And just like that, one entire school term is over. If you haven’t sorted out your March school holiday plans yet, don’t worry. It may only be a week but there are tons of fun events all around Singapore (and even beyond!) to excite and enrich your kids, and give you opportunities to bond with them as well. So put down the tablet or smartphone and get out there to enjoy all the awesome activities coming up!
From a Sanrio festival in Sentosa to the new Disney On Ice, here are 24 ways to entertain and enrich your kids this school holiday (16 – 24 March), and create some precious family memories:
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For the entire March school holiday, residents can enjoy free entry to Sentosa Island where an exciting Sanrio festival will be held. FunFest is a week-long carnival featuring all your favourite Sanrio characters from Hello Kitty to Gudetama — get this: there will be 800 floating Gudetama inflatables at Palawan Beach and tons of Insta-worthy photo spots all around the island. The kids can also look forward to foam pools, gigantic inflatable slides, mazes, bouncy castles and more!
When: 16 – 24 March
Where: Palawan Beach, Sentosa
The beloved children’s TV series turns 50! Take the family to the celebrations at Universal Studios Singapore. Join the Sesame Street Birthday Blowout show, visit Big Bird’s Nest and Abby’s Fairy Garden, and meet Lily the Tiger (莉莉虎) from China. There are also community events across Singapore, including a huge inflatable installation of Elmo at Ion Orchard (pictured). The Sesame Street 50 Years and Counting Celebration is included with regular admission to USS. Find out more here.
When: March 8 to April 28
Where: Universal Studios Singapore
National Arts Council’s Art In Your Neighbourhood is back for their 12th run and the focus is Tampines — Singapore’s third largest new town and a former rubber plantation and site to sand quarries. While most of the festivities are occurring in Tampines, such as pop-up music stage Tiger in Tampines and a roving music truck by Ding Yi company, there are activities lined up islandwide as well. For full programme information, click here.
When: Now till March 24
Where: Various places in Tampines
Last held in 2017, the family-friendly event is held in three parts. The festival kicks off with The Street Fest, on from March 14 to 19 at the Clarke Quay Fountain Square. Expect street circus and acrobatic performances from local and foreign artists. Don’t miss the International Comedy Festival on March 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23, and where comedians like Imran Yusuf and Tom Green are set to take the stage. The Nickelodeon Fiesta will take place on March 23 and 24, and kids will be thrilled with the game booths featuring themes from familiar shows like Dora the Explorer and Spongebob Squarepants. Events are free, except for the comedy shows. More information can be found here.
When: March 14 to 24
Where: Clarke Quay
This school holiday, Jurong Bird Park has you covered with its Feathered Friends Carnival. From a tea cup carousel to an inflatable pirate ship and ring toss, there are multiple games to participate in, where you even get to win prizes. Plus, you can take photos with an Oriental Pied Hornbill and a Harris’ Hawk at the Bird Encounters program. Each admission to the carnival gives you a $5 game voucher (T&Cs apply). Tickets cost $30 for adults and $20 for kids between the ages of three and 12. Click here for all the details.
When: March 16 to 24
Where: Jurong Bird Park
Now in its 16th year, the mega Food and Beverage Fair is back with tons of delicious local, Asian and international favourites! Visit this amazing food paradise to discover newly-launched delicacies and great deals. Visit here for more information.
When: 21 – 24 March, 11am – 10pm
Where: Singapore Expo Hall 5
Take flight, literally, with Barbie at the Singapore Flyer, which has a special themed capsule to celebrate the iconic doll’s 60th anniversary. Time your visit to catch the Observation Wheel lit up in pink at 6.30pm daily until March 21. Adults pay $69 and kids aged three to 12 pay $31; the fee includes mocktails and macarons, as well as a souvenir photo for kids while stocks last. Check timings here.
When: March 9 – June 30
Where: Singapore Flyer
Kids aren’t left out of this year’s Singapore Design Week. Here’s what they can do:
Mar 16, 10 am to 1pm: Join the Hassell Junior workshops as the design practice opens it doors to the public. Kids will use building blocks, craft models and more to make creative projects. Hassell Studio, 33 Tras Street, #02-01. Free, no registration needed.
Mar 4 to 16, 10 am to 5pm (excluding Sundays): At this event helmed by Onemaker Group, kids can make a prototype Polymorph, a non-toxic, biodegradable polyester. Or, learn about programming and robotics together with your little ones. Makerspace@NDC, National Design Centre, $20 for 1 hour. Walk-in registration. Click here for more.
How do you teach kids about sustainability? Start by taking them to this immersive exhibition at the ArtScience Museum, called Meshminds 2.0: ArtxTechForGood. Little ones will have fun playing with over 20 multisensory art works that highlight the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Use artifical intelligence to make Duplo animals come “alive”, use augmented reality to find recycling points in Singapore, and more. Admission is free. Find out more here.
When: 7 – 17 March
Where: ArtScience Museum
This is not the Hansel and Gretel story you know. Suzanne Lebeau’s reimagined story sees Gretel as the jealous older sister, who finds herself in the forest alone with her annoying little brother. It’s her chance to get rid of him, but she will need to get his help to survive the dangers there. Kids will learn all about sibling rivalry, family, courage and understanding in this production by the Singapore Repertory Theatre’s The Little Company. Tickets start from $26 (before Sistic fee); family packages are available. Find out more here.
When: From 13 March. Watch it on weekdays at 10am and on weekends at 11am.
Where: KC Arts Centre – Home of SRT
Get your little crime-fighters over to City Square Mall, where they can catch their favourite superheroes, PJ Masks, live in action. It’s PJ Masks’ first-ever “You Can Be A Hero” interactive show and your family can also take part in a Meet & Greet with the characters when you spend at least $40 at the mall. Showtimes are 2pm and 7pm from Tuesday to Friday; 1pm, 4pm and 7pm on weekends.
Between March 15 and April 14, you can also earn “Heroic Rewards” when you shop at City Square Mall. Just spend a minimum of $150* (*$250 minimum spend if inclusive of NTUC FairPrice receipts) to redeem your $5 City Square Mall voucher. This offer is limited to the first 5,000 redemptions. Find out more here.
When: 15 – 24 March
Where: City Square Mall
If your family loves the Japanese lifestyle brand, now’s your chance to visit a tokidoki show flat, slide down the world’s largest Unicorno slide at the inflatable playground (for adults and kids), and buy exclusive merchandise (minimum spend required). Plus, come up close to SANDy and Donutella at the meet-and-greet sessions. Dine with your kids at terminals 3 and 4 and get an activity pack, too. Find out more here.
When: 15 March – 1 May
Where: Changi Airport Terminal 3
The annual Singapore Heritage Festival takes on a Singapore Bicentennial theme this year, with celebrations across the country. Over four weekends, join the festivities, include heritage trails, tours, open houses, and performances. Take note of these venues and dates: Kampong Gelam (March 15 to 17), Bedok (March 22 to 24), Telok Blangah (March 29 to 31) and Kranji (April 6 to 7). Find out more here
The National Museum is where you and your little ones will want to be on March 16. Check out the slew of family activities it has lined up, including a sensory play date for little ones, craft workshops where you can make your own space shuttle and more, storytelling and more. Families with primary schoolers and older kids can join the tour of the museum’s premises, or take part in an intergenerational art jamming session. Some activities require paid registration in advance. Find out more here.
When: 16 March
Where: The National Museum of Singapore
Artclusive@*Scape is an art jamming session with a meaningful difference. Organised by the Dyslexia Association of Singapore, the event will see the associations’ students mingling and painting with kids from Primary 3 to Secondary 5 levels. There’s a $10 fee for materials. 1 to 4pm at Scape; slots are limited. Register here. While you’re there, make time to view the art pieces created by DAS students, too.
When: 16 March
Where: Scape Singapore
The Down Syndrome Association (Singapore) celebrates World Down Syndrome Day at Our Tampines Hub from 8am to 3pm. The event kicks off with a community walk at 8am, but you can also join the family carnival held afterwards. Register for the walk at $20 and get an event tee and goodie bag worth $50, or buy carnival coupons at $10 a booklet and stand a chance to win in the lucky draw. Find out more here or donate to the charity here.
When: 16 March
Where: Our Tampines Hub
Passion@KampongGlam is a weekend series of experiences dedicated to bringing out the district’s best through a carefully curated programme of food, music and cultural activities designed to appeal to both young and old. Activities take place from Friday to Sunday, from 4pm to 6pm, on a stage in front of the Singapore Visitor Centre on Bussorah Street. Kids will be especially delighted with games and cultural performances on Sunday. Find out more here.
When: Till 17 March
The annual ice-skating show gets more extravagant. Expect a bigger cast as Inside Out characters – Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust – make their Disney On Ice debut in Asia. Your kids can also look forward to reliving scenes from Frozen, Moana, Finding Nemo and Toy Story. Tickets start from $25 (before booking fees). Find out more here.
When: 20 – 24 March
Where: Singapore Indoor Stadium
Visit the Prudential Marina Bay Carnival before it ends its run. You’ll enjoy carnival thrills, exciting visual spectacles and lip-smacking snacks and treats across over 50 rides and game stalls. Or seek out the many arts and crafts workshops led by a selection of local creators for a different but no less satisfying thrill. Find out more here.
When: Till 25 March
Where: Marina Bay, 12A Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018970.
We’ve rounded up the best staycation deals for families in Singapore. These hotels promises loads of fun activities and rooms perfect for families, so you can enjoy a short break without leaving the country. Read more here.
Head to Vivocity’s third floor to visit the brand new library@harbourfront, which boasts spectacular views. It’s the largest public library here, spanning some 3,000 sq m, and there’s something for everyone in the family. The children’s section has paper crafting activities and word puzzles, and young ones can read augmented reality books as well. Find out more here.
Kids will love the new artworks at Future World: Where Art Meets Science. The Nature gallery has been rebuilt from scratch to accommodate stunning interactive installations such as a six-metre-high “waterfall”, where the water’s direction changes at the slightest touch of your hand. What a fun way to learn about biodiversity! A family ticket for two adults and two kids costs $54. Find out more here.
With a whopping 26 slides to choose from, this is the ultimate free public playground in Singapore. But this guide for safety tips, as not all the slides are suitable for very young kids. Plus, we tell you where to get grub nearby.
If you haven’t taken the kids to Playeum, Children’s Centre for Creativity, now’s the time to discover this lovely child-friendly educational play space and check out its Going Play-ces exhibition at the same time. Admission is $22 for a child and an accompanying adult; additional adults pay $10 each. Find out more here.
Text: Young Parents / Additional reporting: Elizabeth Liew