What is it about the indoor soft play centers in Beijing? A while back I was planning my daughter’s fourth birthday party. During that season of deliberation, I had the brilliant idea to host the party at an indoor soft play playground. As I was researching venues, I was struck by the astronomical prices of some of these places. I kid you not, one mall-based establishment was actually charging RMB 268 for a two-hour play session.

I believe in investing in the youth and providing stimulating learning environments but there’s just a part of me that doesn’t see why it should cost the equivalent of over £20 to jump around in multi-colored plastic balls (like they’re even BPA-free).

When a friend introduced me to the soft play facility at Dynasty Garden Clubhouse (丽斯花园), the experience really helped to restore my faith in the fact that not every child-focused establishment in this city is a rip-off.

Admittedly, this playground is smaller and perhaps a bit more trickier to get to than some of it’s extortionately priced counterparts, but at RMB 30 per child it’s worth putting in the extra effort to visit. Besides, the cozy environment lends itself very nicely to being the venue for a playdate or even a children’s party. The compact size of the room means that children can truly be let loose to freely explore the various playful contraptions. There is comfortable padded seating where parents can sit and chat without the need to constantly pause the conversation and run around a mammoth sized facility in search of one’s child.

In addition to the chilled and relaxed vibe that results from it never being overrun with patrons, this place is super clean which I particularly appreciate because I have a thing about grotty soft play equipment (especially the ball pits).

In terms of scale, this playground is definitely not on a par with some of the larger, more popular indoor centers. My three children (who are all under the age of four) enjoy playing here. However, older kids might just be underwhelmed. In any case, this playground is only for children under the height of 130cm.

The closest subway station is China International Exhibition Center.  From the subway station it’s a short bus journey (bus 31) to Dynasty Garden.

Although this playground is located in the clubhouse of an upmarket gated community, it’s open to the general public. To reiterate the words of the receptionist, “Anyone under 130cm can play here as long as they purchase a ticket”. So, if you’re looking for a sensibly priced, indoor, air-conditioned, soft-play playground, this place could be for you.

Dynasty Garden Clubhouse (丽斯花园)

RMB 30 for children. Daily 10.00am-9.30pm. Dynasty Garden, 16 Tianzhu Street, Shunyi DIstrict (6457 0623) 北京市顺义区天竺开发街16号丽斯花园会所 

For more of Pamela’s writing about life in Beijing, visit her blog: www.itisreal.net

Photos: Pamela Djima

In case you haven’t noticed summertime is here. That not only means fun in the sun, spending countless hours poolside when the AQI permits, but also that it’s time to get your essentials. In our opinion, there is no better place to pick this stuff up at a decent price than Miniso.

And while we were all distracted by the destruction of Sanlitun Bar Street, we failed to notice that another new addition to this rapidly growing chain (or empire), specializing in seemingly Japanese knockoff goods, popped up in Sanlitun Village, across from Sundan and next door to Moka Bros.

Don’t get us wrong – when we say knockoff products, that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate the splendor that is Miniso. We in fact fully embrace it, especially when it comes to picking up the essentials that can help keep your kids fresh, protected, and looking good this summer. Here’s some of this season’s offerings that are going for dirt cheap prices, and will help you save a little of that hard earned cash for something more worthwhile. Dare we say something like a seasonal pool membership… now wouldn’t that be nice?

Cartoon Popsicle Molds (RMB 10)
Popsicles are an essential treat for us when summer hits the Jing. Not that getting one from a convenience store is that much of a hassle, but it’s just more fun to make them yourself. We recommend filling them with Sprite or fruit juice, then throwing in a couple of gummy worms for good measure. Trust us; your kids will love it!

Kid’s Swimming Goggles (RMB 15)
Even if your little one is a Michael Phelps in the making, that doesn’t mean that you need to spend a fortune on Speedo brand goggles, while he or she splashes about like a maniac. With a variety of styles to choose from, these aren’t only an essential and stylish accessory for “chillaxing” in the shallow end, but will also prevent that nasty burning eye sensation from over-chlorination.

Kid’s Sunglasses (RMB 15)
UV-rays can do significant damage to your eyes over a prolonged period of time. That’s just a fact that you have to deal with when your fertile planet is in constant rotation around the sun. So protect your kids with these thrifty selections that range from cutely cartoonish to downright sassy. Our personal favorites are the lips and teeth combo because nothing else quite scares those damaging rays away like some luscious lips with some pearly whites poking out.

Sandals (RMB 19.9)
Coming in a variety of characters from Disney and Cartoon Network, these will catch some envious stares from both young and old as you saunter about on the hot pool deck.

Water Bottles (RMB 15)
Make sure to stay hydrated with these attractive water bottles, that not only say “hey, I’m here to party,” but also maybe, “I like to binge watch Adventure Time, and am against the use of disposable plastic water bottles because they are one of the leading pollutants in the world today.” Environmentally conscious hydration is a modern necessity that we must all abide by, and these cute and stylish water bottles might even help with that.

Sunscreen (RMB 25)
If you’ve lived here long enough and have skin that requires the use of sunscreen, then you’ve probably noticed that there is a small monopoly over the stuff as it is mostly used by people who want to remain as pale as possible, and not because they are goth or are particularly prone to sunburns. Regardless, the stuff can be quite pricey. That’s why we were particularly pleased to discover how cheap it is here. We will likely be using it on the regular, though we can’t currently attest to its effectiveness as we only just purchased the stuff. If you want a more well-known brand, they also sell Nivea of varying SPFs for RMB 49.

Photos: Kipp Whittaker

With June approaching, we know for some busy parents, they’ve waited until the last minute to make summer travel plans. Don’t worry. We’ve rounded up a few destinations in China you can get to for under RMB 300 and under RMB 600 (one way).

Under RMB 300

Luoyang, Henan
By the far the cheapest airfare we saw to another city in China, Luoyang is famous for its grottoes and caves (pictured above). Museums and parks will make the trip both educational and relaxed for children.

This fun 3-bedroom Airbnb looks like an attraction in itself.

Qingdao and Weifang

Instead of breaking the bank to head to Sanya, make a shorter trip to Qingdao for some beach fun under the sun. Do your research though and make sure you’re headed to a beach with proper facilities and clean water for a swim. These old Qingdao Family articles also might help with family-friendly places to eat. Since everyone knows in travel and parties, the more the merrier, check out this 6-bedroom rental for 14 guests at RMB 3,500 a night with access to a pool. That averages RMB 250 per guest.

 Alternatively, you could head to Weifang first for fun and then head to Qingdao as the cities are both under RMB 300 for airfare. Weifang is known as the City of Kites and holds an international kite festival every year.

Taiyuan, Shanxi
If visiting temples, Buddhas, parks, and mountains sounds like fun to you and your family, head to Taiyuan for an attraction area that’s going to offer less crowds in the summer than other more popular destinations (we’re comparing these to the crowds of Tiananmen Square and Badaling).

While here you’ll definitely want to stop by Pingyao Ancient City, a UNESCO Heritage site and still home to about 50,000 locals, but we can’t promise there won’t be tourists and crowds.

Shenyang
If you’d like to visit the only other royal palace in China, other than the Forbidden City, this is where you should head to this summer. In addition to the only other legit royal palace in China, there are also a few tombs to visit that would great places to explore as well.  We really love this beautiful Airbnb in Shenyang for only RMB 300 a night.

Dalian
If you’d like a beach experience even closer than Qingdao, head to Dalian where man-made beachfronts offer beautiful views surrounded by a hedge of mountains.

Along with plenty of beautiful greenery, there are also tons of museums in Dalian, including a natural history museum and the odd chance of a shell museum hosted inside of a hotel. Airbnb are more pricey here than what we’ve seen elsewhere, but there were still a few deals under RMB 300.

If you’re not keen on what we’ve rounded up here, no worries, below you’ll find a few more cities your family can head to that are still under RMB 600 for airfare and provide tons of fun options.

Under RMB 600
Wuhan
Baotou
Nancheng
Hefei
Shanghai
Xian
Hohhot
Changzhou
Ningbo
Linyi
Hong Kong
Xilinhot
Chifeng
Yinchuan

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Commons, Screenshot, Airbnb

One of the things parents always have too much of is kids clothing that our children can no longer use. They seem to grow so fast. I have so much great summer clothing for our daughter but she grew so fast that she can’t wear them anymore. One thing we don’t have enough of as parents is cute clothing stores in Beijing. I hunker back to the good old Primark in London were I could find great deals for my daughters fashion. EBay was also one of my favorites with great finds for her closet and a perfect way of reselling her outgrown pieces. Good for our wallet and for the environment.

There is a solution in sight, one of my favorite inventions from one of my favorite moms in Beijing is clothes auctions. Rebecca Archer and Bec Taylor have now come up with a great new idea to get rid of old kids clothes and gain some new kids clothes. A Kids Clothes Swap! The first Kids Clothes Swap will be held in Roundabout Community Centre, Shine Hills in Shunyi and all proceeds will go to charity. The night will be sponsored by Roundabout, Cheers, Piece of Cake, Balmain Sausage, The Yard, La Mezzaluna, and Naked Nut Butters.

This charity event is still looking for more sponsors, and is in need of more kids clothes for ages four to eight. For mothers who can’t attend but want to donate kids clothes, pick up can be arranged, please contact Archer on her WeChat: becstarnz

How To Swap in Style

• Entry fee RMB 100.
• Arrive between 7 and 7.30 pm.
• Swap begins at 8 pm.
• Mothers are welcome even if they dont have kids clothes to swap, so expectant mothers can get some good deals on gently used baby clothing.
• Bring kids clothing, from newborn to eight years old.
• Sort your clothing by age before you arrive.
• Items must be in good condition, free from stains and rips.
• There will be a free box where you can put items that do not fit the standard, and other guests can take them from the box for free.
• You will receive one token per clothing item, brand new items with tags can be exchanged for two tokens.
• Each token can be exchanged for one item.
• Extra clothing beyond your token allocation, can be purchased for RMB 10 per piece or RMB 30 for a new item with tags.
• Bring your own bag (or two) to take your items home.
• All unsold clothing will be donated to charity.
• The night will be kids free, but babies are welcome
• The event is limited to 50 people but, if it is a success, more events will be organized.