School and public holidays are great opportunities to spend time with your kids. But what do you do to keep them happy and occupied without reaching for the remote control or your tablet?
Here’s an idea: engage them in some fun outdoor activities. After all, research points out that playing outdoors helps in a child’s intellectual and social development, including mental health.
Let your kids stretch out their arms and legs, get their heart pumping and rough it out! Here are eight great outdoor activities you can do with your little energiser-bunny.
1. Be Tarzan for a Day
Image source: Forest Adventure Park
Let your child swing among the trees like Tarzan!
The Forest Adventure Park in Bedok Reservoir Park offers children a fun obstacle course that involves lots of rope climbing and a zip line. If your kid is aged five to ten, he can join the kids’ course.
Safety is a priority in this park, with your child secured by an on-going safety line that will only detach once your child’s feet touch the ground. If you have a tween or teenager, get him to try the Grand Course (under your supervision), which seems to promise twice the challenge and thrill. The best part is that you can join in too if you wish to.
One thing you need to note is that this place only opens on public holidays, school holidays and weekends. Surprisingly, although not many people talk about this place, it can get quite difficult to register for the course if you do not plan ahead. Go online to book a slot and do it early.
2. Bike Offshore
Image source: NParks
You may have cycled around East Coast with your kids, which can be really fun. Next time, though, try taking your cycling enthusiasm out to sea, to Palau Ubin.
Palau Ubin, a small offshore island of Singapore, is a great place to venture out to for two reasons. The island is virgin-like, being largely undeveloped and retaining its rustic charm.
Your child can enjoy the breathtaking beauty of nature as he cycles through the place. What’s more, it makes for an educational trip, as you can see what Singapore in the sixties looked like, with its “kampong” houses and wells.
You can get to Palau Ubin via a bumboat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal. There is no need to book in advance as there is usually a bumboat every half hour.
3. Run among the Greens
Image source: Bollywood Veggies
Feel the cool wind in a real farm in Singapore, Bollywood Veggies, located in Kranji. Although this farm has little to do with Bollywood, it has everything to do with veggies.
This place is ideal for you to have a slow stroll while your children run about the open spaces. Or, you can choose to have a leisurely and educational time there as you read the clearly labeled names of each plant. A food museum also teaches visitors about the history of food culture.
Keep a look out for animal residents like the darting frogs and sunbathing snails. But before you start walking or running, you may want to grab a sweet banana for extra energy. Their sweet bunches are on sale and come in over 20 varieties like Pisang Ambon, Pisang Rajah, Pisang Rajastali, and Pisang Udang.
4. Play, Play, Play
Image source: NParks
What is childhood about if not play?
Take your child to West Coast Park Adventure Playground, where there are eight different types of play areas and obstacle courses to cater to children of different age groups.
Your child can do a spiderman act by climbing on a huge blue web-like structure. Your agile child would also enjoy the flying fox and crazy see-saw, among other play adventures. There are play areas with swings and a ‘Viking Ship’ to explore for the little ones.
5. Slide and Splash
Image source: Wild Wild Wet
You may remember Big Splash, the first and only waterpark in Singapore for years. You may have been excited about going on the colourful water slides there.
Now, there is more than one waterpark around, and the pool adventures have become even more thrilling.
Wild Wild Wet is one such favourite go-to water place in hot Singapore. Let your child slide around and wade at the water playground. You can join your child for white-water rafting in man-made rapids and experience the Tsunami effect within the pool.
If your child is a little older, both of you can try the free-falling experience through a slide that leads you into the pool, like a torpedo. Or, you can try out the twisty slides in the high-speed flume ride.
Splashing around can never go wrong at any age, and this waterpark is truly wild and wet!
6. Chase after mudskippers
Image source: NParks
Let your child mingle with the roaming wildlife such as crocodiles, climbing crabs and mudskippers. The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve houses a huge variety of interesting plants and animals. Trek through this Reserve with your kids, and be one with nature.
Decide on how long you want to walk by choosing the appropriate trail. For example, if your child is very young, you may want to opt for the shorter trail. If you and your child are game for much longer walks, try the longer routes that can take one to two hours or even up to four hours to walk.
7. Blade Away
Image source: NParks
Occupy your child by taking him roller-blading this time round. Allow him to whizz past you and feel the cool wind on his face. Although you could rollerblade anywhere, it is a liberating experience to the blade at East Coast Park due to the large open spaces.
If your child has yet to learn to rollerblade, then why not get him to join an inline skating class? You may want to take up classes too so that both of you can get a good workout, and have lots of fun together!
8. Go Parkour
Image source: Superfly Monkey Dragons
Parkour is in. This is a training discipline using movement, inspired from military obstacle course training. The objective is to get from point A to point B in the most efficient way possible using only your body and your surroundings to move forward while keeping yourself safe.
Parkour would be ideal for your agile adrenalin junkie who would be thrilled to manoeuvre through obstacle courses. Think of the possibilities when you combine that with lots of running, climbing, swinging and even rolling!
If your child is at least five years old, he can join a Parkour class such as the one offered by Superfly Monkey Dragons. The class helps develop motor control and strength, making your child learn to move swiftly and effortlessly through the obstacles.
The best part is that you can join the classes too, as they cater to people of all ages. There is even a family class for more fun!
Your child needs all the nutrients that he can get
All of these great outdoor activities for kids require kids to be strong and energetic. Giving your child a great childhood is about giving him the best experiences, and for that, you have to ensure that he is physically fit. He needs all the nutrients he can get from what he consumes.
To support your child’s developing needs so he can experience his childhood to his fullest, you need to give him plenty of vegetables and fruits, as well as appropriate portions of fish and meat. You also need to supplement his diet with Friso to ensure that all his developing needs are supported. Friso provides your child with the building blocks to be strong from the inside to experience more and get more out of his childhood.
What do you do to ensure your child is strong and healthy? Share your thoughts in the comments below.