Our baby really enjoy going out, but given the Covid situation, we decided to avoid indoor aircon places. So parks, like Jurong Lake Gardens seemed ideal. To be honest, I did some research before going. But I think no amount of research is going to prepare me for what lies ahead.
Our plans included having a meal at Fusion Spoon. We had a pizza and the Nonya laksa and the food was rather average (captive market). Some of the items such as the merlion ice-cream was definitely targeted at the tourists. $5 for a tiny piece, no way! With a baby, we never made it further than the Passion Wave because he did a fart which we though was a shart and fell asleep halfway.
Despite my boundless whines, Jurong Lake Gardens is really pretty and has a lot of nice spots for photos despite us not venturing too far in. Secret spot alert: The toilets near Clusia Cove is absolutely gorgeous. Baby had quite a bit of fun playing with the pebbled seats and crawler plants. It was also a lot more cooling than the rest of the place. I actually even bought a change of clothes for him, but Clusia Cove is close because of social distancing.
If you have a baby and wonder how on earth you can do here? Well most of the play areas are more suited for the toddlers. But babies are very curious by nature and have their own form of fun just touching plants and having them rubbed against them. They would also observe a bit of wildlife (i.e. water hens...erm not entirely sure if they are called that but that's what another father told me, butterflies, bees and pet dogs?)
Some survival tips for fellow parents:
- Dress up! Baby was decked in the Sail Away Bodysuit ($42.90) from The Baby Closet. I was also in a matching romper and the husband in a matching color. There is really so little going out opportunities, so I really try to make an effort to dress us all up when we step out of the house. Don't say I am overdoing it, because we did see other parents/ babies there and everyone was dressed like it is CNY all over again :P
- Bring a stroller. You can dump baby in it when your arms get tired or let him sleep in it so that you can still take photos and go on a date. (Yea, this mama still got it in her!) A stroller is also quite a nice prop to hide the bulging tummy :'(
- Pack lots of food for baby. We brought like milk, biscuits and water so that he remains bearable despite the sweltering weather. Awesome strategy!
- Use insect repellent and sunblock. We got a Mylo sample ($6.50 for 10 pcs), which we pasted on the stroller. Seems effective. Didn't use a sunblock and the boys survived, I didn't. I am now a lobster.
- Bring a fan! We don't have one for the stroller, but it seems like it would be a good idea, if we had one at that time!
- Lots of sanitiser/ wet wipes! Baby is still at a stage which he likes to shove things in his mouth. So we really need to wipe him or the area first.
Note: Laptop is down, so posts won't be as frequent!