SINGAPORE: “This year is our 60th year of independence. We want to do something special for babies born in this year,” said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah in an interview with Mothership published on 17 March.
To mark this milestone, the government has introduced the SG60 Baby Gift — a commemorative gift set for babies born in 2025.
The initiative aims to celebrate Singapore’s independence while supporting new parents with items that are both practical and meaningful.
The set includes a family photobook, Becky Bunny storybooks, a limited edition Becky Bunny plushie, wooden building blocks, a toy playset, a food bib, a straw cup set, a parenting journal, a backpack, and a trolley bag.
Each gift will also come with a congratulatory letter from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Explaining the rationale behind the initiative, Indranee said the government engaged parents and conducted “road testing” to understand what items would be appreciated.
While many parents preferred practical items, there was also a desire for keepsakes that could be cherished over time.
“We also felt that it cannot be just practical and useful, and then after that, the baby outgrows them. We also wanted something commemorative,” she said.
The result is a thoughtful mix of everyday essentials and keepsakes designed to accompany a child through their early years.
For example, the Hegen training cup can be adapted as the child grows, while the storybooks are intended to encourage bonding and early learning.
“The books were meant to be educational, help the parents and the child bond early with the early reading journey or just looking at the pictures,” said Indranee. “And of course, the plushie, because all kids like to hold on to that.”
To complete the set, all the items are packed into a custom-designed trolley bag that can be used as a child’s suitcase beyond the newborn stage.
“At least for the first few years of life, it can become their little suitcase,” she said, adding that the bag was designed in collaboration with local art schools.
When asked what would happen if someone were to sell the items online, Indranee expressed her hope that families would choose to treasure the gift.
“The trolley gift is a gift. It’s given to Singaporeans, but I certainly hope that they won’t do that for a couple of reasons.
One, it’s meant to be commemorative and special for the baby. Two, because it’s commemorative, if you keep it, it’ll have a lot more value in years to come.”
She urged parents to “think of it as something special for your child, not to be put out there for sale.”
SG60 Baby Gift Draws Mixed Reactions Online
Under Mothership’s Facebook post about the SG60 Baby Gift, several users expressed scepticism and criticism toward the initiative.
One user questioned the effectiveness of such gestures, pointing out that the cost of raising a child far outweighs a gift set.
“Are people going to have a child — which costs hundreds of thousands to bring up over the years — because of goodie bags?”
Another user questioned the logic behind the item selection. “So they didn’t include diapers or formula because the baby won’t use them anymore when they grow up? What kind of logic is that?”
Some believed more substantial government support would make a bigger difference.
One user commented, “If the government gave monthly allowances and free education till university, I wouldn’t mind doing it for another five.”
Another remarked that hospitals like KK Hospital already provide similar backpacks and items, suggesting the government wasn’t truly listening to parents.
“Maybe you can give baby vouchers for couples to use for transport to hospitals, or even better — to help pay hospital bills.”
Some users also took issue with the choice of spokesperson, suggesting it was inappropriate to have someone without personal experience of family life speaking on parenthood matters.
One commenter wrote, “No husband, no babies, no children — and in charge of a parenthood programme? It’s like asking a child to talk about managerial skills. Or a priest to talk about love relationships.”
Another user emphasised the importance of lived experience in policymaking.
They argued that before making grand statements about Singaporean babies and parenthood, ministers should understand the realities of raising a child.
“Empty words from someone like her, with no personal stake in the matter, only serve to highlight the disconnect between policy talk and real-life parenting.”
The announcement had earlier sparked debate on Reddit, where users questioned the selection and practicality of the items in the set.
While the gesture was seen as well-intentioned, many Redditors felt it did little to ease the financial burden of raising a child — particularly in the context of high childcare costs in Singapore.
Some suggested the gift set would have been more useful if it had included essentials such as formula milk and diapers, which directly help new parents.
Others expressed the view that, instead of commemorative items, families would benefit more from stronger policy support.
These included calls for better flexible work arrangements and enhanced parental leave to help parents balance their careers and caregiving duties.
One user urged the government to focus on reducing the financial burden on families, noting that many may wish to have more children, but financial constraints remain a significant barrier.
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