Parent/toddler groups in Singapore

[loobieloo74]

Having lurked on here for months in prep for our move, my family and I arrived yesterday. Still taking it all in and wondering what is going on!

I have 2 DSs (3 and 2) and I am quickly realising that it's not going to be easy to entertain them alone all day in the run up to school or KG in January. My eldest who is usually at pre-school will be climbing the walls, as will I.

Does anyone know of any welcoming parent and toddler group? We are currently staying on River Valley Rd but can get anywhere (this is said with false confidence and the knowledge I can jump in a cab if I bottle out of a first MRT/bus journey with them).

Thanks in advance!

[papooshka]

Hello and welcome!!

Heres are few ideas to be going on with:

www.nmsg-singapore.com - this is the New Mothers Support Group and they have loads going on - coffee mornings/walks/talks/socials etc

www.expatliving.sg/events/2012-11 - expat living is a magazine but they host coffee mornings and mums and kids mornings

www.meetup.com/cities/sg/singapore/ - there are loads of meet ups on here, you just have to join up and you can arrange your own meet up.

St George's Church in Minden Rd have playgroups 3 times a week (I think) but give them a call to check first as they get busy - 6473 2877

Good luck!

[loobieloo74]

Brilliant thanks so much. Will get looking into those. Good start. I am sure once we have found our feet things won't seem quite so daunting!

[BellaMummy]

Hi Loobieloo, I arrived on Wednesday and was just having the same thought this morning - DD1 (6) doesn't start school until until January and we haven't looked at anything for DD2 (3) yet, but will hopefully be a kindy or preschool of some kind.

Have you discovered any soft play centres yet? Someone told me about one near Clark Quay - anyone been there and can give me directions?

Will check out your links papooshka. Just got to get used to the heat now.....

[picklesrule]

There are tons of soft plays, look up fidgets, gogo bambini, pollywogs (Robertson quay), then there is the zoo which has fab water park, jutting east and west swimming com

[picklesrule]

Sorry phone sent that too soon!
The Jacob ballas children's garden is nice, science centre is good too. Have a look on kidlander and honeycombers for things also
I'd be happy to host a little play/swim date if you would like my kids are 3 and 6 months and we are just off orchard (and not crazy I promise!) pm me if you would like..
Also definately meetup wedo a lot of those groups there are lots of options!

[laptopwieldingharpy]

There is a good soft play area in the mall adjacent to Clark quay.
Its called Liang court.

[laptopwieldingharpy]

sorry had to run!

A few more (possibly free) ideas:

• second Jacob Ballas
  

• west coast park has a great big web to climb on, good paths for scooters and you can rent trikes.
  

• Its worth keeping an eye on the shopping malls websites as they often run shows & activities (especially during singaporean holidays) featuring kids favorites such as Dora / thomas the tank etc....
  

From memory, that's usually in the forum/marina square/plaza singapura/liang court.....and that's if you can bear the crowds....not too bad though as you can book a slot.

• the vivocity mall (sentosa gateway) is a good place to hang out.
  

There is a vast outdoor play area with good quality equipment + water play and often some kind of animation. A starbuck terrace to watch them and a big Food republic on the top floor overlooking another large outdoor play area with wet play.
A train trip across to sentosa is cheap and gets you onto the beach where you COULD swim (yuk!) and shower them ( good facilities- free) or just let them play while you sip wine :-))
Lots of really fun (paying) things to do too.

• Tiong Bahru has a very good albeit very "local" playground. You can combine that with a stroll around the trendy new "village" there with vintage shops and a fab french bakery/patisserie (Gontran Cherrier)

[laptopwieldingharpy]

Oh almost forgot!
You can do a mini hike (stroller friendly) from kent ridge park down to Hort park through the suspended wave bridge.
dont forget the mozzie spray and water.

[BellaMummy]

Thanks laptop - have already discovered vivo city as I am living next door. Have also discovered sentosa, and we bought a card that gives us limitless cable car trips for the next few months so I am planning on being over there VERY often. Planning on a trip up to Mount Faber tomorrow on the cable car....should kill a few hours!

Thanks Pickles too - may just take you up on the offer of a playdate!

[loobieloo74]

Some really good places to try so thanks Laptop' and Bellamummy. BM we sound like we are in the same boat. I think I spotted Pollywogs, and West Coast Park might be a good one as we considering living over that

Felt slightly ashamed when asked if i had tried anywhere yet as I just feel like a total chicken who hasn't ventured far.

The boys are still tired and grumpy so I am not sure we can handle outdoors for long. The thought of putting them at the roadside while I get the pushchair out of a taxi is just a nightmare! Haha, i am sure we will get used to the heat, the newness of it all and even being in a city for the first time but it seems a way off.

Had to laugh at your 'we're not crazy', Picklesrule. Hope I can promise the same. Would love a little meet up once we are a bit more with it.

[loobieloo74]

BellaMummy - we looked at a condo right next door to Vivocity when we were on our reccy trip in May. Nice location. How are you finding it? Since we got here we had been concentrating on Holland or Clementi and had forgotten all about it.

[BellaMummy]

We are staying in the Caribbean at Keppel Bay with my father-in-law while we work out where to live. The condo we were about to sign a contract on fell through (long story!), so we are back to square one. The Caribbean is amazing - really sociable and beautiful facilities/location - but quite expensive, and we are covering that cost ourselves.

DH is very keen on the East Coast, and that is where DD's school will be come January as we have her enrolled at Eton House Broadrick campus. Decisions, decisions.

Loobieloo, my two are older than yours, so it's been easier for me to get out and about on buses and the MRT. Frankly, mine are happy with 6 hours in the pool, and then a walk to Vivo City to get one of those frozen slurpies from 7 Eleven for one dollar!!

Am definitely going to look at some of the places suggested above....need to have stuff planned or little miss 6 is going to defeat me.

[picklesrule]

haha I typed the playdate suggestion and then thought you might think I was some kind of internet wrongmo..obviously stating i'm not crazy should dispel any worries you might have

I have found here though that people are very friendly and quick to make friends which is nice..one of my closest friends when I first got here someone I met randomly in the botanic gardens one day..so I am always quite open to meeting new people and hosting groups!
There are a lot of sports clubs/art classes etc for all ages but there will be lots of options for a 6 year old. I have a friend with a daughter that age so I will ask her what is good/not too ridiculously expensive..

good luck getting out and about, shout if you want any info on other things, food shopping or anything..

[loobieloo74]

We saw Caribbean and Reflections - both fab and would love to be so near to the water for strolls/scooting, but heading towards a clusterhouse i think and the ones we have seen tend to be further north.

My big dilemma is schools. The Canadian was looking very likely but DS1 turns 4 in december so will be the youngest int he year and I think a transition from mornings at a village playgroup to full days in an enormous school with a longish journey to and from will floor him. He may surprise me but I am not sure I am willing to risk it with everythign else being so new. So I am now looking into the possibility of a small Kindergarten near the condos we like for the next couple of years since he would be in KG within a school anyway (British reception equivlanets at Dover court and Tanglin too full). Any opinions on that? I think Bellamummy mentioned she might be looking into them.Raintrees (Lock Rd as was and White Lodge are of interest).

ps We did venture (a little) further afield today but an hour later the little one was sick all over the estate agent's car so the day has been curtailed. If at first...

[vickyannsmum]

OK, so I read the thread and like it... We arrived few days back and am dreading the thought of my husband starting his job on Monday and I'm clueless how to organise the day. Difficult to sign up for anything as staying at a temporary address and just in the process of looking for a condo.
First of all, I used to work part time back in London and since September, as a SAHM had a play date each day (dd 2yo). So a bit freaking out. Anyone for a meet up in a mall for a bit of a play in the play area and a coffee afterwards? Just to share thoughts etc. this time not with a computer :-) would be great. V sorry if this sounds desperate :-)
BTW is it possible to get here Usborne sticker books - DD loves them?

[papooshka]

Hi again
Have a look at nmsg-singapore.com and checkout their calendar - they have a social at JWT on tuesday afternoon...

Also did you call up St Georges Church? they definitely have the playgroups going and you may be able to go on a monday morning?

Good luck, I know its very daunting, but you will be fine, loads of people in the same boat. I've got a really busy week this week so hard to meet up and I also work part time so not much time!

Haven't seen the sticker books here, my daughter loves them too! but you can get them at book depository.co.uk and they ship to Singers for free.

[vickyannsmum]

oh, thanks papooshka, really good info - great about the sticker books, will be on their website shortly :-)
Also will try the playgroups mentioned and the nmsg
If anyone knows about any shop which specialises in food intolerances - special foods - will be great and very appreciated
Tried Holland and Barret but very different from the UK - no foods really, just tablets - but maybe different branches have different products
So far no luck with soy yoghurts either - tried few milk brands - not as tasty as alprosoya back home, but hopefully my DD will give in
Thanks again.
Have a nice week.

[butterfliesinmytummy]

For sticker books try tango mango upstairs in tanglin mall. Also in tanglin mall (round the back) is brown rice paradise which is organic / health foods but at exorbitant prices .... If you are looking for soy products however they should have then. Also take a look downstairs in tanglin mall at the supermarket. Again it's pricey but the range is better than most, you might find better soya products than other supermarkets. Another health food shop is eat organic on bukit timah (google them, near coronation plaza and 6th avenue), the ladies are much nicer in there than brown rice and it seems cheaper too....

[vickyannsmum]

great, will try ... unfortunately having an intolerance is never cheap, wherever we go, but it's good to have few bits to keep lil dd happy. We're in a serviced appartment where there's no oven - so cannot bake her cupcakes and it's not easy to find things like this dairyfree in the supermarkets - so that's why so desperate. So will try :-) Big thanks!

[Merlion]

Mothers Works in Tanglin Mall and also Great World City sell Usbourne sticker books. There is also an organic shop in Great World City (B2 I think) called Four Seasons.