10 Family-Friendly Events Happening This October 2023 In Singapore

As the kids settle back into school for their final term of the year, and the weather hopefully cools down a little as we approach monsoon season, October brings a host of fun activity options for the family. Festivities this month include Children’s Day and Halloween celebrations, as well as a series of other delightful cultural and educational offerings. From musical and stage performances to charity walks, science fairs and Nickelodeon games, there’s bound to be something here that tickles your fancy.

Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 

Even though mooncakes have been circulating for weeks now and the Mid-Autumn festival is well underway, Chinatown’s annual Street Light-Up and Festive Fair will continue to run until 14 October. Themed “A Journey of Love and Celebration”, this year’s street festival invites you and your loved ones on a journey that will unite hearts, transcend time and interweave stories of love and joy. Designed for the first time by Raffles College of Higher Education, featuring three distinct chapters adorning the streets of Chinatown between New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street, be treated to a visual display commemorating the legendary Chang’E and her iconic jade rabbits. The open space in front of People’s Park Complex will also come to life with a lanterned Festive Fair, so don’t forget to check that space out!

Happening now until 14 October in Chinatown, Singapore. Visit their website for more information.

Not So Little Fair

Dedicated to families with kids aged 0-12 years old, the Not So Little Fair presents a not-so-little fair for your little ones and you to explore to your heart’s content. Spread across 25,000 square feet, the fair presents an experiential and immersive event for the whole family. Shop premium and independent retail brands, participate in free hands-on workshops or simply be entertained by live stage performances. Highlights include a Starship Voyager bouncy castle play area by Kiztopia, and a High Tea Meet & Greet affair with the Minions where you can enjoy themed desserts with the beloved yellow creatures. Entry to the event is free, but you need to RSVP here to get your free family pass. The ‘Kiztopia Play Area’ and ‘Tea Party with Minions’ segments require VIP tickets though, which start from $20 and can be purchased after submitting your RSVP. 

Happening 10:30AM-7:30PM from 31 September – 1 October at Suntec Convention Centre Hall 403, Suntec City, 1 Raffles Blvd, Singapore 039593. Visit their Instagram page for more information, including how to win pre-event giveaways and mystery prizes!

‘Magic Mee Goreng’ Puppetry Performance

Designed for younger kids aged 4-8, this “immersive and inclusive puppetry performance” celebrates Children’s Day with an interactive and exciting show focusing on food themes and science-related subjects. Combining elements of shadow puppetry and batik-inspired costumes with catchy tunes and hands-on activities, ‘Magic Mee Goreng’ will take your kids on a sensory adventure guaranteed to leave a lasting impression about the joys and science of food. Please note that, while ticketed, this is a free-seating event and all attendees will be seated on the floor, with chairs provided only for those who need them. Tickets start from $29 per person and can be purchased from SISTIC. 

Happening at 10AM and 2PM on 3-5 October, and 10AM, 2PM and 5PM on 6-8 October at The Marquee, Science Centre Singapore, 15 Science Centre Road, Singapore 609081. Visit their website for more information.

Octoburst!

To celebrate Children’s Day this year, Esplanade presents a children’s festival Octoburst! that “encourages playful art and fun for all”. Packed with delightful performances and exciting activities that will entertain both young and old, the day-long programme features a roving theatre performance ‘Job Search’ by Freddo Children’s Theatre, an Angklung and Kulintang Ensemble by Bukit View Primary School, interactive musical storytelling by Lin Xiangning, upbeat harps by junior harpists Rave Harps, a song and dance session by Zip Zap Zoom Collective, and more. Conclude the day with a jazzy treat by Dawn Wong and friends at the Esplanade Concert Hall—admission for this performance is free but you have to register for seats (registration starts 26 September at 10AM). 

Happening 10AM-5PM on 6 October at Esplanade, 1 Esplanade Dr, Singapore 038981. Visit their website for more information.

SAAC Walk Of A Lifetime

St. Andrew’s Autism Centre’s (SAAC) inaugural charity walk will take place this October in support of the local autism community. ‘Walk of a Lifetime’ seeks to raise awareness and rally the public in united support of persons with autism, so as to promote a more inclusive future for the autism community in Singapore. Because there are currently not enough services in Singapore to adequately serve this fringe community, especially those with more complex needs outside the local school system, SAAC hopes to raise $500,000 to increase the resources available for their cause. Show your support by participating in this heart-warming 5KM charity walk to help persons with autism, as we progressively embrace inclusivity as a nation.  

Happening 4-8PM on 14 October at St. Andrew’s Junior College, 5 Sorby Adams Drive, Singapore 357691. Visit their website for more information.

Halloween Town: Yokai Festival @ Downtown East 

Downtown East’s annual Yokai Festival returns this year with a bang and a scream—especially for fans of the mythological Japanese Anime monsters. All this month, fans of the spooky creatures can design their own masks or enjoy the immersive Yokai-inspired installations around the Event Square, before stepping into an Insta-worthy Walk-Through Portal illuminated with otherworldly monster eyes. Come 28 October, there will be an exhilarating ‘Yokai ShootOut’ at the Begonia Terrace from 3-6PM where participants can battle Yokais in a foam dart showdown, followed by a breathtaking ‘Yokai Parade’ from 7.30-9.30PM at the Event Square.

The first 30 people to sign up at UPlay will receive an exclusive Yokai lantern to flaunt at this parade. Show up in your best Yokai get-up and stand to win up to $100 vouchers for “Best Dressed”, “Best Mask Design” and “Best Overall (Outfit + Mask Design)”.  Little ones can also win $20 vouchers at the ‘Yokai Colouring Contest’ every weekend from 3-7PM at the Event Square. 

If your kids are older than 10, the Halloween Scream Fest running from 26-29 October at D’Marquee presents a more thrilling interactive haunted house experience with a 1,700 square foot haunted house designed and constructed by Fullhouse Studio. Admission for Scream Fest starts from $48, and tickets are available here.  

Happening all through October at Downtown East, 1 Pasir Ris Close, Singapore 519599. Visit their website for more information.

Dr Seuss’s The Cat In The Hat

Bringing beloved Dr Seuss’s tale of ‘The Cat in the Hat’ to live again, SRT will begin its staging of British National Theatre’s magically witty play this 18 October. After successful performances both in 2012 and 2015, young fans are sure to enjoy anew SRT’s latest production of the familiar classic. Tickets are priced from $27-50 at SISTIC, and families purchasing four tickets will enjoy a 15% discount. Passion Card holders can also get 10% off all ticket categories.

Happening at 9:30AM and 11:30AM on Mon – Fri, 11AM and 2PM on Sat-Sun, from 18 October – 26 November at KC Arts Centre – Home of SRT, 20 Merbau Rd, Singapore 239035. Visit their website for more information.

STEAM Festival 2023

Another Science Centre event recommended for kids aged 18 months to 8 years old, the STEAM Festival 2023 is a six-day fiesta celebrating the powers of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. Here, children will be exposed to the exciting STEAM concepts surrounding food, through interactive and immersive installations about healthy eating habits and the amazing digestive system. There will also be hands-on workshops where you and your kids can bond over science and food, educational talks by nutrition experts, and experiential booths offering a variety of fun activities such as “Make-Your-Own Rainbow Kueh Lapis”, “Engrave Your Own Cookies!”, “A Food Sorting Adventure!” and more. The festival will also be collecting food donations for The Food Bank Singapore, so be sure to bring your non-perishable food donations when you visit the festival! Tickets are going from $16-68 and can be purchased at SISTIC. 

Happening at 10AM-5PM daily from 31 October – 5 November at The Annex - Hall 2, Science Centre Singapore, 15 Science Centre Road, Singapore 609081. Visit their website for more information.

The World Of Nickelodeon

Fans of PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Dora the Explorer will love this exciting Nickelodeon world at Let’s Play @ Marina Square. Let your kids explore an immersive world of entertainment and adventure with interactive gameplay and meet and greets, as their favourite television characters come alive right before their eyes. Join the PAW Patrol pups in a fire and rescue mission, or become a ninja-in-training at the TMNT Ninja Training obstacle course. Join Dora’s Sports Club or chill out with some colouring at Dora’s Colouring Hub. If they prefer Sponge Bob, your kids can show off their gaming skills at the SpongeBob Games Zone or indulge in some SpongeBob Giant Krabby Patties. Tickets are priced at $28 from Mondays to Thursdays, and $32 on Fridays, weekends, public holidays and school holidays — available at SISTIC. 

Happening 10AM-9:30PM from now until January 2024 at Let's Play @ Marina Square, 6 Raffles Blvd, #03-208/209, Singapore 039594. Visit their website for more information.

Tricks or Thrills @ Universal Studios Singapore

The family-friendly version of ‘Halloween Horror Nights 11’ (which you may wish to consider if your kids are above 13), ‘Trick or Thrills’ offers daytime amusement at Universal Studios Singapore that won’t leave your child with recurring nightmares. Have fun taking pictures with all your friendly neighbourhood fiends—Cookie Monster and the Count from Sesame Street, along with Illumination’s favourite Minions, then watch ‘The Candy Conquest’ dance-off, before trick or treating around the park with your own pumpkin bucket. Everything is Halloween-themed during this season, including merch, food, snacks and drinks! Promotional packages are available starting from $76 while ala carte entry tickets for local residents start from $58. 

Happening daily from 11AM-6PM now until 5 November at Universal Studios Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway, 098269. Visit their website for more information.