The June holidays are upon us! Parents, are you dreading the thought of scrounging up ways to keep your kids entertained and out of mischief?
Well, there's no need to fret. This school holidays, Singapore is absolutely buzzing with exciting children's activities. With our handy guide, your kids won't have to face a single hour of boredom.
Arts and culture
Canvass Summer Holiday Camp
Art and yoga school Canvass is conducting a summer camp, enabling your kids to get in touch with their creative, holistic side!
This camp dubs itself a "5-day buffet on yoga, art, meditation, and food". Children will have fun learning about mindfulness in yoga classes, and expressing their creativity in art classes with diverse mediums like watercolour and charcoal. Definitely a great way for the littlies to recharge after a stressful semester.
When: Any 5-day period from Mon-Fri, between June 5 to August 11
Where: Binjai Park (near King Albert MRT)
How much: $250 for 5-day camp from 9.30am-12pm, $350 for 5-day camp from 9.30am-1pm. 10% discount for bookings before 31 May!
Open to children aged: 5 - 10
Click here for more information.
Playeum's "Making It Home" interactive exhibition
"Making It Home" is an exhibition created to celebrate something precious to all of us: the home! Down at arts cluster Gillman Barracks, the Children's Centre for Creativity has been transformed into a fascinating series of rooms, inspired by children's ideas of the home. And unlike most exhibitions, this one is hands-on — your little ones are encouraged to touch, play, and experiment!
That's not all that's brewing at Gillman Barracks. Playman also holds regular Tinkering Sundays on the last Sunday of every month, and the workshops for their June line-up include Wet Felting and Create Your Own Eye Weaver. Your kids will have no end of opportunities to explore their crafting genius.
When: 16 May - 29 Oct
Where: Gillman Barracks
How much: $22 per child and accompanying adult
Open to children aged: 1-12
Click here for more information.
Gallery Children's Biennale at National Gallery Singapore
Fire up your children's imaginations with the Gallery Children's Biennale, a suite of interactive art installations by artists both local and international. If you're thinking gazing at paintings, think again—these showcases are anything but pedestrian.
Be sure to check out Mark Justiniani's Firewalk, a showstopper that creates the illusion of a dizzying plunge beneath your feet! As you take a thrilling walk along the 12m bridge, peer down into this bottomless archaeological pit to search for toys and building blocks. Don't forget to stop by the Obliteration Room by Yayoi Kusama, where your kids can go crazy sticking colourful stickers to transform the all-white room!
When: 20 May - 8 Oct
Where: National Gallery Singapore, 1 Saint Andrews' Road
How much: Admission to the Gallery is free for Singaporeans and PRs. You can purchase an optional Art Pack at $5 to enhance your experience.
Open to children aged: All ages welcome
Click here for more information.
Faber-Castell Art Festival
This famous manufacturer of children's colour pencils is holding an art festival with creative workshops and artsy fun galore! From creative drawing to brush lettering, calligraphy to fashion illustration, the sky's the limit when it comes to indulging your little ones' creativity. To top it off, your whole family can come together to create a masterpiece in the Family Bonding Art Competition.
When: 27 May - 4 June
Where: Marina Square Central Atrium
How much: Free, individual workshops apply
Open to children aged: All ages welcome
Click here for more information.
Summer Pow-Wow at United Square and OneKM Mall
As your kids will attest, nothing beats seeing your favourite characters live on stage. If your children love singing along to the catchy tunes of Hi-5, here's a special treat for them: the new cast of Hi-5 will be down for free live shows and Meet-and-Greet at the two malls!
Those who are fans of Barney & Friends also won't be left out — the adorable purple dinosaur will similarly be doing live shows and Meet-and-Greet.
When: 19 May - 26 June (OneKM), 26 May - 25 June (United Square)
Where: United Square (101 Thompson Road) and OneKM Mall (11 Tanjong Katong Road)
How much: Free
Open to children aged: All ages welcome
Adventure and discovery
Mega Fun at Sentosa
Where better to find holiday fun than in the State of Fun? Over at Palawan Beach, mega inflatables await you and your kids, promising exciting beach challenges like the Mega Ball Pool, Foamy Maze, and Cliff Jump!
After wearing yourself out with inflatable adventures, the family can unwind with Movies by the Beach at Palawan Green, or head down to Merlion Plaza for a spectacular light show with the iconic Merlion.
When: 8 - 11, 15 - 18, 22 - 25 June
Where: Sentosa
How much: Free!
Open to kids aged: All ages welcome. Certain inflatables have height requirements, so do look out for signposted instructions.
Click here for more information.
National Heritage Board's Children's Season activities
Take your kids on an unforgettable tour of local heritage with the National Heritage Board's line-up of programmes. Your children can experience a vivid slice of the past with GosTan Back, a time-travelling adventure where they play heroes saving the future!
Dive into the deep with Ghost Nets of the Ocean, where kids can design their own sea animals and listen to enthralling stories of the depths. And which child doesn't love toys? At the MINT Museum of Toys, your kids can learn to make their very own vintage toys with kid-friendly materials.
When: 27 May - 25 June
Where: Various venues across Singapore
How much: Varies
Open to children aged: All ages welcome
Click here for more information.
Carnival activities with City Square Mall
Lots of family fun is coming your way at Singapore's first eco-mall! In Stay Safe With PAW Patrol, your kids can embark on a heroic adventure to rescue a puppy from a burning building with popular Nick Jr characters PAW Patrol.
If your children are huge fans of Blaze & The Monster Machines instead, head down for the Ready, Set, Blaze! Interactive Experience. Your little brainiacs will definitely have a great time cracking action-packed scientific and maths challenges.
When: 3-18 June
Where: City Square Mall, 180 Kitchener Road
How much: Free
Open to children aged: All ages welcome
Click here for more information.
StoryFest: International Storytelling Festival Singapore
Fairytales, mysteries, adventure tales — there's nothing that gets kids more curious than a good story. If your children are budding bookworms, the performances at this year's StoryFest will ignite their imaginations.
Tales from Down Under, performed with string games and paper folding tales by Australian Jackie Kerin, is sure to make the land of koalas come alive for your kids. Enchanted Tales features quaint folktales from Russia, Africa and France, taking your family on a journey into far-flung lands.
When: 2-4 June
Where: The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane
How much: $10
Open to kids aged: 4 and above
Click here for more information.
Ahoy Navy! Stories from the Singapore Navy
Fun ahoy! The Singapore Navy will be sharing stories of adventure on the high seas with your children this holidays. Kids will be spellbound by tales of Emily and her papa who goes out to sea, and Josh who learns about the brave ships keeping Singapore safe.
There will also be nautical-themed art and craft for kids to get creative. And if your little ones can't get enough of seafaring discovery, you can head down to the RSN50 Doodle Wall at SAFRA Punggol and SAFRA Toa Payoh to doodle or take part in rope-tying workshops!
Where: Various libraries across Singapore
How much: Free. Limited slots available, register early!
Open to children aged: 4-8
Click here for more information.
RAWR! Dinosaurs Unearthed
Learn all about dinosaurs and take a trip back in time with RAWR! Dinosaurs Unearthed. Five animatronic dinos will be on display at Plaza Singapura, complete with life-like movements and sounds. Your kids will get to see gargantuan prehistoric beasts like the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Omeisaurus and the 19m-long Memenchosaurus magically come to life!
Kids will also get to create their very own life-sized dinosaur masks and models from scratch at workshops! Are you getting Jurassic Park flashbacks yet?
When: 26 May - 11 June
Where: Plaza Singapura Main Atrium Level 1 (near Dhoby Ghaut MRT)
How much: Free
Open to kids aged: All ages welcome
Click here for more information.
Jet off on your family's dream holiday
Singapore is full of gems, but your kids might be clamouring to discover more exotic locales this school holidays. And as we all know, booking your reservations at good prices is no simple task in this peak tourist season.
Thankfully, you can get some help from KAYAK, a travel search engine where you can hunt down the best prices for all your travel needs with one click — accommodation, flights, vacation packages and so on. The world is your family's oyster!
Family bonding
Families for Life Celebrations
Kick off the June holidays with some family time! The annual Families for Life Celebrations returns to our Civic District this year with a bigger and better family bash.
There's something for every family – sporty families can join the first-ever Family Duathlon, try their hand at Giant Ping-Pong, or compete in a Nerf Shoot-out. Foodie families, feel free to make a beeline instead for the Breakfast Picnic with local hawker delights, while artsy families can enjoy a museum tour or arts performance.
When: 28 May
Where: Civic District
How much: Free
Open to children aged: All ages welcome
Click here for more information.
Rainbow Connections Family Retreat
It's no secret that our fast-paced lives seldom leave us time for family bonding. Now that school's out, there's no better time to take a breather and carve out quality time with your kids.
With Rainbow Connections Family Retreat, you and your child can spend a day bonding with interactive activities like trust-building games and yoga sessions. Rebuild that close connection in tranquil surroundings and learn all about how to enhance your family's relationships.
When: 27 May
Where: Aloha Resorts at Loyang
How much: $160 per parent-child pair
Open to children aged: 6-12
Click here for more information.
Outdoorsy fun with White Sands Mall
East-siders, you're in luck! White Sands Mall has a slew of fun-filled events in store for families this June. Families can enjoy an outdoor movie drive-in under the stars with free popcorn and candy floss on 24 June.
And that's not all. Together with The Singapore Scout Association, White Sands is organising an Urban Camp-Out, combining all the thrill of camping with the comfort of the urban jungle! Families who prefer not to stay over can opt for the Mega Outdoor BBQ, with all equipment and food provided.
When: 17-18 June (urban camping), 24 June (movie drive-in)
Where: White Sands Mall (beside Pasir Ris MRT)
How much: The Urban Camp-Out is priced at $60 per family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids), while the Mega Outdoor BBQ costs $40 per family of 4. The outdoor movie drive-in will be $10 per vehicle, and $6 per adult and $4 per child at the Picnic area.
Open to kids aged: All ages welcome
Click here for more information.
Fun with animals
Be A Parrot Keeper at Jurong Bird Park
If your kids can't get enough of all things cute and feathered, why not give them an extra-special treat at Jurong Bird Park? Just for the month of June, those who sign up for a one-year Friends of Bird Park membership can take part in the exclusive Be-A-Parrot-Keeper programme. Your kids will love the unique experience of being little avian keepers for a day, preparing their food and caring for their parrot friends.
The Bird Park also has other gems on offer this school holidays. Children can get up close with everyone's favourite tuxedoed birds in Penguin Encounter, and one lucky Friends of Bird Park member will get to feed the penguins!
When: 3-26 June
Where: Jurong Bird Park, 2 Jurong Hill
How much: $25/pax for the Be-A-Parrot-Keeper programme. Friends of Bird Park membership fees are $19 for children, $29 for adults, and $77 for 2 adults and 1 child.
Open to children aged: 3-12
Click here for more information.
RepTopia at the Singapore Zoo
Reptiles aren't the most cuddly of animals, but our scaly friends at the Singapore Zoo and River Safari will definitely win your kids' hearts. From phototaking with chameleons to stick alligator craft, RepTopia has a whole slew of events to introduce children to these fascinating creatures.
With the Singapore Zoo's RepTopia Keeper Interaction, the little ones can watch a cobra feed and get up close with a chameleon. And over at the River Safari, your family can enjoy a silhouette skit performance of different reptiles before visiting the real thing at Reptiles Encounter!
When: 27 May - 26 June. Check out this link for more details.
Where: Singapore Zoo and River Safari
How much: Activities free. Admission charges to the Singapore Zoo are $22 for children (3-12) and $33 for adults. Admission charges to the River Safari are $20 for children (3-12) and $30 for adults.
Open to children aged: All ages welcome
Click here for more information.
Enrichment
Fun workshops at the Science Centre
Always a hit with the children, the Singapore Science Centre has a whole range of thrilling showcases for your inquisitive kids this holidays!
Highlights include the Dino Robot Factory, where your kiddies will learn how to build a moving, roaring mechanical dinosaur. Professor Crackitt's Light Fantastic takes your kids on an exciting quest through a mirror maze, while I'm A Food Scientist teaches the little ones how to make their favourite treat, ice cream.
When: Varied; from May/June onwards
Where: 15 Science Centre Road
How much: Free admission for Singaporeans/PRs during non-peak days, $6 and $4 admission for Singaporean/PR adults and children respectively during peak days. Click here for more information on specific exhibition charges.
Open to children aged: All ages welcome
Click here for more information.
Fun and engaging enrichment classes
Of course, the holidays should be a time when the kids are freed from attending classes. But what about the fun kind?
From robotics to astronaut training camps, clay-making to guitar workshops, there's sure to be something that strikes your kids' fancy on Today Got Class. Started by parents, for parents, Today Got Class is a platform which simplifies your search for enrichment classes and gets you discounts for bookings. Turn your kids loose on the website and let them figure out what they want to pick up this school holidays!
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