Image from www.compassone.sg
Being our most frequented mall, we were a little dismayed when we knew that it would be closed for a year for renovation. Well, time has wings and before we know it, we were there at its grand opening yesterday morning and not only did we manage to catch the lion dance performance when the gates opened, we were also one of the first to step into the new rooftop playground! Woohoo!
In fact, we came here not once, but twice within the first 12 hours of its opening and that says a lot about how much my kids love playing here. For those who are planning to pay this place a visit soon, here's a look at what you can expect.
Image from www.compassone.sg
Introducing the Ninja TrailUnlike most of other water play areas in shopping malls, this one has a designated path for you to follow (if you want to) and it is named The Ninja Trail - a mini water obstacle course that aims to bring out the adventurous spirit in a child. The playground is suited for children aged 2 to 12 years old and there are also some baby and toddler friendly facilities which I will go through with you one by one.
In this Ninja Trail, there is a total of 17 play structures. Yes, that's quite a lot, right? Are you ready to follow us on the trail? Let's GO!
1) Invigtrail
At this starting point, you go through a series of mini water fountains that are lined up in a straight line. The only purpose it serves is probably to get you wet.
2) Jelly Jumping Pads
Water sprays out from small holes and you can try to jump in order to avoid (or if you prefer, step on) them.
3) Misty tunnel
Run through the 'tunnel' as water sprays on you in all directions.
4) Sprinkling turnabout
Stand in the middle of the "merry-go-round" (which by the way is just a mat design and doesn't literally rotate) and enjoy the sprinkles of rain.
5) Dip-and-Duck
Crawl through the line of water jets which changes from side to side and as best as you can, avoid contact with any of them.
6) November Rain
Take a few seconds to enjoy the cooling rain. And if you'd like to, dance like no one's watching.
7) Swing Walk
Jump and from side to side along the bumps and try not to fall!
8) Soaking Monkeys
This is the toughest of the lot, even for my big girl who can usually swing across monkey bars. She actually fell down here and hit her nose and upper lip. For a moment, I thought her other front tooth was going to drop out too but phew, there was just some swelling and a little blood. She picked herself up and was okay after a couple of minutes. Nothing ventured, nothing gained right? Anyway, it's totally not easy when the bars are wet, plus there is mist that sprays out from below to distract you and it makes the bars even wetter.
Move from one wheel to another from the start to end, using the poles to help you.
10) Stepper Bridge
Get across the hurdles by keeping your balance on the platforms. Both 9) and 10) are designed for kids aged 5 to 12 but most of the 3 to 4 year olds that I see, including mine, seem to like these challenges too.
11) Water Slide
It's time to land with a splash! Not surprisingly, this is the most popular, and our favourite, of all and the kids went on it countless times! Is it slippery? Yes, but to the extent of fun and not dangerous.
12) Net Traverse
Don't take the stairs, climb your way to the top instead using this net structure.
13) Bell Fort
And while you're up there, don't forget to ring the bell! Now, 12) and 13) are deemed as dry features but just know that the kids who are running up and down or climbing back and forth are usually quite wet, so don't expect these areas to be too dry either.
Toddler Friendly Features
Now, in my view, structures like the Invigtrail and Jelly Jumping Pads are quite toddler, even baby, friendly and provided there is no crowd, I wouldn't mind letting my younger ones play and get wet in these areas. My 3-year-old can basically do everything, and look after herself, at all the stations except the monkey bars which are really a huge challenge even for me.
Aside from those the 13 stations above, there are 4 other structures which are also targeted for the younger ones.
A) Crawltunnel
This is a short tunnel below the slide for kids to crawl across.
B) Sunny Swinging
There are also two swings available and these are quite a hit with the kids. I have to say that I thought the swings were too close to the ground, so kids with slightly longer legs might have a little big of problem trying to swing up high. But, I guess these are designed with toddlers in mind so the bigger ones will just have to help to push their siblings, right?
C) Meshbounce
Here, you can find six spring riders and a mini fountain in the middle. Perfect for babies and toddlers. As always, do ensure that there is adult supervision at all times.
D) Lightchaser
This is an interactive feature which resembles a piano. Step on a a sector of the circle and it lights up while emitting a sound at the same time.
Things to note
-> Day and Night
While some playgrounds get a little dark at night, the Ninja Trail is surrounded by strong, powerful floodlights which ensure that the playground remains well-lit even when night falls. We were there till after 9:30pm today (I can't see the operating hours listed anywhere, am assuming it closes when the mall closes at 10pm) and the whole place was still bright enough for the kids to play. Yes, the water definitely gets a little colder at night but I don't think they mind though!
-> Toilets and Shower area
There are toilets conveniently located right at the playground and has over ten cubicles. Unfortunately, there is no shower area except for an outdoor one which has two shower heads. This is quite typical of most water playgrounds in malls so just make sure you bring along a towel and a change of clothes and if you need to, head back home to take a bath after.
Note that there is no handicapped toilet or changing station in this particular toilet but you can find them at the same level in the mall, so it's pretty convenient.
-> Seating area
There are benches on both sides of the playground and shelter is provided for those seats located on the side of the shopping mall. Even if you can't get a seat, there is ample space to stand around and it is easy to find dry spots in between the stations too.
-> Soapy Foam
We saw what looked like soapy foam on the rubber mats and were not sure of the reason behind it. I'm hoping this was because of the brand new flooring and not the water itself, but in any case, don't let the kids drink water from these wet play areas, yeah?
-> Intermittent water supply
I'm not certain if this is permanent but at least for the first day, the water came at intervals. We would play for a good 15 minutes and then the water supply would cease for roughly 5 minutes before starting again. In any case, it didn't really seem to disrupt my kids much because they could still continue to play on the slide, ride on the swings or make attempts on the monkey bars again.
A hit with the kids
I'm quite sure that the little ones are all going to love this place and it has proven to be kid-friendly in its design and unique in its offering. At least, I'm very sure we are going to frequent this place, even after we move, because it's Fun, it's Fantastic, and it's FREE! Here's ending off this post with more happy shots from tonight.
We hope you'll love exploring The Ninja Trail too and if you ever see us, don't be a stranger, come up and say Hi!
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored review. I'm sharing this fun place out of my own accord because we really enjoyed our experience. All photos are our own unless credited otherwise and all opinions below to us.
