In Singapore, we only have two seasons: hot and hotter. Although we are fortunate not to experience deadly heatwaves (like those in Japan), there are some days where the heat proves too unbearable. Instead of thronging the malls or stay holed up at home with the air conditioning set to full blast., here are some ways to keep boredom at bay without sweltering in the hot sun.

A. Water Fun

Playing with water, in some form or fashion, is always a great way to cool off during the hotter months (like August!). Some ideas:

• Swimming
• Water gun battles (e.g. NERF!)
• Water balloon war 
• Visit a waterpark
(There’s plenty to choose from: Wild Wild Wet, Rainforest Kidzworld, Choa Chu Kang Swimming Complex, Jurong West Aquatic Centre, Sengkang Swimming Complex, Marina Barrage)
• Sprinkler fun – For those who have gardens or front porches, water the grass or your cars with a hose and entertain the kids all at once!

Our Happy Water Baby!

B. Bowling

Dana celebrated her birthday this year at a bowling alley and everyone (from kids to adults) had a fun time! Bowling is a wonderful indoor recreational sport for family bonding and it cultivates values like turn taking and teamwork. There are many bowling alleys with special bumper lanes and customized bowling balls for kids. The next time you are in need of a cool place to go (pun intended), head down to the nearest bowling alley for a reasonably priced, fun treat.

Kids can bowl too!

C. Visit ‘L.A.M’- Libraries, Aquariums and Museums 

When it’s really hot outside, it might be wise to retreat to an indoor venue. If you’ve not visited the newest ‘green’ library for children – My Treehouse, you should!

My Treehouse is the world’s 1st Green Library for kids. The green library contains a collection of 45,000 books suitable for children aged 4 to 12 in four languages, and a significant 30% focuses on green topics such as animals, plants, nature, water resources, weather, environment, recycling and climate change. My Tree House has been designed to entice children to read, explore, discover and learn about the environment in a fun, interactive and enjoyable way. I personally think it’s such an awesome library for kids!

My Treehouse at Central Library Singapore

Enjoying a good read on the big Treehouse..

If you’re in the mood to do something touristy, you can always visit the newly opened River Safari or the S.E.A Aquarium@RWS and spend an entire day ‘under the sea’. Your kids will also be thrilled to meet the star pandas ‘Jiajia & Kaikai’ and the mystical manatees and dugongs at the River Safari!

Fun at the River Safari…

An enchanted underwater kingdom awaits…

During the school holidays, we brought Dana to the ‘Lego : Art of the Bricks’ exhibition and the ‘Mummies: Secrets of the Tomb’ exhibition at The Art Science Museum. These visits nurtured a healthy curiosity for the world and provide hours of interesting discussion around the dining table thereafter.

Fascinated by the Art of the Bricks…

Intrigued by the history of Mummies…

Another exhibition that we have yet to visit is the Singapore Art Museum Children Season has extended its run to 1 September 2013. There, children can wander through fairy tales, get lost in dreams and stretch their imagination! The entire family can enjoy exploring the world of contemporary art through these fascinating installations and take part in the delightful activities specially designed for the kids by SAM and the artists.

D. Make Ice-Treats – Ice Pops and Ice creams!

Nothing delights children more than ice-treats. Since Dana is such a fan of cold desserts, I’ve decided to make our own ice-pops with the new Zoku Original Quick Pop Maker which I bought at the Robinsons Great Singapore Sale.

The Zoku Original Quick Pop Maker freezes ice pops in as little as seven minutes right on your countertop without electricity. You can cool off on a hot summer day be making an ice cold popsicle from start to finish in only 7 minutes. There is no need to wait hours and hours for your popsicles to freeze anymore. Best of all, the kids can entertain themselves as they watch the pops freeze right before their eyes.

Do you Zoku?

Recipe for Orange Pomegranate Ice-Pops

Makes 2 Ice Popsicles

Ingredients
20ml Pomegranate Juice (store bought Pokka brand)
40ml freshly squeezed Orange Juice (or you can substitute with bottled Orangina!)

Instructions
1. First layer – Pour orange juice into Zoku Original Quick Pop Maker and wait 7 minutes or until frozen.
2. Second layer – Pour the pomegranate juice into the Quick Pop Maker and wait another 7 minutes till completely frozen.
3. Using the Super Tool that comes with the Zoku, remove the popsicle from the maker and enjoy!

Orange Pomegranate Ice-Pop – all natural, no preservatives!

Note: you can use this recipe with regular popsicle moulds; just allow to freeze as usual.
For more easy Ice Popsicles recipes, click here.

That sheer delight…

Who doesn’t love an ice lolly on a hot day?

As you can see, there are many fun ways to keep your ‘cool’ in our hot Singapore weather. As a rule of thumb, avoid being outside during the hottest parts of the day if possible. When outside, wear loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothing. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to stay hydrated by drinking additional water and don’t forget to keep your family healthy and free from bacteria/infections with Lifebuoy.