Boxes Cafe BBCC – the fab little coffee spot you have to see in KL.

Boxes! Or should I say shipping containers?! Either way, this little place is so cute AND great for children!   I’d recently heard about Boxes Cafe at BBCC so, on a mummy-daughter day, the two of us headed over for muffins and mocktails in one of the most original settings I’ve seen in a long time!    Located in walking distance from Berjaya Times Square, you’ll spot the colours of the large containers from afar. Set in the grounds of the EcoWorld sales office, this quirky cafe really is worth seeing… but don’t forget your camera as it is just so photogenic – my iPhone doesn’t do it justice!    The containers offer different seating areas, all of which are as cosy as can be but, with children, the fact that one container has two swings in the window is kinda perfect!  With a menu offering local and Asian Fusion dishes, we saw some lovely-looking creations pass by while we indulged in an afternoon sweet treat!   They have high chairs, children’s plates and cutlery, indoor and outdoor seating, and a grassy area outside with tyre swings!   But be quick, they only opened in April but this may not be a permanent fixture at Bukit Bintang so why not ‘swing’ by some time soon?! Enjoy, S x

  

Dinosaurs in Kuala Lumpur; a visit to Discoveria at Avenue K

BEWARE OF THE DINOSAURS!! 
If you didn’t already know, there’s some serious prehistoric action going on at Discoveria at Avenue K.


Mini explorers get to delve into the world of some of the most fascinating creatures to have ever walked on this planet in a discovery centre on the 4th floor of the shopping mall. 

The minute you reach the top of the escalator you’ll hear the roars and screeches from behind the massive crate-like doors which sets the scene for your upcoming adventure!

Become a Paleontologist for the duration of your visit and get all dressed up in a special jacket, head gear with lamp, and a wristband. You’ll then be given a map and you’ll watch a short video of the adventures you’re about to undertake, before being unleashed into a darkened room of 22 dinosaurs!


Dimmed lighting, colourful spotlights, and dinosaurs that roar…. and occasionally move as you approach; it’s really fun!

Wannabe Paleontologists then have to work their way around the trail, scanning their special wristband at checkpoints to get clues. Match your stickers to the right dinosaurs on the map to ensure getting your certificate at the end!

Along the way there are a few interactive activities to get involved in including our two favourites of wall climbing and racing against a Theropod!

After the main exhibit there is a second hall with lots of interesting facts and a game zone to enjoy.


Sit on a dinosaur for a photo, make the volcano erupt by filling it with balls, dig for fossils in the sand, and shoot away the mosquitoes from a sleeping dinosaur!

There’s also a cinema showing a twenty-minute BBC film on dinosaurs but it proved to be a little too graphic for my two so, if you prefer, you can take advantage of their coffee shop and let the little ones enjoy some colouring while you have a sit down!

We really enjoyed Discoveria and although it’s not the largest of places, it is cleverly designed and keeps the little ones really well engaged!

A great half-day activity which will impress the whole family. Happy hunting! S x

The Secret Garden really is a hidden gem on the rooftop of 1 Utama Shopping Centre.

Shhh, it’s a secret!

Or maybe not for some, but we’ve been over to check out The Secret Garden at 1 Utama Shopping Mall and it’s lovely!  Hidden on the rooftop of Malaysia’s largest shopping mall they have created a little outdoor escape from the hustle and bustle of busy shoppers downstairs.   Completely free to enter, pick up a free guide at the entrance which will help you find your way around the garden and help you understand the trees and plants that grow there.   With shaded benches, cute little steppingstone paths, water features and colourful flowers, it’s great for little ones to explore, run around, and learn about the plants that are on show.

 It’s a surprising find and an original idea. It’s only open on weekends and public holidays but it’s worth a trip up to the rooftop for a break in your shopping spree! 

Happy weekend everyone, S x

A Top 10 list of Kuala Lumpur’s best soft play centres 

There are plenty of options in Kuala Lumpur when it comes to finding something to keep the little ones busy. When Happy Go KL very kindly approached me about writing an overview of the best indoor play centres available in the city, I was only too happy to put a list together to share with you all. Since arriving in Malaysia almost a year ago, I (well, when I say “I”, I mean my twins with me as their accompanying adult!) have tried and tested soft play centres all over the city. With summer holidays on the horizon, Kuala Lumpur Kids would like to offer you the top 10 picks of Kuala Lumpur soft play centres:

1) Jungle Gym at Atria Shopping Gallery http://www.junglegym.my 1) This centre only opened in the summer of 2015 and really is the one to beat.

It’s hard to fault the massive space that they have, which is suitable for all ages. The impressive main play structure includes the usual tunnels, slides, and bridges, but they also offer a football court, sand play, a cinema, arts n crafts area and a section dedicated to the youngest of tots. It’s bright, it’s colourful and it will literally keep your children occupied for hours!

2) The Kingdom at Sunway Putra Mall.
https://m.facebook.com/jepkingdom/
 2) This is another relatively new centre that opened last year but I have only just discovered it! Still beautifully new and well maintained, their play area looks like a big castle and is set within the British-style streets of ‘The Parenthood’. We really like the set-up here; they have the most impressive selection of slides that I’ve seen here in KL, a flying fox, trampoline, the usual ball pool, and a very nicely original climbing wall, which was a big hit with my two! Not only that, they have set aside a separate area for toddlers with ride-ons and a little library corner, and for those looking for a break from running around, there is also a PS4 Game Zone!

3) Star Light Kidz at Avenue K http://starlightkids.com.my 3) Here you can let your little astronauts relish in this space-themed play centre; with dimmed lighting and fluorescent colours this is an original addition to the soft play scene in KL. It’s a place to discover everything ‘galactic’, from the very popular shoot out court (with sound effects!) to rockets and a nice play structure with all the usual suspects! They also have a nice separate section for toddlers with a ball pool, big blocks and shapes to stack, and ride-ons.

4) Kid’s E World at IPC Mall https://m.facebook.com/kidseworld/?rf=490540797626419 

4) We were very nicely surprised with this centre, located in the mall just next to Ikea. While the big inflatable attractions are very eye-catching, I didn’t realise that they hid a large play structure behind which has a fabulous tubular slide that my children couldn’t get enough of! Roundabouts, tubes, climbing frames, a balloon pit and even a colouring station, means that there’s a lot to do. The under 4’s have their very own enclosed play space outside in the foyer with ride-ons, a ball pool and a cassia seed sand pit to name just a few of the attractions.
5) MegaKidz at Mid Valley MegaMall http://www.megakidz.com.my  5) This place boasts the tallest tubular slide in the city and is definitely a key feature here! The main climbing structure really is extremely large but I know some parents who feel it is better suited for older children who don’t need constant supervision. However, with a dedicated area for toddlers with smaller play equipment, a bouncy castle and even a cinema room, there is something for everyone and we found it a great place to spend a few hours.

6) Jungle Gym & Roller Sports World at Bangsar Shopping Centre http://www.junglegym.my 

6) This is the original ‘Jungle Gym’ that still offers a great soft play centre for all ages. The large play structure has all the usual tunnels, bridges, and colourful obstacles to maneuver around plus a trampoline, human conveyer belt (as I like to call it!) and miniature roundabouts. As a bonus, they also have a skating arena just outside in the mall that offers rental and lessons…. should you wish to get your skates on!

7) Kid’s E World at The Gardens Mallhttps://m.facebook.com/kidseworld/?rf=490540797626419  7) When you walk in you will see a mass of inflatable equipment to jump and bounce on, but get past all the giant blow up animals and you‘ll discover another play area behind. It’s got lovely slides, a ball pit, and a fun maze area on the upper level. There’s a basketball court, large foam building bricks to use and a rather fun game of being a human hamster in a giant wheel, which my two little gymnasts thoroughly enjoyed!

8) The Adventure Maze at The Explorer Gym (1′ Mont Kiara Shopping Mall) http://www.youngexplorergym.com


8) An original idea in that it is all made of natural materials – not the bright colour schemes we are accustomed to, instead it’s wood and ropes that make up the majority of this interesting play maze. Best suited for children over 3 years old, there are ropes galore to tackle, hidden hideaways in the wooden structure and even a flying fox. It’s one of the smaller play centres but the rates are also the most reasonable in KL and we have always found the staff to be some of the most interactive play friends for the little ones! Note that you’ll need proper ‘closed’ footwear to play here, so bring your sports shoes as well as your socks!

9) Kiz Sports and Gym at Great Eastern Mall https://m.facebook.com/pages/Kizsports-Gym-Great-Eastern-Mall/134832416596754 

9) Kiz Sports have several locations (including Desa ParkCity, Bangsar Village II and Subang) but this particular one is well located for us on Jalan Ampang. It’s a good soft play centre for younger ones with an array of slides, climbing equipment and multiple ball pools. They also offer a number of classes from gymnastics and dance, to arts n craft and martial arts which, if you sign up for after school, it gives you free access to the soft play area before and after your class!

10) J Kids Playground at Publika  http://my-jkids.com/contents/c-store/s-publika.html 

10) This is a fairly small centre in the ever-popular Publika which I feel is more suitable for the under 5’s but will certainly keep little ones occupied! They obviously have a main climbing structure that has slides, swings and a big ball pool, but possibly the most popular area here is the cassia seed sand pit which little ones just love! Add to that a separate area for building with big foam blocks and a fun balloon enclosure, the youngest family members should be happy here!

So there you have it! A few options to go at when the heat, the rain, or dare I say ‘the haze’ gets too much and you need a bit of inside fun for the little ones.

Happy playing, S

(All information is correct at the time of going to print in June 2016)

Another new play centre in KL: The Kingdom at “The Parenthood”

“The Parenthood”… Now, am I the only one who didn’t know about this place?!

The entrance on L2 of Sunway Putra Mall

As you have probably guessed, we love our indoor play centres and love trying new places, so this week we went exploring at Sunway Putra Mall (near the PWTC) after a lovely mummy friend of mine mentioned it to me (Thank you Sifani!)

In true castle style; the soft play’s main structure.

“The Kingdom” is their sparkling new soft play area that is built like a castle and offers the most impressive choice of slides that I’ve seen in KL!

Bright, new, colourful, and obstacles galore.

Also featuring a flying fox, ball pit, trampoline, climbing wall and a dedicated space for younger tots (with ride-ons and a library corner), I have to say we really liked the set-up here!

There’s a great choice of slides including this fun tubular one!

If all the action gets too much they also have a PS4 game zone capable of entertaining up to 4 children at a time so there’s entertainment for everyone.

The very original design of their climbing wall.

For somewhere that opened in September 2015, maybe you’ve already been, but if not, it’s definitely one to add to the list! Entry fees are reasonable compared to some other centres, charging 35RM on weekdays, and 45RM on weekends.

The castle structure continues with more slides, climbing, and a ball pool.

‘The Parenthood’ itself is an unusual concept and refers to them having everything under one roof to make things easy for parents; from shopping for baby goods, to the play area to a coffee shop and hair-dressing salon, they like to think of it as a one-stop place for everything.

The big Lindon bus that greets you at the entrance

I’m not sure how well it works, but we liked the London-themed street design, the big double-decker bus and the fun layout.

The London-themed streets complete with a red letterbox, roads and street lamps.

For us, the pulling attraction was indeed the soft play centre at The Kingdom so would go back for a play for sure but they also offer educational classes such as HAN Mandarin, yoga, kickboxing and a FUN Readers phonics programme.

Within The Parenthood there are plenty of activities to try.

If you go along, let me know what you think but either way, have a great weekend, S x

This is a great little hair salon that offers the ultimate in kiddie comforts!

 

Kuala Lumpur’s Upside Down House is here!

It’s open! The first Upside Down House has made its way to Kuala Lumpur after the success of similar attractions in the likes of Malacca and Penang!

The entrance to the Upside Down House is this rather attractive car!

We were there yesterday with friends who were over visiting from Singapore and I really wanted to go and see what it was all about. Having not been to any of the other Upside Down Houses/Museums here in Malaysia, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but, unfortunately, I have to say I was a little disappointed.

Plenty of photo opportunities outside, and the house looks great!

Everything looks great from the outside but once inside, the house is very small. Going downstairs to the (upstairs!) bedroom there was just the one room there with very poor lighting so you really couldn’t get any decent photos.

Looking up at an upside down bedroom!

We then returned to where we came in where you get a bathroom, kitchen/dining room, a nursery and a parents bedroom and while the set-up really is extremely well executed with everything (including the furniture) hanging from the ceiling, we were really disappointed that the children were too small to really be able to interact with the scenes in order to get funny photos.

Trying to pose for photos and managing this!

Anyway, on the positive side, it looks great from the outside with a colourful upside down car at the entrance and everything, including signage, also being the wrong way up! The house itself, as well as the gardens, were pretty and made for some nice photos but overall I wouldn’t put it on a KL to-do-list or go back for a second visit.

Not sure we pulled this one off but it does vaguely look like my two are coming down from the ceiling… maybe?!

So while it’s not big and you don’t need to spend hours there, it is the latest attraction to hit the city and is well located at the KL Tower. If you’re in the area and want to see the whole upside down concept then I would suggest going now while they have their special opening promo rate! From now until August, Malaysian citizens and MyKad holders can enter for only 15RM/10RM per adult/child respectively which makes it fairly inexpensive!

I love the idea of this photo and my son ‘doing a handstand’ on the bookshelves but the lighting was a real let down.

I managed to get a few shots of my little gymnasts doing handstands on bookshelves and climbing down into kitchen cupboards (well, that’s what it looks like!) but you’ll have to get your creative hat on to get the most out of the experience as I found it really difficult to take photos there!! Good luck and enjoy,

S x

For us, the best place for photos was outside! The big colourful house and car, blue skies, and gardens to explore!

 

Putrajaya Challenge Park – free sporting fun for children!

Free climbing for little people?! Yes!
It’s been a while since I wrote about two things; 1) Putrajaya, and 2) rock climbing, so now I combine the two for a lovely little feature on Putrajaya Challenge Park!

At first sight this place is just so huge and so impressive!

A massively impressive centre located out in Precinct 5 near the PICC, the centre (also known as Taman Cabaran) is home to one of the largest indoor climbing facilities in South East Asia.

For adults, whether you’re a beginner or a pro, this is an amazing place to learn, train and hang-out!

Needless to say, the big stuff is only for adults, but I really don’t think that people are aware that there is a separate area for children under the age of 10 that is completely free of charge!

This is the free climbing space for the under 10s. It’s not massive, but it’s fun!

While there are no instructors and adult supervision is obviously required, it’s a nice enough little place to let mini climbers get a bit of a workout!

The race is on! The little ones can climb to great heights but there’s thick padded matting on the floor!

It’s colourful, with thick, padded flooring and is certainly a great way of introducing the concept to your little ones before heading downstairs to watch how the grown-ups do it!

The space isn’t massive but it’s got some air-conditioning and offers a little workout for mini explorers!

The challenge park also has a very large skate park which can be used free of charge and is open for even the youngest of skaters!

This is their large outdoor skate park. Free entry to everyone!

It’s a large outdoor space and we certainly saw some talented little ones taking to the ramps with boards, scooters and even roller blades!

The skate park with their ‘Thrill Park’ behind for tricks and stunts!

With mountain bike trails and a ‘Thrill Park’ for any bikers wanting to do stunts, there really is something for everyone…. So, time to take on a new challenge?!

Check it out; the place is huge, not particularly busy, and free for children. Enjoy 😉

S x

And if you don’t want to try any of that yourself, pop in and watch some of the professionals tackling the walls!!

 

Getting around KL with kids – free for under 7s!

‘The Railway Children’ enjoying an easy Sunday and choosing to zip around the city on the LRT!
It’s not something we do very often, but don’t forget that under 7’s travel for free! Today it only cost me the price of my own ticket to let the ‘Travelling Twins’ do exactly what they wanted to do with their day…. It’s the simple things in life! Happy Sunday everyone, S x
NB. Officially children shouldn’t sit in this front window area, but we just popped up for a quick photo and jumped back down to enjoy the view from the regular seats as shown below! Thought I’d better clarify in case of any transport police patrolling online 😉

A FB success story? I don’t know… But thank you

When we moved to Kuala Lumpur (almost a year ago now) I decided to start up a FB page dedicated to our family exploration in our new ‘home country’. Sure, it was a way to keep our family and friends up to date with our adventures, but if I’m honest, it was more about hoping to relay our discoveries to other people that I didn’t necessarily know. As an expat for many, many years I know what it is like to arrive in a new country and start from scratch. So many questions come up and I wanted to add some relief to newcomers to KL; to at least point them in the right direction so that they would feel confident in knowing what there was to do with the little ones, where to hang out in kid-friendly cafes and restaurants, and also give them a way to meet other families by getting involved in different activities.

My FB page journey started slowly but it was nice that my friends were seeing what new places we’d stumbled across on the weekend. As we arrived here in the school summer holidays, the three of us had plenty of opportunities to try out soft play centres for (my then) 5-year old twins and have our days to settle into KL life. I’d then manage to put together a little review with photos in the evening once the little people were in bed. It was fun, it kept me busy and it meant my children didn’t have time to be bored AT ALL!! I was out to discover everything in KL that was suitable for families – it was my new mission!
Then one day, I figured I should put an album together of all the soft play centres we had ‘tried and tested’…. And I genuinely wasn’t ready for what happened next! I still don’t know how it happened, or how it all started, but it did! The ‘notifications’ tab on my FB app stayed blocked for about a week, my phone would ping non-stop for hours at a time as more and more people discovered my photos and a write-up on indoor play areas in the city! It was then I realized that long gone are the days that I am writing just to keep in touch with my FB list of friends! When, after a few weeks, the insane popularity started to subside, my post (here: https://m.facebook.com/KLKidsfamilycityguide/albums/1744541659111067/) had been liked 1200 times, commented on 1100 times, and shared a massive 8200 times on FB!! Yes over EIGHT THOUSAND times…. and counting as even now people happen across a post that, I guess I can say went semi-viral?!!

The post on my FB page that made things happen….!

I now write for over 8000 people who follow my page. People from all walks of life who, like me, just want to discover Malaysia. Whether they are expats living here, tourists wanting to get the best out of their fortnight holiday in the city, or people who were born and raised in Malaysia, they want to read what I have to say about our adventures in KL.

To say I am overwhelmed would be an understatement. I mean, I hoped that the page would work. I hoped that something I would write about would help someone…. I can only hope that is the case. 
I run the page by myself, it is after all our family adventures and not just a general info page. It is not something that I get paid for, it’s not ‘a job’ per se but I enjoy it. It combines my love for my children, travelling, writing, and family moments spent together.
So, yesterday my only post on FB was a simple one. A message of sheer appreciation for every single one of my ‘followers’. To every mum who has ever contacted me with a question, to every parent/teacher/friend who has tagged their family members in an article I have written and to everyone who has helped me make this ‘little FB page’ into the big success it is today. My blog page is not as popular, and that’s okay, because I still love the fact that you are reading this now, and that I have a few fellow bloggers who I interact with and there is a mutual appreciation for what we do.

  
 

So I share with you what I wrote on Facebook yesterday, as it applies to you here too.

“Thank you” just doesn’t quite seem enough….

8000 likes and counting; I am completely amazed! You guys are the absolute best – you have liked, shared, tagged your friends and family, and made my KL page what it is today. Not me, but you!

Thank you for your support, your kind words and messages, and also for being my inspiration to continue writing and to discover even more of this beautiful country.

So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!

Sarah x”
For anyone who hasn’t yet found Kuala Lumpur Kids – A KL City Guide for Families, feel free to pop over and join us in our journey 😉

https://m.facebook.com/KLKidsfamilycityguide/