Pic credit: Unsplash
The school holidays are always a tough period for parents, as we are often left wondering what’s a good way to let the little ones have fun while making sure their brains are kept active too.
While activities like workshops or enrichment camps are the common options parents may turn to, there are countless other activities to keep your child entertained during the school holidays. If you are looking for something new to keep your little one engaged, here are 8 unique activities to try out this upcoming school holiday!
1. Try out home-based learning activities
Pic credit: @jaslearningwithkids
With the COVID-19 pandemic still a cause for concern in Singapore, many parents are opting to keep their little ones home to err on the safe side. While the easiest way to keep the children entertained is to let them watch TV, there are many simple activities you can try out with them at home!
Home-based learning activities are a simple yet engaging way to encourage learning through play, especially if your little ones are below the age of 10. If you are looking for activities to try out at home, you’ll be glad to know that the Internet is your best friend! There are countless websites available that have activities suitable for different age groups, depending on what resources you have at your disposal.
One place you can turn to for inspiration is @jaslearningwithkids on Instagram, run by a mother of 4 who has created a variety of different activities that are easy to conduct at home. Jasmine has dedicated her account to collating activities suitable for children across different age groups, with the activities ranging from arts and crafts to those that help build fine motor skills.
Pic credit: @jaslearningwithkids
One such activity is making a spice garland, which involves threading and tying together various spices found around the house to create a simple decoration. This is a great way to introduce children to the different spices, and the threading helps to build on the fine motor skills of your children.
Home-based learning activities
Price: Free
Location: Home
2. Visit an insect farm
Pic credit: Insectta
It’s well-known that despite Singapore’s small size, our sunny island is home to a number of farms. While most of us might have heard of places such as Hay Dairies Goat Farm and Bollywood Veggies, did you know that nestled in the heart of Queenstown, is an insect farm?
Insectta is Singapore’s first urban insect farm, and they specialise in taking food waste and converting it into valuable biomaterials! The farm breeds a species of fly known as the black soldier fly, which helps convert waste collected into various types of biomaterial.
If your little one is fascinated by nature and insects, the farm conducts a special tour that takes guests behind the scenes to let them explore sustainability and while learning about food waste. Be warned that as part of the tour, you will come up close and personal with the black soldier fly, so if you are afraid of insects, this may not be the tour for you.
The Go Green, Go Buggy! Insect Farm Tour lasts for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and do note that children below the age of 10 will require adult supervision. Private tours are also available upon request, with a minimum of 10 pax required for booking. For more details, please refer to Insectta’s website.
P.S: Monster Day Tours is working with Insectta, so keep your eyes out for something new coming soon!
Insectta
Price: From $20 to join a public tour
Location: 60 Jalan Penjara
3. Go on a guided tour of Singapore’s parks
Pic credit: National Parks Board
We have all taken our children to the park at some point in time, but did you know that aside from being home to some of Singapore’s native species, these parks also hold stories of our rich heritage?
Unknown to many, the National Parks Board organises guided tours of different parks and gardens in Singapore, and these tours are the perfect way to teach your little one more about nature as well as Singapore’s history. A variety of tours cover different areas, ranging from flora and fauna to the hidden heritage in Singapore’s parks. If you would like to explore at your own pace, there are DIY trail guides available for the public too.
After being cooped up at home due to the COVID-19 situation, a trip out to the park is the perfect chance for your little ones to reconnect with nature. These tours organised are mostly free for the public, and registration can be done online. For a full list of available tour timings and dates, please refer to the National Parks Board website.
Guided Tour of Parks by National Parks Board
Price: Free for most tours
Location: Different parks and gardens across Singapore
4. Join a Junior Farmer Camp
Pic credit: Edible Garden City
Although Singapore is known for being a metropolitan city, did you know that our sunny island is home to many urban farms?
Edible Garden City is a local service that supports the grow-your-own-food movement, and aims to encourage Singaporeans to support urban farms. They offer a variety of workshops and urban farm tours, which allow participants to learn more about sustainable food production and farming in Singapore.
They also offer a special Camp Urban Junior Farmer programme for children, which allows little ones to explore the outdoors as they immerse themselves in the farm life experience. Participants will get the chance to enjoy hands-on experience at farms as they learn more about composting, gardening and cooking.
The Camp Urban Junior Farmer programme lasts for 3.5 days, and activities will be between 8:30AM-12:30PM each day. The camp is suitable for children between the ages of 4-12, and safe distancing measures such as the sanitation of stations and 1m distancing between desks will be implemented. For more details such as camp dates, please refer to Edible Garden City’s website.
Camp Urban Junior Farmer
Price: $380 per child
Location: 60 Jalan Penjara
5. Learn how to be royalty at a Princess Academy
Pic credit: Andsoforth Academy
It is every girl’s dream to become a princess, we have all probably asked our parents to buy a dress-up set for us at some point of time. If your little one has begged for the chance to put on a gown and become royalty, the Princess Academy is the perfect activity for her.
Organised by a children’s theatre company, the Princess Academy is a 3-day holiday camp that allows little girls to fulfill their wish of becoming a real life princess. Through the course of the programme, your little one will get a chance to not only dress up like a princess, but learn how to behave like one too! Activities such as posture and mannerism training are all part of the experience, and the camp is led by professional actresses with the relevant teaching experiences.
The 3-day camp is suitable for children between the ages of 3-10, and the workshop runs for 3 hours per day. For camp dates and more details, please refer to their website.
Princess Academy
Price: $400 per child
Location: 200 Pandan Gardens
6. Learn more about Singapore’s heritage with a walking tour
If your child is active and loves the outdoors, a walking tour to explore Singapore’s heritage neighbourhoods is the perfect day out!
Although Singapore’s history is taught in schools, not much focus is placed on the hidden stories behind areas such as Kampong Glam and Chinatown. Monster Day Tours is an award-winning walking tour operator in Singapore, and the best part is, their tours are known for being child-friendly!
The company offers 6 different walking tours across the island, and it is the perfect chance to learn more about the lesser-known stories of Singapore’s rich heritage. To enhance the experience and make it more engaging, hands-on activities such as learning how to appreciate the different cultures through food-tasting.
If heritage tours are not your child’s cup of tea, the company offers themed experiences such as a sunset sail that explores the legends and forgotten stories behind Singapore’s Southern Islands. For more details the heritage tours and themed experiences, please refer to the Monster Day Tours website.
Walking Tour
Price: From $10/pax Location: Varies according to tour, please check website for more details
7. Explore a children’s art festival
Pic credit: National Gallery Singapore
Art may be a concept that is hard for children to grasp, but the National Gallery Singapore’s biennial children’s festival makes it more fun through a series of activities and programmes!
Known as the Small Big Dreamers programme, the second edition features both online and offline activities. Online activities include art and crafts tutorials for families to follow at home, as well as interactive games to help little ones understand more about traditional art styles. A virtual studio also allows participants to learn more about the artists and pieces that inspired the festival.
An Artist’s Tropical Landscape, a physical exhibit, has also been set up at the National Gallery, where little ones can find out more about iconic artist Georgette Chen through various activities, such as augmented reality games. Do note that this exhibit is suitable for children between the ages 6-12, and an experience pack can be purchased at an additional $5.
For more details, please refer to the National Gallery Singapore’s website.
#SmallBigDreamersAtHome Price: Free for most activities
Location: National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrews Road (For An Artist’s Tropical Landscape, other activities can be conducted at home)
8. Go on a horse ride
Pic credit: Gallop Stables
The school holidays are the perfect time to take the little ones out to appreciate being outdoors, and if your little one loves animals, the perfect activity to let them connect with nature would be to go for a horse ride!
Gallop Stables is one of Singapore’s most well-known stables, and they offer a variety of activities ranging from riding lessons to trail rides. They also offer a slew of activities catered for children, including pony and horse rides. These sessions are the perfect way to introduce horse-back riding to little ones, with trained staff leading the session.
The stable also offers other child-friendly activities including pony and bunny feeding, where participants can purchase a packet of feed at $2. Do note that these feeding sessions are only available on weekends at specific timings. If you want to give your little ones an unforgettable school holiday, Gallop Stables also has two resorts with in-house activities such as prawn fishing and an in-house farm tour.
For more details, please refer to their website.
Gallop Stables:
Price: From $10 for a pony ride
Location: Horsecity @ Bukit Timah (100 Turf Club Road), Gallop Stable @ Pasir Ris Park (Car Park C, 61 Pasir Ris Green)
