Singapore Botanic Gardens is one park families flock to for some outdoor play time, flora and fauna appreciation as well as events and activities. There is plenty for families to do in all the various sections of the expansive gardens: Tanglin, Gallop, Bukit Timah, Nassim, Tyersall and more.
Kid-Friendly Guide to Singapore Botanic Gardens
Whether you’re looking for a playground, a space to picnic and run around, there are many spots throughout the park for different activities!
First up, a gentle reminder of what is not allowed at Singapore Botanic Gardens.
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Rules include:
No feeding of wildlife (fishes/swans/turtles/birds/ducks etc)
No cycling, scootering, skating or skateboarding
No ball/racquet games, frisbees, fly model aircraft/drones and kites
It is illegal to cut, collect, or pick any flowers, leaves, or fruit from trees and plants.
Do remember these rules before you visit Singapore Botanic Gardens for an enjoyable time.
Bukit Timah Section: Eco-lake, Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden
We start with the Bukit Timah section, closest to Botanic Gardens MRT downtown line station.
Families often flock to Eco-Lake which is the main feature in the Bukit Timah end of the gardens. The children are usually excited about the black swans often seen in the lake as well as fowl like waterhens, jungle fowl and more.
Picnics are also a popular activity for families at the lawn and pavilions in the surrounds.
This section is also where you can find eateries like Ice Cream Man & Friends, Wildseed Cafe and Small Batch.
Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden
The mega highlight of this section is Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden where only children and their parents or caregivers can enter!
There are three main play areas at Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden, two are in the Eastern wing of the garden while the other is at the Western Wing. Besides a sand playground with a treehouse, a flying fox climbing playground and a water playground, there are sensory trails, pond, a suspended bridge, mushroom shelters, gardens perfect for little ones.
Families can easily spend two hours exploring this child-centric garden.
Opening hours are from 8 am to 7 pm, with last admission at 6.30 pm. Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden is closed on Mondays, except when it is a public holiday.
Right outside Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden is Small Batch Cafe where families can dine and cool down.
Ethnobotany Garden
Children can learn about botanics at an air-conditioned gallery. We all need some respite from the tropical heat! The Ethnobotany Garden has both outdoor and indoor exhibits.
Devoted to the relationship between man and nature, the Ethnobotany Garden is both picturesque and educational. Discover how people have harnessed botanics through history for the purposes such as medicine and housing for generations.
Tanglin Section: Swan Lake, Lawn E & Swings
Next to the Bukit Timah section is the highly frequented Tanglin section of Singapore Botanic Gardens. This is where you can find more lawns, Swan Lake and more eateries.
This section is nearest Napier MRT Station.
This is where Fusion Spoon the eatery is sited with its indoor and outdoor playspaces in the basement.
Visitors can also take a peek at the Botany Centre where orchid breeding and micropropagation happens in the laboratory.
A quick stroll into the gardens is where you can spot swans and otters at Swan Lake.
Next to it is Lawn E where the famed Tembusu Tree still stands. This is also another popular spot for picnics.
Swings at Frangipani Collection
A short walk away from the iconic bandstand is Frangipani Collection where families can have a swinging good time. More than 10 of these swings – the garden variety – can be found here.
Indoor Galleries
For some indoor time, there are a few galleries to check out. Located near Botany Centre are the Heritage Museum and CDL Green Gallery.
Heritage Museum is where visitors can find out more about the history of Singapore Botanic Gardens. It is a great place to cool off and also learn more about heritage as well as how Singapore Botanic Gardens became such an important part of Singapore.
Next to it is CDL Green Gallery with different exhibitions that change. The current exhibition is on Melting Ice, Sinking Cities.
Nassim Section: Ginger Garden Hunt, Shaw Symphony Stage, Rainforest
Palm Valley, Shaw Symphony Stage
Lined with palms, the gentle slope of the Palm Valley seems made for laying out a picnic mat and taking a break to enjoy the beauty of nature. With its wide open space, it is also good for those who enjoy organising outdoor games and activities.
It is the main attraction when there are concerts in the park at the Shaw Symphony Stage.
Ginger Garden & Waterfall
The waterfall and its cave at the Ginger Garden is a picturesque place where you can take a walk behind the curtain of splashing water.
Take part in the Ginger Garden Hunt! This child-friendly hunt will have the little ones hunting for special plants, solving riddles and uncovering the secrets of the ginger family to win the Ginger Garden e-book. The guide is an AI avatar of Henry Nicholas Ridley.
The start of the trail is at Ginger Garden and the route length is 0.5 km with a time limit of 2 hours. Participation is free.
Rainforest
Amazingly, there is a patch of primary rainforest that still remains at the gardens. Some of the giants here date back even before 1819 – how about that for history? This is shaded spot for a cool walk in the forest and one way to spot lesser seen migrant birds too.
Tyersall Section: Learning Forest, Canopy Web
This section of Singapore Botanic Gardens might be a little further away from the frequented areas at Tanglin and Bukit Timah. However it’s worth a walk to explore. It is also a tad “wilder” with various habitats to see.
Learning Forest: Discovery Wetlands & Walk of Giants
Little ones can see the waters of the wetlands and check out the heights of the trees at the Learning Forest.
The SPH Walk of Giants’ boardwalk provides visitors with a good view of the forest mid-forest level which they otherwise would not be able to see.
Families can spot the squirrels, birds in the midst of the foliage and even the terrapins and fish in the wetlands.
Canopy Web
This fun portion of the Learning Forest draws the little ones. Canopy Web features cargo nets that run out to tree trunks from a platform. Visitors who dare can to climb out along the nets and cosy up with the trees.
Gallop Extension: COMO Adventure Grove, Gallery
Gallop Extension is possibly a little more challenging to get to, but it is just a short walk from Learning Forest. It’s worth the jaunt as there are beautiful grounds here for picnicking as well as a very fun playground. For sand-lovers, this is a spot to camp at.
COMO Adventure Grove
COMO Adventure Grove at the Gallop Extension is a wonderful nature playgarden for children. This family-friendly section of the gardens is filled with play elements which draw inspiration from the greenery of natural habitats.
The highlights would include The Weeping Fig Tower with two long tube slides, giant Chempedak and enormous Saga seeds.
The Gallop Valley
The Gallop Valley is a tranquil retreat which features a series of switchback earth paths that lead up and down the side of the valley. This is an ideal spot to picnic, enjoy the sunset views and just bask in the great outdoors.
Forest Discovery Centre & Botanical Art Gallery
At 5 Gallop Road is the Forest Discovery Centre. This space at Singapore Botanic Gardens’ Gallop Extension is where you can learn about Singapore’s forests, its biodiversity and the importance of conserving these eco-systems.
You can explore the understorey of the house (which is raised on stone stilts) where there is a Lowland Forest Terrarium. Children can participate in some activities and also try using scopes and binoculars at Forest Discovery Centre.
You will also find a nursing room here.
There is a curated collection of botanical illustrations and hundreds of sketches, line drawings and photographs at Botanical Art Gallery.
Kid-Friendly Guide to Singapore Botanic Gardens
Like many other families, Singapore Botanic Gardens is a special place where we have had many memories of activities there. One big plus point is – visiting the park is absolutely free!
For other free things to do, visit our list of the best free things to do with kids!
