10 Ideas for Safely Enjoying the Outdoors with Your Baby in Singapore

Singapore’s warm weather and sunshine means that you get to spend more time enjoying the outdoors with your little one. Spending time outside with your baby is a great way to bond and play. It also helps promote creativity and imagination, allowing children to explore and interact meaningfully with their natural environment.

Instead of indoor play, make the most of the fresh air and beautiful parks that Singapore has to offer with this list of fun outdoor activities with baby:

1. Picnic in the park

Singapore has some of the best parklands and gardens, all of which are perfect for an outdoor picnic with your baby. Layout a picnic rug on the grass under the shade of a tree and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of nature. Everything is brand new to a baby, so having them listen to new sounds such as birds chirping, the wind blowing through trees and distant traffic noises can provide different stimulation than the routine noises they hear at home. Plus, eating outside means you don’t have to worry about any mess! Simply pack a basket with some toys, a blanket, and some yummy nutritious snacks such as fresh fruit and Bellamy’s organic food pouches. If you have older children or toddlers, set up your picnic spot at one of the free outdoor playgrounds in Singapore and enjoy watching them run and play as they explore nature.

2. Mumma brunch

Sometimes the challenge of motherhood can make new mums feel isolated and overwhelmed. So making time to catch up with other mums is a great way to establish a support network and remain sociable while you’re looking after a newborn. Organize a mumma brunch with other mums & bubs and enjoy each other’s company in one of Singapore’s many outdoor cafes and brunch spots. One of the best brunch spots in Singapore to take your children to is the Open Farm Community. This indoor/outdoor cafe serves delicious brunch items for adults and little ones and also features a 35,000 sq. feet compound that houses a sand playground and an outdoor farm filled with aromatic herbs, fruits and vegetables for kids to delight their senses.

3. Beach day

Take your baby to the beach for a day of fun in the sun! The smells of the sea, the sound of waves crashing and the feel of the sand beneath their tiny toes will have baby in a state of wonder. Bring some towels or a beach mat and umbrella or tent for shade and head to a kid-friendly beach for a day of building sandcastles and splashing in the water. Bring a bucket and spade and dig a shallow pit in the sand for a makeshift playpen that you can pour water into for added fun. Watching you dig and build with sand will have baby in a natural state of curiosity, helping them to learn as they play. You may also want to bring some sand toys such as beach balls or stacking pails to keep baby occupied. Before you go, make sure you bring lots of sunscreen. Apply a baby-friendly sunscreen to your little one 15 minutes before going outside and reapply as directed – especially after being in the water. Other essential baby beach items include a sun hat, water shoes, swim diapers, baby rash vest and shorts, and plenty of snacks and water.

4. Going for a walk with a stroller

Whether your baby is in a stroller, carrier or in your arms, you can head outdoors and enjoy a good walk in nature. There are plenty of stroller-friendly walks in Singapore, but the best ones are anywhere you can interact with nature. Places like Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay or Botanic Garden can help engage baby’s senses without overstimulating them. As you walk, you can point out all the different sites and talk to baby about what they’re seeing and hearing. Allow baby to reach out and touch any safe objects such as leaves, flower petals and grass. The best part about going for a walk with baby is that you can get your daily steps and activity count in while you bond!

5. Take the family for an outdoor photoshoot

Photos create lasting memories that you and your family can treasure for the rest of your lives. An outdoor family photoshoot will capture precious moments of your baby as they sit and crawl among nature. The natural beauty of Singapore’s greenery will make a perfect backdrop for a winning portrait of your baby that you can then print out and frame or send to family members as gifts. Make it fun by dressing up in matching outfits or posing somewhere that has meaning for you and your baby, such as a zoo or playground or favourite tree. Some great outdoor locations for a family photo include Gardens by the Bay – East (Tg Rhu) with its lush greenery and the Singapore city skyline in the background; and The Flower Dome where you can pose among the colourful flowers and life-sized sculptures. Having an outdoor photoshoot is a unique way to enjoy the outdoors with the whole family and is something you will all be talking about for years to come. For the perfect picture, stick to neutral coloured clothing and avoid dressing baby in bright bold patterns to maintain a timeless look.

6. Bike riding

For toddlers and young children developing their balance and coordination skills, learning to ride a bike is a fun activity and one that is best in the great outdoors. For a great experience, location is key. Luckily, Singapore is a very bike-friendly city, with some of the best locations for learning to ride a bike. Catch a bumboat to Pulau Ubin and hire bikes and scooters before riding around the entire island. Prices range from $8 – $20 a day, and they cater for all levels – even providing bikes with baskets and baby seats so that you can take baby along for the ride. Before you get going, make sure that you choose a path or bicycle route that is flat and with minimal twists and turns. You’ll also need to ensure that your child is protected with a correctly fitting helmet and elbow & knee pads. Riding a bike teaches little one’s safety, coordination, and independence. It also allows them to navigate obstacles or hazards such as bumps, rocks and trees. Just be sure to take it slow, stay away from high-traffic areas, and come prepared with snacks, water, sunscreen, diapers and spare clothes to keep your children safe and comfortable.

7. Catch a water taxi

One of the best outdoor features of Singapore is its water system. You and baby can head down to one of the 5 water taxi stops along the Singapore River including Robertson Quay, Clemenceau, Clarke Quay, Boat Quay or the Esplanade and ride a water taxi together. Enjoy the view of the city from the water and take plenty of happy snaps of you and baby as you enjoy the outdoors from another perspective.

8. Sensory play

One of the key areas of development for babies is sensory play – and the outdoors is teaming with plenty of new things to stimulate their senses! Look around your environment in the backyard or in a park and explore what textures would be interesting for your baby to touch. Let them crawl around in grass, dirt and leaves, and have them hold or touch objects like rocks, sticks and mud. Remember to always supervise your baby while they are exploring these things, as they can easily put things in their mouth. You can also walk around the garden holding your baby and point out things like shapes in tree bark, pinecones, dew drops, spider webs, and plants or vegetables.

9. Read to your baby outside

You can easily take your regular indoor activities outside. Grab a blanket and a few of baby’s favourite picture books and toys as you sit outside and read to them in the fresh air. Reading & storytelling are an important way to bond with your baby. You can hold your baby close and hold the book out in front of them as you read. Try out funny noises and expressions and let your baby babble back to you. Reading teaches your baby communication and non-verbal cues, it also helps them to build their listening, memory and vocabulary skills. Let your baby grab and hold onto the book and let them become familiar with the colours and shapes to encourage their healthy development.

10. Play with bubbles

Bubble blowing is a cheap outdoor activity that your baby is sure to love. Your baby is sure to be mesmerised watching these magical bubbles float around them and watching them pop in the sky. You can even try making sound effects and say “POP!” every time a bubble pops. Bubbles popping on skin is also a new sensation for them to experience and is great for their sensory development.

Why you should make time for the outdoors

Babies need sensory experiences, and the outdoors is a great place to explore. Encourage baby to touch and examine the different textures, and don’t be too afraid of the sun. Babies need natural light for healthy growth and development, and the sounds of nature can ease the transition from the womb to the real world. Research tells us that babies who spend regular time outdoors are happier babies, and generally sleep better too!

Parents often fear taking their children outside because they might start crying or be exposed to sickness, but babies and toddlers are trying to make sense of their world. One of the ways they do this is to soak up every noise, every sound, and every experience they have. They then use this information to draw conclusions on the world they are living in, and strengthen their cognitive development.

Deprive them from the outdoors and you’re depriving them of vital stimulants needed for healthy brain and emotional development. The knowledge they gain outdoors provides a foundation to literacy and science learning, and promotes early language development. Having rich sensory experiences gives children something to talk about. You only have to see the excitement on your baby’s face when a plane flies overhead to understand that.

Sun protection

While outdoor play is very important for development, babies under twelve months of age should not be exposed to strong UV rays. Your baby’s skin is thin and sensitive and can burn easily, and the more exposure to sun in childhood, the greater the risk of skin cancer later in life.

Aim to go outdoors when UV levels are low, and cover as much of baby’s skin as possible with cool, loose-fitting clothes and wraps. The higher the UV protection factor, the greater the protection the fabric will provide.

Always apply sunscreen to baby before going outdoors, choosing an SPF30 or higher broad-spectrum sunscreen. If playing with water, choose a water-resistant sunscreen. Many brands of sunscreen have a baby or toddler formula, which is thought to be gentler on their sensitive skin.

A hat should also be worn at all times, and you should make sure the garment shades their face, the back of their neck, their eyes and their ears. For young babies, choose a fabric that will crumple easily when they put their head down, as this is more comfortable. If your child doesn’t like wearing hats, be persistent. Eventually, they’ll get used to it.

Singapore is in a high-risk area for sun-related illnesses with its tropical weather and year round exposure to the sun, so playing it safe by protecting your baby is important. Sun safety allows you to enjoy the dry season, encourage outdoor play, and still keep baby happy and healthy.

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