Growing up, we had endless hours of fun playing masak-masak AKA make-believe cooking. Children’s Museum Singapore has a new exhibition which takes it to the next level, with “stalls” serving our different local cuisines, interactive cooking stations, and even a motion-controlled game that tests your kid’s teh tarik pouring skills.
Along the way, you and your little ones will be able to pick up nuggets of wisdom about Singapore’s food history and culture. Here’s what you can get up to at the Into The Hawkerverse exhibition, which will be ongoing till 2026. Best part? Admission is free for all Singaporeans and PRs.
Image credit: National Heritage Board
The main highlight of Children’s Museum Singapore’s hawker-themed exhibition is the series of interactive cooking set-ups. Kids will get to explore themed zones modelled after hawker stalls, complete with a stovetop and food prep counter, display case at the storefront, and a sign board denoting what cuisine they serve.
Image adapted from: @ilovecmsg via Instagram
Head inside and your kid will don their chef’s hat, whipping up local favourites like chilli crab, yong tau foo, and even Western dishes like pizza. Your tot will get a kick out of this detailed simulation, and there’ll also be videos screened at the exhibit to see how the dish is cooked IRL. This may very well awaken culinary aspirations within them!
Image adapted from: @ilovecmsg via Instagram
Besides masak-masak toys, there’s also a game station where you can rack up points based on how accurately you tarik the teh, AKA pull the tea. Challenge your Mini Me to see who can complete more mugs before the timer runs out.
Image adapted from: @ilovecmsg via Instagram
To impart responsibility and good habits to young minds, the exhibition also has a crockery return station and sink. Kids will get to facilitate the collection of dishes and pretend to wash them till spick and span. And hey, if they wish to showcase what they learnt at home, we certainly won’t complain!
Image credit: National Heritage Board
Little ones won’t be the only ones benefiting from this exhibition, as there are learning opportunities aplenty even for grownups. Check out the exhibits about Singapore’s hawker scene in the olden days, which details the beginnings of street hawkers and chronicles legendary tales of hawker heroes.
Image adapted from: @ilovecmsg via Instagram
Widen your foodie knowledge by going through the exhibits about Singapore’s vast food landscape, including the unexpected origins of dishes we enjoy on the regular. While the hawker-themed exhibition is tons of fun, both you and your kid will be walking away having learned an abundance of new facts as well.
Children’s Museum Singapore is located a 7-minute walk from City Hall MRT.
Image credit: Children’s Museum Singapore via Facebook
If you’re running out of ideas on where to bring your kid so that they can play and learn at the same time, add Into The Hawkerverse to your list of must-visits. Children’s Museum Singapore has lots of enriching and interactive exhibits in general, allowing your kid to learn more about Singapore’s past without boring them.
Keep our mega list of things to do with kids handy so you have a new activity to try every weekend of the year, and then some. To hide away from the blistering heat and get your little one to expend some energy and work towards a good night’s rest, visit one of the many indoor playgrounds in Singapore.
Cover image adapted from: National Heritage Board, @ilovecmsg via Instagram
Consider pulling the trigger on one of these 10 protein powders to up your fitness…
Nothin's better than listening to live music over dinner and some drinks on a Friday…
Keebs Project in Johor Bahru Whether you’re a student or in the workforce, you likely…
Enjoy the great outdoors in Singapore, with these things to do at East Coast Park.…
No need to cross continents for an icy cold retreat.
Follow along as I decided to do some ol’ fashioned legwork and visit some of…