban jungle with bamboo grooves and banana trees. Kiddos are treated to two playgrounds, one with a treehouse theme and the other that’s a railway, a nostalgic nod to Rumah Tinggi’s past as a railway line!
Where: Rumah Tinggi Eco Park, 14 Kung Chong Rd, Singapore 159150
3. Admiralty Park
Located in Woodlands, this seven-hectare urban park is well known for its 26 slides. We kid you not! Admiralty Park is situated on hilly terrain with the Sungei Cina River running through it and houses the largest nature area in Singapore. The playgrounds, Junior Play, Adventure Play and Family Terracing Play, all feature diverse play equipment, such as tandem slides, climbing areas and more. You can also find an inclusive playground that supports play between children with and without special needs. There’s something for everyone at the nature-inspired play areas within Admiralty Park, from toddlers to, dare we say it, teens who might like to cycle down to the Admiralty West Park Connector.
Where: Admiralty Park, 31 Riverside Road, Singapore 730000
4. Ang Mo Kio Linear Park
This strip of green is a park connector to the famed Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. The nearly six-hectare community park also includes a children’s playground, biophilic play area and green lawns integrated with earth mounds for community activity and play. We’re definitely talking nature playground, true to the definition. Kiddos can find creative ways to interact with the wooden log structures. Additionally, you can safely supervise kiddos’ playing from seating areas close to the activity area.
Where: Ang Mo Kio Linear Park, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, Singapore 569881
5. Arthur Park Nature Garden
This play area within the Mountbatten private estate features rustic play elements like log stumps that kids can climb over. There is also a playground with a small rock climbing wall and slide and a sand pit.
Where: Arthur Park, Arthur Rd, Singapore 439815
6. Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
We’ve waxed lyrical about the amazing Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park before, but have you found the log-based nature play garden and other nature-based elements there? Kiddos can play pretend among the tree logs or test their balance and agility. Plus, there’s also a tic-tac-toe game created using natural elements that can make for some fun! We love that screen-free entertainment involves some strategy too. The park is ideally located close to Canopy, a family-friendly restaurant and even a spa! Plus, there’s also an inclusive playground.
Where: Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, 1384 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, Singapore 569932
7. COMO Adventure Grove playground
We love the nod to nature playgrounds at COMO Adventure Grove playground. There are loads to check out, from clambering up the weeping fig play structure to nature play galore with sand and wooden structures to explore. It does get hot here, so head early if you can!
Where: COMO Adventure Grove Playground, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 5 Gallop Road, Singapore 258960
8. Coastal Playgrove, East Coast Park
Did you know that Coastal Playgrove in East Coast Park has its own nature playground? Here, you’ll find plenty of natural materials, including bamboo tunnels, log trails, and that all-important sandpit; it’s sure to keep the littlies entertained! Psst, there’s heaps going down at Coastal Playgrove — so pack your swimmers for water play, too! There’s also an outdoor classroom where preschools can hold lessons in nature at NParks’ first outdoor classroom by the sea. It is equipped with a chalkboard, boulders, and log stools. Children can peer into a hornbill’s nest and observe interesting plants too.
Where: Coastal Playgrove, East Coast Park, Along East Coast Parkway and East Coast Park Service Road, Singapore 455486
9. Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden at Singapore Botanic Gardens
Have you checked out the wooden train and sand play area at Jacob Ballas at Singapore Botanic Gardens? The cute maze and trails to explore, plus the epic treehouse, are a big nod to nature. You can’t get much closer to nature than this!
Where: Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 481 Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 259769
10. Forest Ramble @ Jurong Lake Gardens
Forest Ramble, the largest nature play garden in the heartlands, spans a whopping two-point-three hectares and is brimming with fun! With 13 unique adventure stations, kids can mimic the movements of animals from Jurong Lake Gardens. Glide through the air like a Grey Heron, leap like a lively Squirrel, or splash around like a playful Smooth-coated Otter. Inclusive play elements ensure kids of all abilities can join in the excitement and create their own wild adventures in this nature-inspired playground!
Where: Jurong Lake Gardens, Along Yuan Ching Road and Boon Lay Way, 50 Yuan Ching Road Singapore 618661
11. Clementi Woods
Lap up the greenery and sounds of nature at the nature play garden at Clementi Woods Park. This play area is designed for preschoolers to encourage them to spend more time outdoors and reconnect with nature. Let kiddos’ imaginations run free as they explore the different play features created to stimulate the senses, do imaginative play, develop motor skills and more. Check out the cool features made from logs!
Where: Clementi Woods Park, Along West Coast Road, Singapore 126816
12. Coney Island Park
Get in touch with nature at Coney Island Park, which is rich in history and houses various habitats, including coastal forests, grasslands, mangroves, and casuarina woodlands! Check out the nature playground known as Casuarina Exploration, which was constructed using felled Casuarina trees and recycled materials. This adventure play area provides a rustic yet adventurous backdrop for kiddos’ fun play. The Casuarina Exploration is great fun for all ages. Weave through the ‘Millipede’, keep your balance on the ‘Earthworm’ or hop across the ‘Caterpillar’.
Where: Coney Island Park, Beside Punggol Promenade Nature Walk
13. Kim Pong Park
Kim Pong Park, with a clean, art-deco design inspired by the old Tiong Bahru estate, features an open field, old-school swings, a nature play garden, and a pavilion is the perfect place for young and old looking for some outdoor fun or rest and relaxation. With wide paths forming a circular motif and extra space specifically set aside beside the terrazzo benches, the park is easy to navigate for families with prams or visitors in wheelchairs! Deceptively simple at first glance, the play garden is made of upcycle tree stumps, inviting the kiddos to engage in imaginative play. Plus, look out for the famed rain tree, pink mempat tree and more.
Where: Kim Pong Park, Kim Tian Place, Singapore 168730
14. Pasir Panjang Park
Pasir Panjang Park gets its name from’ long sandy beach’ in Malay because it once was a sandy beach stretching from Labrador Nature Reserve to Clementi and West Coast roads. The nature play garden takes inspiration from the coastline. Hence, the play features integrate sandy terrain. Kiddos can engage in free play and feel the sensory elements!
Where: Pasir Panjang Park, 121 Pasir Panjang Rd, Singapore 118543
15. Sengkang Riverside Park
Sengkang Riverside Park offers a delightful blend of nature and fun. Stroll through the edible garden, where you can explore a variety of plants and herbs. Kids will love the inclusive playground, which features a sandpit and digging tools, perfect for hours of imaginative play. It’s a great spot for both relaxation and adventure!
Where: Sengkang Riverside Park, Anchorvale Street, Singapore 544834
16. Yishun Park
Inside Yishun Park, the nature playgarden at the Dipterocarpus Entrance in the west offers an engaging space for kids to connect with nature. This area features free-play elements like balancing logs, bridges, and a sandpit, encouraging imaginative and active play. It’s an ideal spot for children to explore, climb, and enjoy the outdoors in a natural setting.
Where: Yishun Park, 51 Yishun Avenue 11, Singapore 768867
Have fun at these nature playgrounds! Do you know of any more that we should feature? Let us know at [email protected]
