The best libraries for kids in Singapore don’t just have an amazing array of books, but also story times, fun workshops and more!
While our little bookworms adore their bedtime stories, finding space in our teeny apartments to fit in all those picture books gets a bit tricky sometimes! Luckily, Singapore is blessed with some fabulous public libraries that are brimming with children’s literature, making it easy for you to borrow books without having to buy them. With our guide, you’ll be heading out to your local library in no time! If the book your little one is looking for isn’t available at your local library, head to Singapore’s ebooks library — with more than 2.2 million ebooks available to download, let the reading fun begin (the selection is pretty up-to-date, so you’ll find plenty to love too, mama)!
Covid-19 Advisory: Due to decreased capacity, make sure to book your visit in advance, mama!
Festive operating hours: All libraries and archives will be closed on 24 December (from 5pm), 25 December, 31 December 2020 (from 5pm) and 1 January 2021.
Keep reading for our guide to the best libraries for kids in Singapore!
Jump to:
Ang Mo Kio Public Library
Bedok Public Library
Bishan Public Library
Bukit Panjang Public Library
Cheng San Public Library
Clementi Public Library
Geylang East Public Library
library@harbourfront
Jurong Regional Library
Jurong West Public Library
Marine Parade Public Library
National Library
Queenstown Public Library
Sembawang Public Library
Sengkang Public Library
Serangoon Public Library
Tampines Public Library
Toa Payoh Public Library
Woodlands Public Library
Molly The Mobile Library
Ang Mo Kio Public Library
Ang Mo Kio Public Library spans two levels and has a collection size of about 259,000 reading materials. In addition to a wide variety of books and magazines in all four of Singapore’s official languages, Ang Mo Kio Public Library carries one of the most comprehensive and varied collection of print and non-print materials in Tamil among the public libraries! The children’s section is decked out with kid-friendly tables and chairs for kiddos to sit down and pore over the books available.
Storytelling sessions:
Every 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Wednesday of the month, 3pm – 3:30pm (4 – 6 yrs)
Every 1st, 2nd & 3rd Friday of the month, 7:30pm – 8pm (7 – 10 yrs)
Every 4th Wednesday of the month, 4pm – 4:30pm (4 – 8 yrs) (Mandarin)
Ang Mo Kio Public Library, 4300 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6, Singapore 569842
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 10am – 9pm
Website
Bedok Public Library
Bedok Public Library at Heartbeat@Bedok is among some great amenities with sports and recreational facilities, a community club, a polyclinic, an integrated daycare facility for the elderly and retail spaces for all age groups. The Early Literacy Collections at Bedok Public Library have been placed with young readers in mind, all shelved on easily-accessible low shelves, grouped in 5 categories: Sense & Sensation, Concepts, Languages, Poetry & Rhymes and Emergent Reader, so parents can select materials to support their child’s development. There’s also a great Malay collection for adults, featured in a more prominent space to highlight the unique wide ranging and varied selection of books in Malay.
Storytelling sessions:
Saturdays, 3pm – 3:30pm (4 – 8 yrs)
Every 1st Saturday, 2:30pm – 3pm (4 – 8 yrs) (Mandarin)
Bedok Public Library, 11 Bedok North Street 1, #02-03 & #03-04 Heartbeat@Bedok, Singapore 469662
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 10am – 9pm
Website
Bishan Public Library
Bishan Public Library is well known for its architecture – it looks like a tree house with its distinctive coloured pods! The Children’s Collection at the Basement has materials suitable for children from newborns up to 12 years old. The collection includes children’s magazines, books for babies, picture books for preschoolers, as well as stories, fairy tales and informational books for older children!
Storytelling sessions:
Thursdays, 3.30 pm – 4.00 pm (4 – 6 yrs)
Every 1st Saturday of the month, 11:30 am – 12pm (4–6 yrs)
Every 2nd Friday of the month, 3:30pm – 4pm (4–6 yrs) (Mandarin)
Bishan Public Library, 5 Bishan Place #01-01, Singapore 579841
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 10am – 9pm
Website
Bukit Panjang Public Library
Having undergone extensive renovations in 2017 (including a direct connection to Downtown Line MRT – so convenient!), this huge library for residents in the North West has two wings. That’s right, kiddos have their very own wing at Bukit Panjang, how cool is that?! A particular highlight is the “Stories Come Alive Room”, which makes use of images, lights and sound effects. Other kid-friendly activities include “Unstructured Play” and “Jiggle, Read and Rhyme”, which is geared toward littles ages 1 to 3.
Storytelling sessions are on Fridays and Sundays (including Mandarin sessions).
1 Jelebu Road, #04-04 & 16/17 Bukit Panjang Plaza, Singapore 677743
Opening hours: Mon to Sun, 11am to 9pm
Website
Cheng San Public Library
This library in Hougang could easily be mistaken for an art gallery due to its design. It’s also really conducive for families too, with a brightly-coloured children’s section, and The Baby Corner which boasts comfortable furniture for children and parents to sit and read together. The Children’s Section is garden-themed, with materials suitable for children from the ages of 0 to 12. If you’ve got tweens and teens, don’t miss The Young People’s collection which offers materials suitable for teens from the ages of 13 to 19!
Storytelling sessions:
Fridays, 3:30pm – 4pm (4 – 6 yrs)
Every 1st Wednesday of the month, 3:30pm – 4pm (7 – 10 yrs)
Every 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Wednesday of the month, 3:30pm – 4pm (4 – 6 yrs)
Every 3rd & 4th Sunday, 2:30pm – 3pm (4 – 8 yrs)
Cheng San Public Library, 90 Hougang Avenue 10 #03-11 Hougang Mall, Singapore 538766
Opening hours: Mon to Sun, 11am to 9pm
Website
Clementi Public Library
Conveniently located within Clementi Mall, this library was the first in Singapore to feature interactive digital storytelling kiosks, which provide a colourful, novel way for kiddos to interact with stories (for instance, they can take quizzes at the end to test their own recollections!).
Storytelling sessions are on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
3155 Commonwealth Avenue West, #05-13/14/15 The Clementi Mall, Singapore 129588
Open Mon to Sun, 11am to 9pm
Website
Geylang East Public Library
Geylang is famous for for their plethora of free children’s activities on weekends. Pop by for Super Storytastic reading sessions, magic shows, baking workshops and much much more. We love that there’s a dedicated babies’ corner as well as a cool “Green Reading Space” that kiddos find very inviting.
Storytelling sessions are on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Geylang East Public Library, 50 Geylang East Ave 1, Singapore 389777
Open Mon to Sun 10am – 9pm
Website
library@harbourfront
Newly opened in January 2019 at VivoCity, library@harbourfront provides a light and airy space with amazing views overlooking Sentosa — making it not only a reading space for residents but a place where you can come and learn. The large children’s area encourages young readers to learn through technology in the very cool Augmented Reality room, which brings stories to life. Plus there’s the Tinker Truck makerspace (geared towards children ages 3 to 9) for crafting and puzzle activities. With a huge Adult and Teen library, as well as a fabulous digital collection of about 480,000 eBooks, it makes it a one-stop-shop for all your family’s reading needs.
library@harbourfront, 1 Harbourfront Walk, #03-05 VivoCity, Singapore 098585
Open Mon to Sun 11am – 9pm
Website
Jurong Regional Library
The largest public library in Singapore at 12,020 square metres, Jurong Regional Library offers heaps of super cool dedicated spaces for kids and teens. The Early Literacy Library collection (the first in Singapore!) carries a wide range of books and digital materials geared towards children in the under-3 and 4-to-6 age groups. The dedicated Teen section, “Verging All Teens (V.A.T.)”, was created with actual teen input and carries cool genres like comics and graphic novels. V.A.T. also hosts open-mic nights and other performances to showcase young talent. On top of all that, Pixel Labs@NLB caters to tinkerers of all ages with programmes and workshops and tools like 3D printers and codable robots to stimulate kids’ imaginations.
Storytelling sessions are on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Jurong Regional Library, 21 Jurong East Central 1, Singapore 609732
Open Mon to Sun, 10am to 9pm
Website
Jurong West Public Library
The Children’s collection has materials suitable for children aged 1 to 12 years old and is located at Level 2 of the library. In addition to a wide variety of children books, audio-visual and magazines in all four of Singapore’s
official languages, this floor also carries an extensive selection of Parenting collection catering to the needs of mamas and dads! There’s also a Young People’s Collection located at level 3, with a wide variety of materials suitable for teens aged 13 to 19 years old.
Storytelling sessions:
Tuesdays, 7:30pm – 8pm (7 – 10 yrs)
Saturdays, 3:30pm – 4pm (4 – 6 yrs)
Jurong West Public Library, 60 Jurong West Central 3 #01-03, Singapore 648346
Open Mon to Sun, 10am to 9pm
Website
Marine Parade Public Library
Keeping tots occupied with interactive, multimedia exhibits, as well as stacks of newer DVDs… this is definitely the place to go for a (cheap) movie night with the fam! There’s a colourful and engaging children’s reading corner, and a dynamic programme space offering kid-friendly workshops on everything from Preparing for the PSLE to exploring Robotics!
Storytelling sessions are Wednesdays and Fridays (including Mandarin).
Marine Parade Public Library, 278 Marine Parade Road #01-02, Singapore 449282
Open Mon to Sun 10am – 9pm
Website
National Library
Located in the basement of the National Library, My Tree House is packed to the rafters with over 45,000 books for kids 4 to 12 years. As the world’s first green library for kids, you’ll find interactive e-reading kiosks, a reading corner, and a fiction collection that never seems to end, as well as plenty of space for little bookworms to lounge around (some little ones even treat it as a bit of an indoor playground!). If your kiddos are keen for a bit o’ storytelling then drop by on Saturdays or Sundays for their book reading sessions.
National Library Singapore, #B1-01, 100 Victoria Street, Singapore 188064
Opening hours: Mon to Sun 10am – 9pm
Website
Queenstown Public Library
If your kiddos are true bookworm types (you know, quiet and possess the ability to sit still for more than 5 seconds…) then you’ll love the offerings at Queenstown Public Library. With regular craft sessions, movie screenings and gardening to name just a few, this library has a ton of fun activities for kids of all ages.
Storytelling sessions are Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Queenstown Public Library, 53 Margaret Drive, Singapore 149297
Open Mon to Sun 10am – 9pm
Website
Sembawang Library
Owing to Sembawang’s rich history and naval connections, this library has a “modern nautical and maritime design” theme – including fun, container-shaped spaces in the children’s area. There’s a cosy and colourful babies and toddlers area with low seating and tactile furniture that’s perfect for snuggling up with a story. There’s also an Early Literacy Collection that focuses on five key areas – playing, talking, singing, reading and writing – that are vital to children’s learning and development. The Young Readers Area for kids ages 7 to 9 features Interactive Digital Storytelling Kiosks, and there’s a special reading deck open seating area especially for parents and kids (along with interesting family workshops). Sembawang also has a thematic storytelling session every third Wednesday of the month relating to popular story categories like folk tales, friendship and festivals.
Psst! Be sure to check out Sembawang Park and its cool battleship-themed playground while you’re in the neighbourhood!
Storytelling sessions are Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Sembawang Library, 30 Sembawang Drive, #05-01 Sun Plaza, Singapore 757713
Open Mon to Sun, 11am to 9pm
Website
Sengkang Public Library
Designed for families to read and bond together, the Early Literacy Area at Sengkang Public Library is the perfect place for little ones to take their first steps into an exciting world of stories and ideas. The Tween Space on the other hand, is an experiential learning environment for children aged 10 to 14. Sengkang Public Library is the first library to collaborate with BabywearingSG to spread the awareness on how to babywear a child safely and comfortably. The club is conducted by a team of babywearing educators based in Singapore and takes place on the first Sunday of the even months from 2:30pm – 6pm. Sling meets are also organised at the end of each workshop to help babywearers troubleshoot any babywearing woes!
Storytelling sessions:
Thursdays, 3.00 pm – 3.30 pm (4 – 6 yrs)
Every 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month, 12:30pm – 1pm (7 – 10 yrs)
Every 2nd Saturday of the month, 12:30pm – 1pm (4 – 8 yrs)
Sengkang Public Library, 1 Sengkang Square #03-28 & #04-19 Compass One, Singapore 545078
Open Mon to Sun, 11am to 9pm
Website
Serangoon Public Library
This library is located on the rooftop of NEX (handily right by one of our favorite mall playgrounds in Singapore!). One of its coolest and most unique features is its Boardgames Meetup, which happens every third Sunday of even months and is geared toward families with kids of all ages. If you’re ok with some screen time, Serangoon Public Library also has a number of digital gaming programmes and PC gaming stations to encourage learning and social bonding through play.
Storytelling sessions are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Serangoon Public Library, 23 Serangoon Central, #04-82/83 NEX, Singapore 556083
Open Mon to Sun, 11am to 9pm
Website
Tampines Public Library
This super cool, futuristic library that opened in 2017 features a special Children’s Chinese collection along with extra storytelling sessions and an Early Literacy Library especially geared toward little ones under age 3 (in fact the entire third floor is just for kids ages 0-6). Like Jurong, Tampines has a Pixel Labs@NLB with tools, equipment and hardware kits for collaboration and tinkering. It also has culinary studios and an indoor playground – you could easily spend the weekend here!
Storytelling sessions Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (including both Mandarin and Malay).
Tampines Public Library, 1 Tampines Walk, #02-01 Our Tampines Hub, Singapore 528523
Open Mon to Sun, 10am to 9pm
Website
Read more: Tampines Regional Library is the Library of the Future
Toa Payoh Public Library
“Mama, there’s a ship in the library!” is the first thing you’re likely to hear from your tikes when you first walk into this Toa Payoh gem. With the children’s section on the first floor (and built like a ship with a Treasure Island theme!) this library will keep little ones busy with their regular storytimes. Fun!
Storytelling sessions are Thursdays and Saturdays (including Mandarin).
Toa Payoh Public Library, 6 Toa Payoh Central, Singapore 319191
Open Mon to Sun 10am – 9pm
Website
Woodlands Regional Library
Looking for an interactive library that is as fun as taking a stroll in the park? You know they have one in Woodlands! With an Enchanted Tree and Window to the World display to get curious kids excited about reading, plus an entire children’s level that has been designed like a park, this library really goes above and beyond for littlies. They even have their very own catalogue (Kids Cat) so junior can search for their own books.
Woodlands also houses the Asian Children’s Literature (ACL) Collection, which holds about 8,000 items – including rare publications dating back a hundred years – and aims to raise awareness and promote deeper understanding of Asian children’s literature, as well as Asian culture and heritage. Fascinating!
Storytelling sessions are Saturdays and Sundays (including Mandarin and Malay).
Woodlands Regional Library, 900 South Woodlands Drive, #01-03 Woodlands Civic Centre, Singapore 730900
Open Mon to Sun 10am – 9pm
Website
Molly the Mobile Library
Has Molly the Bus (a kid-friendly mobile library) visited your kiddo’s school? Launched in 2008 (MOLLY 3 debuted in late 2018, kitted out with mod features like a wheelchair lift and magnetic whiteboard), this fleet of one big bus and two mini-buses carries 3,000 books on board and travels all over Singapore, primarily to special education centres and preschools. Librarians engage kiddos with storytelling sessions, and customised child-friendly book stations allow little ones to borrow and return books all by themselves. It’s a wonderful initiative by NLB to get children excited about reading and introduce the magic of discovering new books at the library.
Keep a lookout for the next Molly the Mobile Library sighting on Facebook!
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