Singapore

Extra-curricular after-school activities including sports, the arts, and life skills are very popular in Singapore with both expatriate and local youth; thus, nearly every interest can be met either through schools, social clubs, or private companies.

Both local and international schools offer many options for after-school activities, and the Singapore government also ardently promotes the development of well-rounded children through co-curricular activities. A number of private operators also offer classes for very young children, as do the private social clubs. The American Club, British Club, Hollandse Club, Swiss Club, and others offer after-school classes for children in ballet, martial arts, swimming, yoga, and other skills.

School Co-curricular Activities

Co-curricular activities are actually a major point of competition in attracting students; thus, international schools offer a wide array of optional classes in outstanding facilities. Dance, sport, music, art, and lifestyle skills are offered at every grade level. Some of the more progressive international schools even offer classes as unusual as circus skills, clay art, tumbling for teens, rock climbing, and storytelling.

Sporting Clubs and Organizations

Private gymnastics clubs, rock climbing walls, swimming centers, soccer schools, youth golf trainers, horse stables, and tennis clubs abound. Often, the expatriate social organizations offer great sporting programs. In particular, ANZA and SACAC are known for their sports programs.

• ANZA Soccer: Junior soccer league for children of ages 5 to 18, an entirely voluntary organization. Over 650 children of all different nationalities take part, Tel: 6733 1215.
• Singapore American Community Action Council (SACAC): Offers multiple sports programs for youth, including swimming, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, flag football, football, golf, gymnastics, kickball, soccer, and softball, Tel: 6363 6454.

Other sports groups offer private lessons popular with expatriate youth:

• Total Fitness & Leisure (TFL): Based at the Shangri-La and Traders hotels, specializes in tennis and swimming coaching programs for children of all ages and abilities, Tel: 6464 8663 / 9026 5680 / 9021 6245
• AquaDucks – Swim Centre Verhoef: Swimming programs for children from 6 months of age. Adult courses available as well, Tel: 6463 5554.
• Marsden Swim School: Swimming lessons for children and adults. Off-site classes at private pools available. Competitive training and swim squads conducted at a 50m pool, Tel: 6473 8353 / 9621 9965.
• Euro Soccer Excellence: Association for soccer enthusiasts, Tel: 6284 4096 International Soccer Academy (ISA): Conducts whole year intensive coaching for children from age 4 to 18. Holiday camps, match tours around SEA region and MUFC, UK, Tel: 9018 1816
• JSSL Arsenal – An Arsenal Soccer School: JSSL-Arsenal, Sinagpore’s premier league soccer school is an official Arsenal soccer school dedicated to your children. Located at the JSSL-Soccer Pitch opp. the National Stadium in Kallang and next to the National Tennis Center, Tel: 6348 5780.
• Socatots: Soccer play program for children from six months to five years of age, aimed at giving children a first start with the ball, 200 Turf Club Rd, #01-17 Turf City, Tel: 6468 9812
• Prime Gymnastics: Offers special kids’ classes for children below five years’ of age and teaches on Olympic apparatus for beginners and intermediate levels. Coaches competitive boys and girls’ squads. Adult gymnastics available too. 17A Lorong 7, Toa Payoh, Tel: 6773 2901,
• Sky Gym: Provides gym style programmes for both parent and child, promoting general gymnastics for all through their custom designed activities. Programmes begin for kids from the age of one up to adult classes. 200 Turf Club Rd #02-07, Turf City, Tel: 6466 4656.
• Kindergolf: Offers golf training for children aged 2-7.

The Arts & Lifestyle

• Boon’s Pottery: The only shop featuring the works of Singapore potters. Pottery making courses available for adults and children. Daily 12:00 – 19:30. 163 Tanglin Road, #01-30 Tanglin Mall, Tel: 6836 3978 Fax: 6836 3979
• Clay Cove: Offers children’s pottery making courses from age 3 and up. #05-38 Funan DigitaLife Mall, 109 North Bridge Road, Tel: 6338 7769 / 9109 2701
• Cookery Magic: Offers cooking classes for children. Besides regular classes they will do birthday parties, private classes and classes held at the Singapore History Museum, Tel: 6348 9667.
• Julia Gabriel Centre for Learning EduDrama: A speech and drama centre offering communication programmes that develop speech and language skills. Creating the magic, wonder and self-discovery of learning. #04-00 Forum, 583 Orchard Rd and Evans Rd, Tel: 6733 4322 Fax: 6733 2334.
• Kooky Art: Offer creative activities that aim to bring out the child’s creativity through art by using their favorite foods, Tel: 9815 2711.
• Manners in Mind: Offers etiquette courses for children and teens.
• The Children’s Technology Workshop: Offers programs designed for hands-on learning and using software and LEGO® robotics to teach technology. Build robots, create your own movie or game. 321, Orchard Rd, # 09-03 Orchard Shopping Centre, Tel: 6887 4547 Fax: 6887 4460
• Thinkpool Art: Creativity enhancement program. Class open for 3 to 7 year olds. UE Square Mall, #03-21, 81 Clemenceau Avenue, Tel: 6836 3298 Fax: 6836 9226

Dance

• Academie de Danse @ Dance on Us: Offers ballet, jazz and contemporary classes as well as classes for teachers, by Maud Toledano, a graduate from the French ministry of culture. From 4 yrs onwards, beginner to professional. 8 Claymore Hill, Tel: 8158 9954
• Attitude Dance Studio: Salsa dance studio that teaches all levels. 70, Palmer Road #02-01, Tel: 6226 2381
• Dance On Us: Four dance studios for rent/hire offering a wide variety of dance/fitness classes. Kids, ballet, jazz, hip hop, salsa, flamenco, yoga, Bollywood, capoeira and Indian dance. 8 Claymore Hill, #01-03/04, Tel: 6737 4466 Fax: 6339 3236
• Dancepointe Singapore: Dancepointe offers various dances such as ballet, jazz, tap and hip hop for all people. Performances and examinations are the areas emphasized on, Tel: 6265 9713
• Happy Feet Dance @ Tanglin Arts Studio: Offers ballet, tap and jazz dance classes to all levels and ages, as well as yoga and pilates. 75E Loewen Road, Tel: 6479 0304.
• Jitterbugs Swingapore: Adult and children’s classes in salsa, hip hop, tap, belly dance, jazz, ballet and tango. 9 Raffles Boulevard #03-02 Millenia Walk, Tel: 6887 0383 Fax: 6887 0538.
• L.A. Dance Connection: A dance school that offers a variety of dance classes offered include hip hop and jazz (adults and kids), turns technique, pure funk, salsa (beginner to inter-advanced level) and salsa hip hop classes. 8 Claymore Hill, Claymore Point, #01-03/04, Tel: 9670 3687
• Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts: The junior art department offers courses for students between 5 and 16. Also offers drama, dance and music courses. 151 Bencoolen Street, Tel: 6512 4159.