On the second floor of Vivo City mall, in the outdoor central courtyard, there is a simple set of fountains.  But these are one of Elanor’s greatest sources of joy.

Every parent knows that shopping with a toddler is a journey fraught with peril, and a smart parent has a good bribe in his/her back pocket at all times.

For Ellie, at least, few bribes are as effective as “if you’re good while Mommy shops in store X, we’ll go to the fountains.”

Unlike bribes involving Toys R Us, the fountains (and surrounding play area) do not cost me anything but the plastic baggie  in which I put her wet swimsuit.

While there are usually other kids in the fountains, I’ve rarely found it to be a crowded place, making it a safe play area for kids of all ages.

As the water doesn’t shoot terribly high, I can walk through part of with her and not feel like I needed a spare set of clothes myself.

This is definitely one of our favorite places in Singapore, allowing Mommy to get in some shopping (at Singapore’s largest mall!) and Ellie to burn off some energy playing.