Jacob Ballas, Asia's first and largest garden dedicated to children, is a place for children aged 14 and under to play, discover, and learn. Its "Life on Earth Depends on Plants" theme aims to instill a love of nature in children. The garden includes a farm, an orchard, forest, ponds, a stream, and a waterfall, offering children numerous opportunities for a fun and adventure day out in nature!
The Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, located within the Singapore Botanic Garden, is Asia's first (four hectares) and largest garden dedicated especially to children! The garden's abundance of educational and recreational facilities makes it a great place for kids to spend a day in nature.
Designed for children aged 14 and under, the garden features an orchard, a farm, and a forest complete with its own ponds and a stream for youngsters to play, explore, and indulge in adventures. It provides a variety of activities in its distinct zones to meet the needs of all kinds of kids, from budding naturalists to daring explorers. Families visiting Singapore can also explore this enchanting garden as part of the best Singapore tour packages, ensuring a memorable experience for both children and adults alike.
The garden has eight zones: Play, Explore, Grow, Learn, Orchard, Farm, Stream, and Forest. While aspiring naturalists can take a stroll along the stream and climb into treehouses, young adventurers can have fun at the suspension bridge and nature play areas, and urban gardeners can learn about plant growth and gardening techniques! There is a cafe located south of the gardens where they can satisfy their hungry tummies with a tasty and healthy meal after a day of fun in the sun!
If you're looking for a fun and educational place for your kids to learn and admire nature, let them spend a day pretending to be a gardener, an adventurer, or a naturalist at the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.
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Highlights
• The Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden is the first and the largest garden in Asia dedicated to children.
• The garden, with a theme of "All Life on Earth Depends on Plants," is a fun place where children can learn about plants and our environment through exploration and hands-on experiences.
• It has eight interactive fun zones for kids up to 14 to help them learn to love nature.
• In the Sensory Garden, kids are encouraged to engage all their senses, such as sight, hearing, and touch.
• A great place for kids to learn about environmental preservation is the Waterfall Cave and the surrounding forest.
• Crossing the Swinging Suspension Bridge can turn out to be an exhilarating experience for your little ones.
• The Hedge Maze, the Tall Tree House, and the Water Play Area are all excellent opportunities for children to have fun while also learning about environmental issues.
Accessibilities
• Wheelchair Accessible
How To Reach
- By MRT: The Botanic Gardens MRT station is a 10-minute walk from the garden.
- By Bus: Bukit Timah Road or the NUS Bukit Timah Campus are the closest bus stops.
- By Car: Turn right at the Dunearn-Kheam Hock Road junction or turn left at the Bukit Timah-Kheam Hock Road junction to enter NUS Bukit Timah Campus. Turn right after the car park gantry into Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.
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Best Time To Visit
It is best to visit the Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden in the early morning around 8:30 AM or after 4 PM, when it is cooler and the sun is not as intense.
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Entrance
The Mystree, a sculpture by Zadok Ben-David, greets visitors to the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden at the entrance. The light shining through the roof's opening reveals 500+ miniature figurines on the tree and numerous diecast butterflies on the ceiling.
There are also responsive touchscreens and an interactive map to help visitors know about the park's activities and information. Kids can color in the rainbow or learn about flora while waiting for friends or transportation.
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Sand and Nature Playgrounds
A trip to the Sand Playground, Treehouse Playground, and Maze in the east will satisfy the fun needs of your youngster. There are two slides, a sandbox, a climbing wall, and a variety of other activities to enjoy at the Treehouse. Balancing beams, elevated platforms with steps, and little wooden houses make up the Sand Playground.
The Maze is a themed play area designed with shrubs for kids to help children hide and find their way out of it.
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West Wing
The West Wing has an elevated swing rope bridge, climbing ropes, and a flying fox, making it the best spot for kids who enjoy adventures.
A natural playground in the forest zone allows children to appreciate the gigantic trees that surround the playscape, as well as numerous flowers, water plants, and beautiful butterflies, dragonflies, and birds. There is also a wheelchair-friendly trampoline, a nest swing, and the most popular flying fox.
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Sensory Garden and Waterfall Cave
Smell and feel your way around the Sensory Garden's various areas. Continue on to the Potting Garden and look up to take in the lush greenery of the surrounding trees. Walk along the stream to see turtles, or cross a log to enjoy an adventure crossing the stream.
See the waterfall in all its glory, and take in the breathtaking scenery from the cave's vantage point. Have a good time wobbling your way across the nearby suspension bridge.
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Food for Tots Cafe
Located right next to the garden, the Food for Tots Cafe is a children's cafe with the goal of teaching children about environmental responsibility. Upcycled colander lights and themed recycling bins are some of the cafe's eco-friendly features.
A reading corner and an interactive play area are also here. Children can relish everything from delicious chocolate banana pancakes, creamy bacon, mushroom pasta, to ham and cheese toast dippers all day long as part of the extensive brunch menu.
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Zones at Jacob Ballas Children's Garden
There are eight distinct zones at the park, including PLAY, GROW, EXPLORE, LEARN, FARM, ORCHARD, STREAM and FOREST, where kids will have a fun time. The hedge maze at PLAY is an excellent place for your kids to run around and work on their mental agility.
They can discover the world through their senses by playing with sensory materials at EXPLORE.
On the stroller-friendly treetop walk in LEARN, they'll be able to see a variety of small animals and learn about the food supply chain.
FARM is an excellent resource for learning about farming. They could also spend their time in the FOREST, which has a treehouse, a flying fox, and a trampoline. Overall, kids will have a memorable time at the park.
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Tourism Board Alliances
Jacob Ballas Children's Garden FAQs
Which famous attractions are close to Jacob Ballas Garden?
- FutureWorld (7.7 km): Featuring a spectacular confluence of science and art, this place will captivate you to the core. From the museum's stunning architecture to its incredible digital installations, everything about this place is mind-blowing.
- Trick World (9.8 km): You can experience some of the most incredible illusions come to life in Trick World. Take a ride on a lionfish, practice ballet moves with other illusionary dancers, challenge a Kung Fu master to a fight, and much more. Capture the stunning creative illusions to keep them forever.
- Night Safari (18.6 km): One of Singapore's most popular attractions, the Night Safari is the world's first nocturnal zoo, housing over 2,500 animals and 130 species. Seeing wild animals at night in a damp tropical forest will leave you speechless. Here, you may view tigers, Asian elephants, Indian rhinoceros, and a variety of other animals, or participate in cultural events.
- Animal Resort (17.2 km): If you're looking for a place to catch a glimpse of a variety of exotic animals and plants in their natural habitat, look no further than the Animal Resort in Seletar West Farmway. The zoo's surroundings are also home to some of the best restaurants in the city, so you can stop by to sample some local fare.
- Japanese Garden (15.3 km): You will be mesmerized to see the stunning landscapes styled in the Japanese Muromachi and Momoyama periods. With a network of paths and ponds adorned with stone lanterns, the garden is a wonderful place to spend time. There is also a turtle museum that's a big hit with kids.
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What makes Jacob Ballas Garden so unique?
The Jacob Ballas Garden is designed to foster children's natural curiosity and imagination. Here, children can experience nature and learn about environmental issues through various themed zones and engaging activities. It's one of a kind because it's an interactive garden where children as young as 14 can have a good time while learning about how plants sustain their lives.
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How long is enough time for Jacob Ballas Garden?
Children will need at least two hours to explore the garden and see the park's eight distinct zones, but the minimum time depends on the child's level of interest.
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How big is the Jacob Ballas Children's Garden?
The Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden is now the most extensive children garden in Asia. Since its renovations in 2017, it has grown from a 2-hectare space to 4 hectares. New attractions like one more playground, farm, orchard, and classrooms are added, keeping the existing facilities intact.
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How to reach Jacob Ballas Children's Garden?
Jacob Ballas Garden is easily accessible through bus, train, and private vehicles.
- By MRT: The garden is only a 10-min walk from Botanic Gardens MRT Station.
- By Bus: Bus lines 48, 66, 67, 151, 153, 154, 156, 170, 171, 186 stop at NUS Bukit Timah Campus stop and Kheam Hock Road bus stop along Dunearn Road. The garden is 5 min walk from both bus stops.
- By Car/Taxi:
- From Dunearn Road - Take a right turn at the Dunearn-Kheam Hock Road junction towards NUS Bukit Timah Campus and then turn right for Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.
- From Bukit Timah Road - Turn left at the Bukit Timah-Kheam Hock Road junction for NUS Bukit Timah Campus and then turn right for Jacob Ballas Children's Garden.
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