Top Five East Coast Activities

With suburbs that still hold some of Singapore’s heritage secrets, the East Coast is an eclectic mix of beaches with an outdoor lifestyle and shophouses with trendy eateries and bars. Throw in a slew of family-friendly activities and voila! Here you have our Top 5 Ways to while away a day (or a few!) on the East Coast. So read, relax and play, Mamas!

1. Wild Wild Wet
Tire your tots with thrills and spills whilst keeping them cool at Wild Wild Wet, a waterpark at Downtown East. With a range of rides from the adrenalin- pumping “Ular-lah” (akin to white water rafting) to the more relaxing and gentle “Shiok River”, you can rest (and play) assured given the park was awarded the Pro-Family Business Mark award. Life jackets, baby carriers for the water, nursing rooms and children’s shower cubicles are all provided.

Downtown East, 1 Pasir Ris Close, Singapore 519599
Wild Wild Wet tickets are free for under 3’s; children cost $14; adults cost $19. The park is closed on Tuesdays. 

2. Mana Mana Beach Club
At this chilled out beach club catering to water sports enthusiasts, littlies can build sandcastles, go for a dinghy ride or take a dip whilst the big kids windsurf, paddleboard, kayak or catamaran it. Mums and Dads can have quiet heart attacks watching from the Sailors Pavilion with a beer, fresh juice or pizza. Craving fruits de la mer after a day of staring at the sea? Head to the East Coast Seafood Centre and find the haughtiest of hawkers peddling the best seafood in town. Watch those chilli crab claws Mamas, pack wet wipes and don’t wear white!

Mana Mana Beach Club, 1212 East Coast Parkway, Singapore 449886
Opening hours: Tuesdays to Sundays from 10-6pm.
East Coast Seafood Centre, 1206 East Coast Parkway, #01-07/08, Singapore 449883

3. Bedok Reservoir Park
Keen to let your baby Tarzans into the wild, channel your inner Jane, or chase after toddlers with a bird fetish? Bedok Reservoir Park allows all these possibilities and more at the Forest Adventure: a swinging good time in the trees offering a birds-eye view of the park with obstacles and zip lines. Those not so jungle-or-adrenaline inclined can cycle, in-line skate, run/scoot around the 4.3km track or explore various water sports in the park. Sedentary types might enjoy simply chilling at the Floating Deck, observing wetland flora whilst keen bird watchers might be treated to a Kingfisher, Heron or Swallow sighting. (Make sure to watch the toddlers too!)

The minimum height for the Forest Adventure Grand Course is 1.4m, and for the Kids Course is 1.1m. The Grand Course takes 2.5 hours to complete and there is a 30-minute safety briefing. The Kids Course is aimed at children between 5 to 10 years old and you can go as many times as possible in an hour. Sassy Mama Says: If your child just makes the minimum height or is hesitant, accompanying them is recommended as some parts might be physically or emotionally challenging to complete. Whilst the staff on the ground can assist to help a stuck child or one that is afraid, they are not present at every station and your child may be more comfortable with your help. Harnesses and helmets are provided.

For more information see: www.forestadventure.com.sg and www.nparks.gov.sg.    

Forest Adventure, Bedok Reservoir Park, Singapore, 479244

4. The Playground @ Big Splash
Formerly a water park in its own right, Big Splash is now a comprehensive family playground delighting toddlers to teens with eats and treats for Mums and Dads. Fish@Big Splash allows tots to try their hand at “longkang” (drain) fishing small fish which to take home if they want, try prawning or even have a fish spa. There is also a toddler playground and the odd random quail, bird and rabbit to feed! Lilliputt is an 18-hole mini golf course modeled after Singapore landmarks whilst The Integrated Recreation Centre keeps older ‘uns active with bikes, quadcycles, kangoo jumps and streetriders for rent. Don’t know what these are? Check www.springgear.com.sg. For feeding the 5000, head to Brussel Sprouts for crowd pleasing food and cooling ales or if its a ‘too hard to use utensils’ day, Crab in da Bag invites you hands on into seafood – spread, literally on the table. Prefer less cave, more café? Take it up a notch with martinis at Cotton, a lounge bar with dinner and a seaview.

Big Splash, 902 East Coast Parkway, Singapore 449874

5. Katong Walkabout
Thinking of ditching the kids, or looking for a school hours adventure? Go for a Peranakan walkabout with a first stop at Rumah Bebe, a delightful enclave shop selling traditional kebayas, beaded slippers, refreshments and gorgeous Peranakan ceramics. Have lunch at Chilli Padi, a gastronomic institution, or PeraMakan in the Santa Grand Hotel. Order the delicacy ‘buak keluak’ – a chicken or pork stuffed nut that may need an acquired taste! Not feeling the culture-vulture? Rabbit Carrot Gun will serve you fish & chips, and Carvers & Co. has roast lunches. Get takeaway afternoon tea treats for the kids at old-school coffee shop Chin Mee Chin Confectionary (it shuts at 4pm), or satisfy a sweet tooth at Fanny Ice Cream or Ninethirty, Awfully Chocolate’s grown-up joint. Friday night out with the hubs? Stay at Ninethirty for bistro food, drinks and dessert or move to Immigrants Gastrobar for yummy boutique pints, sakes and hearty Eurasian grub.

Rumah Bebe, 113 East Coast Rd, Singapore 428803
Chilli Padi, 11 Joo Chiat Pl, Singapore 427744
PeraMakan, #01-02/03, Santa Grand Hotel East Coast, 171 East Coast Road, Singapore 428877
Rabbit Carrot Gun, 49 East Coast Rd, Singapore 428768
Carvers & Co, 43 East Coast Rd, Singapore 428764
Chin Mee Chin Confectionary, 204 East Coast Road, Singapore 428903
Fanny Ice Cream, 99 East Coast Road, Singapore, 428795
Ninethirty, 131 East Coast Road, Singapore 428816
Immigrants Gastrobar, 467 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427678

Note: Rumah Bebe, Chin Mee Chin, Rabbit Carrot Gun and PeraMakan are shut on Mondays. Carvers and Co is shut on Tuesdays

Top image sourced via Littleones Photography on Pinterest