JACOB BALLAS' CHILDREN'S GARDEN (31 OCT 2007)

Lis had told Mommy that Anna had been having lots of fun at a new children's play area called the Jacob Ballas' Children's Garden, and recommended that we checked it out. One afternoon, Daddy and Mommy took me there. The Garden is located just opposite the College of Physical Education in Bukit Timah, and Mommy said it's named after Jacob Ballas, a wealthy Jewish businessman (of the Vickers Ballas stockbroking firm) who passed away a few years ago.


I had expected the Garden to be really fun, but it turned out to be quite a let down. The grounds are huge, but the emphasis seemed to be on Science classes for primary school students, and not on a play area for a 2-yr-old kid like me.

There was a water play area, but there're only 3 water pumps and they don't work well. The fountains (which are the best part of the water play area) come on only for a short while, and they don't come on regularly at all. I sat around waiting in my wet swimwear till the shivers came on. The fountains at Vivocity's playground, UE Square and Clarke Quay are much more fun.

There were 2 slides which were too steep for young kids. In fact, they were too steep for adults too! Ipa took me on one of the slides, and the gradient made her come down so rapidly that she landed on her bum, scrapped it, and hit her head against the base of the slide. A park ranger who happened to witness the fall merely said: "Oh yes, we've received some complaints that the slide is too steep and are working on it." What??? After receiving those complaints, why didn't they close the slides or put up some warning signs???

There was a sandpit with a see-saw. They made the see-saw look kindda new age with metal parts, then put a sign up to say that it wasn't meant for kids my age. With such sprawling grounds and a grand total of 1 see-saw, I'm better off at our neighbourhood playground, where there're at least 2!

There was a short suspension bridge, an artificial waterfall, and a small maze.


I visited the Garden on a weekday when it wasn't crowded. I wouldn't want to go there during the weekends when there'd probably be long queues to use the few play things that were there. Admission to the Garden is free. Adults must be accompanied by a kid to enter! (I like that bit, because rules are usually the other way round). Be sure to apply some mosquito repellant before entering, because those bloodsuckers are aplenty there.

We were there on 31 Oct 2007 (Halloween), and we met a nice family at the Kidz Cafe outside the Garden. Aunty gave me a lollipop for Halloween and I made friends with Che Che.