OBS Coney Island Campus Opens: What It Means for School Outdoor Education in Singapore
Outdoor education in Singapore has reached a new milestone with the official opening of Outward Bound Singapore's (OBS) new Coney Campus on 11 September 2026.
The new campus expands the opportunities available for young people to experience outdoor learning, adventure and teamwork. With the additional capacity, OBS aims to offer the MOE-OBS programme to all Secondary 3 students by 2030.
For parents, this is another indication of the important role outdoor education continues to play in the school experience in Singapore.
What Is the New OBS Coney Campus?
Located on Coney Island, the new OBS campus spans approximately 12 hectares and is the organisation's third and largest campus in Singapore.
The campus features more than 70 high-adventure elements as well as more than 30 low-adventure elements.
Some of the adventure elements have also been designed to be wheelchair accessible, allowing more students to participate in the outdoor learning experience.
Both sheltered and open-air high-adventure facilities are available, giving OBS greater flexibility to conduct programmes under different weather conditions.
Learning Through Outdoor Adventure
Outdoor education is about much more than completing an obstacle course or spending several days away from home.
The activities at the new campus are designed progressively so that students can take on increasingly challenging experiences while developing confidence, teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Many activities also require students to work together rather than completing challenges individually.
Beyond activities within the campus, its location provides opportunities for expeditions in different environments.
Connections to mainland Singapore allow for land expeditions across campsites around the island, while its proximity to Pulau Ubin supports water-based expeditions such as kayaking and rowing.
These experiences take students beyond the familiar classroom environment and give them opportunities to learn through practical challenges.
What Does This Mean for Secondary 3 Students?
The opening of the Coney Campus significantly increases OBS' capacity.
In 2025, around 65% of Singapore's Secondary 3 cohort across 90 schools participated in the MOE-OBS programme. With the additional capacity provided by the new campus, OBS plans to progressively expand the programme to all Secondary 3 students by 2030.
This means outdoor adventure programmes are likely to become an increasingly familiar part of the secondary-school experience for Singapore families.
Students may encounter activities involving climbing, trekking, team challenges, land expeditions and water-based activities as part of their outdoor education experience.
Depending on the programme and expedition, students may also experience outdoor living away from their usual home environment.
Preparing Your Child for an Outdoor School Camp
For many students, a school camp may be their first experience spending several days away from home while managing their own belongings and daily routines.
Preparation can therefore make a significant difference.
Parents can help by involving their child in the packing process rather than packing everything for them. Students should know what they are bringing, where each item is kept and how to use their equipment before leaving for camp.
Simple preparation at home can include practising how to:
- Pack and organise belongings independently
- Identify personal items easily
- Keep clean and used clothing separate
- Use a poncho or rainwear
- Pack toiletries efficiently
- Use unfamiliar camp equipment before the trip
- Repack everything into the same backpack after use
The objective is not simply to have every possible item. It is to help students become comfortable managing what they actually need.
Always Follow Your School's Official Packing List
Camp requirements can differ considerably between schools and programmes.
Parents should therefore always use the official packing list issued by the school or programme organiser as the primary reference.
If the list specifies a particular quantity, size or type of item, follow those instructions rather than relying on a general packing checklist found online.
Avoid overpacking as well. Students will often need to carry and manage their own belongings during camp.
Adventure World's School Camp Packing Guide provides general guidance on preparing and organising common school-camp necessities, but it should be used together with your child's official school packing list.
Common School Camp Essentials
Depending on the school's packing list and the activities planned, commonly requested items for outdoor school camps may include practical necessities for sleeping, personal hygiene, wet-weather conditions and organising belongings.
Adventure World groups these items into dedicated categories to make it easier for parents to find what appears on their child's school packing list:
Where sleeping equipment is required, parents can also refer to: Sleeping Essentials
Remember that these are general school-camp resources and are not an official OBS packing list.
Helping Students Become More Independent
One of the valuable parts of attending a camp is learning to manage without the routines and conveniences students are accustomed to at home.
Parents can support this before camp begins.
Instead of simply preparing everything on their child's behalf, let them participate in packing their backpack, organising toiletries and deciding where different belongings should go.
A student who knows exactly what is inside their bag and where to find it is likely to be better prepared to manage independently during camp.
A Growing Role for Outdoor Education in Singapore
The opening of the OBS Coney Campus represents a significant expansion of outdoor education opportunities for young people in Singapore.
As more students participate in these programmes, experiences involving teamwork, outdoor living, unfamiliar environments and practical challenges are likely to become an increasingly common part of growing up and learning outside the classroom.
For parents, good preparation does not mean packing more.
It means understanding the school's requirements, preparing the right items and helping your child develop the confidence to manage those belongings independently when the adventure begins.
Sources:
Channel NewsAsia, “New OBS Coney Campus officially opens, features wheelchair-accessible high adventure elements”, 11 September 2026.
The Straits Times, “Largest OBS campus opens on Coney Island, with wheelchair-accessible high-adventure elements”, 11 September 2026.