Singapore is an amazing place to go to with children. How does visiting Singapore Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park, the Zoo & River Wonders with kids sound? If you are in Singapore do visit Singapore wildlife parks with kids!
To be honest I am not a huge fan of zoos and similar wildlife parks as I don’t support the idea of keeping wild animals in captivity for human entertainment. However what kid does not like animals? My daughter adores them! So I guess that makes me a hypocrite, but I do take her to wildlife parks and zoos when we travel.
However to my defence visiting wildlife parks in Singapore with kids is different. The premises are really well maintained, most animals have huge enclosures with the environments that match their natural habitats as closely as possible. I feel less guilty in Singapore and if you travel to Singapore with kids do not miss the following wildlife parks.
Singapore travel with kids tips:
Travel tip: The easiest way to get to around Singapore is by taxi. Especially when you go to places further away, such as wildlife parks. Unless you bring your own travel seat, book a car service that comes with a child’s car seat included.
Travel tip 2: A family vacation in Singapore deserves more than selfies! I recommend a Flytographer photoshoot of the traveling family to capture those precious memories in Singapore. After all, aren’t the memories from the trip the best souvenir? (Use the code LITTLETRAVELLER for $25 off)
SINGAPORE ZOO WITH KIDS
Address: 80 Mandai Lake Road Singapore
Nearest MRT: Khatib (red line)
I must admit that Singapore Zoo is ranked as one of the Top 5 best zoos in the world for a reason. It’s like a massive animal paradise for kids and although they nevertheless are in captivity, Singapore Zoo does take a good care of them all.
In addition to exploring the park you are invited to join animal shows. The shows play twice daily and last up to 20 minutes. Animals shows that you can see in 2022 are the following:
- Splash Safari (located in Shaw Foundation Amphitheatre): a show starring a sea lion
- Animal Friends (located in Rainforest Kidzworld Amphitheatre): a show starring cats and dogs
- Rainforest Fights Back (located in Shaw Foundation Amphitheatre): a show starring snakes and other rainforest animals.
The zoo is also visitor-friendly. They offer unlimited complimentary tram rides within the zoo that are so welcome on hot and sunny days. The zoo is huge and animal enclosures are located relatively far from each other, so tram rides are wonderful for exploring without getting exhausted. Guests in wheelchairs are welcome, trams have special slots for wheelchairs.
You can also rent strollers and wagons for your children, as well as wheelchairs and electric scooters that will help to move around the park easier. They are available to rent online in advance via Singapore Zoo official website.
Click here to see the map of Singapore zoo.
Your children will probably see all the animals they can think of and more. Thea was expecting to see the dinosaurs, unfortunately that’s off the table even in wildlife parks in Singapore.
Macaque alert:
In addition to coming to Singapore zoo with kids prepared, like wearing comfy shoes, mosquito repellent, sunscreen etc., be aware of wild macaques. These little monkeys are not part of the zoo collection, but they enjoy hanging around. While usually harmless, they do associate plastic bags and baby prams with food. They therefore may approach you in search of food, and you are advised to stay calm and walk away.
Skip the queues and buy your tickets in advance here: Singapore Zoo with kids. Entrance Ticket
JURONG BIRD PARK WITH KIDS
Address:2 Jurong Hill, Singapore
Nearest MRT: Boon Lay (green line)
Jurong Bird Park is truly an amazing wildlife park for kids (and bird enthusiasts) in Singapore. It is home to the colours of the world. It is Asia’s largest bird park with a collection of more than 5,000 birds across 400 species. The enclosures give visitors a most thorough viewing of the different kinds of birds who seem to be unafraid of humans.
It is also a half day affair if you stay for the bird shows (you should), signature tours and animal feeding sessions.
Want to join animal feeding sessions? Here’s what you need to know:
- book the feeding session online (here’s the link)
- purchase a portion of animal food online
- arrive 15 minutes before your session begins
- You can feed: African birds (located in African treetops), penguins (located in Penguin Coast) and lories & lorikeets (located in Lory Loft).
The bird shows are fantastic so make sure you check show times in advance and plan your visit accordingly. Also check the weather forecast in advance and if possible postpone your visit in case of the rain.
Tickets to Jurong Bird Park are also available here
Jurong Bird Park visit with kids tips:
- Stay hydrated! It can get super hot in Singapore, especially in the middle of the day
- Prepare for the rain!
- Wear insect repellent
- Bring sunscreen
RIVER WONDERS WITH KIDS (formerly known as River Safari)
Address: 80 Mandai Lake Road Singapore
Nearest MRT: Khatib (red line)
Despite its misleading name, the River Wonders is not just about fish and the rivers. In fact it is a river-themed zoo and aquarium located in Mandai, forming part of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. The two wildlife park counterparts are the Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari.
If you love pandas, River Wonders is a place to go! There is a large (and very cold) enclosure for two pandas who came to Singapore from China. The male panda is called Kai Kai (凯凯) meaning victorious and the female panda is called Jia Jia (嘉嘉) which means fine or beautiful. Kai Kai and Jia Jia became parents on the morning of 14th August 2021. Their panda son, called Le Le is the first panda cub born in Singapore!
His name originates from the old Chinese term ‘shi le po’, which refers to Singapore. He joined his mom Jia Jia inside her exhibit at the Giant Panda Forest at River Wonders. So head over to River Wonders to meet the little guy!
Sometimes pandas hide away from visitors, but most of the times we see them chilling and snacking on bamboos. There is a super cute red panda too! I’m not sure if it has a name though.
River Wonders is located next to Singapore Zoo. It’s a better choice on rainy days as most of the pathways are covered so you don’t really get exposed to the rain.
There are plenty of various fish from the rivers worldwide. Moreover we also used to see a massive alligator, but the last couple of times we visited, it was no longer there. We saw a relatively small crocodile swimming in one of the pools though. If you or your kids have never seen a Manatee that’s your chance there. Thea commented that they look like giant lazy puppies.
Please do yourself a favor and join an animal show at Once Upon a River! It was interesting, hilarious, and really entertaining. Contrary to what I thought initially, they do not abuse animals during these shows. Instead, they educate visitors and foster a love for animals and nature. We had the most wonderful time, and I absolutely recommend watching at least one show!
Animal show at Once Upon a River in Singapore’s River Wonders
Amazon River Quest is probably one of the highlights of the park. For extra fee you can embark on a boat adventure journey which is designed to stimulate a journey along the actual Amazon River. Please note there are height restrictions for children. Riders must be at least 1.06m to hop onboard. The last ride departs at 6 pm.
Now the fun in River Wonders does not end at close of business, because from 7.15 pm till 11 pm the park invites visitors for a NIGHT SAFARI.
NIGHT SAFARI WITH KIDS
It is THE best nightspot for children! Night Safari is a guided 40 mins long tram tour and is an amazing experience for kids. The tram takes you through 7 different geographical zones of the world and reveals their most fascinating nocturnal animals in their specially lit enclosures.
You can either take your kids to Night Safari in the evening or visit River Wonders in the afternoon, and join the Night Safari at 7 pm.
After your tram ride, I highly recommend watching the Nocturnal Animals Show, where you’ll get to meet friendly hosts and learn more about the animals that reside in the park. Thea and I had a fantastic time there!
By the way, an important piece of advice- take and use a generous amount of insect repellent on your kids during your Night Safari adventure. Mosquitos love the Night Safari too.
Know before you go:
Baby strollers (up to 15 kg) and wheelchairs are available to rent for S$ 8
HOW TO GET TO SINGAPORE WILDLIFE PARKS WITH KIDS?
River Wonders, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo are located next to each other and are relatively far from central Singapore. The easiest access is by taxi or Grab (car hire app, like Uber), however you can also take MRT (subway in Singapore). If you travel with young children it is possible to select baby seat or toddler booster seat while booking via Grab app.
The nearest MRT stop is Khatib on the red line. It’s not within a walking distance so there is a special shuttle decorated with animal stickers and plush toys between the MRT stop and the Zoo/River Wonders priced $1 per person.
BUTTERFLY PARKS IN SINGAPORE
Good news for butterfly fans! There are at least three venues in Singapore dedicated for interactions with butterflies. You can see and explore butterflies up close in Science Centre, Changi Airport and on Sentosa Island. Read the article below with more information about each venue:
Travelling to Singapore? Check out these great deals on AGODA!
READ MORE ABOUT THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN SINGAPORE & THINGS NOT TO DO IN SINGAPORE
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Thats a great guide, thanks so much for all the info. I found this very useful as we are planning to visit the River Safari + Night and the Zoo.