14 SUMMER IN SG
Singapore American • June/July 2015
Summer Day-zed? No More! By Angel Corrigan
I
t will be upon you soon. Those blessed days of June, July and part of August, when the kids are home from school and it’s up to you to fill the dog days of summer! If you have opted to stay in Singapore for the summer, or at least part of it, then you will need to do some planning so you can build some fabulous family memories. First of all, with all the stress and pressure which comes with school and work in Singapore, plan some down time. Sleep in, make pancakes with the kids and stay in your pajamas until noon at least a couple times during the summer! Then get a plan together to keep your little rascals occupied. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing. No Cost Family Movie Night Dress up and have a family movie premier night with prizes for best actor/actress. Gardens by the Bay Far East Organization Children’s Garden Visit here for some fabulous water play and other outdoor fun. www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/the-gardens/ attractions/childrens-garden.html Explore the Local Parks Bring some snacks or a whole picnic. Go enjoy the abundance of free nature. Don’t forget to pack the sunscreen and bug spray. Library Visit Singapore has several beautiful libraries, some even located in shopping malls. Check for story hours and other planned activities. www.nlb.gov.sg
Picnic at Home Put a sheet down on the floor and have an athome picnic with finger foods. This can also be a fun movie night activity with pizza & popcorn. Scavenger Hunt Search the Internet for plants, bugs and animals that are part of our everyday tropical environment or purchase a book with pictures and descriptions. Create an “Explorer’s Discovery Notebook” for each child with lists or a tic tac toe game and go out spotting. You could even sweeten the deal with small prizes for the most species spotted or the first one to get three in a row. Low Cost Bike Riding Rent a bike or skates at East Coast Park. There are many vendors so take your pick. You can even take a family bike built for four. Day at the Theater Find out what the Singapore Repertory Theatre has to offer with their child-focused performances through The Little Company (for ages 5-12) and The Young Company (for ages 16-25). www.srt.com.sg Play in the Snow That’s right! You can take a toboggan ride, drink some hot cocoa and freeze your buns off! www.snowcity.com.sg Port of Lost Wonder Water Park Check out the daily activities and book tickets. www.polw.com.sg/whats-on.aspx#/schedule Quails and Frogs and Fish Oh My! Take a farm tour of Farmart guided by Uncle
William affectionately known as “The Quail Man of Lim Chu Kang.” He will share his passion for farming in Singapore. This is sure to be a fun, educational experience for all ages. www.farmart.com.sg/farm-tours Singapore Science Centre The place to go for loads of hands-on science fun, IMAX movies and even water play. www.science.edu.sg Splurge Jurong Bird Park Have lunch with the parrots, dinner with the penguins or just wander for the day. Jurong Bird Park is the largest bird park in the world with activities and excitement galore. www.birdpark.com.sg Resorts World Adventure Cove Water Park When the beaches on Sentosa get too hot, head over to this big waterpark run by Resorts World to cool off. www.rwsentosa.com/language/enUS/ Homepage/Attractions/AdventureCoveWaterpark Singapore Zoo Have breakfast with the orangutans, escape the heat watching the polar bear or play in the Kidzworld water park. There is more than enough here to fill a day at the Singapore Zoo. The zoo also offers a night safari to fill your evenings. www.zoo.com.sg Take a Tour Hop on (and hop off) a sightseeing bus tour. We usually think of this as something a tourist would do, but why not take advantage of this easy way to get to attractions? The Duck tours are especially fun for kids as the bus will drive right into the water. www.ducktours.com.sg
Universal Studios Head over to Universal Studios for the day to ride the rides, visit Shrek and the Gang or to check out the newest attraction, Puss & Boots’ Giant Journey. www.rwsentosa.com/Homepage/Attractions/ UniversalStudiosSingapore Wild Wild Wet Water Park Try the park’s newest ride called The Torpedo, brave the Tsunami or just float down the lazy river. www.wildwildwet.com Resources Books: www.aasingapore.com/living-in-singapore www.juniorconcierge.wordpress.com Websites: www.littledayout.com; www.sassymamasg.com sg.kidlander.com; www.thefinder.com.sg/kids/ playtime Angel Corrigan has lived around the world as a military spouse. In 1999, she arrived in Singapore with her family and has worked at the US Embassy and in the fundraising and development field as MD of her own company.