With Phase 2 (HA) firmly in place till 18 August, it’s certainly tough trying to keep the young ones entertained all day! With little availability for things to do, the month ahead looks pretty daunting! But fret not because we at Weekend Kids have come up with a list of things to keep the whole family entertained during this stressful period.
So read on for this list of ten things to do while keeping safe!
1. Exercise
Being cooped up at home means an increase in our sedentary lifestyle. However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way! Since everybody is at home together, it’s a great time to try out exercise activities for the whole family! Activities such as cycling, and even jogging are the perfect way to keep active while complying with the regulations.
Head to your nearest park connector or check out this list by NParks to know where to go!
Don’t have a bicycle? Don’t worry! Take your pick from a range of foldable bicycles from Weekend Kids for your convenience! Foldable bicycles are great in Singapore for its convenience in transportation as well as easy storage. Check out our selection for more information or watch our Instagram stories in the weeks to come for more details about our bicycles!
2. Sensory play
Sensory play includes any activity that stimulates a young child's senses of touch, smell, taste, sight and hearing, as well as anything which engages movement and balance.
Indulge in hours of fun with your children via sensory play! Create amazing play trays for the kids that will pass time in a blur. Not only that, sensory play is known to engage their senses in brain development and spark their creativity! Read our article about the importance of sensory play to find out more about the perks of this fun activity.
For an alternative for the busy parent, check out sensory play bases and play trays that are easily available for purchase without needing to set up much!
3. Go hiking
Revisit old classics like the MacRitchie Treetop Walk or explore the unknown at Clementi forest! Whichever you choose, there’s bound to be something new that you discover on your hiking trail. Check out more on NParks' guide to parks and hiking trails
Teach the kids about rainforest plants or even attempt to spot some rare animals or insects, you will find that and more in the list of parks that are kid friendly listed below!
For easy trails suitable for the whole family, here are our best picks that are great for adults and children alike!
1. Sentosa coastal trail
2. Thomson Nature Park
3. Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
4. Changi East Boardwalk
5. Coney Island
6. Chestnut Nature Park
7. Fort Canning Park
8. Labrador Nature Reserve
Look out for our Instagram stories that will detail more information about the parks and hikes available to take during this period!
4. Cooking session
Source: Food.com
If you think cooking has to be difficult or dangerous for kids, think again! Cooking with children can be as easy as preparing dips! Why not get them hooked on healthy food by preparing hummus? Or get fancy with tuna and cracker canapes!
Let them craft their own healthy snacks such as peanut butter on apples, or throw together a simple fruit salad.
The options are endless and you can easily find a list of recipes on websites such as Delish !
5. Arts and craft
Source: Photojaanic
Craft everything your way during this Heightened Alert period! Create beautiful scrapbooks as a family to remember your child’s early years, or have your kids work on their own an original painting by themselves. Let them colour their way through colouring books or create a plant journaling book!
Fun tip: for something more interesting and alternative to the conventional art and craft ideas out there, why not try out a mask chain play kit for kids? They can craft the chain their way and best of all, be able to utilize it as a chain after they have finished designing it!
6. Gardening
Source: Greenmatters
Teach your children the meaning of life and growth by gardening with them during this period! Quick fixes can be as easy as showing them how to grow your own beansprouts! For something more complicated, check out this list of videos by NParks for a step by step guide on the differences as well as how to grow different types of plants.
Take a look at all the Flora and Fauna out there on the NParks microsite
7. Declutter
With excess time on hand, it’s time to do what everybody has been procrastinating – cleaning up! Pass on your child’s old toys clothes that he or she no longer plays with. Get rid of the clothes that they can no longer wear.
For a fuss free way to declutter, consider consigning your outfits with Weekend Kids to allow for immediate decluttering of your space to keep the things that truly matter.
8. Throw a Home Party
Who says that dressing up must be limited to going outdoors or during Halloween? A child’s imagination is limitless so make full use of that! Engage the whole family in a fun filled afternoon with a dress up party! Be it characters from their favourite movies, or a luxurious afternoon tea session in the comforts of your own home, it’s hard not to look forward to such a fun activity together!
9. Take free courses
There are so many free resources out there, you just need to know where to look! We have compiled a list of free courses and activities for the kids to learn!
Source: Oxford Learning
Here’s a list of websites that can entertain your kids while providing them with educational value!
10. Movie nights
Source: Cathey's Audio Visual Entertainment
With streaming services such as Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney +, you won’t ever be short of movies or shows to watch anymore! Get the whole family together for a movie night. Set up blankets and make pillow forts. Watch a fun family feature together and make it a weekly Friday night activity. It’s never too late for a movie night with the whole family in tow!
BONUS: 11. Playgrounds!
Source: TimeOut
Playgrounds are NOT a dying feature, contrary to what people in Singapore might think! Take for example the largest slide playground at Admiralty, spend hours of (sweaty) fun with the kids, exploring all the different slide options there are! From small ones to slides that tower way above, get their adventurous souls tingling with delight here!
If Admiralty is too out of the way, try Marine Cove playground in East Coast, or Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden in Botanic Gardens!
There’s loads of options available out there to get the kids out and about.
We hope you enjoyed our list of things to do in Singapore during this revised Phase 2 (HA) period. If you can’t get enough, watch out for our Instagram stories coming to you over the next few weeks, where we bring to you a new place or activity to do over the weekend!