Looking for somewhere to chill with the family this weekend? Welcome to your new favourite neighbourhood hang: Serangoon!
Ready for your next adventure with the kids? Round up the troops, hop on a bus or MRT and head over to this hidden gem in north-east Singapore: Serangoon. And, while you’re at it, you can head further inland by paying a visit to neighbouring Hougang or even Punggol. It’s the perfect place to chill with the kids with its greener-than-green neighbourhood parks, playgrounds, cool cafés and restaurants, a gigantic shopping mall filled with ALL the things, and delish local cuisine. Ready for a day of fun? Here’s what to do in Serangoon with kids in tow…
What to do in Serangoon with kids
1. “Caffeinate” and indulge at kid-friendly cafes!
First things first, coffee – and in Serangoon, there are loads of kid-friendly options. Tuck into a good latte with beans roasted in-house at Sun Ray Cafe. Although it only opens at 9am (not so early for us mums!), it’s got a great kid-friendly breakfast selection that includes a decent eggs Benedict (their version comes with Belgian waffles and crispy bacon… yessss). It’s also a pet-friendly cafe, so if you want to bring your doggies along, they’re more than welcome! You can even order them their own doggie-tummy-friendly meal!
The Larder Cafe boasts hearty brunches from chicken and avocado wrap to Wagyu beef burgers and a wholesome array of coffees for your caffeine boost, plus the kid’s menu with pasta and burger options bound to please even your pickiest eater! Take note that it opens only at 11am. If you’re an early bird, there’s Baker & Cook at Serangoon Gardens Way to keep you in check, opening at 7.30am – yay!
Sun Ray Cafe, 79 Brighton Crescent, Singapore 559218
The Larder Cafe, 66A Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555962
Baker & Cook, 87 Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555983
2. Get out and play
We’re all about getting our kids out and about in the great outdoors – and always on the hunt for the best playgrounds. After your caffeine hit, walk over to Parry Road Playground on 22 Parry Road (it should take you around 10 minutes with a pram) for a quick sliding sesh. We’re also big fans of the Tavistock Park Playground on Tavistock Avenue for the greenery, cool climbing structures, rope pyramids and more!
Parry Road Playground, 22 Parry Rd, Singapore 547203; Tavistock Park Playground, Tavistock Ave, Singapore 557717
3. Cool indoor playdates
Sun too hot? Head over to ArtSpeaks Studio for an art class. It welcomes kids as young as three years old and even has adult art-jamming sessions. It’s never too early to start getting your artsy side on, we say! But if that isn’t enough action for your little bundle of adrenaline, My Little Climbing Room at Jalan Pelikat is a good option. It’s perfect for kids who want to give wall climbing a go but aren’t ready for the big kid climbing gyms. It’s fitted with kid-sized harnesses and 4m high climbing walls, rope swings and balancing toys, so it’s great for your budding acro-buddy. Don’t forget to book ahead!
ArtSpeaks Studio, 87-A Serangoon Garden Way, Serangoon Garden Estate, Singapore 555983
My Little Climbing Room, 183 Jalan Pelikat #B1-101, Promenade@Pelikat, Singapore 537643
4. Hit those shops!
Although NEX Shopping Mall can seem quite intimidating, it’s really a one-stop shop for anything and everything kid-related. Our top tip? If you’ve got a super wee one, head over to the Isetan’s Children’s Department. It’s got a great changing room that nobody really uses, so you can skip the queues at the other nursing rooms (it can get quite crowded at NEX!). We also love H&M on Level 1 for its extensive Children’s section and great deals. You might also like to check out City Square Mall. We love that this mall has three playgrounds (you read that right!) and a number of nursing and family rooms.
NEX Shopping Mall, 23 Serangoon Central, Singapore 556083
City Square Mall, 180 Kitchener Rd, Singapore 208539
5. Grab some lunch at Serangoon Gardens
We love ourselves some local food, and the best place to find it is back in Serangoon Gardens. Our kids love the roti prata at Sri Sun Express and the Hainanese chicken rice at Pow Sing Restaurant. Craving for Thai flavours? Soi Thai has a delish minced meat omelette and a decent pad Thai that kids of all ages will enjoy. And they don’t have a service charge or GST. If the kids are being good, Oblong across myVillage has a great selection of sweet treats and waffles – yum!
Soi Thai, 58 Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555954
Pow Sing Restaurant, 59 Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555961
Sri Sun Express, 56 Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555952
Oblong, 10 Maju Avenue, Singapore 556688
Or stick to the malls…
If you don’t feel like leaving NEX, it has perennial kids’ fave Din Tai Fung (can you say xiao long bao?) and Idaten Udon at the B1 level. Craving some Chinese? Dian Xiao Er has you sorted with their new menu offerings. For desserts, pop by Andersen’s Ice Cream!
Stuck at City Square Mall? We love the Taiwanese cuisine at Lai Lai Taiwan, which features an enticing kids menu as well as the Chic-A-Boo Chicken Specialty for an indulgent treat.
6. PLAY in the afternoon
If lunch has you feeling groggy but the kids are still up for more fun (because when are they not?), head over to KidzPlay @ SKYGARDEN, NEX, for some FREE water play. It opens at 11am, so post-lunch is always your best bet. If you’ve forgotten the kids’ wet play gear, not to worry, there’s a place to play sans water too! Still at the Serangoon Gardens area? MyVillage’s rooftop offers a cool view of Serangoon’s surroundings. Plus, there’s a little patch of green for the kids to play on too!
KidzPlay @ SKYGARDEN, 23 Serangoon Central, level 4R, Singapore 556083; MyVillage, 1 Maju Ave, #03-00 Rooftop Garden, Singapore 556679
7. And treat yourselves!
Nothing beats an awesome foot massage (kids optional for this one), and we’re big fans of the uber-strong masseuse uncles at Chen Kang Wellness (it has branches at NEX and Serangoon Gardens). If you’re at the Serangoon Gardens branch, the nearby Plonk on Maju Ave serves up awesome tapas and affordable drinks. You’re welcome.
Chen Kang Wellness, 5 Maju Avenue, Singapore 5566833; Plonk, 7 Maju Ave, Singapore 556685
Enjoy exploring Serangoon! What’s your favourite hang-out with the kids in Serangoon? Share with us at [email protected]
This article was originally written by Jana Blanco in 2020 and updated by Raiz Redwan in 2024.
