Not sure where to bring the little ones over the weekend? We love heading out to Singapore’s nature playgardens and therapeutic gardens, which are both fun and beneficial in so many ways!
One surefire way to let the kids have fun and burn all that excess energy? Let them play! We swear by outdoor play and, luckily for us, Singapore has no lack of cool outdoor playgrounds that let kids connect with nature.
As part of the SG Green Plan 2030, Singapore is transforming into a City in Nature. This means that there will be more nature playgardens in parks across our sunny island, and we’re loving it! These use natural materials to form play structures, such as balancing logs, rope bridges, and more. Some of our favourites are at Woodlands Healing Garden, East Coast Park, and Jurong Lake Gardens.
Therapeutic gardens, on the other hand, give visitors an instant mood lift through tranquil interactions with nature. They are designed based on scientific research to facilitate interactions with nature, and improve the well-being of its visitors. Popular spots include the ones at West Coast Park, Bedok Reservoir Park, Punggol Waterway Park, Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, and HortPark.
So, how exactly can families play, learn, and bond at these gardens?
1. Engage in open-ended pretend play
There are no rules when it comes to unstructured open-ended play — anything goes! It’s entirely up to the child, giving them the freedom and autonomy to explore. A tree stump could be a lookout point to defend against enemy warriors, a stream could be an invitation for a leaf race, and a sandpit could be a prized spot for burying pirate treasure.
We especially like the novel adventure stations at Forest Ramble in Jurong Lake Gardens, which prompt little ones to mimic the natural movements of animals. How about leaping through the air like a squirrel, or splashing around like an otter?
This type of experiential free-play activates all five senses, and also develops the kiddos’ gross motor skills. We have to admit, navigating log tunnels or jumping over rope hurdles isn’t as easy as it looks! It also gives children a big boost of freedom with their new-found independence, as they use their instincts to make sense of the environment and turn it into play. The best part? It helps kids figure out how to entertain themselves, and find wonder in the little things.
2. Engage your senses
One of the best ways of engaging your little ones’ senses is through sensory play, which is all about learning through exploration. Sure, you could create a sensory set-up at home (kudos to you for all that effort, parents!), but unfortunately the post-play chaos is real. Why not let your kids reap all the benefits sans the mess?
Watch as they splash around in puddles, or play with different-sized rocks. Even better: research shows that spending all this time in nature can also help to improve concentration levels, boost immune systems, and enhance overall well-being.
Psst: West Coast Park has just opened a brand new therapeutic garden, which has a fab senior zone and children’s zone. Check out the cool landscape mounds scattered across the grounds, complete with bridges for a swashbuckling escapade. Or, how about a hands-on planting experience? Bring the grandparents along for the next family outing too, as they’ll love the senior zone’s sensory path, wheelchair-friendly exercise area, and hands-on planting zone.
As a fun activity, ask your child to stay silent for a moment, and prompt them to share what they can hear. Can they hear the rustling of leaves, or the chirping of crickets?
You can even conduct your own orchestra with musical play instruments, such as a xylophone and percussion drums at the sound zone in Jurong Lake Gardens’ therapeutic garden! Go all out by stomping on tree trunks, or knocking two pebbles together as part of an improvised castanet. Take it up a notch by making up a song as you go along.
3. Make learning fun
Did you know that Mother Nature provides fun tools for teaching too? Teach your kiddos numeracy through counting stones, or tracing the number of steps needed to get from point A to B. Have a fun art lesson by tracing shapes in the sand, or using leaves to create an elegant butterfly.
Watch a procession of ants carry food back to their nest, and seize the opportunity to talk about how ant colonies work. Spot holes in leaves, and discuss food sources for animals or insects… The possibilities are endless!
Plus, there’s a whole line-up of school holiday programmes happening over at the Singapore Botanic Gardens as well! A story walk at Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, anyone?
The kids can also be exposed to food pyramids when they discover plants like chilli and basil at the edible garden in Sembawang Park’s therapeutic garden. At East Coast Park’s Coastal PlayGrove, there’s even an outdoor classroom complete with a chalkboard, boulders, and log stools.
P.S. For some quality fam time, why not sign up for a free therapeutic horticulture programme? These are conducted at various therapeutic gardens, and cover activities like flower and leaf pressing on cards, or scent bag making. There are over 20 free programmes at six different therapeutic gardens, so take your pick.
So, which nature playgarden or therapeutic garden will you hit up first? Trust us, you’ll have a blast!
This post is in partnership with National Parks Board.
