From a meet-up with monkeys to a free batik painting session, and a chance to see a movie without worrying about the kids' noise, to a tour of Sentosa with your teens: we have 13 things to do this weekend in Singapore...
Are you feeling the post-Hari Raya celebration blues? Well cheer yourselves up with a host of cool things to do around Singapore with the family this weekend! We have a ton of fun stuff lined up with picks including a free carnival with pony rides, visits to the library for arts and craft and storytelling sessions, a chance to adopt a new furry family member and even the opportunity to hang out with some famous writers to find out how to get yourself published!
1) Head to the stables for a carnival
Do pony rides, carnival games, yoga sessions, arts and crafts, stable tours and balloon sculpting sound like a great way to spend a Sunday with the kiddos? If so then we’re excited to spread the word about the upcoming RDA Singapore Open House and carnival where the family can meet the horses and learn more about this amazing initiative while having a ton of fun. The HoneyKids team will be there on the day so do pop by and say hello! Check out the full deets on the event before heading to this rain or shine fabulous day out! Need more gentle nudging? How about a lucky draw with super cool prizes including staycations at The Shangri-La and Village Hotel Changi and vouchers from Sport4kids, Canvass & Swish?
When: Sunday 10 July, 10am – 3pm
Where: Riding for the Disabled Association of Singapore, 5 Jalan Mashhor, Singapore 299174
Cost: FREE admission! Costs apply to some activities.
www.rdasingapore.org
2) Find out how to become a published writer
Calling all would-be authors! Join three of Singapore’s most prominent writers, Koh Jee Leong, Alfian Sa’at and Ovidia Yu, who will be reading their works as well as sharing their experiences on how they got published both here and internationally. They’ll also be chatting about the upcoming second edition of Singapore Literature Festival in New York City, as well as their hopes for the future of Singaporean writing.
When: 9 July, 7-9pm
Where: Gallery & Co, National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew’s Rd, 178957
Registration: entry is free, but please register your interest via sgunbound.peatix.com and find out more at www.facebook.com/GalleryandCo
3) Get arty with a special Hari Raya batik painting session
Carry on the Hari Raya celebrations with a free batik painting workshop for kiddos aged seven to 12 years. Mini-artists will get to bring home their canvas masterpieces, created through wax-resist dyeing, a technique used by cultures across the Middle East and Asia to create distinctive fabric art. Mucky pups are encouraged to bring along aprons or old tops for use during the event: the dye is non-washable!
When: 9 July, 2-4pm
Where: Activity Room, Cheng San Public Library, 90 Hougang Avenue 10, #03-11, 538766
Registration: email to [email protected] with the subject line ‘Batik Painting for Children, 9 July’ and include your name and phone number. Please note that spaces are limited, but if you miss out this time make sure you get registered for the next session which is happening at Yishun Library on 30 July!
www.nlb.gov.sg
4) Pack a picnic, sit under the stars and be enchanted by classical ballet
Ballet Under the Stars returned last weekend to Singapore for its 21st edition, wowing audiences with breathtaking performances by Singapore Dance Theatre, so make sure to catch this weekend’s shows which will include favourites such as Bouronville Divertissments by Danish choreographer August Bouronville. This will be your last chance to catch this mesmerising event before it dances back out of town for another year!
Where: Fort Canning Park, 51 Canning Rise, Singapore 179872
When: 8-10 July, 7.30pm
Cost: $30 per person
www.singaporedancetheatre.com
5) Take a tour around Sentosa, Segway style!
The Segway Tours are back by popular demand over at fave weekend destination, Sentosa! Tip your teens – aged 15 and up – out of bed and take them on an adventure around the island on an electric (and rather funky) device that provides an effortless way to see the sights. The scenic tour includes entry to Fort Siloso and the iconic Merlion, and you and the family will also glide to Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong beaches during the 2.5-hour experience.
When: Daily from 10.15am
Where: Gogreen Segway Eco Adventure @ Beach Station, Sentosa
Cost: $139.90 per person (there is currently a 10% off promotion)
www.segwaytours.com.sg
6) Jazz up your Sunday afternoon with a free concert
Join local alumni band SparksWinds with conductor Ms Chan Peck Suan and chill out with an afternoon of popular jazz tunes in Esplanade Concert Hall. SparksWinds will perform family faves including Fly Me To The Moon, I Got Rhythm, Take The “A” Train plus heaps more all-time jazz classics. This free event provides a platform for past and present students of conductor Ms Chan Peck Suan to further their musical journey and bring music to the community through toe-tapping concerts.
When: 10 July, 3-4pm (admission from 2.15pm)
Where: Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981
www.facebook.com/events/
7) See a movie without worrying about the kids making a nuisance of themselves!
“Forget about your worries and your strife” this Saturday and take the kiddos for a special Kids Flix showing of recent family-friendly blockbuster The Jungle Book at one of nine participating Golden Village cinemas. No need to stress if the little monkeys can’t sit still during the movie: the sessions are purposely aimed at making the cinema experience a fun one, without the need to worry about your kids being perfectly behaved during the film!
When: 9 July, various timings
Where: GV Bishan, GV City Square, GV Jurong Point, GV Plaza, GV Suntec, GV Tampines, GV Katong, GV Yishun and GV Grand
Cost: $6 per ticket (includes a free gift while stocks last)
www.gv.com.sg
8) Meet the macaques at MacRitchie Reservoir Park
This free, fun and informative walk is suitable for kids aged eight and up, and will be led by experts from the Jane Goodall Institute Singapore. The long-tailed macaques are the cheeky residents at MacRitchie Reservoir Park, and do have a habit of gaining themselves a naughty reputation! This event will have you re-thinking your opinions of these lively characters by teaching you about the social world they inhabit, their family networks, power struggles and day-to-day lives.
When: 9 July, 5-6.30pm
Where: Meet at Mushroom Cafe, MacRitchie Reservoir Park
Registration: email your name, contact number, and number of adults and children (maximum five participants per registration) to [email protected] . Spaces are limited! The walk will be cancelled if there is bad weather 45 minutes before the walk.
www.nparks.gov.sg
9) Grow your own greens
We’ve come up with another excuse to head on over to Plain Vanilla Bakery: Grow Your Own Nutrition, a fabulous workshop run by Super Farmers. This hands-on activity will focus on easy methods for you to create a little patch of green at home by growing edible plants, herbs, vegetables and microgreens. The session will end with botany meeting cookery, when participants will take what they’ve learned and make an assortment of canapes with new-found plant knowledge!
When: 10 July, 10am-12pm
Where: Plain Vanilla, 1D Yong Siak Street; register at [email protected]
Cost: $85 per person
www.facebook.com/pvbakery
10) Get off the couch and into a family exercise class
Can a family exercise session get any more exhilarating than Bollywood and Zumba all rolled into one? We don’t think so! Get your heart pumping and your feet moving this Sunday for BollyZumba Junior, where kids and adults can burn off some energy together while having a whole heap of fun.
When: 10 July, 2-3pm
Where: Stepping Out Studios, #08-05, City Square Mall, Singapore 208539
Cost: From $30 per family
Registration: Call or message Jeevi on 97263953
www.facebook.com/events
11) Dive into a world of imagination with a free storytelling session
Join storytellers at Toa Payoh library where your little bookworms aged four to six will be pulled into a world of fascinating fables and tales for a free English Storytelling session. We love the library!
When: 9 July, 11-11.30am
Where: Programme Zone in Toa Payoh Public Library, 6 Toa Payoh Central, 319191
Registration: none required. Just turn up and have fun!
12) Adopt a new furry family friend
If the kids are tired of being fobbed off with trips to the pet cafes in answer to their cries for a furry friend, it may be time to consider adding to your brood… This weekend there are four-legged fur balls galore all looking for a home to call their own at HOPE’s Adoption Drive, where there will be both HDB and non-HDB dogs available. There are plenty of sweet pooches needing some love who are suitable for families, so head on over and pick up a new best friend for the kids!
When: 9 July, 1-5pm
Where: Sunny Heights, 110 Turf Club Road S288000, Singapore 288000
Cost: Free admission, but adoption fees may apply
www.facebook.com/Hopedogrescuesg
13) Be creative at the National Gallery
We love heading to the Keppel Centre for Art Education over at the National Gallery with the kiddos, and this weekend we have a great excuse: a free drop-in craft session! Parents and kids are invited to bond and interact creatively through a fun art-making workshop as part of the Gallery’s ‘Family Weekend’ programme. Art kits will be provided so all you need to bring is your sense of fun and imagination!
When: 9-10 July, 1pm to 6pm (last admission at 5pm)
Where: Keppel Centre for Art Education, National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew’s Road #01–01 Singapore 178957
www.nationalgallery.sg