20 Activities for Kids this Easter Long Weekend 2018

Two weeks into the new school term and the Good Friday long weekend beckons! I don't know about you, but it helps to cushion that post-school-holidays blues... somewhat. So if you are looking for something fun to do with the family, great news - here are 20 suggestions to make the Easter long weekend a great one!

《糟了怎么办》LITTLE MISS BOLEH

30 & 31 Mar 2018; 2pm & 5pm

Goodman Arts Centre, Black Box

$20, or $65 for 4 tickets

A theatrical treat with puppets! Little Miss Boleh lives with her parents in a city filled with skyscrapers. One day, when Little Miss Boleh was alone at home, a Little Cow barged into her home! Realising that the Little Cow was lost, Little Miss Boleh made a decision to bring it back to the farm. On the way, they faced many obstacles. Will Little Miss Boleh succeed in helping Little Cow find its way home?

Little Miss Boleh is a theatrical treat for family with puppets and the puppets are all hand-crafted. In this show, children will learn how to solve day to day difficulties with what they have been taught in schools. They will also experience the wonders of nature and realise the importance of being independent instead of over relying on urban technology. Performed in Mandarin with English subtitles. Suitable for children age 4 and above. For tickets, visit HERE.

*PROMO CODE: Key in "MonkeyBoleh" in the promo code section and get a 15% discount!

i Light Marina Bay 2018

Now until 1 Apr 2018

7.30pm to 11pm daily, with an extension to 12mn on Fridays and Saturdays

Marina Bay waterfront

FREE Admission

Setting the Bay aglow with 22 sustainable light art installations around the Marina Bay waterfront, the i Light Marina Bay festival is a showcase of light art installations created by artists from Singapore and around the world. This year’s festival will also see greater participation from the community in the creation of sustainable artworks.

Beyond the visual treat of artworks and sustainability-themed programmes, festival goers can also look forward to a myriad of activities held across four festival hubs. Held at Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza, ILLUMI Bar – an LED-lit pop-up lifestyle space – is making its debut at the festival. Art-Zoo Inflatable Park will return to the festival this year at The Float @ Marina Bay too. Also making a comeback this year is GastroBeats, offering delectable food options and music performances at The Promontory. The ongoing Prudential Marina Bay Carnival held at the Bayfront Event Space will continue to welcome families and friends to come and enjoy rides, games and performances during the festival. Read my review HERE.

Art-Zoo Inflatable Park @ i Light Marina Bay 2018

Now until 1 Apr 2018

Monday – Thursday: 5pm – 10pm

Friday – Sunday, school holidays, public holidays & eve of public holidays: 3pm – 10pm

The Float @ Marina Bay

Online: $17.80 per pax | Onsite: $18 | $67.20 (online) for a package of 4 tickets | Free for kids under 2 years old

Art-Zoo Inflatable Park @ i Light Marina Bay 2018 returns with a brand new line-up of inflatable characters! As the largest experiential inflatable playground that welcomes visitors of all ages, Art-Zoo takes you on a colourful and magical journey to have fun with larger-than-life animals, plants and mythical creatures.

Let your imagination run wild and bounce with us at Art-Zoo Inflatable Park! Read my review HERE.

Marina Bay Carnival

Now until 1 Apr 2018

4pm - 11pm

The Promontory @ Marina Bay

FREE Entry

Fun awaits you at the very first The Prudential Marina Bay Carnival this December! Spanning two activity hubs, The Promontory and Bayfront Event Space, the Marina Bay Carnival promises to be a treat for people of all ages. Set against the backdrop of the city skyline, the carnival will feature over 40 rides and games assembled from different parts of the world. From roller coasters to water rides, the carnival will cater to thrill-seekers and offer family entertainment at the same time. Theme-based entertainment and installations at the carnival will add colour and fun to the year-end festivities, while music bands will serenade audiences on weekends. Food lovers can also indulge in a gastronomical journey with the variety of culinary delights on offer.

Anime X Stamps

Now until 1 Apr 2018; 10am - 7pm

Singapore Philatelic Museum

Adults: S$8; Child: S$6; Free admission for Singapore Citizens & PRs

An anime-licious visual feast awaits you at Singapore Philatelic Museum. Experience your favourite anime series and characters in a whole new way - through stamps! Discover the origins of anime and chart the rise of this versatile and pervasive medium. Relive beloved classics such as Astroboy, Doraemon and gems from Studio Ghibli; and current hot favourites such as One Piece, Dragon Ball and Pokémon through over 700 stamps from Japan. Plus, be treated to limited edition collectibles and one-of-a-kind original production artwork.

Alice in Wonderland

29 Mar - 1 Apr 2018; 8pm

Aliwal Arts Centre

From $25

Come play with Alice and her curious friends this Easter weekend in L’arietta Production’s Alice in Wonderland. The 75 minute operatic adaptation welcomes you to a magical garden, filled with nostalgic toys and modern twists. Bring the whole family because kids and kids at heart can enjoy a carnival as well as the opera! For tickets, visit HERE.

Meet & Greet Pikachu

30 Mar – 1 Apr 2018

1pm, 3pm & 5pm

NEX Mall, ISETAN Serangoon Central Children’s Department L3 

There’s something for everyone at the ISETAN Sakura Matsuri 2018 at NEX! While the little ones meet Pikachu, the entire family can celebrate the gorgeous pastel pink season of spring at NEX with exclusive cherry blossom inspired goodies and popular Japanese street snacks!

Saturdays@ACM: Pho-nomenal Vietnam

31 Mar 2018; 1pm - 5pm

Asian Civilisations Museum

FREE

Discover the land of pho (rice noodles in beef soup) and non la (conical hats). Watch folk stories come to life and enjoy traditional cultural performances from Vietnam. Bring home a piece of Vietnamese art after a hands-on craft activity inspired by objects in the ACM collection.

Kranji Countryside Farmers’ Market

31 Mar 2018: 12pm - 6pm

1 Apr 2018; 10am - 4pm

Nyee Phoe (240 Neo Tiew Crescent)

FREE Admission

12th edition of the Kranji Countryside Farmers’ Market, Singapore’s favourite and most authentic farmers market. Join more than 50 local Farmers and artisans, savour farm to table Makan, participate in fun family activities and enjoy a day out in your countryside.

Singapore Chinese Orchestra Music Oasis

31 Mar 2018; 6pm - 7pm

Singapore Botanic Gardens, Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage

FREE

The Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) Music Oasis Concert will perform a selection of repertoire to bring audience on a musical tour around China. Expect to hear rousing pieces such as popular China folk song Jasmine composed by Liu Wen Jin, The Silk Road composed by Jiang Ying and Dance of the Yao People orchestrated by Peng Xiu Wen. SCO Assistant Conductor Moses Gay is the conductor for this concert.

Straits Family Sunday: Easter Sunday

1 Apr 2018; 1pm - 5pm

Peranakan Museum

FREE

Find bunnies and other interesting animals in the galleries during an interactive guided tour. Dress up in your Easter best, or don a sarong kebaya or batik shirt with the whole family. And don't miss the chance to create your own artwork to bring home.

Easter Flea Market

1 Apr 2018; 8am - 5pm

Chinese Swimming Club

FREE Admission for all

Hop on down for an egg-citing time this Easter holiday! On 1st April, CSC welcomes all aspiring Easter bunnies to the Club for a fun-filled day of activities. Win prizes in the colourful egg hunt, track down exclusive deals at the flea market, and get hands-on at the Arts & Crafts workshop.

Arts & Crafts Workshop
2.30pm – 3.00pm: Button Easter Eggs
3.30pm – 4.00pm: Lollipop Bunnys
4.30pm – 5.00pm: Washi Easter Eggs

Jazz @ the Red Dot

1 Apr 2018; 4.30pm - 7.30pm

Singapore Botanic Gardens, Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage

FREE

Join in the fun on Easter Sunday for the second instalment of Jazz @ Red Dot at Singapore Botanic Gardens where you will be entertained by New York and local jazz stars along with their students and future jazz greats. This will be a memorable event for families and music lovers of all ages.

Sakura Matsuri

Now until 8 Apr 2018

9am - 9pm

Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay

Admission charges apply

Japan spring fever sweeps Gardens by the Bay with the inaugural Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival). Anchoring the fiesta is the annual cherry blossom floral display in Flower Dome, which will be complemented by Flower Dome programmes such as Japanese tea ceremony demonstrations, performing arts and kimono parade. Fans of Japanese pop culture will be in for a treat at Anime Garden, an anime-themed weekend featuring free anisong concerts, celebrity cosplayer appearances and Pikachu dance parade. Rounding off the festivities at the end of the month is Sakura Japan Fair featuring Japanese food and retail options, workshops and performances.

Sakura Japan Fair
30 Mar - 8 Apr 2018 | Various Timings | Flower Dome
Extend your hanami experience with Sakura Japan Fair - a specially curated Japanese fair organised in partnership with JTB Pte Ltd. Held over the last week of the cherry blossom floral display, Sakura Japan Fair features an array of food and retail options, weekend performances, and exciting workshops on selected dates. For a complete programme schedule, visit HERE.

Discover EGG-citing Easter with Peter Rabbit

Now until 15 Apr 2018

Jurong Bird Park

Admission charges apply

Enter the magical world of Peter Rabbit at Jurong Bird Park this Easter, where the bunny’s vegetable garden will be recreated. Enthrall your little ones and point out to them 2D and 3D figurines of Peter Rabbit and his pals, as you walk through the patch surrounded by colourful flora. Embark on a hare-raising Easter egg hunt within the Birdz of Play area, and stand a chance to win a Peter Rabbit premium. Guests can also meet the Peter Rabbit mascot in our meet and greet sessions and indulge in mini bunny baos, scotch eggs and hot cross buns at the park’s food and beverage outlets! Highlights include:

Peter Rabbit™ Mascot Meet & Greet
BIRDZ OF PLAY | 10.30AM & 12.30PM | 30, 31 MARCH & 1 APRIL

Peter Rabbit™ & Friends On Display
BIRDZ OF PLAY | 8.30AM – 6.00PM | 24 MARCH – 15 APRIL

Hunt for Eggs, Hatch a Prize
BIRDZ OF PLAY | 10.00AM – 4.00PM | 30, 31 MARCH & 1 APRIL
Join the hunt for hidden eggs and stand to win prizes including an annual Friends of Bird Park Family Membership package for 2 Adults and 1 Child.

Eggs-periment Egg-tivity
PENGUIN COAST | 11.45AM & 2.30PM | 30, 31 MARCH & 1 APRIL
Let’s have some eggy fun with popping egg and bouncy egg!

The Nightingale

Now until 20 Apr 2018

Weekdays & 30 Mar 2017 (Good Friday): 10am | Weekend: 11am

KC Arts Centre - Home of SRT

Weekdays: S$29, S$26 | Weekends (Sat & Public Holiday): S$49*, S$39, S$36

Due to popular demand, SRT’s The Little Company brings you its refreshing take on Hans Christian Andersen’s well-loved fairy tale. Directed by Kate Golledge (Chicken Little, Treasure Island, Red Riding Hood), The Nightingale is a joyful burst of song that reminds us to appreciate and value the world around us.

Enchanted by the lilting birdsong of the plain-looking, brown Nightingale, the Emperor of China captures and keeps her in a gilded cage for his daily entertainment. But soon, along with her freedom, the beautiful voice of the Nightingale is lost and she is replaced by a singing mechanical bird. Will she survive her days in captivity? Will she ever fly freely again? What happens when the mechanical bird fails? Join the Emperor and the Nightingale as they discover true friendship. With catchy rhymes and clever dialogue, it is a ‘trill-ing’ show that will definitely captivate young audiences! For tickets, visit HERE.

TrollsTopia

Now until 29 Apr 2018

Universal Studios Singapore

Admission charges apply

Step into the colourful world of DreamWorks Trolls at Universal Studios Singapore. Experience two all-new Trollific shows featuring your favourite Trolls, Poppy and Branch! Join Guy Diamond in a glitter-rama experience, immerse yourself in all new one-of-a-kind Trolls VR games, and many more Trolls harmonies! For more information, visit HERE.

Treasures of the natural world

Now til 29 Apr 2018
10am - 7pm daily

ArtScience Museum

Admission charges apply

Embark on an adventure of discovery as Treasures come alive to take you back in time on expeditions that broke scientific grounds and made history. ArtScience Museum brings the very best from the museum’s rich and important collection in this hotly anticipated exhibition that showcases the most significant treasures of the natural world. Hand-picked from over 80 million specimens, over 200 of the museum’s star objects will travel to Southeast Asia for the very first time ever. For more details, visit HERE.

Playeum's 'Making It Home' Exhibition

Now until 29 Apr 2017

Tues - Sun: 10am - 6pm (Closed on Mondays)

Playeum (Blk 47, Malan Road, Gillman Barracks, #01-23, Singapore 109444)

$22 per child (1-12) | Accompanying adult: Free | Additional accompanying adult: $10

Located at Gillman Barracks, Playeum is a museum without walls which hopes to inspire children through self-directed exploration and learning and in the process, establish a culture of meaningful and impactful play. The new exhibition is all about dreaming rooms, making spaces and creating places. Kids (and parents) will be able to experience the home as a place where many ordinary materials can have multiple purposes and support imagination, innovation and sustainability.

Interestingly, the spaces within the indoor playground - if you can call Playeum that - have been transformed into different ‘rooms’, each with a different purpose with different opportunities for the kids to explore, experiment and redefine. Whether it is imagining colours, materials and designs for floors walls and ceilings, to conjuring up art works with sand or recyclable materials, kids can stretch their creativity and imagination to the limit! Head HERE for my review.

Discover The Fun Side Of Changi: Sesame Street

Now until 1 May 2018

Changi Airport T3

Sesame Street has arrived at Changi Airport - every child's favourite friends!

Inflatable Playground & Giant Gachapon Machines
Location: Terminal 3, Public, Departure Hall Level 2 (Near Row 11)
School holiday week and Public Holidays (9 - 18 March & 30 March): Daily, 12pm - 11pm
Fridays and Eve of Public Holidays (23 March and 6 April, 29 March); 6pm - 11pm
Saturdays and Sundays (24 and 25 March, 31 March and 1 April, 7 and 8 April ): 12pm - 11pm

Look forward to some bouncing fun at the Sesame Street inflatable playground (kids only!) and have a go on the rock climbing wall, tunnel tubes and slide your way down into a large ball pit. Also, look out for the larger-than-life Gachapon machines this March school holidays! Redeem tokens and try your luck at winning exclusive premiums and even Changi Gift Card worth S$100!

Sesame Street Airport Takeover Pop-up Exhibition
Location: Terminal 3, Public Basement 2 (Opposite Kopitiam)

Visit the exclusive Sesame Street Pop-up Exhibition, the very first in Asia from 9 March to 1 May 2018. Step into “Our Street to Yours” and hang out with your favourite characters on Sesame Street! Love cookies as much as Cookie Monster? Guess the number of cookies in his cookie jar! Visit Abby Caddaby at her beautiful garden or sit by the famous 123 steps with Elmo. Join Big Bird at his favourite nest or try to catch a glimpse of Oscar the Grouch if you can!

World of National Geographic's Ocean Wonders

Now until 10 May 2018

10am - 7pm

S.E.A. Aquarium

Admission charges apply

This upcoming March school holidays, Resorts World Sentosa will host the first ever National Geographic Ocean Wonders event featuring the Ocean Record Breakers exhibition, Marine Photography Adventure and the National Geographic Ocean Exploration Children’s Workshop.

Families and kids can immerse in interactive edutainment through fun, hands-on activities and exciting learning sessions at S.E.A. Aquarium and the revamped Maritime Experiential Museum from 10 March to 20 May 2018. For more details, visit HERE.

BONUS!
OR, if you prefer to stay at home, here's an oldie but still a goldie - DIY Easter Eggs!

We have made our very own colourful Easter Eggs in the past and the monkies loved them! For a step-by-step guide on DIY Easter Eggs, visit www.cheekiemonkie.net/2012/04/easter-eggs-diy.html.

HAVE FUN!

$8 for unlimited ice skating & (from) $5.30 for unlimited Indoor Climbing at Paradigm Mall, JB's newest & largest shopping mall!

Have you visited the newest shopping mall in Johor Bahru? We popped by Paradigm Mall, which is just a 20-minute drive away from Singapore, and came back with utterly sore legs. And to think we didn't even had time to try out the ice skating rink!

Billed as the largest mall in JB - and even bigger than Singapore's VivoCity (!) - Paradigm Mall is seven floors of shopping, eating and playing heaven. In fact, not only does it boasts the first ice skating rink in the city, it is also bigger than the one at Sunway Pyramid at 20,000 sq ft. The mall is also home to the largest cinema in Johor and a 12,000 sq ft indoor climbing gym.

But what made me promise the monkies to return to the mall soon was the ice skating rink.

Primarily because of the price.

Weekdays cost RM25 while weekends are priced at RM30 per entry. YES, PER ENTRY which means you can skate ALL YOU WANT for one entire day at only S$8.30 on weekedays or $10 on weekends! Super worth it man. You can bring your own socks and gloves so that you do not have to buy them.

The ice skating rink opens from 10am to 10pm daily and is located on Level 3 - it is actually on the 5th level of the mall because the mall's levels start from G, then UG, followed by Level 1 and so on.

If the kids demand more action, head to the Climb5 climbing gym located on the 7th floor of the mall.

The indoor rick-climbing gym offers a wide variety of climb walls, from novice to intermediate to expert.

The Novice Wall is a 9.5m top-rope wall fitted with SlowGo ground-anchored belay system perfect for new and novice climbers.

The Toprope Wall consists of slab and aretes which make this ideal terrain for easy grades and technical routes for advanced climbers.

More advanced climbers can head to the Autowall (above) and Mixed Wall (below) which offer more climbing challenges.

Prices for a one-day visit pass is RM36 for Adults, RM25 for Youths (13-17) and RM 16 for children (8-12). Kids below 8 years old enter FREE. And yes, the pass is valid for ONE ENTIRE DAY!

Got younger kids? Then head to the Milkyway Playspace indoor playground on the 6th level of the mall.

I didn't enter the playground but it looks pretty decent from the outside with the usual slides and play structures. Best of all, the entry price is pretty wallet-friendly - RM80 (S$27) for 5 entries!

Did I mention there are plenty of shops like Uniqlo, H&M, Toys 'R' Us and Popular too? Looks like families will be able to spend an entire day at the mall!



Useful Information

Paradigm Mall
Jalan Skudai, 81200 Johor Bahru
Mall Operation Hours: 10am - 10pm daily
GPS Coordinates: 1.5152° N, 103.6858° E
Website

Blue Ice Skating Rink
Paradigm Mall, Level 3
Opening Hours: 10am - 10pm daily
Website

Climb5 Climbing Gym
7F-08, Paradigm Mall
Opening Hours: 10am - 10pm daily
Website

Doctor for a Day is back this April & it is already SOLD OUT! But find out how you can still get tickets for FREE!

Advertorial

If you have been following my Instagram, you will know that Ash was hospitalised for a few days over the March school holidays.

It was a hospital-themed staycation which started with wound on the knee but morphed into something much more sinister when bacteria somehow entered his blood stream and infection occurred. He was eventually diagnosed with cellulitis and early stages of sepsis which could potentially be fatal.

Fortunately, we were blessed to have consulted a doctor who set the alarm bells off and rushed us to the A&E. And after a 3-day hospital stay with an antibiotics drip, Ash was well enough to go home. Thank goodness!

Through it all, I have come to realise that time is definitely key when it comes to treating our kids or even ourselves. Should we had delayed the consultation at A&E and just rely on paracetamol to combat the fever, things may have taken a nasty turn.

Speed saves lives.

No question about it.

Which coincidentally, is also the theme for Mount Elizabeth Hospital's upcoming Doctor for a Day programme. Yes, the ever-popular and always fully-booked Doctor for a Day series will be back this 7 and 8 April 2018 and trust me when I say both parents and kids will not want to miss this!

The monkies previously attended other versions of Doctor for a Day - 'Hospital Land' where kids got to role play and experience different medical specialisations including being a doctor.

Then, 'Health Detective Day' called on them to find out more about the different occupations in a hospital, and experience jobs like a general practitioner, a dietician and a radiologist... all done in a sleuthing manner!

Pity that parents could not get to join in the fun.

Well, that will change for 'Doctor For a Day - Speed Saves Lives'!

Working together as a team, both parent and child will be tasked to save the patient in an escape room format.

Expect plenty of solving medical puzzles, cracking codes and piecing everything together... against a countdown timer! You do remember that time is the essence in A&E situations, no?

Recommended for kids aged between 6 and 14, the session will be a great way for them to experience being a doctor, and to be able to correctly diagnose a patient with the clock ticking down - while working with his or her parent. Conversely, it is also perfect for parents who wish to work together with their child to solve challenging puzzles - amidst squealing kids. LOL.

'Doctor For a Day - Speed Saves Lives' is happening on 7 and 8 April 2018 so all you have to do is to form a team of 8 (4 adults and 4 children) with your family and friends! The whole experience will last for approximately 90 mins and costs $50 per team.

BUT here's the bad news...

The 2-day event is already SOLD OUT!

Hang on hang on, I have got GOOD NEWS too.


Thanks to Mount Elizabeth Hospital, I have TWO SETS (one set consists of 2 adults+2 child) of tickets to the 'Doctor For a Day - Speed Saves Lives' programme to give away! 

GIVEAWAY

To participate, all you have to do is the following:

1. LIKE Mount Elizabeth Hospital's Facebook page HERE.

2. Leave a comment in the corresponding Facebook post HERE OR in this blog post once you have done so. Simple!
*Receive one additional BONUS chance by tagging three of your friends in your Facebook comment.

*Giveaway Terms & Conditions: By participating in this giveaway, you give your consent to me to release your personal details to Parkway Medical Group to contact you for prize redemption purposes.

WANT TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING?
Receive one BONUS chance by SHARING this blog post on Facebook! Remember to set your profile to public so that I can see the shared post.


Giveaway ends on 28 March 2018, 2359 hours.

GOOD LUCK! :)




Useful Details

'Doctor For a Day - Speed Saves Lives'

7 & 8 April 2018

10am - 7pm (Various time slots)

Mount Elizabeth Hospital

SOLD OUT 

After Zurich, Munich, Stuttgart & Frankfurt, which European city should we visit next?

Sponsored Post

Hands down, our trip to Switzerland and Germany during last December ranks as our most memorable family vacation ever. While I put it down to the extreme number of experiences we shared together as a family, the monkies will beg to differ - SNOW was the clear winner!

But snow or not, I think I speak for them when I say there are more family-friendly cities in Europe to visit then I thought. We visited Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Munich in Germany and Zurich in Switzerland and the sheer number of kid-friendly attractions in each city meant that we had to pick carefully.

Frankfurt, Germany

The busy city of Frankfurt may be the business hub of Germany and the largest financial center in Europe, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing to do for kids here. We visited the Senckenberg Natural History Museum, a must-go if you are visiting Frankfurt with kids. One of the most modern museums of natural history in Europe, and the second largest of its kind in Germany, it is home to Europe's biggest exhibition of dinosaurs.

But the most memorable part of our Frankfurt leg was our day trip to Rüdesheim, a romantic little village easily accessible from Frankfurt via a 1-hour train ride and the gateway to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage site. With its cobblestone pavement, the half-timbered houses, and dazzling scenic views, walking through the town felt like stepping into a fairy tale. We paid a visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet too, which is home to one of the most extensive collections of self-playing instruments in the world!

Munich, Germany

For a city that is long associated with beer, it is a surprise that Munich has plenty of kid-friendly attractions to offer. We started at Marienplatz, the main square in Munich. Full of vibrant energy, with shops, restaurants and old architecture all around, the monkies loved watching the motorized figurines dance, joust, and twirl around the inside of the Glockenspiel, a giant Cuckoo Clock. The Nymphenburg Palace, an opulent and sprawling complex of many buildings, pavilions, museums and an extensive outdoor garden is also worth a visit too, especially for Ale who was able to dream up her own German fairy tales.

The boys are not exactly huge car fans but they still thoroughly enjoyed BMW World, home to plenty of technologically advanced exhibits that are highly interactive. And since we were in Munich, I was not going to pass up the chance of making a trip to the Allianz Arena - FC Bayern Munich's home stadium. We signed up for the Arena Tour which included a guided stadium tour and gave us access to areas like the changing rooms and players' tunnel.

Oh, and we spent an entire day the the amazing Deutsches Museum which has everything covering the areas of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and more  It's like one giant science centre!

Stuttgart, Germany

Located between Frankfurt and Munich, we made a brief 2-night stop at Stuttgart. Given a choice, I would have loved to spend more time to explore more of its kid-friendly attractions. We still managed two wonderfully kid-centric places though: the huge Mercedes-Benz Museum, the birthplace of the world's first automobile and Wilhelma Zoo, Europe's only large combined zoological and botanical garden.

Although we were no car geeks, we ended spending close to 3 hours at the Mercedes-Benz Museum which housed incredibly interesting information that is made easy to comprehend even for kids. We spent an even longer time at the zoo, simply because we loved how Wilhema Zoo allowed us to get really close to the animals (but still at a safe distance). And the various obstacle-course playgrounds - made entirely of wood - did a great job in slowing us down too.

Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland, may be famous for being the banking centre of the world but there are plenty of fun things to do with kids too! We visited the FIFA World Football Museum and the monkies loved the interactive exhibits which covered all aspect of the world of football. Better yet, the big plus point for them was the HUGE play area, which allowed them to test their own ball skills in a playful manner.

Thronging the streets of Zurich Old Town, the city's historic heart famed for its well-preserved 19th-century architecture flanked by trendy shops, galleries, and restaurants, was a cool way to see the city too. And a ride in the UBS Polybahn (funicular) is a must  if you want to take in the great views of the city. With other kid-friendly attractions like the Zurich Zoo, Lake Zurich, Niederdorf and Zurich Toy Museum, I highly recommend getting the Swiss Travel Pass - kids between the age of 6 and 16 travel for FREE when accompanied by at least one parent holding Pass! - which is the most convenient way to see Zurich.

I think the flexibility of flying into and out of Europe via two different cities - otherwise known as an open jaw itinerary - had a huge part to play in allowing us to maiximise our holiday in Europe. We flew into Zurich on Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) and returned home from Frankfurt on Lufthansa German Airlines. (You can read more about the benefits and potential cost savings of an open-jaw ticket in my previous post HERE)

Our flight experiences with both airlines were extremely pleasant - important especially we were travelling with 3 kids! SWISS was a comfortable option for heading to Europe as the Swiss is known for consistently offering impeccable service and our SWISS flight to Zurich was just that - a solid in-flight experience with comfortable seats, good food and friendly service from the flight attendants.

We returned home from Frankfurt on Lufthansa - Europe's largest airline by the way - on its swanky Premium Class Economy and were definitely much pampered! For one, the seats feel so much bigger and the cabin extra spacious. Coupled with the attentive service the monkies got and the slightly larger in-flight entertainment screen, I believed the wifey and I were left undisturbed throughout the flight. Pure bliss.

So it got me thinking... which family-friendly European city should we visit next???

I have heard so much good things about Copenhagen in Denmark. The Danes are consistently praised for their approach to parenting so it is no surprise that Copenhagen is a perfect European destination for families. Think fairy tale castles, beautiful landscapes, radiant buildings on top of dedicated pram sections on buses, imaginative playgrounds, and green open spaces!

Or maybe Amsterdam in The Netherlands? We visited the city in 2012 and I can say that there is far more to Amsterdam that just the red light district. In fact, there are loads of kid-friendly attractions within the city including VondelPark and Artis Zoo while opportunities for learning reside at the Anne Frank House,Van Gogh Museum and NEMO Science Museum.

I think the wifey might fancy Stockholm, Sweden which has a perfect mix of indoor and outdoor activities. And it is popular among families for good reason - with its vast green spaces for kids to run around and a casual stroll right by the royal palace to a wealth of museums as well as Skansen (an open-air museum that features a zoo and an aquarium).

Are you planning for your family's holiday too? BECAUSE THERE IS NO BETTER TIME TO PLAN THAT EUROPE HOLIDAY THAN NOW!

Lufthansa is currently having a massive promotion on airfares to the following European cities:

Amsterdam: from 888 SGD
Athens: from 888 SGD
Barcelona: from 888 SGD
Berlin: from 988 SGD
Brussels: from 988 SGD
Copenhagen: from 888 SGD
Dusseldorf: from 988 SGD
Frankfurt: from 988 SGD
Geneva: from 988 SGD
Hamburg: from 1088 SGD
Helsinki: from 888 SGD
Innsbruck: from 1188 SGD
Istanbul: from 888 SGD
Lisbon: from 888 SGD
London: from 988 SGD
Lugano: from 1088 SGD
Manchester: from 988 SGD
Milan: from 888 SGD
Moscow: from 888 SGD
Munich: from 988 SGD
Oslo: from 888 SGD
Paris: from 888 SGD
Rome: from 888 SGD
Salzburg: from 1188 SGD
Stockholm: from 888 SGD
Vienna: from 988 SGD
Zurich: from 988 SGD

All round-trip fares include taxes, fees and surcharges.

Booking period is from now until 15 April 2018.

Travel period is valid from 1 April to 31 December 2018 so what are you waiting for? It is time to map out all your travel plans - even that Winter holiday - for the year right now!

Visit Lufthansa or SWISS to book directly.


P.S. Lufthansa will also be having a booth (No. 5H21) at the upcoming NATAS Travel Fair from 23 to 25 March 2018. There will be quizzes and giveaways conducted at the booth... including GRAND PRIZE of a pair of Premium Economy class air tickets with with a 4-night hotel stay in Munich!