Mother’s Day is coming up fast on Sunday, May 8. Spouses, sons, and daughters everywhere are agonizing about what the get the most important woman in their lives. However, not all moms are the same. We present some gift ideas for active moms, indulgent moms, and socially-minded moms.

The Sporty Mom
The sporty mom doesn’t lack for options in Beijing. From CrossFit and combat sports to Heyrobics, Pilates, yoga, and beyond, there’s definitely something for her. Check our archives here and here for some ideas. Get her a voucher for that new class she’s been meaning to try out, or better yet – make it a family thing. With summer coming up, sailing and golf are also great activities that the entire family can participate in. Click here for a directory of sailing centers and here for golf listings.

Fitness tracking apps are the hottest new thing. (Right? That’s what the kids keep telling me anyway.) The Apple Watch and Apple Watch Sport are a solid present. The sport edition costs RMB 2,588 (38mm screen) or RMB 2,288 (38mm screen) and comes in ten colors. If that’s too rich for your blood, various Jawbone and Fitbit models are available on Amazon China. The Fitbit Surge, which features a watch display, retails for RMB 1,998.The cheaper Xiaomi version can also do the trick and retails for RMB 99.

For the yogi mom, both Isofit and Yoga Yard carry a small selection of high-quality yoga clothes from Lululemon and aumnie athletics respectively. Yoga Yard also has yoga books, yoga mats, and yoga bags. For a more socially-conscious choice, consider buying from the Yoganda Project, which teaches widowed women in Uganda how to make yoga bags. The products are available directly from Founder Theresa Pauline; add her on WeChat at TheresaRae or call 152 1007 1708.

The Indulgent Mom
Gift vouchers for massage parlors, nail salons, and hair salons are all easy gifts for hard-working moms in need of pampering. The idea is to get her something that she would love to try but isn’t likely to buy for herself, such as an indulgent facial or restorative hair treatment. For example, Bodhi has several spa packages for RMB 680-890 with different combinations of oil or aromatherapy massages, facials, body wraps, body scrubs, and aromatherapy baths. Scarlet Salmons of Z Hairdressing, a frequent collaborator on our Indulge columns, recommends the Keratin deep-conditioning hair treatment for moms with very dry or frizzy hair.

Shameless plug for a friend here: Rose Fulbright-Vickers is a London- and Paris-trained designer who specializes in luxurious silk lingerie and loungewear, which she produces under her brand Rose Fulbright. Her latest series, the Tropical Collection, features a pattern based on beautiful watercolor drawings of fish by her grandmother, Susan Williams-Ellis. Five percent of profits from the Tropical Collection are donated to Oceana, an ocean conservation organization.

Jewelry is always a popular gift, but avoid the cheap stuff from the Pearl Market. Personally, I love Paloma Sanchez‘s bold, sculptural pieces made with materials like natural rubies, emeralds, copper, and white and yellow gold. Nicolas Favard (who was featured in last year’s Mother’s Day issue with his son, Amos and also in this year’s list) is another favorite. His designs favor metals and gems in simple, sensuous forms; I was especially taken by an ultra-light titanium ring with a blue sheen last time I dropped in. Both have shops in Sanlitun.

The Socially-Conscious Mom
If the mom in your life doesn’t want material gifts, dedicate something from UNICEF Inspired Gifts to her instead. This UNICEF program enables regular people to directly impact the lives of children and families in need with items like blankets, mosquito nets, bicycles, and more. There are also packages like the Super Hero Pack (USD 54.07) – enough money for 50 vaccines, one vaccine carrier, and six mosquito nets – and the Winter Survival Pack (USD 161.25), which contains blankets, clothes, 900 packets of micronutrient powder, and 10,000 water purification tablets to help one child survive the winter. Note that you need a foreign credit card to pay for purchases.

Similarly, you can donate to a local charity organization like Roundabout, the Migrant Children’s Foundation, or Bethel China. There are many worthy organizations in Beijing; browse our website to find more archived articles on volunteering and donating.

In addition, the Starfish Project helps exploited women in Asia by teaching them how to make and sell their own jewelry. The pieces are beautiful, don’t cost very much, and are often made with hypoallergenic materials. You can also host a jewelry party with a Starfish Project rep and invite all of Mom’s friends for an afternoon of shopping and socializing. Click here to shop.

Want more ideas? Click here for our April 2015 article on custom-made Mother’s Day gifts. Click here for ideas about weekend trips. Here for a digital copy of our article in the April 2016 issue.

Photos: Harsha K R (Flickr), Yasunobu Ikeda (Flickr), Rose Fulbright, Nicolas Favard, UNICEF Inspired Projects, Starfish Project

China’s online shopping boom is the gift that keeps on giving to both consumers and platforms. Although not as big or widely publicized as the 11-11 (November 11) shopping spree discounts, most shops on Taobao, TMall, and JD.com are offering discounts on December 12, dubbed 12-12. The trick to online shopping success is very simple. Don’t like the little road block of the site being in Chinese stop you.  Here are tips on walking away with quality products at an affordable price.

Time
You should bookmark the items you want to get your hands on before hand. During these discount days, not all products are going to be marked down. Doing recon is important to get the fast selling products from the more popular sites. This saves you the frustration of putting the wrong item on the cart and later going back to get the right now. It only take a few minutes to have products sell out.

Speed
The debating is over, the overthinking and doubt are cast aside and now it’s time to get clicking and fast. These platforms are for the whole of China and not Beijing only so you are competing for limited products with millions of shoppers.

Payment Options
When checking out the normal system might crash, make sure you have a plan B and that’s should be where you call a friend or use a switch the mode of payment. All in all be prepared to spend at least ten minutes getting a successful payment option.

Photo: screen shot

Kiran Bir Sethi says that for children to succeed, they need to learn the value of two simple words: I can. Sethi was recently named a 2015 Asia Game Changer award recipient for her work empowering children in education. Her TED Talk explaining her theory and program has been viewed over 1.2 million times. She is the founder and director of the renowned Riverside School in Ahmedabad, India, which features Multiple Intelligences theory in its planning, instruction, and assessment at the primary level, and uses a unique design-focused framework based on her innovative ‘I can’ teaching model.

Drawing on her background in visual communications, in 2009 Sethi founded Design for Change, now a global movement inspiring children to – in the words of Gandhi – “be the change they wish to see in the world.” With partners in 35 countries in over 200,000 schools worldwide, the project helps children decide on an issue that bothers them – usually a school or community issue – and find ways to transform the situation. Their stories are shared on Design for Change’s website and used as a reference and resource bank to inspire and support other children around the world as they attempt their own change-making projects. Children’s stories range from very basic – such as cleaning bathrooms or solving the problem of heavy school bags – to more complex issues like alcohol and drug abuse, child labor, and child marriage.

Under the theme, “A Superhero in Every Child,” Sethi recently visited Daystar Academy and spoke at Ivy Schools Distinguished Speaker Series in an event open to educators and parents of the Beijing community. We had the chance to sit down with Sethi and learn more about her viral venture taking the education world by storm.

How is design thinking used in a classroom context?
Design thinking is a framework that gets children thinking they are not helpless, that change is possible and they can drive it. Any child, anywhere in the world, can make the world a better place. It’s human-centered. It’s the fact that all education and every human endeavor should start with empathy. Who is this user? How does this child learn? Who is this child? So much of the focus in education has been on results that we forget there is a child. It’s not about changing systems but more about changing the child themselves.

How was Design for Change conceptualized?
Eight years after we started The Riverside School, kids were developing this tremendous creative confidence. Confidence that they didn’t need to have the answer and that if they followed a certain process, that they would be able to effect change. We said there’s clearly something making a big difference here. We wondered how we could take it beyond Riverside and Design for Change really became that conversation with the world.

Until then, design and design thinking was [utlized]only in Silicon Valley or in colleges. We just had to remove the jargon and demystify it. We said, ‘there are four simple steps: Feel, Imagine, Do, and Share. If children can do it, then anyone can.’ We put these four steps into a tool kit, translated the information to 15 languages, and gave it to 30,000 schools in India. It took off.

Can you explain how the Feel, Imagine, Do, Share model works in function? (See previous page)
I’ll give you the example of garbage because so many schools and children say they clean up garbage. What happens is that the teacher will take them to a garbage dump outside, they clean it up and a week later, it’s back. What they’ve forgotten is that garbage is not the problem; it’s people who deposit garbage that are a problem. The first step, ‘Feel’ is when you observe human pattern and pause. You can look at who’s associated with the situation. Who are the people that collect it? Who’s affected by it? I view a situation and I look at the opportunities for change. Observe who is interacting with this situation and then, interact with the people involved. Two simple steps under ‘Feel’: observe and engage.

The second step is ‘Imagine.’ What is the preferred step? What do you want to create from this? What do you want to give? Maybe you can say, ‘I want to beautify this area’ or ‘for this area or to become a place for compost.’ So suddenly, the nature of ‘Imagine’ is not only that the garbage is clear, but you’re asking how you can design a situation where this can not only become a collection site, but how to turn it into compost.

The ‘Do’ is the action. I go ahead and make sure that happens. And ‘Share’ is sharing your story of change online.

When we give this to schools, we ask students what bothers them. And then we’ll show some of the other children’s stories. Children are raising funds for a school trips, building fences, and doing street plays. I show simple stories; they decide.

What has the impact been like?
The last step, ‘Share’ is probably our greatest step. Children can see that you don’t have to be rich or strong or 18 years old to make change happen. The greatest impacts are on the children themselves. When they present a story of change, you can see confidence. When I had the opportunity to speak on TED, I had no idea this would resonate like it has. This idea of ‘I can’ was a missing piece that educators were looking for. People from across the world started calling me. We said, ‘please take it to your country and get every child to believe that they can.’

Design for Change is currently being used in two different ways. What’s the distinction?
One is the one-week challenge. The call to action is take one idea, choose one week, and change a billion lives; that’s the open challenge. It’s easy to implement because it’s extremely flexible. The school can decide how long, how often, and how many times they want to do it. It could be done during a character values period, a 21st century skills curriculum, or a lot of schools around the world with an IB curriculum choose to take Design for Change during the CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) programme.

The second way we do Design for Change is a year-long curriculum. Many schools were saying they loved the one-week challenge but wanted to take it deeper.  We worked with Dr. Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences team at Harvard to create the first design-thinking subject into to a curriculum for children. Right now, we just have a Year 8 prototype because a lot of our research says that 13 year-olds are your greatest change makers because they’re the most confident and are not yet weighed down by exams. We’re currently piloting it in India in about 60 schools. Once we see the efficacy of it, we’ll present it to education policy makers. We’re in the process of designing for Grades 3-7 at the moment.

In what ways does the curriculum nurture this ‘I can’ mindset?
The framework says that when I take responsibility for my actions, then ‘I can.’ There are a lot of schools built on this ‘teacher told me to do it’ attitude. If I say that, then I don’t know why I’m doing it. But when I take the responsibility after the ‘Feel’ and ‘Imagine,’ then I know what I’m doing is making this this ‘Imagine’ come alive. That’s that shift from I can’t to I can.

How do educators doing a Design for Change project support children’s learning?
I think educators are so used to telling and instructing that we don’t listen enough. What design thinking and the ‘Feel’ says is, I’m not going to tell you what bothers you, I’m going to listen.

Can parents get involved?
We’ve had parents do this as a birthday party project. Rather than receiving a gift, kids are giving a gift of change. Kids feel fantastic. This is a super way parents can be part of it. But parents should listen; don’t force the idea. I think parents do not parent with enough courage. With so much focus and entitlement, it leads to the belief that our children are helpless. One of the greatest gifts we can give them is optimism and the belief that I am not entitled.

What stories of change do you find most concerning?
Bullying is a big issue. What’s coming out are a couple of things: One is that our schools are not designed for safety. Four areas have come out as maximum areas of bullying: the courtyard, bathrooms, buses, and playgrounds. Data in terms of education and policy is very important. If our children aren’t emotionally safe – no matter what we teach them – it doesn’t register. And that we must take very seriously.

Resources

Get Involved
Interested in bringing the Design for Change Open Challenge or curriculum to your home or school? The online tool kit is available to download. Select by country or language. Visit
dfc.world.com to find out more and view stories of change.

This article originally appeared on page 42-44 of the beijingkids October 2015 issue. Click here to read the issue for free on Issuu.com. To find out how you can get your own copy, email distribution@truerun.com.

On September 29, the world marks the biggest campaign intervention against cardiovascular disease (CVD), the World Heart Day (WHD). The World Heart Federation started celebrating WHD since 2000 on the last Sunday in September but as of 2011 changed to September 29. 17.3 million people die each year from CVD and it’s estimated that by 2030, 23 million deaths will be as a direct result of a CVD. This year’s theme, “Heart Choices, Not Hard Choices” aims to make people aware of access to a heart-healthy environment in terms of where they live, learn, work, and play.

CVD such as heart attacks, stroke, and blood vessels related diseases are minimized through lifestyle changes such diet change, physical activity, blood pressure, and no tobacco use. This isn’t a guarantee that you won’t get a CVD but it does reduce the chances of developing one. To take part check out the World heart Day website (linked above) to send photos, videos, and more as an individual, group, or organization to help raise awareness.

There’s a push for kids and the youth to take part as the World Heart Federation has come up with four face sheets for their “Kids on the Move” project to help partners and members raise people’s awareness of the growing concerns such as obesity, dietary changes, physical activities, and more.

Photo: *sax (flickr)

June is almost here and you know what that means: Father’s Day, and along with it, our annual Father’s Day bash. This year, we’re returning to the popular pool party format on Sunday, June 21 from 9.30am to 2pm at Crowne Plaza Beijing Lido. Read on for activity and pricing details.

This year, activities include:

• Pool games and water Zumba in the hotel’s 500sqm swimming pool
• Kiddie pools for younger children
• A five-star hotel brunch with organic ingredients, seafood, a range of desserts, and more
• Framed family portraits
• Cool competitions
• On-site shoulder massages
• Goodie bags for Dad with a bottle of wine, a souvenir mug, RMB 100 Tube Station vouchers, and more

Prices are as follows:

• beijingkids Club members and early bird discount (book by June 15): RMB 300 per adult, RMB 200 for kids aged 5-11, RMB 100 for kids under 5
• Non-members: RMB 360 per adult, RMB 260 for kids aged 5-11, RMB 160 for kids under 5
• Groups of five people or more are eligible for an additional 15% off

Tickets must be purchased in advance. Contact our Marketing department at 5941 5379 or events@beijing-kids.com to book.  

As schools gear up for the last stretch of the academic year and expat migration season officially begins, it’s that time again. Yes, the 2015-2016 Home and Relocation Guide is out now. The guide became the obsession for the whole beijingkids team as we worked to update and bring new articles to the must-read annual guide. Whether you’re a Beijing newcomer, a veteran resident, or on to the next journey, the 2015-2016 Home and Relocation guide has something for you.

The guide is divided into four main sections: Before You Move, Arriving, Settling In, and Leaving. The guide tackles the most basic needs from housing, finding the right school, applying for visas, how to pay for utilities, and setting up your mobile phone to secondary needs such as finding the most family-friendly outdoor and indoor venues, Beijing’s networking associations, moving companies, and, of course, how to travel with your four-legged family member.

The guide hits the streets on Wednesday so be sure to grab a copy from your local distribution point.

Click here to view the magazine online or contact distribution@truerun.com to find out how you can get your own hard copy.

Missed our first Baobei Disco event? Bet you feel pretty uncool, huh? Good thing we’re having another one for Mother’s Day, so now’s your chance to join the cool kids.

On Sunday, May 10, we are once again collaborating with the Renaissance Beijing Capital Hotel to put on a family dance party with 80s hits and other, y’know, real music. In addition, we’re offering a special brunch promotion at RMB 888 that includes admission for two to Baobei Disco and the Renaissance’s Mother’s Day brunch. 

This time, we’re making Baobei Disco bigger and better with two sessions instead of one to better accommodate families with babies and toddlers who may need an afternoon nap. The morning session is from 9.30am to noon and the afternoon session is from 1.30pm to 4pm.

Like last time, we’ll have costumes and props for kids to play with, including shiny hats, neon glasses, wings, and more. For Mother’s Day, teachers will lead special workshops that kids can gift to Mom. The event is best-suited to ages 0-6.

Families can choose to buy tickets just for Baobei Disco or a special combo offer that includes brunch at BLD Restaurant, the Renaissance’s all-day dining restaurant. Here’s the price breakdown:

• beijingkids Club members: RMB 200 per person (all ages)
• Non-members: RMB 300 per person (all ages)
• Special brunch promotion: RMB 888 net (includes two Baobei Disco tickets and admission for two to the Renaissance’s Simply Mum brunch). The regular price for brunch is RMB 338 per person plus 15 percent surcharge. Kids 6 and under eat for free. (If, for example, there’s a family of three with two parents and one child over 6, the child will be charged admission to Baobei Disco and RMB 338 + 15% for brunch.)
• Group offer (valid until Wednesday, May 6): Groups of five or more are eligible for a 50 percent discount on Baobei Disco tickets (offer doesn’t apply to the brunch promotion).

The brunch is available from 11.30am to 3pm and features organic ingredients, seafood, live food stations, and desserts.

Click here for full event details.

Photos: Ken and courtesy of Renaissance Capital Beijing Hotel

If your family is staying in Beijing for at least part of the summer holidays, chances are you’re already looking at camps. With many camps slated to start in June, deadlines for enrollment and early bird discounts are coming up fast. Here’s the first part of our annual, multi-part roundup of summer camps. We’ll keep posting summer camps as we hear of them, so check back on the blog or follow our social media streams on WeChat (beijingkids), Weibo, Twitter, or Facebook.  

That’s Mandarin Chinese Summer Camp
Ages 7-17. Once again, That’s Mandarin is running a varied Chinese summer camp program for kids, teens, and families visiting and residing in Beijing. There are five camps: morning camp, day camp, full camp, family camp, and homestay camp. That’s Mandarin camps include field trips, variety classes, and cultural activities as well as in-depth language learning.  

Dates: Camps run from June to August. Start dates are June 15, June 29, July 13, July 27,  and August 10.

Prices:

• Day camp : RMB 9,000 (two weeks), RMB 17,200 (four weeks)

• Morning camp: RMB 5,000 (two weeks), RMB 9,200 (four weeks)

• Homestay camp: RMB 24,000 (two weeks), RMB 46,000 (four weeks)

• Full camp (hotel shared room): RMB 20,000 (two weeks), RMB 38,000 (four weeks)

• Family camp: Prices TBA. Available for one adult and one kid, two adults and one kid, one adult with two kids, and two adults with two kids.

Discounts: Early bird and friend discounts (5% off if you sign up with a friend) currently available
How to sign up? Use That’s Mandarin’s online form
Contact: 1/F, Bldg 4, 12 Xinzhong Jie, Dongcheng District (5218 6432, info@thatsmandarin.com) 东城区新中街乙 12 号 4 号楼1层

Ivy Academy Summer Camps
Ages 3-6. Ivy Academy (IA) is offering several summer camps for younger kids, including the Traditional Chinese Culture Camp; Science Shenanigans Camp; Think, Paint, and Create Art Camp; DramaFit Camp; Lego Camp; and Advanced Chinese Camp. Each camp features its own unique activities, field trips, and classes; check IA’s website for more details.

Dates: Start dates throughout July and August
Price: RMB 7,200 per camp
Discounts: Early bird discount of 15% available for those who sign up before May 22 (20% for Ivy students)
How to sign up? Use Ivy Academy’s online form (click on the camp you’re interested in)
Contact: camp@ivyschools.com

Beijing Playhouse Summer Camps
Ages 6-14. Beijing Playhouse, Beijing’s only English-language theater troupe, is running four drama camps this summer: Pinocchio, Once Upon a Time, and Beauty and the Beast, and Romeo and Juliet. All camps last two to three weeks, are limited to 30 kids, and end with a performance. All participants must audition. Theater internships are available for older teens.

Dates: June 29-July 11 (Pinocchio), July 13-25 (Once Upon a Time), July 27-August 8 (Beauty and the Beast), August 10-29 (Romeo and Juliet)
Prices: RMB 8,000 for Pinocchio, Once Upon a Time, and Beauty and the Beast; RMB 12,000 for Romeo and Juliet
Discounts: Early bird discounts of 10% available until April 11 (check Beijing Playhouse’s website for enrollment deadlines)
How to sign up? Contact Beijing Playhouse at broadway@beijingplayhouse.com
Contact: broadways@beijingplayhouse.com, www.beijingplayhouse.com

HoK Summer Camps
Ages 3-6. House of Knowledge International School and Kindergarten (HoK) has a host of summer programs for both expat and locak kids. In the first week, kids will learn about the ocean’s different animals, landscapes, and life forms through arts, crafts, science, and games. The second week is dinosaur-themed, with students becoming paleontologists to dig up bones and hunt for eggs.

Dates: June 29-July 3 (week 1), July 6-10 (week 2) from 9.30am-3.30pm

Prices: RMB 2,200 per week (full day), RMB 1,720 per week (half-day with lunch), RMB 1,350 per week (half-day without lunch), RMB 200 per week for bus transportation
Discounts: None
How to sign up: Email or call HoK (see below)
Contact: info@hokschools.com, 400 650 7747

Artistic Summer Camps
Ages 5+. For the third year in a row, Atelier is offering artistic summer camps at its Sanlitun studio and newly-opened Shunyi branch. Each camp lasts one week and includes thematic exploration, techniques, and art projects. Morning sessions are for ages 5-8 and afternoon sessions are for ages 9 and up.

Dates: Start dates are June 15 through July 13 weekly, and then the last two weeks of August.
Prices: RMB 1,500 per week
Discounts: Siblings or kids taking more than one camp are eligible for a reduced rate of RMB 1,200 per week.
How to sign up? Email Atelier at contact@atelier.cn.com
Contact:

• 1) Apt C202, Jinxiu Yuan, Xingfucun Zhonglu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区幸福村中路锦绣园C202

• 2) 204-205, Bldg 2, Central Park, 16 Yufeng Lu, Shunyi District 顺义区裕丰路16号院会展誉景2号楼204-205（商铺A入口2楼）

CISB Summer Camps
For the ninth year, the Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) is offering summer camps for toddlers, kids, and teens. Programs are open to all and include the Kindergarten Creative Camp, Summer Enrichment Camp, and Summer Enhancement Camp. Dates are from June 29 to August 7 for all camps.

Kindergarten Creative Camp
Ages 18 months-6 years. The kindergarten camp includes phonics and reading, English, Chinese language and culture, arts and crafts, music, swimming, and PE activities.

Prices:

• Full day: RMB 6,500 (two weeks), RMB 9,750 (three weeks), RMB 18,500 (six weeks)

• Half-day: RMB 4,300 (two weeks), RMB 6,450 (three weeks), RMB 12,000 (six weeks)

Summer Enrichment Camp
Ages 6-15. This well-rounded program offers camps with topics like math, science, sports, and performing arts.

Prices:

• Camp 1 (Math, Science, and Sports): RMB 7,500 (two weeks), RMB 11,250 (three weeks), RMB 21,500 (six weeks)

• Camp 2 (Horseback Riding and Golf): RMB 12,500 (two weeks), RMB 18,750 (three weeks), RMB 36,500 (six weeks)

• Camp 3 (Performance Arts): RMB 10,500 (two weeks), RMB 15,750 (three weeks), RMB 30,500 (six weeks)

Summer Enhancement Camp
Grades 6-11. This program for older kids aims to increase skills and knowledge in mathematics, literacy, and leadership. CISB students completing the six-week program can apply for completion of the math or English programs in which they’re currently enrolled at CISB.

Prices:

• Full day program: RMB 15,750 (three weeks), RMB 29,500 (six weeks)

• English or Math program: RMB 9,750 (three weeks), RMB 17,500 (six weeks)

Discounts: 15% discount available for CISB, ISNS and CCSC students; 5% early bird discounts available (sign up before April 30)
How to sign up? Apply in person or by email to summeradmissions@cis-beijing.com before May 29
Contact: 38 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (6465 7788, summeradmissions@cis-beijing.com) www.cisb.com.cn 朝阳区亮马桥路38号加拿大国际学校

TLC Summer Programs
Various ages. Throughout the summer, The Learning Center (TLC) will have classes for a variety of grade levels and topics. Subjects include SSAT and SAT prep, academic transition programs to prepare kids for international schools or schools abroad, English, social studies, math, science, and history.

Prices: Classes last one week and start at RMB 2,365 for half-day and RMB 4,490 for full day.
Discounts: Available for multi-week bookings. Early bird discount of 5% before June 1
How to sign up: Call or email (see below)
Contact: Call 8046 3886 or email usregistration@hyde-education.com. To find out more about TLC, visit www.thelearningcenter.cn.

Roots Language Training Center Summer Day Camps
Ages 7-12. Founded by a Canadian expat, Roots is a language training center that focuses on fluency through speaking. At the end of July and in August, Roots is holding five summer day camps with different weekly themes. Attendees will be able to experience a real western-style camp with sports, movies, fairs, picnics, workshops, and more. For teens, Roots is also offering summer jobs as camp counselors.

Dates: July 20-24, July 27-31, August 3-7, August 10-14, August 17-21 (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm)
Prices and discounts: TBC (check back for details)
Contact: To pre-register or apply, email camps@rootsltc.com.

LVMS Masterchef Camp
Ages 3-6. For the first three weeks of August, Little Village Montessori School (LVMS) is hosting cooking camps based on Junior Masterchef for young children. Kids will get to make a different dish every day with their teachers (or on their own if they can) and keep recipes to replicate at home.

Prices: RMB 3,500 (LVMS students), RMB 4,800 (other students)
Discounts: None
How to sign up: Call or email LVMS (see below) by July 15. If the group reaches 20 students before that date, signup will close.
Contact: Rm 2310, 3/F Jingyun Shengtong Building, 5 Huilin Lu, Fulicheng West, Shuangjing, Chaoyang District (5876 6610, angel@lvms.cn) 朝阳区双井富力城西， 惠林路5号， 京运盛通大厦3层2310

Blue Bridge Summer Art Camps
Ages 4-12. Blue Bridge International Education is offering four art camps with different themes this summer: Little World Explorer (exploring the world through Disney movies), Song of the Sea (Celtic culture and stories), Back to the Future (time travel), and Night at the Museum (artists and curators).

Dates: July 13-17 (Little World Explorer), July 20-31 (Song of the Sea), August 3-14 (Back to the Future), August 17-21 (Night at the Museum)
Prices: RMB 3,280 (Little World Explorer and Night at the Museum), RMB 5,980 (Song of the Sea and Back to the Future)
Discounts:
How to sign up: Call or visit Blue Bridge’s website (see below)
Contact: www.bluebridgeedu.com

• CBD Studio: Rm 753, Tower A, Chaowai SOHO, Chaoyang District (5900 0270) 朝阳区朝外SOHO A座753室

• Lido Studio: Shop 118, Andersen Garden, Upper East Side, Chaoyang District (5947 2275)

Dulwich Community Programmes (DCP) Summer Camps
All ages. Dulwich College Beijing is holding a series of DCP summer camps open to the wider Beijing community with soccer, swimming, basketball, and tennis.

Dates: Throughout June, July, and August (check website for details)
Prices: Various (see website)
Discounts: Available for some camps for signups of two weeks or more
How to sign up: Registration is from May 2 to June 17. Parents can either register and pay in person at the Legend Garden Sports Club at DCB (cash and card) on weekdays from 8am to 9pm and weekends from 9am to 7pm or at the Riviera Main Campus and Little Riviera (cash only) during school hours. They can also register online and pay by bank transfer.
Contact: 6454 9150, dcp@dulwich-beijing.cn

Prestige Education Centre Summer Camp
Ages 6-14. Prestige Education Centre (PEC) is holding an English-language summer camp designed by UK-qualified teachers. Participants will explore subjects like literature, art, science, music, and math using creative approaches. The learning themes are pirates and seasons.

Dates: June 29-August 21 (9.30am-3.30pm)
Prices: RMB 3,850 per week
Discounts: Early bird discount of 5% available before June 10
How to sign up: Email or call (see below)
Contact: Bldg 9, 5 Guantang Donglu, Chaoyang District (8430 8674, information@pedcentre.com) 朝阳区官塘东路5号9号

Keystone Summer Archway
For students entering Grades 6-9 in fall 2015. Designed for non-native English speakers, Keystone Academy’s Summer Archway program is designed for non-native English speakers who intend to attend Keystone or similar schools in China and abroad. Participants in the three-week camp will learn how to work in an international or American-style learning environment, with a focus on improving academic English and exploring key concepts in the arts, sciences, and humanities.

Dates: July 13-31
Prices: RMB 15,600 (includes application fee, tuition, materials, lunch, use of Keystone’s sports facilities, and certificate of completion). Optional bus transportation available for RMB 980
Discounts: None
How to sign up: The four-step application process consists of filling out an application form, submitting a personal essay, scheduling an interview, and paying the application fee. Click here for full details. The signup deadline is April 20.
Contact: Keystone Academy, 11 Anfu Jie, Houshayu, Shunyi District (8049 6008 ext 2009, summer@keystoneacademy.cn) 顺义区后沙峪镇安富街11号北京鼎石国际学校

All photos courtesy of their respective schools and organizations unless otherwise noted

As magnolias burst into bloom and winter clothes are put away, it’s once again time for to celebrate the annually-sanctioned chocolate coma that is Easter. Like many western holidays, the go-to activity is a Sunday brunch where kids can run around while the grownups tuck into a lavish buffet spread. Several events will have chocolate egg hunts, a guest appearance from the Easter Bunny, and Easter crafts. All events are on Sunday, April 5 and hotel brunches carry a 15 percent surcharge unless otherwise noted.

Hotel Brunches

Hunting for a Sweet Easter
All ages. The Four Seasons’ Opus Lounge hosts an Easter brunch with an Easter egg hunt and dishes like traditional Easter lamb, pork roast, organic carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, and more. The hotel also offers Easter afternoon tea for RMB 248 per person and chocolate eggs at Opus Gourmet for RMB 38-148. RMB 488 (including soft drinks), RMB 548 (including free-flow house wine and local beer), RMB 220 (ages 6-12), free for kids under 6. 11.30am-3pm. Beijing Four Seasons Hotel

Easter at the Waldorf Astoria Beijing
All ages. Brasserie 1893 hosts a family-oriented Easter brunch with sparkling, red, and white wine pairings available for grownups. There’s also a themed afternoon tea at Peacock Alley (RMB 388+ per person) and Easter treats available at Patisserie Couture. 11.30am-3pm. RMB 688 per person.

Easter Day Celebration at the Kempinski
All ages. For Easter, Kranzler’s will have bunnies, colored eggs, an egg hunt in the garden, special prizes, and photo ops with the Easter Bunny. Each family is entitled to free brunch for one child (age 10 and under). Until April 5, Kempi Deli will also have traditional pastries like Simnel cake, hot cross buns, and bunny bread for sale. RMB 498 (without champagne), RMB 598 (with free-flow Mumm champagne), RMB 248 (ages 6-12). 11.30am-3pm.

Easter Sunday Brunch at the St. Regis Beijing
All ages. To celebrate the return of spring, the St. Regis is hosting an Easter egg hunt at Garden Court and a champagne brunch with hundreds of choices. Kids can also make their own chocolate eggs and decorate cupcakes with pastry chefs at Rui. RMB 588 per person, RMB 294 (ages 4-10), free for kids under 4. 11.30am-3pm. The St. Regis Beijing

Asia Bistro EGG-CITING Easter Brunch
All ages. Enjoy grilled seafood, roasted salmon, hot cross buns, chocolate Easter eggs and more. RMB 498 (adults), half-price for ages 3-12. 11.30am-3.30pm. JW Marriott

FEAST Easter Sunday Brunch
All ages. FEAST offers a wide selection of seafood, meats, and desserts, with a visit from the Easter Bunny and an egg painting station for the kids. RMB 428 (includes free-flow wine, beer, juice, and soft drinks), RMB 488 (includes free-flow Mumm champagne).11.30am-3.30pm. EAST Beijing

“Share of Love” Easter Bunny Brunch at Aroma
All ages. Aroma hosts a brunch, egg hunting, egg and spoon races, a petting zoo with real bunnies on the terrace, and Peter Rabbit toys as prizes. In addition, the hotel is inviting the Golden Wings Charity School t’nho present an exhibition called “Design an Easter Egg” at Aroma. All products are hand-painted by autistic children, with all proceeds going to the school. RMB 598 (includes free-flow champagne), RMB 298 (ages 6-12), free for kids under 6. 11.30am-3pm. The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing

Hop to Kerry’s Easter Sunday Brunch
All ages. Continue the egg-based puns at Kerry Hotel, with face painting, family photos, egg painting with panda mascot Jiabao, and Easter egg hunting. RMB 538 (includes free-flow champagne, wine, beer, and Easter cocktails), RMB 229 for kids (includes access to the Adventure Zone). 11.30am-3.30pm. Kerry Hotel Beijing

Dream Land Easter Brunch
All ages. VIC is hosting Easter Sunday brunch with supervised activities like a colorful egg hunt, clown show, and drawing corner. RMB 420 (includes French beer, wine, or Patrick Font juice), RMB 520 (free-flow of aforementioned drinks and half bottle of champagne), RMB 620 (free-flow of all), free for kids under 6. 11.30am-3pm. Swissotel Beijing

Bunnies, Eggs and More!
All ages. Matrix’s Easter brunch features a petting zoo with rabbits in the lobby, face painting, Polaroid photos, a kids’ corner, and a buffet feast. RMB 388, free for kids under 6. 11.30am-3pm. Crowne Plaza Beijing Lido

Non-Hotel Brunches

Easter Sunday Brunch at the Great Wall 2015
All ages. The Brickyard hosts an Easter Sunday brunch at the Great Wall with an egg hunt and face painting for kids between 11am and 2pm. The food selection includes Easter ham, cassoulet, shaobing, seasonal vegetables, lemon tarts, and more. Weather permitting, there will also be live jazz on the yoga terrace. Meal tickets must be purchased by Friday, April 3 on Yoopay. RMB 268 (adults), RMB 138 (ages 4-12), free for kids under 4. 11am-3pm. The Brickyard Inn and Retreat

Zarah Easter Sunday Brunch
All ages. This newly-reopened Gulou fixture is hosting an Easter brunch with a buffet downstairs and children’s activities upstairs. There will be colored eggs, Easter dishes, an egg hunt, and activities led by a kindergarten teacher. RMB 198 (brunch with one coffee or juice), RMB 248 (brunch with Prosecco, wine, one coffee or juice), RMB 50 (all-you-can-eat buffet and activities for kids aged 2-12, includes one hot chocolate or juice). 9am-5pm. Zarah

Bubbly Easter Brunch at FACTORY
All ages. FACTORY’s Easter brunch features two- or three-course set menus with dishes like grilled rack of lamb, seared tuna, honey parfait, white chocolate cheesecake, and more. RMB 200 (two courses), RMB 250 (three courses), RMB 350 (two courses with free-flow champagne or beer), RMB 400 (three courses with free-flow champagne or beer). 11.30am-4pm. FACTORY

Other Events

Comptoirs de France Easter Egg Hunt
Ages 2-12. Comptoirs de France’s annual Easter egg hunt is once again being held at the East Lake Villas branch. All you have to do is register your child at this location before the hunt. There will be two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Free. 9am-12.30pm, 2-5pm. Comptoirs de France (East Lake Villas)

Easter Sunday Service
All ages. The River of Grace Church is hosting a religious program for the entire family, including classes for kids of all ages and an Easter egg hunt after the service. Free. 10am-noon. The River of Grace Church

Easter Eggstravaganza
All ages. NCC’s Easter Carnival includes prizes, crafts, face painting, balloon animals, and a large Easter egg hunt. Sandwiches, pizzas, and Easter desserts are also available from the onsite café. RMB 50. 11am-1pm. The New City Center

Photos: Courtesy of NCC, The Brickyard, Zarah, Atelier, and Waldorf Astoria