The best things in life are free – or so the saying goes! When it comes to spending time with the family, we think that this is the case as you don’t need to break the bank in order to enjoy quality time together. And, there are many different options available when it comes to free things to do in Singapore with kids.
Singapore may be an expensive city but there is still plenty of free experiences and activities that can enrich your child and provide opportunities to bond together with him or her.
Here are our picks of the best free things to do in Singapore with kids, organised into three categories – outdoor activities, indoor activities and experiences.
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Best Free Activities and Things to Do in Singapore With Kids
Outdoor Activities
1. Visiting a Children’s Gardens: Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden and Far East Organization Children’s Garden
Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden is a free-entry garden that is dedicated to children, and it is no surprise that it is so well-loved as a place to play, explore and learn. Entry is only permitted to children 14 and below, and adult visitors must be accompanied by a child. The garden is full of plants – flowers, herbs, trees, forests, ponds, stream even a waterfall. Play areas also incorporate the theme of plants and even use plants as its play structures. There is an outdoor water play area too! This makes a it a wonderful outdoor space to visit with kids.
Far East Organization Children’s Garden at Gardens by the Bay feels more like a typical playground with both wet and dry play sections. If you want to incorporate some nature exploration, we suggest visiting the World of Plants section.
2. Go on a Playground Expedition
Singapore is a treasure trove of playgrounds. We probably have one of the most dense concentrations of playgrounds around – so you are never far from one.
You can also find many interestingly designed playgrounds that reflect the heritage of the area. Climb your way through the battleship playground at Sembawang, or head up the netted play tower at Coastal Playgrove. You can probably also string a visit to several playgrounds for a playground crawl. Some interesting possibilities for a playground crawl include the insect playgrounds at Tengah.
We have an entire list of our favourite free outdoor playgrounds in Singapore.
3. Make a Splash with Water Play
Water play for free? Yes, you can! In hot and humid Singapore, you can enjoy water play to cool down and it is free and fun for kids. Water play areas can be found in both the parks as well as shopping malls.
The Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park water play area is an interesting landscape where water flows past play mounds. Marina Barrage was splashing fountains for kids to enjoy and cool down. At the shopping malls, some of our favourite free water play areas include the Causeway Point dinosaur-themed water area and the rooftop water play at NEX shopping mall.
4. Watch a Free Movie
Enjoy a fun night out by taking the kids for a free movie screening under the stars. Sentosa regularly holds Movies by the Beach on the weekends at Palawan Kidz City Roof Garden. You can also check with Cinewav for any upcoming free movie screenings too. In addition, centres such as Our Tampines Hub and One Punggol also hold public movie screenings too.
5. Free Concerts and Performances
Pack the mat and a picnic basket and head to the park. There are free music performances held in the parks in Singapore. The Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage often has performances and during special occasions, such as Chinese New Year, you may also find performances taking place at other parks such as Chinese Garden. Gardens by the Bay occasionally holds Music in the Meadows concerts.
One venue that holds free performances regularly is Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. The DBS Foundation Outdoor Theatre hosts a diverse range of performances from music to dance, and there is often something going on at the Concourse too!
6. Birdwatching
Birdwatching can be addictive. What begins with a pair of binoculars can turn into a full fledge hobby with camera equipment. However, if you just want to get a taste of what birdwatching is like, it is a free activity. Some parks that are popular with birdwatchers include Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Pasir Ris Park.
If you want to join a free guided tour, NParks occasionally runs the “Evening Chorus at Kranji Marshes” tour. This introduces participants to the unique habitats within Kranji Marshes.
Nature Society of Singapore also holds free birdwatching tours for its members.
7. Heritage Walks
Did you know that NParks also regularly holds free heritage tours on weekends? It is a great way to learn something new about a park in Singapore. These heritage tours take place at parks such as Fort Canning Park and Singapore Botanic Gardens.
8. Plane Watching
Does your kid have a fascination with planes? Besides a trip to the viewing galleries at Changi Airport, you can also pay a visit to Changi Beach Park to view the planes coming in to land, Cosford Container Park which has a view of the airport too, or the boardwalk at The Oval at Seletar Aerospace Park.
Bonus points for Changi Beach Park and The Oval because of the children’s playgrounds found there too!
9. Fishing
How about working out your angling skills with the kids. You do need to invest in getting a rod and some patience but it can be a great way to shoot the breeze at one of the parks in Singapore. You can find fishing zones at places such as Bedok Reservoir Park, Labrador Nature Park and Jurong Lake Gardens.
10. Shoot Some Hoops on the Basketball Court
Sports are a great way to spend time with kids. It is not just an active and healthy hobby but, if you are a sports crazy parent, it is a chance to pass on your skills to the young ones too. Basketball courts can be found all over Singapore and there is no need to assemble a team to enjoy shooting some hoops with kids.
11. Explore a Park
Exploring a park that you haven’t been to before is a great free outdoor activity. Whether is a larger park like West Coast Park or Tampines Eco Green, or some place a little smaller like The Potter’s Garden, a walk in the park is free and fun way to spend time together. For a bit more challenge and sweat, how about conquering Bukit Timah Hill and its various trails together too!
Indoor Activities
12. Free Storytelling Sessions
Did you know that are free storytelling session that you can attend with your kids? Look out for programmes such as Stories from the Garden at Our Tampines Hub, or join one of the regular storytelling sessions conducts at libraries all across Singapore.
13. Visit a Library
Libraries in Singapore are more than a space holding a collection of books, they have become centres of literacy and learning. A visit to a library can be a fun and free experience for the kids. It is a great way to promote positive reading habits. Some of our favourite libraries include the children’s library at Central Library and Punggol Regional Library.
14. Museums
With many museums offering free entry for Singaporeans and PRs, a visit to a museum can be an enriching experience. Our favourite free museum to visit with kids is the Children’s Museum Singapore. Did you also know that Singaporeans get to enjoy free entry to Science Centre Singapore on non-school holiday and non-public holiday week days too?
You can also check out our list of the best museums in Singapore for kids.
15. Free Table Tennis Tables
If you want to get active but also want to stay indoors, did you know that there are table tennis tables that you can make use of for free? Just bring your own bats and balls to enjoy playing the game with family and friends. You can find these free table tennis tables at places such as one-North. In 2025, SMRT also opened up table tennis facilities as part of their Communities in Station initiative.
Experiences
16. Hyundai Discovery Centre
Go on a free Discovery Tour to learn what Hyundai Motor Group is doing for an eco-friendly future, get a behind the scenes look at a virtual factory and end with a ride on a rooftop track at the Hyundai Experience at the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore. Find out more about the Hyundai Discovery Centre tour.
17. Farm Visits
Take a trip out to Singapore’s countryside and experience a different side of Singapore. Some of our favourite farms to visit with kids include Qian Hu Fish Farm where you can view tanks of ornamental fish and Hay Dairies Goat Farm (pro tip: visit during the milking session). Entry to the farms are free but there may also be activities that you can enjoy for a fee.
18. Free Light Shows
Spend an evening out and view the light shows at Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands. They are free to enjoy!
19. Fire Station Visit (Temporarily Closed)
One of our favourite free activities activities to do with kids is to pay a visit to the Fire Station Open House held on Saturday mornings. It is a chance to learn about the work of the brave firefighters and even get hands-on with the equipment. Take note that the there is currently a temporary closure of the weekly Fire Station Open House till further notice.
20. Volunteer as a Family
Volunteering can be a great way for kids to learn about giving back. One place that combines volunteering with sustainability awareness in a hands-on fashion is Ground-Up Initiative.
21. MakeIT at Libraries
MakeIT at Libraries is an NLB initiative that lets everyone learn about and try new technologies that can bring your ideas to life. Use 3D printing, digital cutting, robotics and other forms of tech-based fabrication to make computer-accurate and complex items that may not be possible by hand.
22. VIVITA
VIVITA believes children have good ideas and an innate curiosity that can be nurtured and developed in the right environment. It offers a space where children are free to experiment and explore different ideas in a self-directed manner. Find out more about VIVITA.
23. Istana Open House
Open to the public five times a year, the Istana Open House is a chance to visit the Istana grounds. There are also often different activities and programmes that take place during the Istana Open House too.
24. Sembawang Hot Spring Park
Sembawang Hot Spring Park is a uniquely charming spot for everyone to enjoy. One fun activity that children will be delighted to do is to try cooking their own onsen eggs! Find out more about the Sembawang Hot Spring Park.
25. DBS Marina Bay Sailing Programme
Experience the life of a sailor and sail around the Marina Bay waterfront promenade for 45 minutes – for free. How does that sound? That’s what DBS’ Sailing At The Bay offers anyone between the ages of 7 and 70. Read more about the experience at the DBS Marina Bay Sailing Programme.
