Exciting nature activities specially for kids are lined up for the coming school holidays! Lots of fun ways to discover and enjoy Singapore's biodiversity!
Special events include the WOW Wild West events at Sungei Buloh featuring talks, walks and workshops. Explore the seashores with an overnight camp for kids at St. John's Island, or an evening tour of the Pasir Ris Boardwalk. There are walks in the forest at Petai Trail, to look at monkeys at MacRitchie, birds at the Southern Ridges. As well as special kids' workshops on pitcher plants and other strange plants, dragonflies and more.
FREE activities
5 Sep (Sat): I Want to be a Wildlife Photographer!
Always imagined working with nature and wildlife? Always dreamt of being a field biologist studying animals in the wild? Then sign up for one of our workshops - where you'll be taught and mentored by a wildlife photographer, wildlife biologist or wildlife artist. This short introduction is an invaluable chance for you to live out your wildest dreams!(Note: only open to certain age groups)
"I want to be a wildlife photographer!” by Mendis Tan - A workshop for individuals who are keen to learn basics of wildlife photography, in this work shop you’ll be taught basic photography skills and composition techniques. Bring along your cameras and learn the ropes of wildlife photography! Don’t have your own camera? No worries, the basics you will learn can be used even if you’re snapping pictures on your camera phone. Ages 16 and above. Registration required.
5 Sep (Sat): Walks for Feathers & Beaks -- Bird Week at Sungei Buloh
Why is Singapore such an important place for birds? How do you tell different bird species apart? Why do some birds have metal rings and flags on their legs? This themed guided walk for families will showcase the wildlife of Sungei Buloh, and is part of the Wow Wild West event that runs from 29th August 2015 to 19th September 2015.
5 Sep (Sat): Talks on Feathers & Beaks -- Bird Week at Sungei Buloh
Join us as we celebrate the wildlife of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in the inaugural Wow Wild West! from 29 Aug – 19 Sep! This week, apart from our resident birds, we welcome the migratory birds along the East-Asian Australasian Flyway as they return to Sungei Buloh to rest and feed. This event aims to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of our wildlife through talks, guided walks and other exciting activities. Suitable for children, families and the young at heart!
5 Sep (Sat): Free Pasir Ris Mangrove boardwalk tour with the Naked Hermit Crabs
Specially for kids and families, explore Pasir Ris mangroves with volunteer nature guides from the Naked Hermit Crabs on this FREE guided tour of the boardwalk! During our evening stroll through this interesting but often overlooked mangrove, we are sure to see lots of crazy tree climbing crabs, delightful giant mudskippers and cool monitor lizards. Pasir Ris is also one of the few places where nesting herons are easily observed. And as the sun sets, we might spot some nocturnal animals like watersnakes. If we're lucky, we may catch a glimpse of the rare Mangrove pitta or the family of otters that have been seen here! Registration required.
5 Sep (Sat): BES Drongos Petai Trail Walk
Our fun-loving team of volunteers are all geared up for this guiding season! Take the chance to walk with us in the early morning and enjoy some fresh air. Be ready to break a little sweat and fulfill your weekly workout quota with a leisurely hike while learning interesting stories facts about the unique flora and fauna of the CCNR. The 2.5hour walk follows the Petai Trail boardwalk, which hugs the MacRitchie reservoir. Registration required.
5 Sep (Sat): Fun walk along the Southern Ridges
Take your family on a leisurely stroll through the Southern Ridges, a soothing sanctuary of greenery that is steeped in history and home to some of nature's greatest gifts of flora and fauna. Highlights of the free tour include the Henderson Waves, Sembcorp Forest of Giants, Forest Walk and Singing Forest. Registration required.
12 Sep (Sat): I Want to be a Wildlife Sculptor!
Always imagined working with nature and wildlife? Always dreamt of being a field biologist studying animals in the wild? Then sign up for one of our workshops - where you'll be taught and mentored by a wildlife photographer, wildlife biologist or wildlife artist. This short introduction is an invaluable chance for you to live out your wildest dreams! “I want to be a wildlife sculptor” by Toh Chay Hoon- Learn how to sculpt your favourite wild animals with clay and create your own works of art. Ages 13 to 17. Registration required.
12 Sep (Sat): Walk for Cold-blooded Week at Sungei Buloh
Why do reptiles love to bask in the sun? What are the differences between frogs and toads? How do fishes survive in the mangroves? This themed guided walk for families will showcase the wildlife of Sungei Buloh. For families, registration required.
12 Sep (Sat): Talks for the Cold- Blooded Week featuring Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish & Crustaceans
Join us as we celebrate the wildlife of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in the inaugural Wow Wild West! This week, we warmly present the cold-blooded ones –reptiles, amphibians, fish and crustaceans. This event aims to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of our wildlife through talks, guided walks and other exciting activities. Suitable for children, families and the young at heart!
12 Sep (Sat): Birdwatching at the Southern Ridges
Join us for this free birdwatching tour at the Southern Ridges, where up to 43 species of birds have been spotted so far. Volunteer guides from STMicroelectronics will take you through the Forest Walk and the Singing Forest in search of these beautiful birds. Registration required.
12 Sep (Sat): A walk with your neighbours - the macaques of MacRitchie
The long-tailed macaques are the most conspicuous animals at Macritchie Reservoir Park. Although commonly seen, they are very misunderstood. Few seeing them realise anything about the social world these monkeys live in. They have kin networks, power struggles, friends, foes, and an otherwise complex social network. In many ways, they provide a mirror of our own sociality. Suitable for adults and children above 8 years.
MORE activities
5-13 Sep: Family special at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
This September holiday, what better way to learn and have fun at the same time? There's a special promotion this school holiday, so grab this chance to an educational trip with your little ones!
Do not miss the 2 for 1 admission ticket promotion, where every 2 paying adults entitles 1 child, student or senior citizen to come for free!
8 Sep (Tue): Overnight Nature Camp on St. John’s Island for kids
St. John’s Island, off the southern coast of Singapore, still has natural seashore ecosystems and amazing biodiversity. Here the coastal forest grows to meet natural sandy beaches, rocky shore and mangrove forest, to coral reefs off-shore. Dolphins are regularly sighted from this little island. Cicada Tree Eco Place is organising an overnight nature camp for parents and kids. Activities planned for participants include nature-guided day/night/land/seashore walks, islandlife workshop and a slide show on the biodiversity of our offshore islands. Cost per adult: $100; Cost per kid 6 to 12 yrs old: ; $80; Kids 5 yrs and below: $15 each. Registration required.
10 Sep (Thu): "Let's Learn about Birds" - talk and walk for kids
Wondering what is the bird behind that beautiful song which you hear? With over 130 species of birds recorded within its grounds, the Singapore Botanic Gardens provides an excellent introduction to Singapore's diverse birdlife. In this slide talk and guided tour, participants will learn to identify common birds in the Gardens through learning the basic morphology of these birds. You will also hear stories about some fun facts of birds' behaviour too! Suitable for children in P3 – P6 levels, $9 per child and $9 per accompanying adult, registration required.
10 Sep (Thu): Let's Learn About Dragonflies - A guided tour for kids
Did you know that dragonflies are among one of the most ancient winged insects in the world? If we travel back to the Jurassic age, you will realise that they have not changed very much in terms of their body structures! Join us in this guided tour to learn more about this beautiful insect in Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. You will learn the differences between a dragonfly and damselfly, its life cycle as well as the habits of a dragonfly. During the tour, we will also observe the dragonflies up close with a magnifying glass. Suitable for children in P1 – P3 levels, $9 per child and $9 per accompanying adult, registration required.
12 Sep (Sat): Strange Plants for kids
Led by Cicada Tree Eco Place. Some plants can have very strange qualities. Some, like pitcher plants, eat up bugs. Others, like ant plants, feed bugs which care for them in return. And there are those which chase bugs away with the smell they emit. And of course, there are plants which have sweet leaves or shoots that are edible. In this lesson, kids will also see examples of useful plants like rattan from which we get baskets and furniture. The lesson will end with a walk in the garden to hunt for all sorts of strange plants. For children 5 to 12 years. $25/person. Registration required.
Go wild on your own!
You can also explore on your own! Check out the many
DIY Trail Guideson the NParks website.
More about our wild places on wildsingapore. A tip to avoid the crowds on school holiday weekends, come early. That's when wildlife is more active anyway. And leave before it gets too hot.
MORE school holiday activities on the wildsingapore happenings blog.
