When my 11-year-old son was invited to an archery-themed party, I wondered how he would take to it. I dabbled in toxophily myself as a kid, inspired by Robin Hood movies, but found it to be a tough discipline, requiring focus, steadiness and a strong arm. However I needn’t have worried, because the sport he was competing in was rather less demanding and considerably more fun.

I should have gleaned my first clue from the location: the basement of Glory Mall, near Chongwenmen. This is home to Sports Infinite, which offers a variety of simulations of sporting activities, as well as video and VR games. The quality of these is variable; “skiing” down a rolling travelator has little to do with the real thing, as far as I could see.

The archery however involves nothing so dull as shooting at straw targets. This is “archery tag”, in which two teams try to hit each other. Fear not for your precious offspring though, parents. The arrows are tipped with a heavy foam cylinder instead of a point.

The kids were first of all shown how to nock and shoot an arrow. The former archer in me grimaced a little at the lack of proper technique, but then I was being hustled out of the arena along with the other extraneous adults because the carnage was about to begin.

The arrows were all piled in the middle, and the bows at either end. On the referee’s whistle, the teams had to grab as many arrows as they could, dash back to their weapon and begin shooting. Anyone who was hit had to change sides.

The arena was small, but the shooting was marked by more enthusiasm than accuracy, and one team ended up standing on the center line and pelting the other, who lurked at the back and got shots off whenever they could. It was all good riotous fun, and only one child was reduced to tears after being hit in the face (wearing masks is obligatory, but an arrow at short range can still deliver quite a whack.)

It’s certainly an activity for older children – my younger son, aged eight, struggled to fit an arrow to the bow and keep it there while he aimed and shot. And at RMB 159 per child for an hour, it’s probably an occasional indulgence for most, rather than a new hobby. But if you’re looking for an alternative party idea where kids can really let off steam, then it might just hit the bullseye.

Sports Infinite (众体无限)
Address: B1 Glory Mall 18 Chongwenmen Dajie Dongcheng district. 东城区崇文门大街18号国瑞购物中心LG层 (6711 1666)

Photos: Andrew Killeen

When I was at school the only sport we ever played was football (or ‘soccer’ to many of our readers). Every sports class, break time and summer course was dedicated to my unsuccessful attempts to recreate the elegant, flowing style of my Manchester United idols.

But while my love for the game remains to this day, I have some regrets.

To begin with, the decision not to diversify my sporting endeavors has left me with undeveloped hand-eye coordination, absolutely no upper body strength and nothing to do when it’s really cold. What’s more, if someone had told me that I had a much better chance of becoming a national-level synchronized swimmer than a footballer then I might have chosen differently.

So if your kids want to improve their chances of actually getting to something nearing a meaningful competition or just to try something new, here’s a selection of some less mainstream sports available to kids in Beijing.

Synchronized Swimming
Best described as a fusion of swimming and ballet, synchronized swimming is a novel alternative for kids interested in either sport. The combination of strength and artistry has seen it grow in popularity since its inclusion in the 1984 Olympics.

The Xiqi Shuiyang Synchronized Swimming Club offers weekend classes for children aged 6 and over. Beginners are welcome, though they must be able to swim at least 50 meters in two styles to take part.

2 Tiyuguan Rd, Chongwen District (139 1023 5840) 北京市崇文区体育馆路2号

Fencing
Plenty of kids like sword fighting, so why not get them using sabres, épées and foils rather than poking each other with sticks in the kitchen? Fencing is a great way to work up a sweat and that’s not just because of all the protective gear.

The Wanghaibin International Fencing Club has classes for kids aged 6 and over to learn the basics of the sport.

Bldg 2, Block 21, Xiaoying Beilu, Chaoyang District (8499 0075) 朝阳区小营北路21号院2号楼

Archery
Archery has played a major part in Chinese history, from the rituals of the imperial court to the throes of the battlefield. Nowadays the bows and arrows are more likely to be found in sports clubs than repelling invaders, but there’s still lots of fun to be had for sharp-shooting kids.

The Beijing City Archery Club runs sessions for children aged 8 and over with a former member of China’s National Archery Team.

Rm. B103 Tower A Chaowai SOHO , No. B6 Chaoyangmenwai Street (5900 9123) 朝阳门外大街，朝外SOHO, A塔B103

Handball
Increasingly popular in Europe, handball is a combination of many of the skills required for basketball, soccer and rugby. This fast-paced sport is played indoors, so perfect for kids whose love of scoring goals decreases as the mercury falls.

Sports Beijing offers blocks of training sessions, with the next starting on Sunday 15th October at Harrow International School.

Scuba diving
Most kids enjoy donning a snorkel and having a look at what’s below the water’s surface, but mastering scuba diving is life skill worth having. It can also come in handy for future family holidays for those who would rather go fish-spotting than sit on a beach.

SinoScuba runs courses with fully qualified dive instructors for kids aged 10 and over, as well as trips to swim with dolphins and – if you’re brave enough – sharks.

All photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons