Top 15 Things to do in Singapore with Kids - 5 Lost Together (2024)

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I hadn’t been to Singapore in over 10 years, but when I found a too-good-to-be-true cheap flights from Australia to Singapore, I figured it was time for a return visit. It also was the perfect trip to take my middle son on a solo mom-son trip. You can read all about how the trip came to be in this post.

As a budget traveler, I was nervous about controlling costs in cosmopolitan Singapore. I remember visiting as a backpacker and watching our per day budget spin out of control. While there are lots of wonderful and costly attractions in Singapore, there are lots of free and low cost activities as well. Singapore really is a perfect destination for families because it offers an exotic cultural experience while also offering loads of kid-friendly attractions and activities. Hereis our list of the top 15 things to do in Singapore with kids.

HOT TIP: For attractions, we found that we could save a substantial amount of money by booking in advance with Klook. The added benefit was that we also could just walk into the attractions and didn’t have to wait in line to buy tickets.

Sentosa is one big pleasure island and there are way too many things to do on the island to list. Have a look on the Sentosa website and pick a few things to do on the island. Depending on what you want to do, the Sentosa Fun Pass might be a good value, but it really depends on the attractions you choose.

You could spend weeks exploring all that Singapore has to offer. We had 5 full days in the city, which was a perfect amount of time to see most of what we wanted to see. We spent 2.5 of those days on Sentosa.

Also Read: Visiting Singapore with a Toddler

Singapore Map

All of the attractions, things to do, hotels and places to eat mentioned in this post are included in the map below.

Click here to find out how to get to Singapore.

Things to do in Singapore with Kids

Gardens by the Bay

The iconic sky trees and Gardens by the Bay park did not exist last time I was in Singapore and since it has become an icon of the city, it was definitely somewhere we needed to visit. It is one of the most Instagrammable places in Singapore for a good reason.

I actually recommend visiting twice, once in the day and once in the evening for a very different experience. These vertical gardens are just as interesting up close as they are towering up out of the green space. Best of all, visiting theSupertree Groveis totally free! Check out these other fun and free things to do in Singapore.

While most of us are drawn to theSupertreeGrove, the whole 101 hectares of reclaimed land is a beautiful place to explore. On our day time visit, we did the Sky Walk ($8/adults, $5/child), a suspended walkway connecting the trees. It gave us an entirely different perspective of these living structures.

Seeing the sky trees all lit up in the evening is another not-to-be-missed sight. The Garden Rhapsody Light Show occurs each evening at 7:45 and 8:45. It draws large crowds, but it is pretty magical to lay down and watch the spectacular light show. When we were there in November, they had just started their Christmas show and it definitely got us in the Christmas spirit.

The Cloud Forest and Flower Dome observatories are at an additional cost and are spectacular. Click here to buy discounted tickets.

The Far East Organization Children’s Garden with water play and educational activities will be a huge hit with kids of all ages.

For a touristy, but good meal while there, check out Satay by the Bay, a hawker area where the signature dish is…satay of course.

Getting there: taxi directly there or take the metro to MRT Bayfront – it is a 10-15 min walk.

Night Safari

Singapore’s Night Safari is a really unique way to observe wildlife and is one of our top things to do in Singapore with kids. Since Night Safari doesn’t get started until after dark, it can be a challenge for young kids. I would recommend Night Safari for kids over 5 due to the late start and some young kids may find it scary.

This is an incredibly busy attractions with lots of tour groups, so you will want to book tickets in advance. We arrived at 7pm and watched the Thumbuakar Fire Dance Show, which was a huge hit with my son. They spun fire, they flew fire, all while dancing. The first Creatures of the Night interactive nocturnal show is at 7:15 and is the best one with kids. We thought the host was really excellent and we learned a lot in this 20 minute show.

The main event is the 45 minute tram tour through the Night Safari habitats with commentary. It is really different to see many of these animals at night. After the tram tour, you can also explore some of the walking trails, although my kid was much too tired for that. Night Safari is a must for animal-loving families and a very unique wildlife experience. Read this post to learn more about the Singapore Night Safari.

Practical Information: Entrance is S$55/adult and $39/3-12 year olds. Book your tickets in advance here.

Getting there: Night Safari and Singapore Zoo are both away from the city centre. Take a Taxi! We tried to take public transit there and we would definitely recommend a taxi from the city.

Skyline Luge Sentosa

We had fond memories of doing the luge in Queenstown, New Zealandand this was one of the activities my son was most interested in. This is actually two activities in one because you get to take the Skyride chairlift up the hill with beautiful views out to sea and you get to luge down four different tracks. My 8 year old son had no problem operating his own luge. They are very good at making sure you understand how to brake and steer before they set you free down the hill.

I would definitely recommend buying a package that allows multiple rides as there is no way the kids will be satisfied with just one run down. The great thing about the Skyline Luge is that you can do a few rides down in less then an hour, making it a fairly quick activity. This was also one of my son’s favourite activities of the whole trip and a great thing to do with kids in Singapore.

Practical Information: 2 luge and skyrides cost S $24/person, but you can save big by tickets in advance.

Getting there: Taxi or MRT to Harbourfront, then take Sentosa Express monorail across to the island.

Little India

While it is easy to get sucked into every attraction in Singapore, one of my favourite things to do is to wander through the distinctive neighborhoods of Singapore and soak in the culture. Adults and kids will be fascinated by the colours and action of Little India.

Most guidebooks have walking tours through Little India where you can take in the sari and gold shops, dance to Bollywood tunes and sample cheap and tasty Indian foods. We picked up some bangles and henna and the shopkeeper couldn’t help giving Gavin a souvenir.

Getting there: access from MRT Little India, MRT Jalan Besar or MRT Rochor

Hawker Stalls

You can’t come to Singapore and not indulge in its world famous hawker food. While they may not look as sanitized as Western restaurants, Singapore’s hawker centres are completely safe, cheap and an interesting way to dine. The great thing about Singapore is that you don’t have to look hard to find a hawker centre with them embedded in every community and shopping centre. Some that are used to tourists and good ones to start with are Gluttons Bay (on Marina Bay), Satay by the Bay (Gardens by the Bay), and Chinatown’s Maxwell Food Centre.

Our kids’ favourite dishes are: roti, satay, kway teow, wan tan mee, and Hainanese chicken rice. They particularly love ice kachang where somehow sugary fruit and ice comes together with corn kernels and red beans.

Universal Studios

Universal Studios is the anchor of Sentosa and while it is a fairly compact theme park, it offers up an easy and fun day with kids. We recommend buying tickets in advanceand aiming to visit mid-week when the crowds are much less. Our Wednesday visit in November was very quiet and we never waited more then 20 minutes for a ride.

Visiting with my 8 year old son was perfect as he was brave enough to ride all of the rides. There are lots of things for younger kids to do as well from rides to shows to character visits. Although my son loved the rides, his favourite thing was the Waterworld Stunt Show, which he enjoyed so much we went to twice. There are so many great family attractions in Singapore, but USS is one of the best.

Practical Information: Universal Studios Singapore is open 10 am – 6 pm. Get there as soon as it opens to take advantage of no lines for the first 30-60 minutes. Tickets cost S$79/adult and S$59/child 4-12 when purchased at the Park. You can save when you purchase your tickets in advance, with the added benefit of not having to wait in line for tickets.

Getting there:Taxi or MRT to Harbourfront, then take Sentosa Express monorail across to the island.

Kampong Glam

Located right near Little India, Kampong Glam is another neighborhood worth a wander. Also called Arab Street, the colourful streets, trendy shops and impressive Sultan Mosque will have you thinking you are in the Middle East. Kids will enjoy the colourful street art and souvenir shopping.

Getting there: MRT Bugis

Adventure Cove Waterpark, Sentosa

Singapore is a pretty hot and humid place any time of the year and a visit to a water park is a great way to cool down. Adventure Cove on Sentosa is a mid-size water park that you can experience easily in half a day. There are the usual tube slides and wave pool, but Rainbow Reef provides a unique opportunity to snorkel in a giant salt water aquarium and see thousands of tropical fish. Other fun activities are the wet maze and high ropes course and Splashworks where you can rock climb over water, climb the cargo net and try more daring pursuits.

For younger kids, the Big Bucket Treehouse is a fun and safe playground with gentle slides and lots of shooting water. The lazy river is even more exciting since it goes through a sting ray and shark aquarium. This was one of our fav things to do in Singapore for kids.

Practical Information: Adventure Cove is open from 10 am – 6 pm daily. Tickets cost S$38/adult and S$30/child 4-12. Purchase your discounted tickets before you arrive.

Getting there:Taxi or MRT to Harbourfront, then take Sentosa Express monorail across to the island.

Singapore Zoo

I remember visiting the Singapore Zoo years ago and being so impressed with the natural enclosures that they helped pioneer. The Zoo sits on a massive green space, far from the busy city-centre and is one of the best places to enjoy the outdoors in Singapore. The Night Safari, River Safari and Jurong Bird Park are all neighbors and easy to access from each other.

The lush grounds make it a peaceful place to observe the wildlife and we recommend spending at least 3 hours visiting. If traveling with young kids, bring a pram as the Zoo is very spread out and it is hot! My son really enjoyed the white tigers and learning about tiger conservation. The Fragile Forest Biodome was a great way to get up close to the free-roaming birds, lemurs and sloths.

We arrived at the Zoo at 2 pm and spent a few hours exploring, before heading over to the Night Safari. There are more dinner options available at Night Safari, although we couldn’t miss the Ben & Jerry’s at the Zoo.

Practical Information: The Singapore Zoo is open 8:30 am – 5:30 pm daily. Tickets cost S$37/adult and S$25/child 3-12, but you can save 15% by purchasing online in advance.

Getting there:Night Safari and Singapore Zoo are both away from the city centre. Take a Taxi! We tried to take public transit there and we would definitely recommend a taxi from the city.

Chinatown

The last of the neighborhoods that you have to visit on a trip to Singapore, Chinatown’s heritage buildings, great foods and rich culture are a great place to wander. Again we mostly followed ourguidebook’swalking tours, but wandered wherever our interests took us. The Sri Mariamman Temple and Siang Cho Keong Temple are both interesting stops and the Maxwell Food Centre is a great place to sample hawker fare.

Getting There: Take the MRT to the Telok Ayer or Chinatown stations.

Marina Bay Sands Light Show

The iconic and beautiful Marina Bay Sands Hotel is beautiful any time of day. Seeing it lit up at night is definitely a top thing to do in Singapore. The Spectra Light & Water Show is a free to the public show that happens each evening at 8 and 9 pm with an added 10 pm show on Fridays and Saturdays. You can watch up close from the Marina Bay Sands Hotel side or you can watch across the Bay near the Esplanade. We timed it perfectly and got great seats at the Gluttons Bay hawker centre where we watched the colourful show while feasting on delicious Singaporean classics.

Sadly, the only way to enjoy the famous infinity pool at the Marina Bay Sands hotel is by being a hotel guest. Read this post (48 Hours in Singapore) to hear all about a stay at this renowned hotel.

Changi Airport

Singapore’s Changi Airport is generally accepted as the best airport in the world and we were blown away by the beauty of the airport and amount of things to do there. Don’t rush out of the airport; arrive early and experience this world-class airport. From the orchid gardens and green living walls to the free movie theatre, WIFI and video games, Changi knows how to appeal to all travelers young and old.

The kids loved the free candies available at every desk in the airport, including the friendly customs officers. With children’s playgrounds, a swimming pool and more, this airport set the bar really high.

The Merlion

Back when I visited Singapore years ago, the Merlion, the Quays and Colonial District were the main attractions. Although they have been slightly eclipsed by Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay, no visit to Singapore is complete without visiting the towering Merlion statue shooting water into the Bay. Go early to avoid the massive crowds that accumulate here, take your obligatory photo catching the Merlion’s spit and then retreat. Enjoy a more peaceful walk down the Esplanade and across the Helix Bridge to the Marina Bay Sands. This is a great opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Bay and city skyline.

Getting there: MRT Raffles Place

Orchard Road

In my family shopping and kids don’t go hand in hand, but Singapore’s Orchard Road shopping precinct is worth checking out. This can be a great place to go when the kids have tired of the heat as all of the malls offer indoor playgrounds and movie theaters.

Getting there: MRT Orchard or MRT Somerset

Where to Stay in Singapore with Kids

Singapore has a wide range of accommodation options in varying budgets, giving you lots of options of where to stay in Singapore.

Marina Bay Sands – if budget isn’t an issue, this is the place to stay! Only hotel guests can access the incredible rooftop infinity pool and families are catered for in the club and family rooms. Click here to check the latest prices.

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa – if you fancy staying on Sentosa, the whole family will love this luxury hotel overlooking Tanjong Beach. Click here to check the latest prices.

Village Hotel Bugis– a good mid-range hotel that caters to families in Kampong Glam. Kids will like the themed rooms and pool and parents will appreciate the convenient locations.Click here to check the latest prices.

Fragrance Hotels – this chain of budget hotels offers family rooms for under $100/night. With locations throughout the city this is your best bet for cost-conscious families.Click here to check the latest prices.

Getting Around Singapore

While Singapore is fairly compact, you will need to take taxis or public transit to get to many of the attractions and neighborhoods. We were staying in Little India and used the MRT most of the time to get around. We picked up an Ez-Link card, so we could avoid the hassle of buying tickets for each journey. There is a non-refundable deposit of $5, so I would only do that if you are going to be in the City for a few days.

Public transit is very inexpensive and efficient. We also discovered the double-decker buses and my son loved sitting in the front row up top where you had a great view. We found that taxis were really inexpensive and often provided a much quicker and direct route to where we wanted to go. Next time and if we were traveling with the whole family, I would definitely use taxis more.

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