Between the charming shophouses, amongst the piquant aromas of street food and alongside the grand prayer calls from temples, you’ll find plenty in Chinatown the kids will fawn over, too.
Littered with Books
How do you spark the love of reading in your little ones? Reading books with photos and illustrations in them is one way, and you'll find plenty of those in this charming two-storey bookshop. The children's section on the first level houses plenty of Enid Blyton classics and new editions of Carol Ann Duffy.
After you’re done browsing, head upstairs, and you can browse your titles while lounging on rugs or in plush armchairs. The colourful mobiles, soft toys, and quirky trinkets that comprise the décor here will keep even the antsiest child occupied.
Littered with Books. 20 Duxton Road, Singapore 089486. +65 6220 6824.
Mon-Thu noon-8pm; Fri noon-9pm; Sat 11am-9pm; Sun 11am-8pm.
Singapore City Gallery
City planning is certainly not child's play, but props to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) for making the topic more fun than it actually sounds.
The Singapore City Gallery, housed in the URA headquarters, lets visitors embark on a journey filled with interactive maps, videos and photos that tell the story of our city state's evolution from colonial settlement into global powerhouse. The intricate wooden models of the city's skyscrapers, arranged on an aerial map of Singapore, give kids a bird's-eye view of the island.
The URA Centre. 45 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069118. +65 6221 6666.
Mondays to Saturdays, 9am-5pm
Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays.
Food Playground
Don't just bring home memories of local kopitiam (a local coffeeshop) fare—learn how to replicate those dishes at home with Food Playground's Cultural Cooking Classes.
Designed so the whole family (yes, even the kids) can try their hand at mastering the wok, each three-hour class runs through the basics of preparing laksa (spicy coconut milk-based noodle soup), satay (grilled skewered meat), chicken rice or other Singaporean favourites. In a city where even the hawkers are awarded Michelin stars, eating and cooking like a local is the best way to experience the culture.
Book your cooking class here.
Food Playground. 24 Sago Street, Singapore 059020. +65 9452 3669.
Chinatown Heritage Centre
Your ship has just docked, you disembark and lose yourself in a bustle of labourers, hawkers, and tradesmen of all creeds and colours. A common scene from Singapore's early days, and one that you can experience for yourself here. The Chinatown Heritage Centre recreates the interiors of a 1950s shophouse, where simple furniture, cherished objects from the homeland and tools used in bygone trades speak volumes of these pioneers' hopes and dreams.
Chinatown Heritage Centre. 48 Pagoda Street, Singapore 059207. +65 6224 3928.
Temporarily closed.