5 Things To Do With Babies/Toddlers for RMB 100 or Less

Are you starting to speak in nursery rhymes? Has your average outfit become oversized, holey shirts with spit-up stains that are starting to resemble your baby’s face? Do you wake up screaming from nightmares where the whole world speaks in baby coos and babbles? If so, and even if not so, it might be time for you and your baby to get out of the house!

Thankfully, Beijing has many things you can do with your little one that don’t break the bank! Sure, a splurge every now and then is totally justified, but if you’re like me and want to rejoin society on a weekly basis, there’s nothing wrong with finding the bargains.

Babies Under 1: NeoBio Soft Play!

NeoBio’s soft play centers offer activities for all ages, but the real gem is their dedicated baby area for under-2s. Best of all, babies under 1 year old play FREE on weekdays! Just scan their QR code to access the mini-program for unlimited free bookings – you can even reserve last-minute. Though entirely in Chinese, the system is so intuitive that I only needed translation help once. Staff are always ready to assist if needed. The space includes a ball pit, developmental toys, soft books and cushioned floors perfect for crawlers.

Things to know:

Socks required! No shoes or bare feet allowed. Forgot yours? Buy a pair for RMB 10.
Their cafeteria serves baby/kid/adult meals (nothing fancy, but it’s decent) plus coffee and ice cream!
Non-walkers should stay in the baby section – older kids aren’t allowed in.
Walking babies can explore any NeoBio area, even with free play.

Things we loved:

Parent perks: Fully stocked changing rooms (diapers/creams/wipes), private breastfeeding nooks, and the cafeteria has disposable bibs/toddler cutlery.
The nap room has cozy tents and bean bags – perfect when your little one crashes from all the fun.
Play areas are constantly cleaned and supervised.
Great for babies to socialize and parents to connect.

Side note: While it’s only free for kids under 1 year, you can find great package deals on Dianping. Once my baby turned 1, I bought 12 sessions for RMB 728, which works out to about RMB 60 per session – still under RMB 100!

Find it:

Either location is easy to find on the English version of Didi by typing “NEOBIO” and selecting either WandaPlaza (Dongba) or Beijing Livat (Daxing). If you’re traveling by another means, here are the Chinese names:

Dongba: 奈尔宝家庭中心·儿童乐园·亲子餐厅 (北京东坝万达店)

Daxing: 奈尔宝家庭中心·儿童乐园·亲子餐厅 (王府井奥莱 UP TOWN 店)

Boating on the Beijing Rivers

Many of the rivers in Beijing like Liangma He (in Liangmaqiao, near the embassies) and Wenyu He (edge of Chaoyang into Shunyi) allow you to swim and do water sports like boating or paddle boarding. We have been going to them with our baby since she was 15 days old (literally!), and she still loves it now as a toddler.

You can get a good inflatable boat on Taobao for around RMB 100, and many of them also have the option of including a rechargeable electric pump instead of the foot pump. From there, just pack some yummy snacks, plenty of fluids, mosquito spray, sunblock, hats and, of course, somebody to carry the boat if you are still healing postpartum. Once my daughter got older (and wrigglier), I also got her a little life vest in case she attempts “walking the plank.”

Things to know:

Liangma He is more crowded with a fun family vibe. Most visitors enter via the boardwalk near the Bulgari/Kunlun hotels, but we prefer the embassy side (Didi to the Oman embassy) for easier access when carrying gear.
Wenyu He offers peace and nature sounds with a more rural setting. Expect a muddy slope instead of steps and a natural walk to the river.
A baby carrier beats a stroller here. You’ll navigate terrain more easily and have your hands free for picnic items. Bring spare clothes as wetness plus evening breezes gets chilly!
Pack light with ready-to-eat foods (we love Hema/7Fresh pre-cut fruit) and a trash bag as bins are limited and some walks are involved.

What we loved:

It’s our favorite budget-friendly outdoor activity. Our RMB 100 boat has lasted through two years of adventures!
Each river offers unique experiences. Picnic on shore or pack everything into your boat for leisurely rowing with snacks.
Our baby stays mesmerized by the water, ducks and birds and always sleeps wonderfully afterward!

Find it:

Liangma He (Boardwalk side):

Didi: North Shore of Liangma River Ground Parking Lot.
Chinese: 亮马河国际风情水岸-北岸地上停车场

Liangma He (Embassy side):

Didi: Embassy of Sultanate of Oman
Chinese: 阿曼苏丹国驻华大使馆

Wenyu He:

Didi: Beijing Regal Palace Golf Course
Chinese: 北京丽宫高尔夫球场

Playdates – We Can Hook You Up

There are plenty of WeChat groups for parents in the ‘Jing, but we have created one specifically for arranging playdates for your little ones! While I have set up quite a few playdates with other moms just by reaching out to people on WeChat, I know all too well how daunting it can be. So, we figured it makes it a whole lot easier when you are surrounded by others looking for exactly the same thing as you!

Scan the QR code to join or add TBJButler on WeChat to request to join.

There are plenty of developmental benefits for babies when engaging in playdates, and the meetups provide the opportunity for parents to build a circle of like-minded people. I find it fives me a great chance for something fun to do with the baby while still finding it stimulating for myself – not to mention having an excuse to leave the house!

Things to know:

When visiting someone’s home, bring a small thank-you gift and your baby’s favorite toys to help them feel comfortable in the new environment.
Schedule around nap times to avoid crankiness, and remember babies may or may not interact. Even just being around others is beneficial for little ones.
If hosting, thoroughly baby-proof your space. Your guest’s baby might be more mobile or older, and you’ll all relax more knowing wires and choking hazards are secured.
Watch for overstimulation cues (fussiness, withdrawal). It’s okay to cut playdates short, especially for younger babies (an hour is often plenty).

What we loved:

While babies play alongside each other, they develop their cognitive skills in observing the different things other babies get up to and experiencing the different ways they use toys.
Language development is a key benefit of playdates as babies encounter different words, while even just babbling back and forth helps them learn about conversation patterns.
Playdates are a great way of building social and emotional skills, such as learning sharing and recognizing others’ emotions, which also teaches empathy.
Babies have a great chance to gain sensory stimulation from the different environment where they will experience different smells, sights and sounds!

Sideland at Side Park

Side Park in Wangjing is a really nice park already, whether it be for a nice leisurely stroll or a picnic. I want to focus, however, on the awesome setup they have called Sideland. The park has a designated play area with a huge sandpit, spinny small seats, bouncy pony rides and even a small amusement park that has rides suitable for little ones! While access to the playground is free, I recommend bringing along toys for sand-play that you can order on Taobao for as little as RMB 20. The amusement park rides start at RMB 5 and go up to about RMB 30, depending on how big or long the rides are. My little one had great fun digging in the sand and bouncing on the spring horses and even tried out the merry-go-round and tiny little mechanical boat kiddie ride.

Things to know:

While you can pack a great picnic and spend the day there, there is also a very nice café/restaurant called Parkside near the main park entrance that offers a great variety of yums.
From the above-mentioned entrance (east gate), turn right and follow the foot path to reach Sideland.
Your baby would benefit most from this experience if they are old enough to sit, whether it is in the sandpit or with you on a ride.
Remember your sunscreens, sun hats and mosquito repellent, and pack some water to drink!

What we loved:

The sand pit is quite big, so finding a spot to play amongst the crowd wasn’t difficult.
While we enjoyed the park with our 1-year-olds, the space caters for a variety of ages.
Even before our babies were old enough to enjoy Sideland, we would take them to Side Park in their strollers to look at all the pretty park elements and to let their toesies feel the grass while enjoying some outdoorsy tummy-time!

Find it:

Didi: Beijing Chaoyang Side Park – East Gate
Chinese: 四得公园

INN Coffee Mornings

INN (International Newcomers Network) hosts coffee mornings every month, and while it is not a baby-specific event, there are always plenty of babies (and their parents, of course) that attend! I have been going to these since my daughter was about 5 months old (only because I didn’t know of them sooner!), and we always have a great time. Not only is it a fun way of meeting people, but it is also a nice way to escape the house.

Things to know:

Scan the included QR Code to add INN on WeChat to find out when the next coffee morning is and keep up to date with their events.
These mornings are free to join, though you’ll probably want to have a coffee or a side or a meal there, which is often at a discounted price for INN joiners.
These mornings are during the week (usually Wednesday or Thursday mornings) and will usually take place in restaurants in and around Sanlitun.

What we love:

The atmosphere is light and relaxed, and there are always plenty of people to interact with, so even if you are on the shy side, you’re bound to strike up a conversation.
Babies of all ages have attended, from newborns to toddlers, so my daughter has always had a friend to interact with.
Though the mornings are arranged to start at certain times, people are welcome to arrive and leave as they like. The flexibility and chilled vibes of these meet-ups is a lifesaver when you are working around nap times and unplanned diaper bombs just as you are about to call Didi!

BONUS: Qingnian Hu Park Swimming Pool

I’ve been going to this pool since before I even had the thoughts of a family in mind, the difference being that at that time I was not splashing around in the kiddie’s section. While the total cost is not RMB 100, I still wanted to include this pool as it is less than RMB 100 per person (RMB 98 for adults and RMB 78 for kids) and a great deal of fun! Especially now that the weather is getting hot!

Things to Know:

They do sell some food and beverages and have a little tuck shop, but bear in mind that options are limited, and it would be better to pack these items, especially if you want something healthy.
Bring floaties! While there is an awesome (and shallow) kiddie pool, it really helped me with peace of mind and a tiny break for my arms to have my baby girl floating around in her tube. I prefer the baby/toddler floaty from Decathlon for RMB 69 that you can get either in-stores or at the link below.
Again, sunscreen, sun hats, mosquito repellent and, of course … towels! It is quite a sunny pool with not much shade, so bear that in mind and consider bringing a big umbrella or little tent.

What we loved:

With all the colorful fixtures, spraying things, climby things and slidy things, there is plenty of entertainment to keep your little one stimulated and excited.
If your baby is still quite little, you may like the peace of the deeper (and quieter) adult pool to bounce around in with them in your arms, especially when they seemed a bit over-stimulated.
We prefer making a day of it, and because the pool is located in a park, I could take my baby for a walk in the stroller in the peace of the park to get her to nap if the swimming pool was too noisy or exciting.

Find it: