Who said living for the weekend was a bad thing? Here in Singapore, the weekends are filled with a whole list of exciting activities and events for families! ? This season, you can look forward to New Year festivities in celebration of the Lunar New Year like the Chingay parade 2023 (LIVE!) and even kid-friendly events like Disney100 and much more. If you’re looking for things to do with kids over the weekend in Singapore, scroll down for some of the best events happening in the city this week!
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1. Watch the Chingay Parade LIVE
Credit: Courtesy of People's Association
Happening on 3 and 4 February 2023, this year’s parade will be the first Chingay Parade in 2 years set to be held physically in front of an audience of 28,000 at the F1 Pit Building. Not only is it Singapore's largest community arts showcase, this year Chingay 2023 will involve over 10,000 residents, artists and arts groups including more than 3,000 performers! Make sure to book your tickets to finally catch the live performances. Chingay 2023 doesn’t simply showcase just the main parade. During this festival period, you can look forward to unique events happening all over the city including social media challenges and more!
Chingay 2023 (Main Parade)
Date: Sat to Sun;3 to 4 February 2023, 8PM (Main Parade)
Location: F1 Pit Building
P.S. See our writer’s review of the Disney100 opening event for more details on what to expect!
2. Show off your skating at ICE MAGIC: The Great Fantasy on Ice
Credit: @theblueeeyore on Instagram
Back by popular demand, ICE MAGIC: The Great Fantasy on Ice is the magical snowy wonderland perfect for families with children who love the winter weather! The 2,400 winter playground will house a variety of exciting winter activities, including a 70m snow slope - the longest and tallest snow slope ever constructed in Singapore, and a 4.5m high figure-8 Ice Slide (which was constructed purely out of ice by master sculptors who hail from the famous Harbin Ice Festival in China). You can also try your hand at curling or ‘ice chess’, ice bowling, and ice cycling!
ICE MAGIC: The Great Fantasy on Ice
Date & time: 7 to 29 January 2023
Address: Bayfront Event Space
Price: From $25+
3. Revisit your childhood at The Doraemon Exhibition
Credit: @doraemonexhibitsg on Instagram
Doraemon lovers, this is your chance to physically immerse yourself in that childhood nostalgia! The exhibition showcases Doraemon through the lens of 28 leading contemporary Japanese artists and arts groups, whose artworks respond to the theme of “Create Your Own Original Doraemon”. Some artists you can expect include Takashi Murakami, who is well-known for the smiling flowers motif in his artworks. ?
Grab a couple of Doraemon’s favourite Japanese snack - Dorayaki ($6.90) at the pop-up theme cafe! It’s Muslim-friendly and super delicious (we’ve tried it!). Afterwards, head over to the merchandise section and pick up a souvenir of tote bags, postcards and much more to remember the trip to this exhibition.
The Doraemon Exhibition 2023
Date: 5 November 2022 to 5 February 2023
Time: 10am to 7pm daily
Address: 93 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178897 (National Museum of Singapore)
Ticket price: $30
4. Welcome ‘Spring In The Sea’ at the S.E.A. Aquarium
Credit: @chiaki_mzsm on Instagram
Fans of animals and sea creatures will love this! Drop by the S.E.A Aquarium in Sentosa for a celebration of the ‘Spring In The Sea’. After three-year long years on a hiatus, the aquarium will be bringing back the Underwater Dragon Dance this year. ? If your little one is a believer of mermaids, you can look forward to a special appearance by Ru Yi the Mermaid at Underwater Tales! She’ll be sharing tips on what the public can do to protect marine life too.
Spring In The Sea @ S.E.A Aquarium
Date: Various dates until 3 February 2023
Address: Sentosa Island, 8 Sentosa Gateway Singapore 098269
Price: From $29
5. Meet your favourite Characters at Disney100 at Jewel
Jewel Changi Airport is known for being family-friendly and you can always look forward to something fun and exciting every month! This time, in collaboration with 100 years of Disney, Jewel is decked out in festive decorations and events happening throughout the year. ? From now till 9 April 2023, bring your kids for meet-and-greet sessions with their favourite characters and photo opportunities all around Jewel!
There are a total of 10 themed photo spots you can keep a lookout for - 6 on Level 1 (Shiseido Forest Valley) and 4 on Level 5 (Canopy Park). ? Some of the photo opportunities feature Toy Story, Snow White, Steamboat Willie, Star Wars and much more!
Disney100 @ Jewel Changi Airport
Date: 12 January to 9 April 2023
Address: Jewel Changi Airport, 78 Airport Blvd., Singapore 819666
Price: Admission is FREE
6. Visit the Mega Carnival at Downtown East
Unleash your inner kid at the Mega Carnival in Downtown East! ? The carnival is located at D’Marquee Downtown East and will be running from now till 5 February 2023. It features plenty of family-friendly activities including VR experiences, dinosaur-themed attractions, and an arcade zone where you can show your competitive side! It’s a family-friendly event that is perfect to visit on weekends. Not to mention, there are lots of halal options nearby for when you’re hungry from all that fun.
P.S. Need some ideas on what to eat when you’re at the carnival? Check out the ultimate guide to halal food at Downtown East!
Mega Carnival
Date & time: 19 November to 5 February 2023
Address: Downtown East, 1 Pasir Ris Cl, Singapore 519599
Price: From $25+
7. Cycle through Pulau Ubin
Credit: @unilife777 on Instagram
Anyone who has been to Pulau Ubin would know that it's one of the most nostalgic places to visit in Singapore to get a glimpse of the old way of life. The island is an outdoor lover’s paradise with a long stretch of gravel roads, lush forests and abundant wildlife surrounding the land. The wetlands and its rich ecosystem are best seen during low tide! You’ll get to see sea bugs like anemone and more as you stroll down the boardwalk. Not to mention, it’s the perfect place for a leisure cycle with your family on weekends!
8. Take your kids to Children’s Museum Singapore
Credit: @peaupyy on Instagram
Formerly known as Singapore Philatelic Museum, it’s now called Children's Museum Singapore (CMSG) following extensive renovations. The Children's Museum Singapore believes in the power of play and provides opportunities for children to explore and engage with Singapore and the world around them based on its vision of creating a place of wonder and joy for children to learn about Singapore and the world! ?
With two floors worth of exciting and interactive displays, you’ll want to get comfortable because you might be staying a while. ? Not to mention, its FREE entry till 31 March 2023. Visits are limited to 2-hours per visitor so make sure to plan your time accordingly.
P.S. Find out more about what to expect at the Children’s Museum Singapore here!
Children’s Museum Singapore
Address: Children’s Museum Singapore, 23-B Coleman Street, Singapore 179807
Opening hours: Tue-Sun; 9AM-1PM & 2PM-6PM (last admissions at 12:30pm & 5:30pm) | Mon; Closed
Price: FREE from now till 31 March 2023
Did we give you some ideas on where to take your kids this weekend? Be sure to SAVE this article for future excursions because we’ll update it with new and exciting things to do!