Playtime for adults

Who says playgrounds are only for kids? There are a few indoor playgrounds here that are designed not only for children, but also for adults to bounce, climb, swing and roll to their hearts’ content

Where: Clarke Quay, 3B River Valley Road

When: Noon to late (weekdays); 10am to late (weekends)

Admission: $12 to $50 a person, depending on the number of holes played

Info: Due to liquor licence requirements, those younger than 18 years old must be supervised by a parent or guardian. Go to www.holeymoley.com.sg

Fun factor: 3/5

Occupying the former premises of Mandopop club Shanghai Dolly in Clarke Quay, Holey Moley Golf Club is touted as Singapore's first mini golf club and bar.

Spread across two floors, the 17,000 sq ft outlet opened earlier this month.

The design of each of the 27 holes is inspired by pop culture themes - from television shows and classic films such as Jaws (1975) and The Wizard Of Oz (1939), to evergreen board games like Monopoly.

For example, at the hole themed after the 1982 science-fiction film E.T. The Extra-Terrestial, you can ride a "flying bicycle" against a background of a moon - in an homage to the iconic scene in the movie.

You can also sit on the "Iron Throne" - cheekily fashioned with golf clubs - inspired by the hit HBO series Game Of Thrones.

For a local flavour, a hole featuring an upside-down hawker centre allows for gravity-defying selfies.

Holey Moley was first introduced in 2016 by Funlab, an Australian company that creates, develops, operates and manages directional entertainment concepts.

The first Holey Moley venue was in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley and there are now 10 across Australia, in cities such as Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. One opened in New Zealand in October.

The Singapore outpost, the largest Holey Moley outlet, can host up to 450 guests.

Since it opened, more than 3,200 people have played a round of golf there.

The Instagram-friendly venue also features live DJs and serves giant burgers, hot dogs and fries.

Party packages are available for birthday celebrations and corporate events, and they include mini golf, drinks packages and a fully catered menu.

There is also a full-service cocktail bar called The Caddyshack, which serves beers, wines, mocktails, cocktails and spirits.

Project sales executive Ashley Chin, 24, says he had an "unexpectedly awesome" experience there and that he will recommend Holey Moley to his friends, especially those on a first date.

"It's a great place to break the ice. Just don't be too competitive."

He adds: "I would love to see the themes of the holes switched up after a while to keep the novelty and excitement going."


Coming soon: Nerf Action Xperience

Where: 01-208 Marina Square, 6 Raffles Boulevard

Expected to open in the second half of next year, this 18,000 sq ft attraction will offer multiple activity zones aimed at encouraging active play and teamwork.

Billed as the world's first Nerf-dedicated arena, it will feature merchandising and food-andbeverage areas related to the American toy brand Nerf, known for its foam-based weaponry such as dart guns. The zones are designed to promote active learning and family or team bonding, and challenge players to go beyond their comfort zone.

The attraction is a collaboration between play and entertainment company Hasbro, which owns the Nerf brand, and communication design and production group Kingsmen Creatives, which is listed on the Singapore Exchange.

A spokesman says: "With older children and adults constantly on the lookout for new things to do together, we are confident the Nerf Action Xperience will fill this gap in the market and be a hit. The attraction will be a year-round destination perfect for fun dates, birthday parties, family days, school excursions, team-building events and more."


SuperPark Singapore is an indoor activity park in Suntec City that features almost 40,000 sq ft of play space and more than 20 activities, including a warrior obstacle course. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

SuperPark Singapore

Where: 02-477 Suntec City Tower 1 (North Wing), 3 Temasek Boulevard

When: 10am to 9pm (weekdays), 9am to 9pm (weekends, public holidays and school holidays)

Admission: $22 to $48 a person; free for children younger than three years old

Info: Children aged seven and younger have to be accompanied by an adult. Go to www.superpark.com.sg

Fun factor: 4/5

The excited chatter of children and parents fills the air, punctuated by exclamations of "woah" and "cool" as someone performs an impressive move on a trampoline or skateboard.

SuperPark Singapore, an all-in-one indoor activity park, has been drawing crowds young and old since it opened last month. It features almost 40,000 sq ft of play space, equivalent to about 81/2 basketball courts, and more than 20 fun and exciting activities, from street basketball to an augmented climbing wall.

The inspiration for it came to Finnish businessman Taneli Sutinen when he was playing with his four-year-old daughter, but found it awkward interacting with child-sized playground equipment. The idea to set up an activity park where children and adults could easily play side by side was thus born.

The first SuperPark was launched in Vuokatti, Finland, in 2012.

There are now 18 activity parks globally - 13 in Finland and one each in Hong Kong, Sweden, China, Singapore and Malaysia.

The Singapore park has three themed spaces: an adventure area with zip wires, slides, play towers and a pedal car track; a game arena that lets users play baseball and street basketball; and a freestyle hall, where users can scale an augmented climbing wall, skateboard on ramps and rails, as well as bounce on a trampoline.

Three of the activities made their debut in a SuperPark at the Singapore attraction - an interactive parkour game, a warrior obstacle course and a fun climbing activity.

On average, more than 4,500 people visit the park each week.

Mr Mark Kumarasinhe, 44, chief executive of SuperPark Asia, says: "At SuperPark Singapore, children, teenagers, parents and even grandparents can all play, be active and have fun together. There are also games that are great for friendly challenges among couples, friends, colleagues or families."

Seven party rooms are available for company team-building activities, birthday parties, friends' gatherings and family celebrations. Party packages can be booked separately.

Housewife Lynn Lee, 42, has been to the park five times since it opened, with her nine-year-old daughter Leia Leong.

She says: "We can spend the whole day here. And unlike at other attractions, I get to play with her because the attractions are geared towards adults too."

For example, she went on the pedal car track with Leia. "The vehicles are suitable for adults. I rode behind my daughter and learnt to steer the vehicle."

Two weeks ago, she played an interactive parkour game with her daughter. "It is good for adults to get the body moving and to sweat it out," says Ms Lee.

Last month, a woman suffered a fractured nose at the park when a baseball rebounded from an unexpected angle and hit her.

Mr Kumarasinhe said then that the park will conduct a review, with a goal to improving its safety standards and further enhancing its procedures if necessary.

Helmets and safety pads, as well as skateboards, scooters, baseball bats and balls, can be borrowed on site and are covered by ticket prices.


At Airzone in City Square Mall, visitors can play with giant inflatable balls and navigate a maze zone. ST PHOTO: JASMINE CHOONG

Airzone

Where: City Square Mall, 180 Kitchener Road When: 11am to 10pm daily, last entry at 9.30pm

Admission: $20 a session, $70 for a four-session pass

Info: Children aged six and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Go to www.airzone.sg

Fun factor: 3/5

Since its soft opening in January this year, this elevated playground has received more than 40,000 visitors.

The attraction sits in City Square Mall's atrium space and is spread over four levels - from levels three to six.

On level three, there is a suspended ball pit where visitors can fall and bounce around on the net, or simply lie down and experience the shopping centre from a different perspective.

Level four has a games and activity zone with giant inflatable balls. This space can be hired for mini events and group activities, such as fitness and trampoline classes or dodgeball sessions.

Visitors can navigate a maze zone on level five and take a giant slide from level six to level five.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on December 30, 2018, with the headline Playtime for adults. Subscribe