7 Must-Visit Old School Playgrounds In Singapore

DRAGON PLAYGROUNDS: Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio & MacPherson

Beyond doubt, the dragon playgrounds are the most famous ones and also a favorite of its designer, Mr. Khor. He turned a fearsome mystical creature into a subtle play structure where kids can crawl along its metal spines, swing on attached ropes and whoosh down the terrazzo tiled slides. Other than the full-sized dragons found in Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio, there are also the lesser known baby dragon playgrounds found at Toa Payoh and MacPherson - one dressed in pink while the other in orange. These were built as the space allotted for them is too small to fit a full-sized mama dragon so a modified version was built instead.

Where to Find Them:

Blk 28 Toa Payoh Lor 6

Blk 570 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3

Blk 54 Pipit Road

Blk 240 Toa Payoh Lor 1

WATERMELON & MANGOSTEEN PLAYGROUNDS: Tampines Central Park & Pipit Road

Back in the 80s, fruit-themed playgrounds were built based on their location, for example, a series of them were at Choa Chu Kang, which used to be a farming area. At present, only two of these fruit playgrounds remain - the watermelon and mangosteen ones, both found at Tampines Central Park, which are part of the recently opened Tampines Heritage Trail.

Where To Find Them:

Tampines Central Park, Tampines St 83

DOVE PLAYGROUND: Dakota Crescent

Part of the animal series, the simple dove playground with a connecting bridge at Dakota features a terrazzo tiled slide as well as old-school tire swings attached with ropes. Kids can also run through cut-out holes in the blue dove structure as part of imaginative play in this sandpit.

Where to Find It:

Blk 16 Dakota Crescent

CLOCK PLAYGROUNDS: Bishan & Boon Lay

Part of a new wave of designs in the late 80s based on kiddy play themes, the two remaining clock playgrounds are relatively similar. The one in Bishan features a house on stilts with a clock face in front. Kids can clamber up and down metal ladders and a bridge located behind the clock face, before speeding down a terrazzo slide hidden by yet another clock face. The Boon Lay one is slightly simpler and smaller in scale.

Where To Find Them:

Bishan St 13, next to the Bus Interchange

Blk 176 Boon Lay Ave

SAMPAN PLAYGROUND: Elias Road

This simple, yet iconic sampan playground found on the east coast of our island at Pasir Ris was completed in the 90s. Split into two halves and built in a sandpit, one half contains a ladder constructed with tires for little ones to climb and toddle over, while the other is built a little higher to fit a wide terrazzo slide with ladders at the bow of the bumboat. Even the color scheme of red, brown, green and black, has been well thought out and is a perfect reflection of the sampans of yesteryears.

Where To Find It:

Blk 601A Elias Road, Multi-storey Carpark

DINOSAUR PLAYGROUND: Kim Keat Avenue & Woodlands

Hidden within the Toa Payoh estate is a rare playground with dinosaur structures! Unlike its traditional counterparts, these structures are part of a relatively recent project as they were built in the millennium period. With no mosaic and terrazzo tiles in sight, the dinosaurs are still landmarks in the quiet Kim Keat neighborhood. At the heart of the playground is a 3-meter tall Tyrannosaurus Rex with five eggs by its side. The green Stegosaurus has a platform for kiddies to stand on. Another dinosaur-themed playground found at Woodlands was built earlier in the 90s and features concrete slides along the backs of an Ouranosaurus and Brontosaurus.

Where To Find Them:

Blk 27 Kim Keat Ave

Fushan Garden, Woodlands St 81

ELEPHANT PLAYGROUND: Pasir Ris Park

Another nostalgic and uniquely-Singapore playground is one built in the shape of an elephant, located in Pasir Ris Park. As with the other traditional playgrounds, this one comes equipped with sufficient play structures that allow little ones to hone their psychomotor skills. It features swings and crawl tunnels, but the main highlight is the slide which is that of the elephant's trunk!

Where To Find It:

125 Pasir Ris Rd, Pasir Ris Park, inside the Home Team NS Chalet