What animals live in Singapore?

Singapore is a small island nation, but it still has some remarkable wild creatures living there! You can find long-tailed macaque monkeys swinging through the forests, monitor lizards wading through parks and waterways, and even otters playing along the city's rivers. Singapore has patches of tropical rainforest called nature reserves where these animals make their home. The waters around Singapore are home to dugongs — shy, gentle sea creatures related to manatees — along with colorful reef fish and sea turtles. Visitors to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve can spot migratory birds that travel thousands of miles and stop to rest there. God designed each of these creatures with wonderful detail, and they remind us that even in one of the world's busiest cities, His craftsmanship is on display — just as Psalm 104 describes.

What do kids eat in Singapore?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Kids in Singapore grow up eating some really interesting food. One favorite is chicken rice — tender boiled chicken served over fragrant rice cooked in broth, with a little ginger sauce on the side. You can find it at big open-air food courts called hawker centres, where dozens of food stalls are all packed together under one roof. Rusty wants to tell you about kaya toast, which is a popular breakfast. It's crispy bread spread with kaya — a sweet jam made from coconut milk and eggs — plus a thick slice of cold butter. Kids also love laksa, a spicy noodle soup with coconut milk, and fried carrot cake, which is nothing like the dessert you might be imagining — it's actually made from radish and eggs, all stir-fried together. Singapore is a small island nation, but its food brings together Chinese, Malay, and Indian flavors all in one place!

How do people say hello in Singapore?

Singapore is a place where several languages live side by side, so 'hello' sounds different depending on who you are talking to! In English, people simply say 'Hello' or 'Hi.' In Mandarin Chinese, they say 'Nǐ hǎo' (sounds like 'nee how'). In Malay, the greeting is 'Selamat pagi' in the morning, which means 'Good morning.' Tamil is another language spoken in Singapore, and in Tamil you might hear 'Vanakkam' as a respectful greeting. One fun thing about Singapore is that people there often mix English with Malay and Chinese words in everyday talk — they call this street language 'Singlish.' So in one small city, you can hear a whole choir of languages just walking down the street!

What sports or games do kids play in Singapore?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Kids in Singapore love badminton — you'll find nets set up in parks and open-air courts all over the island. Football (what Americans call soccer) is hugely popular too, and many kids play it in school tournaments or in the void decks, which are the open ground floors built right into apartment buildings. Rusty wants to add that Singapore kids also grow up playing a traditional game called chapteh, where you kick a feathered shuttlecock and try to keep it in the air without using your hands. Five stones is another classic — it's a bit like jacks, played with small pyramid-shaped bags that you toss and catch in tricky sequences. Singapore is a small island but it has a big love for games that bring neighbors together!

What's the weather like in Singapore?

Singapore sits right on the equator, which means it stays hot and humid nearly every single day of the year. Temperatures usually hover around 30°C (86°F), and rain can show up almost any afternoon without much warning. Because it's so close to the equator, Singapore doesn't really have four seasons like many other countries do. Instead, there are wetter months and slightly drier months — but even the 'dry' season brings plenty of showers. People there have learned to carry an umbrella just about everywhere they go!

Tell me a fun fact about Singapore.

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Singapore is one of the smallest countries in the world — it's basically one city that is also an entire nation, sitting on a little island at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The whole country is smaller than many cities you might know, yet more than five million people live there. Here's something that really makes us stop and think: Singapore has four official languages — English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. Walk down one street and you might hear all four! That means this tiny dot on the map is packed with people from very different backgrounds, and God loves every single one of them. Missionaries and local Christians there get to share the gospel with an incredible mix of cultures all in one place.

What is school like for kids in Singapore?

Herman here, with Rusty peering over my shoulder at the map! School in Singapore is serious business — kids there are known around the world for being excellent at math and science. Students wear uniforms, study hard, and take important exams that help decide which school they go to next. It is one of the most rigorous school systems anywhere on earth. Rusty wants to add that kids in Singapore learn in English, which is actually one of four official languages there — along with Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. Many students also study a second language at home. School days can be long, and there is often homework and extra tutoring after hours. Missionaries and local Christians in Singapore use schools as a place to build friendships and share the good news about Jesus with families who may never have heard it before.

Who are the unreached people in Singapore?

Great question! Singapore is a small island country in Southeast Asia, packed with people from many different backgrounds. Even though there are Christians in Singapore, two big groups still need to hear the good news about Jesus: the Chinese Buddhists and Taoists, and the Malay Muslims. Together, these groups make up most of Singapore's population, and many have never truly heard who Jesus is or why He came. The Malay people in Singapore are almost all Muslim, and in their culture, leaving Islam is seen as turning your back on your whole family and community — that takes real courage. The Chinese Buddhists and Taoists often mix many beliefs together, which can make it hard for the gospel to cut through clearly. The good news is that God is working! There are faithful churches and missionaries right there in Singapore praying and sharing. You can pray that Malay and Chinese Singaporeans would hear about Jesus, believe in Him, and find courage to follow Him no matter the cost.

How can I pray for the people of Singapore?

Great question — prayer is one of the most powerful things you can do for any place! Singapore is a small island nation in Southeast Asia, packed with people from Chinese, Malay, Indian, and many other backgrounds. Many Singaporeans follow Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, or Islam, and some have never heard the good news that Jesus died and rose again to save them. You can pray that God opens their hearts to hear and believe the gospel. Singapore actually has a growing number of Christians, so you can also pray that those believers stay faithful, bold, and rooted in God's Word. Pray that Singaporean churches send out missionaries to other parts of Asia where far fewer people know Jesus. And pray that children and families across Singapore — in busy city apartments and crowded schools — would come to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

What is a holiday or celebration in Singapore?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! One of the most colorful celebrations in Singapore is Chinese New Year. Since a large part of Singapore's population has Chinese roots, the whole city lights up with red lanterns, lion dances, and the smell of special foods like pineapple tarts and bak kwa, which is a sweet grilled meat. Families visit each other and give small red envelopes filled with money as gifts. Rusty wants to add that Singapore is one of the few places in the world where you can watch Chinese New Year, the Muslim celebration of Hari Raya, the Hindu festival of Deepavali, and Christmas all celebrated in the same small city! That tells you something interesting — Singapore is home to people from many different backgrounds. Christians in Singapore have real opportunities to share the good news of Jesus with neighbors and friends from all those different communities, which is one reason we pray for the churches there to be bold and growing strong.

What language do people speak in Singapore?

Singapore is one of the most interesting places in the world when it comes to language! The country has four official languages: English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay, and Tamil. English is used in schools and government, so most people there can speak it. Many Singaporeans also speak a street language called Singlish — it mixes English with Malay, Hokkien Chinese, and Tamil words all jumbled together in a lively way. So if someone says 'Can lah!' in Singapore, they just mean 'Yes, of course!' It is a place where four whole language families bump into each other every single day, which makes it a very interesting spot for sharing the gospel across many cultures at once.

What's a famous place to visit in Singapore?

Herman here, with Rusty peering over my shoulder! One of the most well-known spots in Singapore is Gardens by the Bay, where giant tree-shaped structures called Supertrees tower over a garden right in the heart of the city. Singapore is a tiny island nation, but it packs a lot into a small space. Rusty wants to add that Singapore is also famous for its hawker centres — huge open-air food markets where you can find dishes from Chinese, Malay, and Indian cooking all in one place. Singapore sits at a crossroads of cultures, which means it has one of the most varied food scenes in all of Asia. People travel from far away just to eat there!

Singapore — Kids Missions Explorer

Estuarine Crocodile

Singapore's largest wild reptile, this crocodile can grow longer than a car and still slips quietly through the mangrove waterways of Sungei Buloh.

Changeable Lizard

The male changeable lizard turns his head bright orange during mating season, making him one of the most vivid creatures you might spot on a park fence.

Smooth-coated Otter

Families of smooth-coated otters have made a surprising comeback in Singapore's urban rivers, where they swim in noisy groups and even visit marina boardwalks.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Tender poached chicken served over fragrant rice cooked in chicken broth, it is considered Singapore's national dish and is eaten at hawker stalls morning through night.

Laksa

A spicy, coconut-milk noodle soup blending Chinese and Malay flavors, laksa has a rich, tangy broth that leaves a gentle warmth long after the last spoonful.

Roti Prata

A flaky, buttery flatbread of Indian origin that is flipped and folded on a hot griddle right before your eyes, then dipped in a savory curry sauce.

Singapore

Things you should know about Singapore

Wildlife you might meet

What’s on the table

Did you know?

Life in Singapore

Missions in Singapore

Pray for Singapore