Where to go during 2022 year end school holidays in Singapore?
Going on a trip abroad during the year end school holidays is a popular activity among Singaporean families. It is a time for the family to get together, bond and have a retreat after a year of hard work and study. And after being locked up in Singapore for the past 2 years due to the pandemic, many have been eager to travel overseas this year, resulting in unusually higher air ticket prices.
For those who did not manage to get air tickets to your favourite destinations or find the total cost too expensive for the entire family, there are still many activities that you can do in Singapore.
We have curated a list of ticketed and free activities in November & December 2022 that are suitable for children and teenagers below:
| Event (Date) / SGD | Type | Prices from |
| Christmas on a Great Street (12 Nov 2022 – 2 Jan 2023) | Carnival | Free |
| Jurong Bird Park: Flight to Remember (14 Nov 2022 – 3 Jan 2023) | Attraction | 10 |
| Mega Carnival at Downtown East (19 Nov 2022 – 5 Feb 2023) | Carnival | 28 |
| Anime Festival Asia (25 – 27 Nov 2022) | Exhibition | 21 |
| The Great Bay Fiesta by Uncle Ringo (1 Dec 2022 – 1 Jan 2023) | Carnival | Free |
| Christmas Wonderland (2 Dec 2022 – 1 Jan 2023) | Carnival | 8 |
| Space Fest @ Expo (3 – 24 Dec 2022) | Carnival | Free |
| BookFest@Singapore (9 – 18 Dec 2022) | Exhibition | Free |
| Singapore Comic Con (10 – 11 Dec 2022) | Exhibition | 30 |
| Disney in Concert (17 Dec 2022) | Show | 88 |
| EOY J-Culture Festival (24 – 25 Dec 2022) | Exhibition | 16.80 |
| Star Island Singapore Countdown (31 Dec 2022 – 1 Jan 2023) | Show | 68 |
Christmas on a Great Street
Photos via Orchard Road Business Association / Facebook @orchardroad.sg
It’s the time of the year again where shopping malls and streets in the Orchard area are dressed with sparkling lightings and festive decorations. Stroll down Orchard Road on one of the nights this season with the kids, and be enchanted by the lightings and augmented reality (AR) projections.
Apart from the light show, Ngee Ann City will be holding a carnival from 7 December 2022 to 2 January 2023 at its Civic Plaza. Art workshops, live music performances, gourmet treats, beers and amusement rides await visitors of all ages.
- Venue: Orchard Road [Map]
- Dates: 12 November 2022 – 2 January 2023
- Admission Fee: Free
Jurong Bird Park: Flight to Remember
Photos via Mandai Wildlife Group / Website
After more than 5 decades, the iconic Jurong Bird Park will be ceasing its operations in Jurong and move to Mandai Wildlife Reserve in 2023. This will be the last time you will get to visit the park and reminisce memories of yesteryears.
From now until 3 January 2023, local residents enjoy admission with tram ride for only SGD 10 per person.
- Venue: 2 Jurong Hill, Singapore 628925 [Map]
- Dates: 14 November 2022 – 3 January 2023
- Opening hours: 08:30am – 06:00pm daily (last entry at 05:00pm)
- Admission Fee: SGD 10 per person (local resident – adult / child / senior citizen)
Mega Carnival at Downtown East
Photos via Trip.com / Website
Thinking of where to bring kids this school holiday? Consider organising a staycation at the chalet, BBQ by the Pasir Ris beach, or simply a one-day outing to the east at Downtown East.
Other than the main attractions like the Wild Wild Wet water theme park, Tayo indoor playground, Cathay cinema, and Whimsy arcade, there is also a pop-up carnival with more than 20 stations of rides and games specially curated for young children. This carnival will be open until February 2023. Kids will get to enjoy unlimited dinosaur-themed slides, inflatable castle bounces, VR-enabled rides, carnival games, and more.
- Venue: D’marquee, Downtown East [Map]
- Dates: 19 November 2022 – 5 February 2023
- Opening hours: 10:00am – 9:30pm (2.5 to 3.5 hour slots)
- Admission Fee: SGD 28 – 32 per person
Anime Festival Asia
This is a not-to-be-missed event for those who are into anime. Other than getting to buy games, comics, cosplay and anime merchandise at the exhibition, the festival features separately ticketed concerts by the original singers of popular anime flying in from Japan. Japanese dance & cosplay competitions will also be held on the side.
This is not just an exhibition, but is a festival that celebrates the Japanese pop culture and is an avenue for like-minded hobbyists to meet every year.
- Venue: Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hall 401-405 [Map]
- Dates: 25 – 27 November 2022 (Friday – Sunday)
- Opening hours: 09:00am – 10:00pm
- Admission Fee: SGD 21 – 330 per person
The Great Bay Fiesta by Uncle Ringo
Many are familiar with Uncle Ringo, the roving fun fair and amusement ride provider who have been providing fun rides, games, and entertainment to children and the young-at-heart around Singapore since 1984.
The company will be holding a 4-in-one carnival at the Marina Bay area this December that includes a rides and games section, a 35-stall food fair, a snow playground, and a circus show. Get the kiddos down to for a day of fun and great food in downtown Singapore, they will love it here.
Admission to the food fair is free, while entry to the rides and games area costs SGD 10 per person. The snow playground and the circus show are separately ticketed, and prices start from SGD 25 and SGD 72, respectively.
- Venue: Bayfront Event Space (beside Marina Bay Sands) [Map]
- Dates: 1 December 2022 – 1 January 2023
- Opening hours: 10:00am – 10:00pm (varies across activities)
- Admission Fee: SGD 0 – 152 per person
Christmas Wonderland
Photos via Christmas Wonderland / Facebook
A Christmas-themed carnival held annually since 2014, the event is back this year at the Garden by the Bay. Other than carnival games, amusement rides, food fair and music performances typically of carnivals, the highlights of this event are the specially constructed and instagrammable lighting displays.
The 21-metre tall Spalliera made up to more than 100,000 lightbulbs, 10-metre tall Windmill decorated with 35,000 light bulbs and 250 candy canes, and 50-metre tunnel lighted by 50,000 multi-colored LED lights are key installations not to be missed.
As the saying goes ‘happy times come and go, but the memories stay forever’, get some photos taken with your loved ones and keep this joyous occassion in your memory, forever.
- Venue: Gardens by the Bay, Supertree Grove [Map]
- Dates: 2 December 2022 – 1 January 2023
- Opening hours: 6:30pm – 10:30pm (last entry at 09:30pm)
- Admission Fee: SGD 8 – 12 per adult, SGD 6 per child
Space Fest @ Expo
Photos via Singapore Expo / Facebook
This space-themed carnival may be for you if you are staying in the eastern side of Singapore and do not want to travel too far from home. Organised by the Singapore Expo, the event brings together a host of activities for kids as well as adults, ranging from workshops, inflatable indoor playground, go-kart, VR games, food fair, movie screening, live music performance, to FIFA World Cup 2022 screenings.
While access to the food fair, movie screening, live music and World Cup screenings are free, the games and spaced-themed workshops are ticketed. Nonetheless, this carnival is a good choice for family outing where the kids to enjoy loads of fun in the day, while the adults get to lay back, have some booze and be entertained in the evening.
- Venue: Singapore Expo, Atrium outside Hall 5 & 6 [Map]
- Dates: 3 – 24 December 2022 (closed on Wednesdays)
- Opening hours: 01:00pm – 09:00pm (last entry at 08:00pm)
- Admission Fee: SGD 28 – 33 (1 adult & 1 child), SGD 16 – 23 (1 adult or 1 child)
BookFest@Singapore
Commonly known as Popular Book Fair, the annual fair organised by Popular Bookstore (the book and stationery retail chain), is an event that all parents with school-going children should not miss. It is the time of the year to replenish or replace stationeries, and to get assessment books to prepare for the new academic year in two weeks’ time.
- Venue: Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hall 401 – 406 [Map]
- Dates: 9 – 18 December 2022
- Opening hours: 10:00am – 10:00pm
- Admission Fee: Free
Singapore Comic Con
Photos via Singapore Comic Con / Website
The annual toys, games and comics exhibition, showcasing collections from over 100 exhibitors, is back this December! You will be able to get to browse and buy the latest collectibles at this fair. If you are thinking of rewarding your child for scoring good grades or buying a Christmas present for a kid who is a fan of anime and manga, this is a place where you should go!
- Venue: Sands Expo and Convention Center, Hall A & B (Level 1) and Hall D & E (Level B2) [Map]
- Dates: 10 – 11 December 2022 (Saturday – Sunday)
- Opening hours: 10:00am to 8:00pm
- Admission Fee: SGD 30 – 142 per person
Disney in Concert
Before the school holidays come to an end, catch famous Disney’s characters in person at the 110-minute musical at the Singapore Indoor Stadium this December. Featuring 4 live performances accompanied with a 46-piece orchestra, beloved characters and stories will be brought to live with the performers synchronising their acts with the original movies.
Treat the kids and yourself to this spectacular show and get transported to a whole new magical world.
- Venue: Singapore Indoor Stadium [Map]
- Dates: 17 December 2022 (Saturday)
- Hours: 03:00 pm – 05:00 pm
- Admission Fee: SGD 108 – 148 per person
EOY J-Culture Festival
If you had missed the Anime Festival Asia in November, this end-of-year Japanese pop culture festival will be your last chance to immerse in J-pop culture and meet with fellow enthusiasts in 2022. While this event will not feature big anime titles and singers, it is a platform for local J-pop culture fans to congregate and share their passions.
Over 100 exhibitors will share their love for the culture through performances, cosplays, illustrations, and photography. This festival is initiated ground-up by fans and its tickets are comparatively more affordable.
- Venue: Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hall 406 [Map]
- Dates: 24 – 25 December 2022 (Saturday – Sunday)
- Hours: 12:30pm – 08:00pm
- Admission Fee: SGD 16.90 – 138 per person
Star Island Singapore Countdown
Photos via Star Island Singapore Countdown / Website
Nothing can be compared to having a countdown party as the finale of the year and school holiday. Apart from holding your own private party or ceremony at home, consider joining the Star Island Singapore Countdown event at The Float for a spectacular night of stage performances, laser displays and specially choreographed Japanese hanami fireworks.
While most parties involve electronic dance music and alcohol, this event’s focus is on the 70-minute audio-visual show. It is a kids-friendly countdown party, with the minimum admission age at only 3 years old.
- Venue: The Float @ Marina Bay [Map]
- Dates: 31 December 2022 – 1 January 2023 (Saturday – Sunday)
- Admission Fee: SGD 68 – 318 per person
