Imogen Kandel

For those who are still wondering what to do this summer, why don’t you give sailing a try? Learn how to steer a boat or just chill out in the deck while the sea breeze and lapping waves cool you down.

The Beijing Sailing Center is solid value for your dollar. Located 90mins from Beijing by train, the Beijing Sailing Club provides a range of dinghy sailing boats to suit all abilities and age groups, from Optimists for kids fun, Topper Topaz for adult learners through to the Topper Omega for spinnaker and trapezing experience. They also offer English-speaking instructors for those of us who are just starting to use our sea legs.

• Read more

There's nothing we like more at beijingkids than encouraging creativity in children. Maybe the editors spent too much time around glitter pens when they were  kids, but the more colorful and creative you can be the better! 

Which is why we love this art camp for kids in the 798 Art District. Run by practicing artists, and conveniently divided into two age groups as well as into morning and afternoon sessions, this camp is well worth checking out if you have an art-loving child in your brood. 

• Read more

Are you saying hello to Beijing for the first time, or perhaps saying zaijian as you move on to a new city?

• Read more

Sadly, the traditional norms of doting mother and distant father still hold true in modern China. In a recent article published in the China Daily, the author raises some serious issues about the effect a father's absence can have on their child.

• Read more

Beijing families are "going green" in increasingly large numbers. Phoenix Tso from Agenda heard the collective cry for more green-friendly info, and went straight to the source: Beijing Energy Network. Key green crusaders told Tso their tips for making the world a little more earth-friendly:

CC Huang: If just 5% of the Chinese population buys one less piece of clothing each year, they can reduce 40 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

• Read more

I don't know about you, but I love a spot of good ol' fashioned second-hand shopping. It's something about all those pre-loved items that makes me miss the days of blossom hats (remember those!?), high waisted denim jeans, and beige floral prints. I'm thinking 90s here, can you tell?

And coming from a long line of op-shop (that's Australian for opportunity shop, which is English for thrift store) lovers, I spent the majority of my childhood in hand-me-downs and choice pieces of clothing found at St. Vincent's charity stores. Considering kids grow out of/cover all of their clothes with tomato sauce within one week of purchasing them, getting your kids in some funky vintage threads isn't a bad idea.

• Read more

News arrived in my inbox that Shanghai-based therapy center Olivia's Place has very recently opened a Beijing branch called Eliott's Corner.They will offer occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and educational psychology to both local and expatriate children.

This is great news for families with children who need expert pediatric therapy services. Until now, therapy services have been sparse and limited to Beijing's larger hospitals and Care for Children (Beijing's only dedicated special needs school). The arrival of Eliott's Corner means that families have more care options, which is always a good thing.

• Read more

The great Beijing migration has begun. As families begin unceremoniously dumping their "gently used" household items on any unsuspecting soul who will take them, why don't you take a moment and think about other ways you can lighten your load?

Like donating to charity, for example! Giving old stuff away to Beijingers in need, plus free removal, equals happy days, if you ask me.

• Read more

According to The Times of India the Indian Embassy School closed its doors for the last time this Monday 13th.

Here's a snippet of the article:

• Read more

The June/July summer issue of beijingkids is full of fun-in-the-sun activities and excursions to keep you and the clan happy over the school holiday break.

Explore China's best family-friendly cities, take a day trip to one of exotic locales just outside Beijing, forget the plane tickets and spoil the family at a fave-star hotel, find an inner-city oasis in our pool round-up, and if you've decided to stay in Beijing all summer - never fear! We have a list of playtime SOS activities to fill every day.  

To help you cool down, we've got a refreshing homemade lemonade recipe for you - so easy the kids can do it! For a more gourmet treat, Xiyun Yang reveals how to make delicious DIY lychee and black sesame ice cream. Not cool enough for you? We've complied a list of the Top 5 places to find chilled desserts.

• Read more