COMO Adventure Grove at Singapore Botanic Gardens

COMO Adventure Grove is the playground that NParks built into the Gallop Extension of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, and every structure in it copies a part of a real tree that grows in the Gardens. Children climb a steel weeping fig with rope roots, scramble over a giant cempedak and sit on oversized saga seeds, and entry is free from 7am to 7pm daily.

It sits at the Tanglin end of the Gardens, off Tyersall Avenue near Holland Road, which places it far from the better-known children’s garden at the Bukit Timah end. Families who come for it usually combine it with the forest trails and small museums around it.

What COMO Adventure Grove Is

Layout and Theme

The playground occupies a clearing in the Gallop Extension, behind the Botanical Art Gallery and the Forest Discovery Centre. The route in from the Gallop Entrance passes through the OCBC Arboretum, and signboards point the way.

Everything on site takes its form from plants in the Gardens’ collection. The tallest piece copies the aerial roots of a weeping fig, and the climbing mounds copy the warty skin of a cempedak and the red seeds of the saga tree. The ground is mostly sand, with planted beds and shrubs between the structures.

History and Design

The playground opened on 13 March 2021 together with the Gallop Extension, which added eight hectares and brought the Botanic Gardens to 82 hectares. COMO Foundation is one of the named sponsors of the extension. Playground firm Playpoint designed and built the site with Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl, and a Malaysian specialist fabricated the tree tower. The project won a LIAS Award of Excellence in 2022, according to Playpoint.

How It Differs From Jacob Ballas

The Gallop playground admits anyone, with or without children, and it opens on Mondays. It has no water play and no garden plots. It trades those features for height and climbing, and it suits a child who wants to go up rather than get wet.

Who It Suits

The playground suits children from about three to ten, and it suits families who like a walk with their play. Parents of toddlers will find the sand and the saga seeds useful, while primary school children spend most of their time on the tower.

Play Structures at COMO Adventure Grove

Weeping Fig Tower

The central tower stands about 5.8 metres tall and is built from steel posts hand-textured to look like bark. Ropes hang from its branches in the way a fig drops aerial roots, and children use them to climb between levels. Nets, hammocks and swings hang off the frame, and a lookout platform sits at the top.

Two enclosed tube slides run down from the tower, one longer than the other. Published lengths differ between sources, so we have left the figures out. Children who reach the top tend to repeat the climb and slide many times.

Sandpit

A large sandpit surrounds the base of the tower and catches children coming off the slides. Toddlers who are too young for the tower dig here while older siblings climb above them, and parents who bring spades and buckets get more time out of the visit.

Giant Cempedak Scramble

The cempedak structure is modelled on the local jackfruit relative at roughly 100 times real size. Its bumpy, spiky surface gives climbing holds of varying difficulty, and Sassy Mama suggests it for children from five upwards.

Saga Seeds and Pods

Oversized red saga seeds sit on sandy ground near the tower, with green seed pods beside them for climbing. The seeds work as seats and stepping stones for toddlers, and tree shade falls across part of this corner.

Mini Obstacle Course

A short course of insect-shaped spring riders, mounds and wooden steps runs around the edge. It suits younger children who want movement without height, and it keeps them away from the busier tower.

Hornbill Nest Display

An old hornbill nest sits on display with a panel explaining how the birds seal themselves into tree cavities. It is a small feature, but it gives parents something to read with a curious child.

Opening Hours, Entry and Facilities at the Playground

Item	Details
Entry	Free, no booking
Hours	Daily, 7am to 7pm
Water play	None
Night lighting	Not applicable; the playground closes at 7pm
Toilets	Yes, up a set of steps behind the playground
Shade and shelter	Limited; some tree shade near the saga seeds
Drinking water	Not confirmed; bring bottles
Nursing room	At the Forest Discovery Centre
F&B nearby	Small cafe kiosk reported nearby; Pangium restaurant on the ridge

Is It Free?

The playground costs nothing and needs no booking. The Botanic Gardens themselves are free to enter, and only the National Orchid Garden charges admission.

Opening Hours

NParks lists the playground as open from 7am to 7pm every day. The Gardens grounds stay open from 5am to midnight, but the playground itself runs on the shorter window. The Forest Discovery Centre next door opens from 9am to 6pm and closes on the last Monday of each month.

Toilets, Shade and Drinking Water

HoneyKids reports toilets up a flight of steps behind the playground. Shade is the main weakness of the site. Much of the tower and the sandpit sit in the open, and Bykido warns that the metal tubes heat up in the afternoon sun.

Age Suitability at the Gallop Extension Playground

Toddlers (1 to 3)

Toddlers can use the sandpit, the saga seeds and the spring riders on the obstacle course. The tower is too tall for most under-threes without an adult close behind, and the slide exits land in sand, which softens a fall.

Ages 4 to 6

This group can start on the lower levels of the tower and the shorter slide. Most five-year-olds can manage part of the cempedak, and they tend to spend the rest of the visit between the slides and the sand.

Ages 7 to 12

Older children get the most from the full height of the tower, the nets at the top and the longer slide. The cempedak’s harder holds challenge them as well. Children at the top of this band may finish the site within an hour.

Accessibility and Inclusive Features

The Gallop Extension has paved paths and a Canopy Link, but the approach from some trails involves steps, and HoneyKids notes that prams cannot manage the rocky descent on the Rambler’s Ridge trail. A sand base limits wheelchair access to the structures themselves. The Gardens’ information desks lend wheelchairs.

Supervision

The tower has several levels and exits, so a parent watching a small climber should stay at the base rather than on a bench. Sassy Mama suggests long trousers to reduce friction burns on the slides.

Getting to COMO Adventure Grove

Address: COMO Adventure Grove, Gallop Extension, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 5 Gallop Road, Singapore 258960 (enter at Gallop Gate on Tyersall Avenue)

Opening hours: Daily, 7am to 7pm

Nearest MRT and Bus

Botanic Gardens MRT station on the Circle and Downtown Lines is the nearest station, but the walk takes about 18 to 25 minutes depending on the route. Buses are quicker. Stops on Holland Road near Tyersall Avenue are served by services 7, 75, 77, 105, 106, 123 and 174, and the walk from there takes about 12 minutes.

Parking

The Gallop Extension car park at the Gallop Entrance has 29 lots, and it fills quickly at weekends. The Learning Forest car park at the Tyersall Entrance has 36 lots and serves as the backup. Both are charged by the minute, at S$0.02 per minute when we checked, and operate from 5am to midnight.

Best Time to Visit

Go at 7am or after 5pm. The playground has little shade, the steel and plastic surfaces heat up by late morning, and the tube slides can be too warm around midday. Weekend mornings bring the biggest crowds, and afternoon storms can clear the site at short notice.

What Parents Say About the Botanic Gardens Playground

What Reviewers Praise

Parent blogs praise the design, especially the way the tower looks like a real tree rather than a colour-coded frame. Little Day Out and HoneyKids both describe the giant fruit structures as unusual for Singapore. Parents also like that the playground ties in with the Forest Discovery Centre and the trails, which turns a short play session into a half-day outing.

Common Complaints

Heat and shade come up in almost every review. The walk from the MRT station is long, and the small car park fills early. Parents also mention the steps down to the toilets and the steep trail sections that make a pram difficult. We did not find a separate TripAdvisor or Google rating for the playground alone.

Verdict

Category	Rating	Reason
Variety of play	Good	Tower, slides, sand, fruit climbers and riders
Shade and heat	Weak	Mostly open to the sun; metal gets hot
Older-kid challenge	Good	Tall tower and harder cempedak holds
Ease of access	Fair	Long MRT walk, small car park

Picnics and Group Visits in the Gallop Extension

The Gallop Extension has no BBQ pits, and the Botanic Gardens do not allow cooking. Families can bring a packed snack, and lawns and benches around the extension give space to sit. NParks rules state that shelters cannot be used exclusively for private events, so a decorated birthday set-up in the playground is not suitable.

For school groups, the Forest Discovery Centre and the Botanical Art Gallery make the playground part of a learning trip. Groups planning organised activities in the Gardens should check NParks’ permit requirements before the visit.

What to Bring to the Nature Playground

• Sunscreen and wide-brimmed hats
• Plenty of water in insulated bottles
• Long trousers or leggings for the tube slides
• Sand toys for toddlers
• Wet wipes and a small towel for sandy hands and feet
• Insect repellent for the forest trails
• A carrier rather than a pram if you plan to use the trails
• A compact umbrella for sudden rain

Dogs are not allowed in the playground, although leashed dogs can use other parts of the Gardens. Bicycles, scooters and skateboards are banned across the Botanic Gardens, as are drones and ball games.

COMO Adventure Grove and Other Playgrounds Nearby

Comparison With Nearby Outdoor Playgrounds

Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden at the Bukit Timah end of the same Gardens is the obvious comparison. It has water play, a maze and a farm, but it closes on Mondays and admits adults only with a child. The Gallop playground is the better pick for climbing and for Monday visits, while Jacob Ballas wins for toddlers and hot days.

Families living around Holland Road can also try the Dawson estate playgrounds in Queenstown, a short drive south-west. Our guide to outdoor playgrounds in Singapore lists more options by region.

Rainy-Day Indoor Alternatives Nearby

Orchard Road is about ten minutes away by car. See our list of free indoor playgrounds around Orchard for mall play areas, or Kiztopia at Prestige Centre in River Valley for a paid indoor session.

COMO Adventure Grove FAQ

What are the opening hours of COMO Adventure Grove?

The playground opens daily from 7am to 7pm, including Mondays and public holidays. The wider Botanic Gardens open from 5am to midnight, but the play area follows its own shorter hours. Arriving early avoids both the heat and the crowds.

Is there water play at COMO Adventure Grove?

No, the playground has no water play features. It is a dry climbing and sand playground. For water play within the Botanic Gardens, families need to go to Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden at the Bukit Timah end, which closes on Mondays.

How tall is the weeping fig tower?

The tower stands about 5.8 metres tall according to parent blogs. It has rope roots, nets, hammocks and a lookout at the top, plus two enclosed tube slides that land in the sandpit. Older children spend most of their visit on it.

Where is the nearest car park?

The nearest car park is at the Gallop Entrance on Tyersall Avenue, with 29 lots. It fills early on weekends. The Learning Forest car park at the Tyersall Entrance has 36 more lots, and both charge by the minute.

Is it suitable for toddlers?

Yes, toddlers can play in the sandpit, on the saga seeds and on the spring riders. The tower is too tall for most under-threes without an adult close by. Shade is limited, so morning visits work best for small children.

Are there toilets near the playground?

Yes, toilets sit up a flight of steps behind the playground. The Forest Discovery Centre nearby also has a nursing room during its opening hours of 9am to 6pm. It closes on the last Monday of each month.

Can I bring my dog?

No, dogs are not permitted in the playground. Leashed dogs are welcome on other paths in the Botanic Gardens. Bicycles and scooters are banned across the Gardens, so leave those at home or in the car.

How do I get there by bus?

Take a bus to the Holland Road stops near Tyersall Avenue, served by services 7, 75, 77, 105, 106, 123 and 174. The walk to the playground takes about 12 minutes, which is shorter than the walk from Botanic Gardens MRT station.

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Opening hours, facilities and water play schedules were checked in September 2026 and can change. Check the park’s official page before you travel, especially for water play maintenance days.