If you are planning a family trip to Singapore then the first thing you will want to know is what are the top Singapore attractions for kids. After recently visiting Singapore for the first time with our three children aged 14, 13 and 10 years old here are our top places to visit in Singapore for kids to help you plan your visit.
We booked most of our tickets and tours for Singapore through Klook, who are a reputable online travel agency. You may like to check out our personal review of using Klook to travel.
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. If you book after clicking on one of these links then we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Singapore Central City Area
Singapore has a lot of history, between initial founding, formation as a nation and being taken over by the Japanese in World War Two. As a result there are a lot of historic buildings and stories throughout the historic centre. When you think about where to bring kids in Singapore you need to find a balance between fun and cultural activities. Check out this article for a good overview of the history of Singapore.
Walk around the Historic Centre of Singapore
Personally we enjoyed going for an early morning walk along the Singapore River and looping around each side of the river. We were staying close to Clarke Quay, which was a perfect location to spend a couple of hours walking and get a sense of history without overdoing it for our youngest son aged 10 years old. Walking around the historic center of Singapore is also a great option for a shorter layover in Singapore.
Each side of the Singapore River has good walking pathways, so we started walking along the southern side of the river through to The Fullerton Hotel. We stopped and visited the small Merlion statue – and were very surprised by the number of tourists at this location! We then walked across Anderson Bridge, which had great views of Marina Bay Sands. We found all of the tourist coaches a short distance on the other side of this Bridge which explained why there we so many people there so early in the day!
We then walked through Esplanade Park and past St Andrew’s Cathedral and the War Memorial Park to see Raffles Hotel. We then walked along North Bridge Road back to the northern side of the Singapore River, and then walked west along the river before returning to our hotel.
Overall this walk took around 2 hours and was a great way to familiarise ourselves better with the city. It would have been great to have a guide to explain the history to us but we still enjoyed the walk around the area at our own pace.
Klook also has some great options to view the historic centre of Singapore with a guide. I definitely plan to book one of these on our next visit to Singapore.
Marina Bay Mini Segway Guided Tour of Singapore
The Marina Bay Mini Segway Guided Tour is a great option to have a fun and fast guided tour around the major Singapore attractions on a Mini Segway. This 2 hour tour is suitable for ages 5 years and older.
Singapore Duck Boat Tour
For families with younger children or who are less confident to ride a Mini Segway, a great alternative is a one hour guided Duck Boat Tour of Singapore. This tour is suitable for all ages, in an amphibious Duck Boat which can travel both on land and in the water, making it a fun way to learn more about Singapore for families.
Click here to check out availability and details of the Duck Boat Tour of Singapore through Klook
Marina Bay Sands
Marina Bay Sands is the iconic image of Singapore, so it was a ‘must do’ for our visit to Singapore. If you can afford to stay at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel (click here to check out pricing for your dates) – I must admit we looked this up but the price was quite steep for a family of five so we did not go with this option. If you stay in the hotel you get free access to the exclusive infinity pool, bar and restaurant on the top of the surfboard.
If (like us!) you cannot afford to stay at the hotel the next best option is to visit the publicly accessible observation deck on the other end of the surfboard. After many previous poor tall tower experiences (due to long queues and crowded attractions) we decided to get there early for the opening of the observation deck, which was a great decision!
By getting there for opening we managed to have an enjoyable experience with only a few other people around. The views of Singapore were fabulous and we felt really relaxed as we walked around the observation deck.
Marina Bay Sands Skypark Observation Deck Admission Ticket
To access the Marina Bay Sands Skypark Observation Deck you will need to purchase an entry ticket. Klook is a great option to purchase your ticket in advance, as they have instant ticket confirmation so you can walk straight in when you arrive.
Gardens by the Bay
After visiting Marina Bay Sands we then walked directly to Gardens by the Bay, which is right next door and has free entry. Again by visiting early in the day we avoided the crowds. Gardens by the Bay consists of a very large garden which you can spend hours exploring. We enjoyed the foliage, lakes and artwork in the section of the gardens that we explored. The major attractions within the gardens are as follows:
Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay
The Supertree Grove is an iconic image of Gardens by the Bay and can be viewed for free. We visited them during the daytime, but missed out on seeing them at night time, when they are all lit up – on the list for our next visit!
OCBC Skyway at Gardens by the Bay
The OCBC Skyway is the elevated walkway which connects many of the Supertrees. You need to purchase a ticket to access the OCBC Skyway. We really enjoyed walking along the walkway and seeing the views along the route. The route is one way, so you start at one Supertree and finish at another.
Cloud Forest Dome at Gardens by the Bay
The Cloud Forest Dome is one of two domes which are a very pleasant option as they are both fully air conditioned! The cool air was a welcome feeling after walking around outside in the heat and humidity! The Cloud Forest Dome has the world’s tallest indoor waterfall (man made), and a great route to walk through and see the waterfall and the forest scenes. You should allow approximately one hour to walk through the dome. You need a ticket to enter.
Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay
The Flower Dome is located beside the Cloud Forest Dome and again provides a welcome blast of cool air on entry. You can easily spend 1-2 hours wandering through the dome to see nine different gardens representing five different continents. They also regularly have special displays in the changing floral display area. You need a ticket to enter.
Gardens by the Bay, Cloud Forest Dome, Flower Dome and OCBC Skyway Tickets
You can easily purchase an instant confirmation tickets which enables access to all of the attractions mentioned above through Klook through the below link.
Visit a Museum for Kids Singapore – the ArtScience Museum
The ArtScience Museum located Marina Bay Sands is a very popular options for families, as it provides a huge selection of exhibits where art meets science. Popular exhibits include interactive digital installations, which are similar to the wold famous teamLab art installations in Tokyo. The ArtScience Museum is a great option for all ages to experience and explore.
Click here to check out availability and details for the ArtScience Museum Tickets
Singapore Zoo
Singapore Zoo is one of the most popular attractions for families visiting Singapore. The award winning Singapore Zoo is home to over 2,800 animals and has free roaming habitats for the animals. Singapore Zoo is located on the northern side of Singapore. You can either walk or catch a guided tram through the zoo park.
Singapore Zoo also has a range of shared and private transfer options which are very affordable to make it easy to get there, these transfers can be used for the main Singapore Zoo, River Safari and Night Safari activities.
Click here to book either a shared transfer or private transfer to and/or from Singapore Zoo through Klook
Singapore Zoo
There are a great range of options available to explore the zoo, including day and breakfast options, many of which include transfer options to and from your accommodation.
Below are the main options through Klook to book tickets.
Click here to check out availability and details for entry tickets for Singapore Zoo, or the Singapore Zoo Breakfast (which includes Zoo entry) through Klook
Singapore Zoo River Safari
The Singapore Zoo River Safari is a great additional zoo experience which will take 2-3 hours. You cruise down the river on a boat which has been themed by the mighty rivers of the world, seeing plants and animals for each feature river as you go. Note that your River Safari Ticket does not enable you to enter Singapore Zoo.
Click here to check out availability and details for the Singapore Zoo River Safari through Klook
Singapore Zoo Night Safari
The Singapore Zoo Night Safari is a very popular attraction for visitors to Singapore. The Night Safari enables you to see the animals in their night time environment and level of activity, if you have ever visited a zoo and been disappointed when so many of the animals are asleep, this is the tour for you to find out what those sleeping animals do during the night! Note that your Night Safari Ticket does not enable you to enter Singapore Zoo during the day time.
The Night Safari Add Ons package includes a range of dinner options as well as the option to hear the Night Safari commentary in eight languages. Note that the standard commentary is in English. The language options include English, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Vietnamese, Thai and Bahasa Indonesia.
Click here to check out availability and details for the Singapore Zoo Night Safari and Night Safari Add Ons through Klook
Sentosa for Kids
The ultimate playground for families in Singapore is Sentosa Island, which is a short 30-45 minute ride on public transport from central Singapore. Sentosa Island Resort has been built as an amazing playground which includes many tourist attractions, as well as great options to relax on the beach. Below are our top experiences for kids on Sentosa Island, and there are many more that we will have to do on our next visit!
Sentosa Tickets Package
The Sentosa Fun Pass enable you to purchase tokens which enable you to visit popular attractions such as Adventure Cove Waterpark, S.E.A. Aquarium, and Wings of Time, your Sentosa Express Pass and many more attractions!
Click here to check out availability and details for the Sentosa Fun Pass through Klook
Singapore Cable Car
The Singapore Cable Car is an amazing option to travel to and from Sentosa Island. You can start your journey from HarbourFront Station, where you catch a lift up a tall building and board the first section of the Mount Faber Line cable car. The views as you travel across the water to Sentosa Island are amazing!
You then arrive at Sentosa Station, and from there you can easily transfer to the Sentosa Line which traverses along the island from the Merlion to Siloso Point. Your cable car ticket through Klook will enable you to travel return along both the Mount Faber Line and Sentosa Line to get around Sentosa Island.
Click here to check out availability and details for the Singapore Cable Car through Klook
Universal Studios Singapore / Sentosa
Universal Studios Singapore is a fabulous experience for families. The park is smaller than Universal Studios Japan as it does not have a Harry Potter World, however the smaller size makes it a great option to have a fun day out.
There are many great rides, including favourites from the Universal Studios movies. You can easily stay in the park for a full day so ensure you plan your itinerary accordingly.
There are a range of ticket options as follows. For the first time ever we purchased the VIP passes and we are now spoilt for life! They are only slightly more expensive than purchasing a skip the queue Express Pass, however you have your own guide through the park and in every ride you skip directly to the front of the queue! And you can ride the rides as often as you like ?. The VIP pass also includes meals so make sure you include that when comparing the options.
In the below options from Klook you can see the various options – entry ticket only, add on skip the queue Express Passes and the ultimate VIP Pass!
Click here to check out availability and details for Universal Studios Singapore Tickets, Express Passes and VIP Passes through Klook
Adventure Cove Waterpark
After doing a lot of walking around Singapore as a family our visit to Adventure Cove Waterpark on Sentosa Island was a great option to just relax and cool down! The water park is small enough that you can easily get around, and has some great rides that we had not previously experienced! Check out our detailed review of Adventure Cove Waterpark for more information.
Click here to check out availability and details for Adventure Cove Waterpark Tickets through Klook
Introductory Sentosa Island Tour
A great option to get your bearings and learn about the history of the island on your first visit to Sentosa Island is to take a 2 hour bus tour of the island. Klook offers instant confirmation to book your introductory tour.
Click here to check out availability and details for your Introductory Sentosa Island Tour
Kids Friendly Hotel Singapore
A common question we have is for advice on the best hotel for kids in Singapore. A key tip is to stay in either a central city location or on Sentosa Island, depending on which activities you plan to do.
Best Hotel for Kids in Singapore
Best Luxury Family Friendly Hotel in Singapore
Our top pick for a luxury family friendly hotel in central Singapore is Marina Bay Sands – staying in the hotel means that you have access to the rooftop infinity pool including amazing views over Singapore. Marina Bay Sands has rooms which can accommodate up to three people.
Click here to check out pricing and availability for Marina Bay Sands Hotel through Booking.com
Best Mid-Level Family Friendly Hotel in Singapore
We stayed in the mid level Somerset Liang Court Hotel which is located close to Clarke Quay, which we would definitely recommend. We were also very close to a range of train and bus options to easily get around town, and within walking distance to the centre of Singapore.
The hotel has a swimming pool and gym and has apartment style rooms, which are a great option for families. There are heaps of food options nearby, including a grocery store. The Somerset Liang Court Hotel has rooms which can accommodate up to five people.
Best Budget Family Friendly Hotel in Singapore
Our top pick for a cheaper family friendly hotel in central Singapore is the S Inn Clarke Quay, which has family rooms for up to four people with shared bathroom facilities.
Click here to check out pricing and availability for the S Inn Clarke Quay through Booking.com
Hotels in Sentosa for Family
Best Luxury Family Friendly Hotel on Sentosa Island
Our top pick for a luxury family friendly hotel on Sentosa Island is Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa. You can rent a Two Bedroom Villa with a private pool for groups up to five people, or there are some smaller and more affordable room options for up to four people.
Best Mid-Level Family Friendly Hotel on Sentosa Island
Our top pick for a mid level family friendly hotel on Sentosa Island is the Siloso Beach Resort, Sentosa which has great access to the beach as well as a swimming pool. You can book rooms for up to three people, and they do also have adjoining rooms you can book which means that they can accommodate a group of up to five people.
Click here to check out pricing and availability for the Siloso Beach Resort through Booking.com
Join the Singapore Travel Planning Facebook Group
You are also welcome to join our Singapore Travel Planning Facebook Group – it is a great resource to enable you to be inspired and to ask questions about your upcoming trip to Singapore!
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. If you book after clicking on one of these links then we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Anne Sutherland-Smith is the creative force behind Pretraveller.com, a travel blog that specializes in offering insightful guidance for exploring Japan, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Her passion for these diverse and dynamic regions shines through in her expert advice, particularly in helping travellers stay connected with the latest in SIM cards, pocket WiFi, and eSIMs.
With an unquenchable thirst for Asian and Oceanian cultures, Anne has carved out a niche as a knowledgeable guide for those venturing into the bustling streets of Tokyo, the historical alleys of Kyoto, the vibrant scenes of Seoul, the scenic landscapes of Australia, the vibrant markets of Hong Kong, or the futuristic cityscape of Singapore. Her articles are full of practical tips and detailed information, ensuring travellers are well-equipped for their journeys.
Anne’s approach is grounded in providing reliable, authoritative travel content that enhances the travel experience. From navigating the complexities of digital connectivity on the go to immersing in the local culture, her advice is designed to make travel both enjoyable and seamless.