Whether e-learning is going well for your family or not, the days continue to grow shorter until the inevitable Time That You Are Responsible For Your Children’s Happiness All Day Every Day, otherwise known as Lunar New Year school break. With kids being home and bound to screens for 2-4 weeks beforehand, you may feel more pressure to go out and do something, but within guidelines and well sanitized, of course. In case you don’t feel like sorting through WeChat groups and Dangping yourself, we collected all our ideas into a little calendar that allows you to not have to think about a blessed thing. And isn’t that really why we’re here — to be Beijing’s essential international family resource?

Mon Feb 8 – Go on a photography walk. 

This is a cool way to learn more about photography or have the kids make a travel vlog, and just get out of the house for some exercise! After lunch is the sweet spot weather-wise, and any camera will do! Teen writer Qin Luyao wrote up some truly wonderful spots for a great walk and photos of great views here, and they’re all close to good eats as well.

Tues Feb 9 – Sign up to be a Pen Pal with Best Buddies/SENIA-Beijing

If your child loves to write letters and wants to practice their typing, the Pen Pal program is great for connecting with children who would otherwise feel even more isolated. Any child aged 9 and older who wants to be Pen Pal Best Buddy for a child with special needs can sign up at the QR code on the flyer here. You just need to commit to communicating with your pal once a month through a secure communication platform that they will provide.

Wed Feb 10 – Make a fun bookmark

Our Maker’s Corner series is always inspiring, and this one from 2018 turns the perfect randomness lying around your house into adorable handmade bookmarks. The best part is that these can encourage your child to read a new book so they can use their creation, and even make more to give out as gifts!

Thurs Feb 11 – Walk all of Chaoyang Park

Maybe you’ve only done it accidentally when you mixed up a meeting place with friends, but Chaoyang Park is the perfect spot to tucker out those kids and get some amazing exercise in the meantime. It’s nice to pack a lunch and snacks, take a full day with scooters or bikes, and just walk until you want to stop and play, then keep walking until it’s time to go home. Even on a chilly day, the activity alone will get your blood pumping — and make for an easy bedtime!

Fri Feb 12 – Make a Sidewalk Sponge Brush

After such an active Thursday, take it easy Friday with a craft you start indoors then take to the streets! But wait, it also has no clean up time, my favorite kind of craft! Take a look at the how to here and send us photos of your child’s calligraphy creations.

Sat Feb 13 – Little Chef Cooking Class at East Hotel

How cute is this? Every Saturday in February, East Hotel will teach your kids how to make colorful Chinese dumplings from 2-3pm for just RMB 188, or a 3 class package is RMB 528/6 class package RMB 1,028 – excluding their special gingerbread house making in December.)

Sun Feb 14 – Host a Virtual Party, Just For Fun!

Invite your friends from your home country, friends you never get to see in Beijing, or your kids’ classroom for a fun virtual time with fairies, improv, magic, and a lot more. Peruse our list of virtual parties and book them for some much needed social time.

Mon Feb 15 – Let’s Go Ride a Bike!

In the winter? Are we crazy? Well, that might still be up for debate but cycling in the wintertime is actually the best time, says our longtime friend and contributor Anna Pellegrin-Hartley. It’s worth a look at her blog over here to learn why she thinks so, then plan your cycling route!

Tues Feb 16 – Have a Snow Day at The Place!

In honor of Beijing hosting the Winter Olympics, or just because it looks like a great time, The Place set up a large snow area in the center atrium. Here you can sled, slip, and throw snowballs at whatever willing adult you can trick to get in there with you!

Wed Feb 17 – Scoot at Tai Koo Li Before Indulging in Books From Page One

One nice thing about the wintertime is that fewer people just go hang at a mall, and Tai Koo Li is no exception. If your kids like to scoot on their scooters, the atrium is wide open and empty. Let them get out their energy before bringing them to the second floor of Page One bookstore and choosing an activity or story that makes them feel like they’re traveling even if they can’t leave Beijing.

Thurs Feb 18 – Bake a Cake, Why Don’t Ya?

By this point in your “vacation”, everyone will need a chill-out activity that results in some delicious treat indulging – so here we bring you Chef Lily Zhang from théATRE Tea and her birthday cake recipe. No birthday needed for this round of cakes and cupcakes — just a chance to let loose and have a good time together.

Our future is in our and our children’s hands.

Fri Feb 19 – Start Planning With Fridays For Future

Now that you’ve had some time out and about, and time to reflect as a family, it might be a good opportunity to talk to your kids about protecting the earth, and how your family can work together to combat climate change. Read our interview with teen climate activist Howie Ou and then review all the actions you can take on Fridays For Future’s website: www.fridaysforfuture.org

Sat Feb 20 – Create a family board game

You have lots of pieces from various board games; why not make up your own? It’s a great chance to see just how far your child’s imagination can soar when they are the ones who make up the rules. Then try to play and see how it works — together!

Sun Feb 21 – Test a recipe or two

Now use your newly found cooking skills to try some of these Chinese recipes for English speakers to make homemade chili soup, dumplings (of course), hot and sour soup, beef and noodle soup, stir fry, Wuhan noodles, and even more! A perfect way to spend unscheduled family time together while catching up on all the laundry you let loose during the break.

KEEP READING: Enter the Creative Writing Competition – Once Upon a Time

Photos: Pexels, East Hotel

Given how 2020 has been for most of us in Beijing, especially after our city got over the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had hoped that New Year’s celebrations would look much more like those in the good old pre-COVID-19 days. Unfortunately, with the new confirmed cases, Beijing has gone back to implementing safety and prevention protocols. Hundreds of thousands of Beijing’s residents in Shunyi and the rest of Beijing have been flooding testing centers to know their status. Additionally, bars, restaurants, and night clubs across the city which had initially advertised New Year’s Eve parties have since announced a change of plans as they are now only allowed to have no more than a ‘sitting capacity’ number of guests for their events, and this has meant that tickets for such events are now severely limited.

But never fear. Though your plans to have a far more glamorous, festive, maybe even tipsy New Year’s celebration this year might appear to be toast (no pun intended), you and your family might still be able to toast to the new year in fun, creative, equally festive, but safe ways.

Here are some ideas!

How Many Chinese Card Games Do You Know?

Ever heard of Dou dizhu, 斗地主? This particular game rose up during the Cultural Revolution, as a way of fighting against the landlord class, which was one of the “five black categories“. Its origins can be traced back to Hubei province. The nature of the game is that of shedding cards, with three players playing with a full deck of cards including the three jokers. Players start by ‘bidding’ for the landlord position. The one who wins takes the place of the landlord and has to play against the two other players who are now ‘peasants’, with the objective of being the first to get rid of all of the cards in their hand. Even though the history of this game is a rather dark one, it no longer holds the same cultural baggage and is a fun way of engaging in a game of teams with the kids or even among friends without having to fork out piles of cash.

For a full list of instructions, please click here.

Information courtesy of AJ at Culture Yard.

Drinking Games for The Entire Family!

Yes, I said drinking games, but for the entire family! I am by no means advising you to pull out the shot glasses, fill them to the brim with tequila and have the kids swig every time they fail to win a round of whatever game you are playing. Drinking games, far from being a preserve of drunk college students and merry revelers in bars and house parties, can be quite exciting for the entire family, even when the alcohol element is removed. Just replace the booze with a beverage that anyone in the family would loathe to drink and get to playing. Let’s check out some classics! Better yet, bypass the drink part entirely and get yourselves a nice big jar of stinky tofu! I promise you, the prospect of having even a piece of that would light a fire under even the least competitive member of the family!

1. Flip and Sip – The rules are as simple as you might imagine. Flip a coin and call it. If you get it right, pass it on to the next person to your left. If you get it wrong, however, you have to empty the contents of the glass in front of you (or have a nice juicy piece of stinky tofu!)
2. Jenga – Yet another classic! And as you would imagine, the premise is, every time anyone forfeits on pulling out a block, or knocks down the blocks drinks, or eats whatever is in front of them.
3. No-Beer Pong – This one gives you an opportunity to turn up the pressure, as in every cup you can vary the disgusting treat awaiting the loser of each round. Split into two teams, aim and throw ping pong balls into as many cups as you can, and watch in glee, the horrified expression of the loser as they down whatever is in their cup.

When in Doubt, Crack Out the Board Games 

We all have happy memories of hours spent playing board games both as kids and as adults. What could be better than getting stuck into one or more of these games to ring in the New Year? Earlier this summer, our Teen Takeover writer, Dorothy Asiedu, did a roundup of some of the best board games there are in the market and just how they are played. Here are just some of them.

1. Candy Land (Ages:3+) – “This game is an all-time favorite, and 2-4 people can play at a time. Players are required to follow a rainbow path; the goal is to be the first to reach King Kandy’s castle. Players will encounter certain obstacles, such as cards that send you backward.”
2. Hasbro Connect 4 (Ages: 6+) –  “The goal of this 2-player game is to stack four discs together in any direction (vertical, horizontal, and diagonal). As long as a player gets four-in-a-row, they win. However, players should also attempt to block their opponent’s discs to prevent them from winning.”
3. Monopoly (Ages: 8+) – “During this game, all players roll two dices to move around the board. Players can buy and trade properties, allowing them to collect rent from opponents. Money gained can also be used to further develop real estate properties with houses and hotels. The ultimate goal is to earn money and purchase real estate in order to drive your opponents to bankruptcy.”
4. Marble Circuit (Ages: 8+) – If your kids are good at puzzles but sick of “baby games,” then this one could be excellent even if they’re under the suggested age. Deputy Manager Cindy Marie Jenkins allowed her kindergartner to try different games at a store one day, and they chose this one. It’s a test of math and logic, but mostly it’s good ‘ol trial and error with marbles. What’s bad about that?

2020 has not been the year any of us wanted or expected. But we are hoping for the year 2021 to be all that we wanted 2020 to be and more. For now, however, it is our responsibility to keep ourselves and those we love safe if only to be able to do have a proper celebration do-over next year.

To one and all, a happy and safe New Year!

KEEP READING: Make the Most of Beijing’s Ultimate Family Guide

Photos: Courtesy of Pexels, Unsplash

Anyone who grew up enduring grim, endless games of Monopoly might think that board games are not something they want to share with their own children. But there’s been a tabletop revolution in the last two decades, with a wave of new, enjoyable yet challenging games, ranging from fun, social, Werewolf-style whodunnits, to Twilight Imperium, a vast, sprawling battle for galactic domination which can take up to 12 hours to play.

These games provide an opportunity for families to get together without having to stare at a screen, and help kids develop valuable skills of turn-taking, negotiation, and strategizing. Handling cards and pieces improves fine motor coordination. And of course, there’s the all-important life lesson of not flipping the board when things go wrong.

We asked our friends on WeChat to suggest games suitable for playing with kids of different ages. Here are some of their favorites. (Where possible we’ve linked to Taobao listings where the games can be purchased. It’s always worth looking for the lowest price, but be aware that pirated copies of board games are often available, much cheaper but with lower quality components. Always remember too to check the language the game is in! For more information and reviews we recommend the excellent boardgamegeek.com.)

Busytown: Eye Found It

Based on Richard Scarry’s beloved books, this award-winning game has players racing across a two meter board, trying to find objects to help them get to Picnic Island before the pigs eat all the food. It’s cooperative too, so the little ones don’t cry when they lose.

2-4 players, age 3+, playing time 30 minutes.

Takamachi

Players roll colorful dice, and have to spot combinations of shapes and colors to score points.

2-4 players, 4+, 5-15 minutes.

Sigfrid and Donatella

This should appeal to more active kids, as climbing the pyramid-shaped board involves completing challenges like running round the table, roaring like a lion, or (most difficult of all) staying still till your next turn. Unfortunately it’s not currently available from Taobao.

2-4 players, 5+, 30 minutes.

Qwirkle

Another pattern-matching game; players have to place blocks, matching either the colour or the shape to adjacent blocks. Sounds easy? In fact the strategies in this popular game run surprisingly deep.

2-4 players, 6+, 45 minutes.

Pandemic

A co-operative game in which players have to work together to tackle global outbreaks of deadly diseases. It’s great for creating drama: “OK, we’ll airlift Mom to Buenos Aires to contain the situation there, and I’ll meet you at the Moscow research station. Together, we can find a cure…” Replayability is limited, but Pandemic: Legacy adds a storyline, in which characters develop and events in one game affect the next.

2-4 players, 8+, 45 minutes.

Tsuro

This is a calmer game with a spiritual dimension, representing the various paths we can take to enlightenment. Players walk their own path by laying tiles in front of their piece, but decisions made by others can change everything.

2-8 players, 8+, 15 minutes.

Hanabi

The twist in this game is that you hold your cards facing outwards, so you can see everybody’s hand except your own. Players work as a team to create a spectacular fireworks display by laying down the cards in sequences. It should be peaceful, but can get quite tetchy when people don’t pay attention. “Listen to me very carefully. This card – THIS ONE – is green. GREEN.” But satisfying when you work it out together.

2-5 players, 8+, 25 minutes.

Takenoko

Why not spend an evening growing bamboo, to feed the insatiable appetite of the Emperor’s panda? That’s the premise of this quirky game. Sadly we couldn’t find it on Taobao.

2-4 players. 8+, 45 minutes.

Toss Up!

Another dice game, this time a variant on the “do you bank your wins, or roll again?” game known to this correspondent as Zilch.

2-6 players, 8+, 15 minutes.

Smash Up!

Riotous fun, but fiercely competitive, so best for older kids. Each player mixes together two decks of cards, so you can play as Pirate Dinosaurs, Alien Wizards, or any of countless combinations. The key to the game is combining and chaining powers so that you smash the bases at the right time; and of course, foiling your opponents’ plans.

2-4 players, 12+, 45 minutes.

Photos: boardgamegeek.com

By good luck I stumbled upon a funny board game at Roundabout, thinking my four-year-old might like it. I had no idea that she would love it so much. I’ve never really introduced board games as I kept thinking she would be too young for it. But boy, do kids grow up fast! I have bought several more board games, and even got a retro one she really enjoys. Since kids are never too young for a game with friends or family, I have rounded up a few games that are easy to find and buy online in China. They’re also a great way of busting the pollution blues in Beijing.

Keep it Steady

This super simple game is fun and entertaining to play. My daughter loves that she knows the colors, and because the rules are so easy, it’s a fun game to start with.

Twister

I remember playing this game when young, and boy did we play it a lot. Get your body in a twist while learning left and right. This game is cheap, and again a very easy game to start with for kids.

Bee hive

Turn the tree and make sure no bees fall out when you remove the leaves. Whoever has fewest bees wins. With this game we upped the difficulty factor by adding a few more rules. But even with the basic rules, it is still fun for kids and adults to play.

Monkey tree

Hang your monkeys very carefully, and try to hang as many as possible without the tree falling down. This game is some monkey business, as you lose when the monkeys come down. My four year old loves this game, and she wins every time.

Pie Face

This game sure is the best newcomer on the board game scene. Nothing educational about getting some whipped cream in your face, but sure is fun if it’s not you.

Photos: Baopals.com

On Christmas Day, my roommate debuted a game called Werewolf at our dinner party. Based on Mafia rules, the premise is deceptively simple: Werewolves lurk among a group of villagers, killing them off one by one at night. The goal of the villagers is to identify the werewolves and lynch them; the goal of the werewolves is to kill off all the villagers.

Though the evening started out innocently enough, the 12 of us soon spiraled into a vortex of recriminations, suspicions, double-crossing, and mob justice. In other words, it was awesome.

The Basics
The game is best for groups of at least seven players. The game is split into successive rounds of night and day in which different roles can take different actions.

The Moderator shuffles the cards and passes one out to each player, who are allowed to look at their card but can’t reveal it to others. There are five basic roles (one non-player role and four player roles):

• The Moderator: The omniscient Moderator serves as the narrator, game master, and chief whip. They know each player’s identity and ensure that the game moves along at a brisk pace. The quality of the Moderator directly affects the quality of the game.
• Werewolves: Werewolves are the game’s “informed minority” whose members are aware of each other. When night falls, the Werewolves choose one victim to kill. Their goal is to kill all the Villagers without being found out and lynched. For a group of seven without any special roles (more on those below), two Werewolves are enough. (For 12 people, three Werewolves was a good number.)
• The Seer: Arguably the most important role in the game, the Seer is a villager who can “investigate” one player each turn to find out if they’re a Werewolf.
• The Doctor: The Doctor is a villager who can “protect” one player from being killed by the Werewolves each turn.
• Villagers: Everyone else is a Villager, the game’s “uninformed majority.” The Villagers must figure out the Werewolves’ identities through deduction and discussion, and avoid accidentally lynching other Villagers.

Gameplay
Once everyone has their card, Werewolf can begin. The rules below are greatly simplified; click here or scroll to the end of the post for complete rules.

Phase 1: Nighttime

• The game begins at night. The Moderator sets the scene (“It was a cold January night with 500 AQI…”), then instructs all the players to close their eyes.
• The Moderator instructs the Werewolves to open their eyes and asks them who they want to kill. The Werewolves must silently agree on a victim, then signal their choice to the Moderator. The Moderator asks the Werewolves to close their eyes.
• Next, the Moderator instructs the Doctor to open their eyes and asks who they want to save. The Doctor silently signals their choice to the Moderator; note that Doctors are allowed to save themselves. The Moderator asks the Doctor to close their eyes.
• Then, the Moderator instructs the Seer to open their eyes and asks who they want to investigate. The Seer silently points to a player, to which the Moderator will either nod or shake their head (you can also do thumbs up or down). The Moderator asks the Seer to close their eyes.

Phase 2: Daytime

• It’s now daytime; the Moderator asks everyone to open their eyes and announces the name of the player who was killed last night. Dead players aren’t allowed to talk.
• This is where things get interesting. The Villagers must figure out who the Werewolves are. They can use deduction, act on hunches, observe other players’ reactions, etc. Meanwhile, the Werewolves must avoid suspicion by drawing attention to other players, lying, acting natural, etc.
• Once the Villagers settle on a suspect, that player is lynched. If the person was a Werewolf, they must reveal their card. If the person was a Seer or Doctor, they can’t reveal their special role.
• Once a player is lynched, night falls and the cycle starts again. The game continues until either the Werewolves or the Villagers are killed off.

Extra Roles
Once you get the hang of Werewolf, there are many special cards that can be used to spice up the game. Here are a few:

• The Witch: The Witch is a Villager with extra powers; she has one potion and one poison, which can be used at any point in the game. The potion brings a player back to life while the poison kills a player.
• The Village Drunk: The Village Drunk is a Villager who can only communicate with gestures or noises. They can’t talk at all during the day; if they do, they automatically die the following night.
• The Alpha Werewolf: The Alpha Werewolf is a player who can turn a Villager into a Werewolf. This can only be used once.

One commercial version of the game, Ultimate Werewolf, includes more than 40 player roles. With so many discussion threads dedicated to extra roles, there’s potential for endless variations on Werewolf.

Where to Find Werewolf
The best part? Werewolf is free. Though many commercial versions are available, fans of the game have released their own printable card sets for download. Alternatively, make and laminate your own cards with the kids; even Post-It notes with roles written on them are just fine.

My roommate downloaded the beautiful card set by American designer Max Temkin. (If his name sounds familiar, that’s because he’s the co-founder of the decidedly un-kid friendly Cards Against Humanity). Temkin’s PDF template includes the Witch and six blank cards for extra roles.

Here is another downloadable card set featuring cute stick figures from a website dedicated to “print and play” games.

For complete Werewolf rules, click here.

Werewolf is recommended for ages 10 and up.

Sijia Chen is a contributing editor at beijingkids and a freelance writer who has covered travel, tech, culture, parenting, and the environment. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, The Independent, the Beijinger, Midnight Poutine, and more. Follow her on Twitter at @sijiawrites or email her at sijiachen@beijing-kids.com.

Photo: mikequozl (via Flickr)

Go (known as weiqi or “encircling game” in China) is a Chinese board game that originated over 2,500 years ago. It enjoys widespread popularity all across Asia and is known as igo in Japan and baduk in Korea. Despite having relatively simple rules, the game is known for having rich strategic possibilities.

Ages: Approximately 6 and up
Type of game: Board
Number of players: Two

Basic Rules
Standard go is played on a 19 x 19 playing board; beginners sometimes use smaller 9 x 9 and 13 x 19 variants. The two players take turns placing black and white playing pieces called “stones” (qizi in Chinese) on the empty line intersections of the board (called “points”). The goal of the game is to use one’s stones to surround a larger area of the board than the opponent. Stones can’t be moved once they’re placed on the board, but can be eliminated from play if captured.

One basic principle of go is that all stones must have at least one “liberty” (qi), or an open intersection next to a stone, to stay on the board. If a group of stones of one color surrounds a liberty, that liberty is called an “eye” (yan). Such a group cannot be captured, even if surrounded.

As the players occupy points, the board gets split into “territory,” as delineated by groups of black or white stones. The players then wage war for these areas, resulting in the expansion, reduction, or loss of territory. (It’s easy to see how go was considered a martial art in China, Korea, and Japan!) In general, players will seek to expand one’s territory when possible, attack the opposing player’s weak groups, and keep an eye on the status of one’s own groups.

For a more detailed strategy guide, click here.

Game over: The game ends when both players pass; in other words, when there are no more profitable moves to be made. The controlled points and captured stones are then counted to determine which player has more points. The one with the most points wins. Games can also end if one player resigns.

For more Chinese games like San Guo Sha and Dou Dizhu, enter “Chinese Game Spotlight” in our search box.

Photo by luis de bethencourt via Flickr

San Guo Sha (三国杀 or “Killers of the Three Kingdoms”) is a popular Chinese board game set in the Three Kingdoms period. The rules of the game follow the rules of Bang!, a world-famous card game inspired by spaghetti westerns. How’s that for East meets West?

Ages: 8 and up
Type of game: Card/board hybrid
Number of players: 2-10

Basic Rules
Each player plays one of four roles: lord, loyalist, rebel, or spy. As the game begins, each player must randomly draw a “role card” to determine their role. Whoever draws the “lord” card must reveal their role card to the rest of the players. Those who draw other roles must keep them hidden until they are defeated over the course of the game. Different roles have different victory conditions:

• The lord must survive and defeat all rebels and spies;
• The loyalist must prevent the lord from dying, and kill all the rebels and spies;
• The rebel must kill the lord;
• And finally, the spy must kill all the loyalists and rebels, then the lord.

Over the course of the game, each player is dealt three “hero” cards. Each hero has a different ability and is loyal to one of the three warring states of the period: Wei, Shu, or Wu. After the players have each selected one hero from the ones they have drawn, players draw cards in an effort to defeat players from the opposing team. Some cards are weapons, some are utilitarian, some allow you to attack, some allow you to defend, and so on.

Game Over:  Each character has 3-5 health points. Every time you are successfully attacked, you lose a health point. If you run out of health, you are defeated and thus taken out of the game. As mentioned above, each role has its own victory conditions. The game also ends immediately if the lord is killed or all the rebels and spies are killed.

For more Chinese game spotlights, check out our posts on Dou Dizhu and Chinese chess.

Photo via paopaoche.net