Get into the great outdoors and keep the kids busy at one of these awesome patches of green...
While it might sometimes feel as though we are living in an urban jungle, when you look beyond the condos and shopping malls, there’s still plenty of green space in neighbourhoods all over Singapore: it’s not called the Garden City for nothing! Time in the great outdoors for us means pram-friendly walks, packing picnics and enjoying time in the prettiest parks in Singapore. And of course, when you’ve got littlies, you’ll want to know about the best playgrounds and facilities for the children. Behold: the best parks for kids in Singapore…
West Coast Park
This relatively quiet spot is well-loved by mums and kids of all ages for its adventure play area (pirate ship playground, climbing ropes, flying foxes and giant pyramid included) spread across eight play zones. You’ll find ample space for restless tots to roam, play ball or fly kites, or you could even hire an assortment of family bikes. There’s even go-karting for the older kids! Sadly the only food option is a Macca’s, so bring a picnic or research other local haunts beforehand. (We recommend nearby Kith.) Check out our full guide to West Coast Park for more details of why we think it’s one of the best parks for kids in Singapore.
West Coast Park, 71 West Coast Highway, Singapore 126844.
Jurong Lake Gardens
Welcome to Singapore’s new national gardens in the heartlands! Grab the fam and head over to take in the 90 hectares of lush greenery comprising Lakeside Garden (formerly Jurong Lake Gardens West), Chinese and Japanese Gardens (formerly Jurong Lake Gardens Central) and Garden Promenade (formerly Jurong Lake Gardens East). Kids will get a kick out of Forest Ramble for sure – it’s one of the best playgrounds around! Expect a nature-inspired playground that encourages them to mimic the actions and motions of the animals that inhabit the freshwater swamp habitat. There are also lots of watersports on offer and F&B options to refuel at. Check out our guide to a Jurong Lake Gardens for more info! The free water play area also makes this one of the best parks for kids, we reckon.
Jurong Lake Gardens, 104 Yuan Ching Rd, Singapore 618665
Bedok Reservoir Park
This is a fantastic park for kids – especially the active ones! Cycling, rollerblading, scooting and kayaking are all on offer at the Bedok Reservoir Park. Besides plenty of open space to let loose with a ball, there’s also the Forest Adventure Treetop Course (currently closed due to Covid-19). Good for kids aged five and up, it features aerial activities including wobbly bridges and zip lines.
Bedok Reservoir Park, Bedok Reservoir Road, Singapore 479233
Singapore Botanic Gardens
An oldie (since 1859!) but a goldie, the Singapore Botanic Gardens is a must for nature-loving kids. The park’s gems include the National Orchid Garden, the Symphony Lake and the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. Here, you’ll find a small water park and interactive elements for the little people to explore. It’s currently closed due to Covid-19, but keep an eye on the website for details of its reopening.
Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569
East Coast Park
One of Singapore’s most popular parks, the East Coast offers more than just sea, sand and swaying palms! Head here for cycling, rollerblading, barbecues, kite-flying and even watersports. Head to the great hawker centres for delish local food, try out the fantastic seafood restaurants dotted along the coast, or head to the Parkland Green and Marine Cove areas for restaurants galore. Want to know more about this favourite destination? Check out our guide to East Coast Park for families.
East Coast Park, East Coast Parkway, Singapore 455486
Pasir Ris Town Park
This place is wildly popular with families on the weekends. Head down there and see why many consider it one of the best parks for kids in Singapore! Equipped with a huge adventure playground, a mangrove forest, a maze garden and a coastline view, Pasir Ris Park manages to be both fun and educational. If that’s not enough to keep the kids entertained, there are also pony rides, bird-watching towers and barbecue pits.
Pasir Ris Town Park, 116 Pasir Ris Road, Singapore 519116
HortPark
Dubbed the ‘Gardening Hub’ of Singapore, HortPark is a green wonderland for kids. Enjoy its themed gardens and greenhouses, wide meandering footpaths and lots of good ol’ fashioned fresh air! As well as having a great playground, HortPark is also a good starting point for the Southern Ridges walk (especially if you have a pram). Hungry? Enjoy a fab coffee, food and spot of grocery shopping at nearby Habitat by HonestBee afterwards.
HortPark, 33 Hyderabad Road, Singapore 119578
Mount Faber Park
Stay on the Southern Ridges walk and you’ll eventually get to Mount Faber Park. While there aren’t any playground facilities here, it’s still a gorgeous green space to bring the small, medium and large humans to. Kids of all ages will love it for the panoramic views… and the cable car ride! When you’re done exploring (check out the Instagrammable rainbow stairs and consider walking to the equally ‘gram-friendly Henderson Waves), why not pop on the cable car and head over to Sentosa (check out our Sentosa guide first)? Otherwise grab a coffee and some grub at Arbora to refuel while breathing in that view. Pop it on your date night schedule, too… cocktails at Dusk is ridiculously romantic.
Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Road, Singapore 099448
Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
With 62 hectares of walking paths, bridges, ponds and lawns, there’s plenty at this Singapore park to keep kids happy. Oh, and did we mention three of the best playgrounds ever?! Some even come with sandpits! Bishan Park is also pet-friendly; take your pooch off the leash and find it some friends at the Dog Run – there are two fenced areas for both large and smaller breeds. Check out our family guide to Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park for more info!
Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, Singapore 569981
Punggol Waterway Park
This place looks like an island resort… it’s definitely a contender for one of the best parks for kids! The main feature here, of course, is the water play area. If water’s not your kid’s thing (we find that really hard to believe), a good alternative is the sand play area located along the terraced banks of the park. Want to check out more of Punggol? Read our neighbourhood guide!
Punggol Waterway Park, Sentul Crescent Road
Gardens by the Bay
So beautiful, we reckon it’s absolutely one of the best parks for kids on the whole island. Our top picks? Cooling off in the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, enjoying an ice-cream under the Supertrees and cooling off with some water play action at the FEO Children’s Garden. (Check opening times and restrictions on the sites so you’re in the know before you go.) There’s also one of the best playgrounds ever – we’re fans even as parents!
Gardens by the Bay, Bay East Garden, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953
Tiong Bahru Park
What this park lacks in open space it makes up for in rustic charm. No kid can resist that retro tilting train at this fabulous playground! None. Let them run amok while you munch on your stockpile of baked goods from Tiong Bahru Bakery. You can’t get better than that. Tip: bring buckets and spades for some sand play fun.
Tiong Bahru Park, 1 Henderson Road, Tiong Bahru, Singapore 159561
Fort Canning Park
We love everything about Fort Canning Park, especially the wondrous playground for kids that is Jubilee Park. The playground is nestled in nature and sprawls over a huge area. Kids will love the slides, swings, sandpits and see-saws. Even better: there’s coffee on-site and the MRT station is within easy reach. Thumbs up from us!
Fort Canning Park, Cox Terrace, Singapore 179618
Labrador Park Reserve
One for the west-siders! This oasis of tranquility offers spectacular sea views, although be warned: the mosquitoes ate us alive, so pack insect repellent. Teeming with wildlife, the park has nature trails for a leisurely stroll, plus the genuine World War II relics (including a fort and secret tunnels) provide kid thrills. There’s a small playground (it’s in full sun, so be sure to stay sun smart) too, plus barbecue pits. Older kids might tolerate the decent walk along the scenic promenade to family-friendly restaurant Privé on Keppel Island.
Labrador Nature Reserve, Labrador Villa Road, Singapore 119187
Seletar Aerospace Park
Kids who have aspirations for a future career as a pilot will adore this airport-themed playground. There’s a great view of an actual runway over at The Oval at Seletar for mini plane-spotters! Rainy day? Take them for some fun times at Changi Airport for a wet-weather aero-themed alternative. We especially love Canopy Park (more on that below!).
The Oval, 3 Park Lane, Seletar, Singapore
Admiralty Park
The largest park in the north of the Little Red Dot, this vast green space is located in Woodlands. It also scoops the titles of the largest nature area within an urban park and our personal favourite: the most number of slides in any park in Singapore! That’s right, folks – Admiralty Park boasts a sliptastic 26 slides, so be sure to tick them all off your list! (Totally makes it one of the best parks for kids in our books as a result!) As well as an inclusive playground, there are also three play areas – Junior Play, Adventure Play and the Family Terracing Play – to suit kiddos of all ages.
Admiralty Park, 6A Admiralty Rd, Woodlands, Singapore 732006
Canopy Park
As a bit of a bonus mention of best parks for kids, we’re mentioning this one! Situated on Level 5 of Jewel Changi, Canopy Park opened in June 2019 and is a 14,000 square metre recreational park – all indoor! Making it a fab option for a rainy day in Singapore. It’s full of awesome attractions dedicated to one thing: fun! Grown-ups and kids alike will really enjoy exploring each of its sights. Closed at present, it’s definitely one to bookmark for a later date.
Canopy Park, Level 5, Jewel at Changi Airport, 78 Airport Blvd, Singapore 819666
Top image: West Coast Park by Choo Yut Shing via Flickr
