Ten fun ways to be a kid again

1. Conquer the jungle gym

You tackled the local climbing frame and whooshed down the big-kid slide at eight – try the same at 30 years old and you’ll get stuck halfway down. Recapture the slip-slide sensation by heading to Singapore’s Tallest Slide (Terminal 3, Changi Airport; 6307 8555). You’ll need to spend $30 in one of Terminal 3’s shops to get a couple of tokens. But once you’ve swapped them for a ride, glide down the 12m-high slinky. If you’re above 2m in height, we’re sorry but you’ll have to take yourself over to MegaZip Adventure Park (Imbiah Hill Rd, Sentosa Island; 6884 5602) and get your kicks on a 72m-long zipline, a 12m-high ropes course or a 15m freefall ParaJump.

2. Paint with your fingers

At an Art Jamming session it doesn’t matter if your painting doesn’t look like what it’s supposed to be, or even anything at all. It’s all about having fun and letting your creative juices flow. Pay $88 and turn up at My Art Space (#04-01, 21 Tanjong Pagar Rd; 6222 1662) on 28 August and you’ll be given a free glass of vino, a paintbrush, a canvas and paints. Glean inspiration from the funky beats played in the background – the kind of tunes Vincent van Gogh would have regretted cutting his ear off to hear.

3. Set off on a treasure hunt

Ahoy me hearties! You’ll find the gold where ‘X’ marks the spot if you get in touch with Action Teams (9387 1866). The company sets up treasure hunts and Amazing Race-style events on Sentosa. You’ll have to find and solve clues, complete tasks all over the island, including riding the luge or even building a raft – it all depends on what kind of hunt you’re chasing after. Prices start from $40 per person (minimum of 20 people).

4. Do the locomotion

Train sets, toy boats, romote control airplanes…young boys and girls are always fascinated with anything automotive – even Barbie has her own Cadillac. Unfortunately, you may not have a Ferrari in your parking space just yet, and the private yacht has yet to dock, there are alternatives. One that will still require deep pockets would be the newly launched Nautilus (6423 9629) in Raffles Marina. This toy for (trust-fund) kidults is a houseboat equipped with a jacuzzi, three plasma screens, a BBQ and two sundecks, and it can be hired for $4,200 for five hours. For train lovers, choo-choo to your heart’s desire on a three-day/two-night stay on the Eastern Orient Express (6295 0678) from Singapore to Bangkok (from $3,430). The quarter-mile-long train has a gourmet dining car, luxury sleeping quarters and butler service – if you ask nicely, the driver may even let you toot the horn.

5. Get the scoop

It takes a lot of licking to successfully chase a melting ice cream into your mouth and not onto the floor. Fortunately it’s a skill that always needs fine-tuning and should be practised regularly. Scoop of Art (Marine Parade Community Club, 278 Marine Parade Rd; 6345 6563) serves homemade flavours like Marsbar and Seasalt for under $4 per scoop, with special alcoholic versions on the brink of being launched. While you lick your way around the cone, use your free hand to take part in the shop’s arts and crafts offer; every customer gets doodle paper to draw on and there’s also a wall where you can let your artistic flair loose.

6. Play your cards right

When you were ten years old, nothing felt better than calling Grandma’s bluff at gin rummy. But as you got older, beating the elderly seemed just plain mean. Host your own card evening with all things sugary and chocolate-y as your betting stakes. A more glamorous option is to head to Marina Bay Sands (10 Bayfront Ave; 6688 8888) and try your luck at the roulette wheels, slot machines and card tables. There’s a $100 entry charge for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, but you might get lucky and win it back.

7. Get your face painted

As an adult there just aren’t enough excuses to paint your face in bright neon colours – zinc sunblocks don’t count. Unless you’re a regular at cross-dressing nights, you’re mostly restricted to painting your country’s flag, or the rather unimaginative ghostly white base with spots of fake blood on All Hallows’ Eve. Katherine at Little Crystal Paints (9388 8330) has come up with a grown-up alternative – body painting. Hire her for birthdays or dinner parties and she’ll decorate just about any part of your body with beautiful flowers or a stunning design of your choice. For something more permanent, head to Haji Lane and get a tattoo from the talented Joseph at Visual Orgasm (2 Haji Ln; 6336 5884), although getting a tribal tattoo on the cheek à la Mike Tyson might not be recommended for the newbies.

8. Roll in the mud

Squatting on your haunches with knees bent as you lean precariously over a puddle of mud, you dip your hands into the squelchy, gooey goodness that oozes between your fingers – it’s a love affair for all children. To recapture the feeling, try a two-and-a-half-hour pottery class at Clay Street (220 Syed Alwi Rd; 9111 5208) for $120. It’s sure to bring back that beloved childlike sensation of having icky, sticky hands – and channel your inner Patrick Swayze at the same time.

9. Play detective

Settling down with Nancy Drew, the Famous Five or Scooby Doo to solve a crime and catch the baddies is a rite of passage for most kids. The Masquerade Theatre Enterprise (6474 1946) tests whether these sleuthing skills have followed you into adulthood. A team of seven thespians acts out plots and mingles with guests all night while you turn into a detective and use a bag of clues to investigate a murder. The company hosts murder-mystery evenings at the Indoor Stadium and can also be hired for private black-tie parties (from $2,000), where guests dress up in costumes and make like Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot.

10. Stare at naked people

Hands up, those who snuck copies of Playboy into the house or loved to run around au naturel. Yes, we thought so. While you are required to stay clothed, the life-drawing classes at The Substation or White Canvas Gallery will provide a chance for you for to continue ‘studying’ the human form as you attempt to capture the model’s wobbly bits on canvas. One word of advice: keep the giggles to a minimum. Remember, you’re supposed to be a grown-up now, after all.