Singapore is one of the most amazing places on Earth both for kids and adults, and believe me, if you have a family trip, there are plenty of activities for your little ones you’ll enjoy as well!

I’ve prepared a list of top fun things to look for when you’re in Singapore with kids – and scroll down to read about our stay at the Marina Bay Sands with a toddler too!

1. Children’s Museum

The Children’s Museum is located inside a historical colonial house near Fort Canning Park, which was previously part of a school.

There are two floors of activities for kids under 12, all linked to Singapore’s history, including hawkers and street food, traditional markets, a post office, and exhibits about maritime history. It is highly recommended for kids for an hour or two on a rainy day!

2. Universal Studios Singapore

Resorts World Sentosa is a home to many kids-friendly adventurous, and one of them is Universal Studios Singapore, and they also have just opened the Minion Park. Sounds like a great half-day destination, don’t you agree?

The construction of this theme park started in 2007, and the park opened in 2011, which made it the first – and still the only such park in Southeast Asia. I’ve been to Universal Studios Osaka, and this park is much smaller compared to it. However, it’s still fun to visit when you’re travelling to Singapore with kids – especially if your kids are old enough to take rides.

There are six zones: Hollywood, New York, Jurassic World, Far Far Away (aka Shrek-inspired part), Lost World, Sci-Fi and Ancient Egypt, and the Minion area is under construction right now. Lots of shops, cafes, and rides are available here.

3. ArtScience Museum

Not all museums are kids-friendly, but the ArtScience museum near the Marina Bay Sands definitely is. It opened in 2011 and has gained enormous popularity since then. Being the first ArtScience museum in the world, it holds a permanent exhibition in collaboration with teamLab. Sadly, at the moment, it’s closed for refurbishment, but we had a chance to see it last year – so some photos date back to 2024.

There are many rooms filled with different entertainments, from sliding among the digital fruits to immersive art installations and a room filled with L.E.S. strings hanging from the ceiling just like I saw a few years ago in Tokyo in their TeamLab Planets.

There are also lots of fun activities for kids: for instance you can draw a fish on a special piece of paper, scan it and let it float on a digital display among the drawing of others.

There are also temporary exhibitions: during our first visit, we had a chance to learn about the history of Mars exploration and the sci-fi surrounding it.

There are a few new openings too: first of all, there is a permanent ArtScienceLaboratory, a learning space with LEGO and iPads where kids can learn about science and technology, for instance, about quarks, protons, electrons, and neutrons, or draw pictures for AI to recognize.

The temporary exhibition “Mirror Mirror: Journey Into the Mind” is dedicated to consciousness, memory processes, and the creativity of the human mind. It feels a bit like the movie “Inside Out,” where you can learn how our brain works in a simplified and fun way, but you can also gain deeper scientific insights on your way too.

There’s also a cafe inside the ArtScience museum, and the majority of desserts were in the shape of cutest clouds! The sunny cloud dessert with Kaya cloud coffee is a match made in heaven indeed.

The ArtScience museum is surrounded by a water lilies garden; look how beautiful it is!

George always spends at least an hour at the Canvas of the ArtScience Museum installation inside the mall: you can color the pre-printed images here, scan them, and see them animated and brought to life on the large floor area by the food court.

4. Singapore Zoo

Looking for a fun day out in the Jungle? Come to Mandai reserves, a complex of animal parks with different specialisations, and this is the first of them on my list.

Those are different entities, and you need different tickets for all of them but you also can buy a combined ticket. The most famous of them is probably the Singapore zoo: get ready to get lots of fun when you’re in Singapore with kids!

Singapore Zoo was opened in 1973 and is also managed by Mandai Wildlife Reserves Singapore (the same as the Night Safari, Marine Park and the BirdPark). You can explore it on foot or by taking a tram train. There are animals and a large KidZone with various activities, a water splash area, many cafes and shops, not to mention numerous vending machines throughout its territory.

There is clearly some work on parts of the zoo (maybe they construct new enclosures, I’m not sure); however, the vast territory reminds me more of a park than a zoo.

We encountered giraffes, zebras, tigers, elephants, otters, orangutans, lemurs, rhinos, and many, many more! 

5. Singapore Flyer

The Singapore Flyer is an absolute must for visitors of all ages: the views from it are breathtaking! It was opened in 2008 and was the highest giant wheel in the world at that time.

First, you spend some time on an interactive journey around the time capsule, where you learn about the history of Singapore and the stages of its development in the most fun interactive way (kids would adore that).

After that, you proceed to one of the 28th capsules: I must note that during our visit, there were only 6-8 people per capsule, although the capacity is 28 people, so you all have seats and can walk freely without feeling overcrowded. 

The views were simply overwhelming! Probably this is one of the top attractions I’d suggest someone to attend in Singapore.

We visited in the evening around the time of the fountain show in Marina Bay, and the views were simply breathtaking, all glimmering with lights!

6. River Wonders

Meet another totally worth visiting another animal park by Mandan Reserves collection — River Wonders, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

It’s a unique, extremely well-made safari park dedicated solely to the river habitats and animals whose life is closely linked to water.

On your journey through it, you’ll learn about the fauna of human history’s largest and most important rivers, like the Yangtze, Nile, Amazon, etc. There are some educational stands with activities for kids too.

Expect to meet lots of colourful fish swimming in the most transparent waters, including giant catfish, some birds, reptiles, manatees, and capybaras, giant Asian otters, long-tailed macaques living here in the wild and stealing food from visitors and…pandas!

Kai Kai and Jia Jia are definitely the stars of the River Wonders. As you probably know, pandas are really slow to reproduce. Still, here, Jia Jia gave birth to a cub in 2021, Lee Lee. He was brought to China just a few weeks before our arrival (as the panda cubs mature, they must be brought to China as the Chinese government claims all pandas belong to their country). There’s a lovely panda-themed cafe on the grounds as well.

Overall, I’d recommend visiting this unique venue even over the Singapore Zoo: believe me, you’ll have fun! 

This year, George was tall enough for the Amazon boat adventure – you might get wet, but you’ll see jaguars, various monkeys, guanacos, anteaters, capybaras, and other animals native to Latin America.

7. S.E.A. Aquarium

Don’t skip visiting the S.E.A. Aquarium located on Sentosa Island when you’re in Singapore with kids – your little ones will love it! It’s one of the largest aquariums in the world – we spend over 2 hours there – and there are over 1000 species (with over 100000 individual animals) living here.

The ocean dome is simply spectacular, with fish swimming above your head, but there are also many other areas representing dozens of various habitats.

Think of jellyfish areas, learn about the bioluminescence and kelp forests, see a shipwreck with precious porcelain, and learn about biodiversity and climate change! Animal encounters are also available. 

In 2024 we also tried the cutest ice cream I’ve ever had: it’s lychee jellyfish! Sadly, I haven’t find it this year.

They are currently renovating part of the aquarium dedicated to scientific research and conservation, but they have opened access to the dolphins section (I didn’t know it existed there).

8. Night Safari

The Night Safari will be one of the most memorable visits from your first trip to Singapore! We’ve been there three times and would return without a doubt. Night safari is also part of activities provided by Mandai Reserve alongside the zoo, bird park and marine park.

As it’s obvious from the title, the main difference that this park is open solely after dark, after 7pm, and you can see some rare animals which are active at night. Some parts of the trails are explorable only by foot, and others you visit on a tram with a voiceover.

Civets, kiwi birds, tigers, elephants, snow leopards, porcupines, monkeys, bats, deers – and those are just a few to name out of 2500 you can see there! Unfortunately, the photographs are not great there, as the lighting conditions are obviously poor.

There is a shop area with restaurants at the entrance and ranger stops along the way. There are some fun activities for kids too like measuring the jumps, trying to find resemblance between animal faces and your own face etc.

Recently, they redeveloped the Pangolin Trail and built the Leopard Trail. We had the pleasure of having a tour with Riyan, an extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide, without whom we would not have spotted half of the animals!

We also attended an animal presentation in the amphitheater (it’s free, but you have to book a seat).

9. Take a boat cruise

A watercruise – for instance, with WaterB – along Marina Bay is definitely worth your time when you’re in Singapore with kids! We took traditional boat on the station next to the Merlion park – this type of boat is called tongkang – and a more modern one from the ArtScience museum on different occasion. Boats depart approximately every 30 minutes, and a ride takes 30 to 40 minutes, and the most popular ones are probably the ones to watch the fountain show by the Shoppers.

The views from the water are unique, and you can also learn how Singapore developed from a small fishing village to one of the most fantastic megalopolises of our days! Such river cruise experiences include Singapore River, Clarke Quay, Boat Quay, Merlion Park, Marina Bay, ArtScience Museum and Esplanade Theatres.

For instance, we started our journey at Merlion Park, rode under the Jubilee Bridge and Cavenagh Bridge, and went to the Statue of Raffles, then to the mouth of the river and back to Merlion Park.

10. The Shoppes and Spectra Light and Water show at Marina Bay Sands

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands is a large shopping mall, with many high end shops and food court zone – and it’s surely an attraction itself! You don’t have to stay at Marina Bay Sands to access it but if you do, you can get there directly from one of the towers.

Think of famous Oculus, a sampan boat canal ride, exclusive products such as Louis Vuitton Chocolates and many more.

And you can also watch a fantastic daily Spectra Light and Water show in front of the Shoppers!

ArtMuseum’s Canvas installation is there as well: for a fee, you can again draw a fish or frog or a crocodile and let it free by scanning onto an arena!

The Shoppes is a really unique destination whether you like shopping or not. Include it into your itinerary when you’re in Singapore with kids!

11. Rainforest ASIA

Rainforest ASIA is known as ‘the first wildlife adventure park in Asia’, and this is very true – it felt like a civilised and just a tiny bit artificial safari park! Despite the weather, we decided to give a thumbs up to the Rainforest ASIA park (we bought our tickets in advance) and didn’t regret it.

This is not a zoo; it’s a close rainforest simulation adapted for humans to get a slow adrenaline rush and to search for animals in the wild (they have LOTS of space and can hide whenever they want).

It felt good and safe for both humans and animals. There are 36 species of animals living here, and we had a chance to see a tiger, a tapir, some hogs, a crocodile, various turtles, and different species of monkeys and squirrels despite the stormy weather.

There are three large zones: the karsts, the forest treks, and the cavern. Even if you know they are human-made, they look very impressive! For someone who simply loves plants, this park was like a candy shop, with so many plant species growing around.

There are a few routes you can follow: ‘wilder’ ones, those with easy hiking and ramps for strollers and wheelchairs, or simply those who feel less adventurous that day. There are also some perks for those who’d like to acquire a deeper experience as an explorer: you can find narrow hanging bridges, jumping canopies, cave exploration, and much more. Don’t get discouraged if you’d simply like to walk around, as there’s an accessible easy route available for everyone.

12. Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum

Next, we’re visiting the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. This museum, part of the National University of Singapore, focuses on evolution, biodiversity, Malaysian and Singaporean flora and fauna.

The idea of the museum belongs to Stamford Raffles (yes, that man again!), and the collection was initially started as part of the Raffles Museum in the mid-19th century (it was later turned into the National Museum of Singapore). We loved it a lot: it features numerous educational short films and highlights important scientific concepts that all kids must be aware of from a young age.

13. Singapore Cable Car

Want to enjoy the best bird’s-eye views of the city? Ask me how to see them without a drone! These cutest gondolas are part of the Singapore Cable Car, which opened in 1974.

It starts from Mount Faber and goes to Sentosa Island across Keppel Harbour, with cruise liners and Vivo Shopping Mall. A couple of years ago, some cabins were decorated with Pokémons and Pokéballs. However, we went not for the Hello Kitty gondolas but for an exclusive SkyOrb (which comes with an extra fee)—it’s one of the most modern glass-bottomed cabins just introduced in 2024.

Simply breathtaking views over the Resort of Sentosa are accompanied by convenience, as it’s definitely a fun way to get to Sentosa. Next, you can switch from the Faber Mountain line to the Sentosa line to observe an even better view over Siloso Beach. I’d suggest buying a round-trip pass to enjoy all the views!

After your trip, come to Resorts World Sentosa, which has a shopping mall, restaurants, the Michael Hotel Sentosa, and access to Universal Park or the Aquarium.

14. Bird Paradise

Bird Paradise is another park out of the Mandai reserve parks. It opened in 2023, taking over from Jurong Bird Park, which operated from 1971 to 2023.

You’ll be amazed by the number of birds living here: there are around 400 species and over 3,500 birds in total! The weather today is pretty tropical with heavy rain, so we’re trying our best to explore this park. The penguin cove is a must-visit—just look at all these themed desserts!

Because the weather limits our park exploration, at least we watched the animal presentation there!

This activity takes place three times a day, where a few birds are presented one by one to the audience, with a small talk given about each. At the end, you’ll see flamingos and pelicans roaming around the lawn while everyone waves goodbye to the audience.

15. Merlion Park 

Every kid knows about mermaids and mermen, but what about mer – lion? It’s half lion and half fish (making it a mermaid with a lion head literally), and come to Merlion Park to see most recognisable symbol of Singapore!

Basically, the origins of the city name are linked to ‘lions’: a legend says that a prince of the Srivijaya Empire from Sumatra (it existed for 7-11 centuries) called Sang Nila Utama landed here and thought that he saw a lion. Thus, he decided to name this place ‘Singapura’, or the lion city in Sanskrit. Lions never inhabited this land, so what creature it was remains a mystery. 

The gorgeous statue of Merlion, which opened in 1972, is now one of the prominent tourist landmarks. It was designed by Kwan Sai Kheong and now overlooks Marina Bay. Initially, it was built at the mouth of the Singapore River. Still, it was transferred here to maintain the newer architectural sights.

Where to stay in Singapore with kids: Marina Bay Sands Hotel

Since its opening in 2010, Marina Bay Sands has been undoubtedly one of Singapore’s most famous landmarks. And I must say that this hotel is 100% worth the hype! Kids there are treated like kids, with different activity books and bath toys given upon the check in (we also ordered a lollipop merlion but eventually I think everyone forgot about it sadly). We stayed there few times, and let me share here our first experience.

We stayed in a fantastic stylish room in the central Tower, with Jo Loves skincare and a view over the Gardens by the Bay. You you can easily reach the Gardens bay itself from the hotel as well.

Marina Bay Sands has a great selection of cuisines for breakfast: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Western etc. There are some shops and restaurants inside the hotel: your favorite was the dinner buffet at the Rise restaurant and the contemporary Chinese restaurant Blossom.

The infinity pool (for the guests only) – probably the most well-known pool in the world – and the Skypark observatory are located on the 57th floor (see below) and provide the best view over skyscrapers along Marina Bay and the Merlion fountain.

You might also like my other blogs about Singapore.

Hope you liked my blog!
Yours, Anna
Xxxx