🏡 Parenting in Katong: Best Toddler Activities Within Walking Distance

Raising a toddler in Katong or the East Coast means you’re surrounded by rich heritage, vibrant colors, and plenty of opportunities for meaningful exploration—all without straying far from home.

At Bright Learners Preschool, located at 217 East Coast Road, we believe the neighbourhood is the classroom. Whether you're heading out for a weekend walk or seeking small daily adventures, here are 5 enriching toddler-friendly activities you can enjoy within walking distance.

1. 🌿 Slow Mornings at Koon Seng Park

Tucked behind the famous pastel shophouses on Koon Seng Road, Koon Seng Park offers a calm and shaded space that’s perfect for toddlers to move, play, and explore freely.

Why it’s great:

• Enclosed and stroller-friendly

• Lots of leaves, birds, and flowers to observe

• Quiet mornings are ideal for toddlers to focus and relax

💡 Bring bubbles, sidewalk chalk, or a snack to extend the play!

📍 10–12 min walk from Bright Learners Preschool

2. 🧒 Joo Chiat Community Club – A Cozy Community Space with a Toddler-Friendly Library Corner

Just a short walk from our preschool, Joo Chiat Community Club (CC) is a hidden gem for parents looking for relaxed outings with little ones. It is a great place to introduce your toddler to community life, new experiences, and even baby-friendly enrichment activities.

What you’ll find:

• Regular parent-child bonding workshops (e.g. baby massage, toddler music & movement)

• Cultural displays and community art, great for visual discovery

• Seasonal events like Hari Raya, National Day, and Mid-Autumn celebrations with toddler-friendly booths and crafts

Why it’s great for toddlers:

• The whole CC is stroller-accessible and usually not too crowded

• Encourages early literacy in a casual, no-pressure environment

• Offers simple social exposure and a chance to observe other children

💡 Pro Tip: Don’t miss the hidden gem library corner inside Joo Chiat CC—it’s the perfect quiet space for toddlers to discover their love for books.

📍 Just 7–10 minutes on foot from Bright Learners Preschool

3. 🎨 Heritage Walk Through Joo Chiat & Katong

Turn your weekend walk into a heritage-themed treasure hunt! Wander down Joo Chiat Road and East Coast Road to spot:

• Peranakan-style shophouses with intricate tiles

• Large murals depicting scenes from olden-day Singapore

• Signboards in English, Malay, Chinese, and Tamil—a great way to talk about language and culture

Why it’s great for toddlers:

• Boosts visual memory, vocabulary, and observation skills

• Gives real-world context to books and songs about homes, food, and local traditions

• Offers open-ended prompts like “What colour is this house?” or “What shape is this window?”

📸 At Bright Learners, we guide children through similar walks—sparking natural questions and conversations about their surroundings.

4. 🧵 Discover Peranakan Charm at Rumah Bee Choo & Rumah Bebe

Step into the colourful world of Peranakan culture with a visit to Rumah Bee Choo and Rumah Bebe—two beautifully preserved shophouses just minutes apart along East Coast Road. These spots offer toddlers and parents a rich, sensory introduction to heritage and tradition.

What to see:

• At Rumah Bee Choo: Traditional kebayas, antique tiffin carriers, ornate wooden furniture, and everyday heirlooms lovingly displayed in a heritage home setting

• At Rumah Bebe: Intricate beaded shoes, handmade Peranakan fashion, batik fabrics, and a vibrant storefront that’s a favourite among locals and tourists alike

Why it’s great for toddlers:

• Packed with colours, patterns, and textures that naturally draw children’s attention

• Perfect for sparking mini discovery conversations like: “Can you find something shiny?” or “Which one looks like Grandma’s teacup?”

• Both spaces are small and manageable, making them ideal for short toddler attention spans

• Great for introducing culture and tradition through real-life, tangible objects

💡 Pro Tip: Plan your visit to Rumah Bee Choo and Rumah Bebe right after your heritage walk through Joo Chiat and Katong. This natural progression helps your toddler connect what they’ve seen outside—like the murals and tiles—with real cultural artefacts, making conversations about heritage more meaningful and engaging.

📍 About 5–7 min walk from Bright Learners Preschool

5. 📚 Wind Down at Geylang East Public Library

After a morning of walking and exploring, a quiet visit to Geylang East National Library is a great way to transition to rest and reflection.

Why it’s great:

• Dedicated children’s section with board books, picture books, and low seating

• Air-conditioned and stroller-friendly

• Ideal for cultivating a love of reading in a calm, inviting space

📍 A short bus ride or drive from Katong, great for ending your toddler’s day with calm and connection

🏫 At Bright Learners Preschool, Katong Is Our Classroom

We don't just walk past these places—we build them into our curriculum.

At Bright Learners, we:

• Guide children on short neighbourhood walks to explore the familiar and the new

• Use cultural landmarks and everyday observations as springboards for storytelling, art, and dramatic play

• Help children develop a sense of place, belonging, and identity—starting with their own community

If you're a parent living in Katong, East Coast, or Marine Parade and looking for a preschool that truly embraces the neighbourhood as part of your child’s learning journey—come meet us this August.

🎈 Join Us for Our Open House!

📅 Saturday, 16 & 30 August 2025

🕘 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

📍 217 East Coast Road, Level 3 (Tides Building)

Meet our passionate educators, explore our thoughtfully designed learning spaces, and discover how we nurture confident, curious learners from 2 months to 6 years old—right here in the heart of Katong.

💬 Chat with us about how we gently introduce toddlers to school life, explore the neighbourhood with intention, and weave family culture into your child’s preschool journey.

🎁 Bonus: Families who register during our Open House enjoy an exclusive enrolment gift!

👉 Reserve Your Spot Now for 16 August 2025 or 30 August 2025

📲WhatsApp us at 8801 1919 to learn more.

We can’t wait to welcome you to our community at Bright Learners Preschool, where every corner of Katong becomes a story waiting to be explored.