School is out, Christmas and the New Year is approaching and you’re wondering what to do with the kids. Not to worry! If you want to avoid having your little and not so little ones hibernating at home the following winter camps have got you covered. Keep the kids active through learning and play this cold season!

BSB Shunyi Early Years Winter Camp, Dec 17 – Jan 4

This year The British School of Beijing Shunyi (BSB Shunyi) will run an Early Years Winter Camp from December 17 2018 until January 4 2019.  With early bird discounts for sign ups before November 30, the camp is designed for parents who would like their children to brush up on their English or Mandarin while having fun.

BSB Shunyi will offer two programs for children aged between 2-6, one that focuses on English as a second language and the other on Mandarin. Age- and level-appropriate language lessons will take place in the mornings and a range of activities, including arts and crafts, sports, and story time will be offered in the afternoons.

Registration is now open and available to foreign passport holders for BSB and non-BSB students. Ages 2–6. Early bird discount RMB 4,500 (1 week) RMB 7,500 (2 weeks) RMB 9,500 (3 weeks). Normal Fees RMB 5,000 (1 week) RMB 8,000 (2 weeks) RMB 10,000 (3 wks). 9-3pm. British School of Beijing, Shunyi. Register before Dec 8 at wintercamp@britishschool.org.cn.

The SLab 101 Winter Camp, Dec 17 – Jan 4

Sign the up kids for learning and experimentation at The SLab. There will be something for all ages and interests over the winter break with four unique three-day camps which will range from sewing to movie-making classes. Join Jen and her team in a space that will ignite the imagination and build upon and introduce new skills, as well as provide a sanctuary for creative minds.

Kids can take their pick from some awesome workshops. These include Sewing 101, Metalsmithing 101, Movie-making and Movie Editing. In the first of the camps, students of eight and above will be taught how to prepare, cut, sew and creatively embellish their own drawstring bags. In the Metalsmithing workshop, kids of 12 and above will be given the opportunity to learn how to pierce, saw and finish metal pieces using brass and silver to create their own accessories.

If the subject of movies is more likely to get the kids’ creative juices flowing, both the movie-making and movie-editing workshops will provide ample time for students of 12 and above to hone movie industry skills such as scripting, planning, and producing, to learning foundational tools of editing techniques. All camps are inclusive of materials and lunch. Sewing 101 (Kids 8 +) RMB 1888. 10- 4pm. Metalsmithing 101(Kids 12 +) RMB 1,888.  10- 4pm. Movie-Making (Kids 8 +) RMB 2,400. 10- 4pm. Editing in iMovie (Kids 12 +) RMB 2,400. 10- 4pm. The Slab, 102, 15 Dongzhimen Outer Street. To register add on WeChat: JenPohland.

Flip and Kicks Plus Sports Winter Camp, Dec 17 – Jan 4

Flips and Kicks Plus, in collaboration with the Kerry Sports Center, are offering kids plentiful options to keep active this winter with fun multi-sports camps. Kids get to jump, hoop, and plunge their way into sporty fun with activities ranging from Martial Arts, Gymnastics, Swimming, Fencing, and much more!

All classes will be facilitated by expert sports coaches and split into age-appropriate groups; one for 4-7 year olds and one for 8-12 year olds.  Ages 4 – 12. RMB 3,200 (Half day) RMB 4,500 (Full day including lunch). 9am – 12pm (Half day) 9am-2:30pm (Full day). Dec 17 – 21 (Block One) Dec 24 – 28 (Block Two) Dec 31 –  Jan 4 (Block Three). Kerry Sports Center. For more information or to register please contact Kerry Sports at hbkc@thekerryhotels.com or call on 8565 2460.

Atelier Fablab & Art Christmas Winter Camp, Dec 17 – Jan 5

Atelier Fablab will host two awesomely creative Christmas holiday camps this winter for students aged 6 and above. The first, inspired by the iconic Star Wars franchise, features a lightsaber building class, and the other introduces students to the Wild West through discovery of the American Railroads, a journey into the conquest of the West and the learning, coding, and designing of their very own Wild West virtual world!

These are some unique opportunities for kids to engage in topics they perhaps have not yet discovered while having fun and being creative. Morning classes will take place for the older kids and afternoon sessions for the little ones. Included in their extravaganza of winter offerings are three art camps, exploring Der Blaue Reiter(The Blue Rider), A Journey to the World of Native Americans, and Venice and its Carnival. Students will be given the opportunity to work on such techniques as sketching, collage, painting using watercolors and acrylics, and 3D modeling using cardboard; an in-depth look into the world of Art and all its color.

Ages 6 +, RMB 2000 – 4500. 9:30-12pm (morning session), 1-3pm (afternoon session.) December 17-January 5. Atelier Sanlitun Campus. For more information go to www.atelier.cn.com or call 6416 1614. WeChat: atelier_apas.

The Children’s House Montessori Kindergarten Winter Camp, Dec 17 – 28

The Children’s House Montessori School is offering a winter holiday filled with science experiments and winter animals. Kids will find out all about penguins, how they keep warm and why squirrels gather food. The immersive two-week camp will involve students following an array of winter animals and learning how they survive freezing temperatures in the first week and learning how to make a rainbow or rain cloud in a jar in the second.

During the two exciting weeks students will use hands-on techniques and experiments to indirectly learn about physics and chemistry and engage with stimulating new ways to learn through play and investigation. Will it be Winter Animals or Science Experiments? Or both? Time for the kids to go on an adventure that explores both nature and science! Ages 1.5 – 6. RMB 3,500 – 6,500. 9am-3pm. Dec 17-28. The Children’s House Montessori Kindergarten. For more information contactinfo@montessoribeijing.com or call 8556 4122.

First Adventure Winter Camp, Dec 24 – 28 

British run English Language School, First Adventure will hold a five-day Christmas Winter Camp with all the trimmings. Students will participate in two-hour daily sessions that will include learning and play with drama, science and English classes.

Kids will have fun creating flower arrangement handcrafts and Christmas cards. There will be a number of team building activities for the students to participate in along with an itinerary that’s stacked with cool and fun happenings, including, performing arts, Christmas party games, mad science (excavating dinosaurs), Christmas Stocking making, letters to Santa and more. Oh what fun!

First Adventure will provide all of the materials and resources for all aspects of the program and snacks. Kids are encouraged to attend the winter camp in red or green. This Christmas themed Winter Camp is a full of festive fun and one to keep the kids occupied throughout the holiday period. Get the kids out on Christmas eve to have fun and make new friends and if you fancy it, you can also drop them off on Christmas day! Whatever the case First Adventure has got the parents and kids covered this season. Ages 3-8. RMB 1,980. 9am-11am. Dec 24-28. First Adventure, Upper East Side. For more information contact WeChat: firstadventurehr

.Photos: courtesy of organizers

WeChat groups are a vital resource for Beijing’s international community, not only providing information but bringing together people with shared interests. Each week we’ll be highlighting a thriving group chat, so whether you’re new to town or just looking to expand your networks, you can find your people.

The first days with a newborn baby can be exciting and joyous, but they can also be anxious and lonely. Children don’t come with an instruction book, and new moms and dads often look for support, community, and a coherent set of ideas about how to approach the complex challenges of parenting. For this week’s WeChat Group of the Week, we talked to Asrya Hyland, who runs one such group in Beijing.

Tell us about yourself, and how you came to be admin of this group.
I started my journey in education around 15 years ago, and have since worked in many different areas of education. I have studied both primary and early childhood education in New Zealand, and lived in China for over nine years, giving me an insight into the lifestyles and traditional understandings that Chinese parents may have.

From my education and experience, I know that from before birth until the age of 3 children set their foundational understandings of the world around them, which will shape the way that they learn and see the world for the rest of their life. Dr. Emmi Pikler – a practiced pediatrician and mother – studied the development of children from birth in institutions and in families in Hungary post-WWII, and made an approach to care and learning. This approach has since been developed further by international professionals and embraced as the foundation of other popular parenting approaches such as RIE.

As an educator, a parent and founder of a new center specializing in care and education of children 0-3, I heard a need from many people to set up a sharing system with some kind of structure to share bilingual information.

Who’s in the group and what do you talk about?
Our learning community is made up of parents, academics, and educators. We knew there was a need for this information, but the fact that our group grew to over 200 members in a matter of weeks and the level of interaction just reinforced the need. My team and I create a monthly bilingual study based on an evident need in the group. We share bilingual readings, videos, pictures, experiences, and interactive discussions, daily. All of our sharing is related to the care and education of children from 0-3.

Do you meet in real life?
We host Pikler trainings and will open a 0-3 infant and toddler center in March next year. Once we have opened our center we will start to have free monthly meetings.

If you’d like to find out more, contact Hyland via WeChat ID: Asrya1.

Photo: courtesy of Asrya Hyland

If you are like many parents with newborn kids and looking to find others with fresh buns out of the oven who are ready to socialize, then look no further than the Open House Coffee Morning at the British School of Beijing Sanlitun (BSB Sanlitun) happening this coming Tuesday at 9am. Not only is this a great opportunity to give your little one some valuable playtime with other kids of the same size and cuteness, but also a chance for parents to get together and network, while possibly sharing some of your thoughts and feelings about being a new parent.

Along with a valuable introduction to the Early Years facilities at BSB Sanlitun, there will also be plenty of games, stories, and sing-a-longs going on, along with enough coffee to get even the most reserved of parents enthused about the morning’s merriment. So don’t expect some drab affair as we are sure there will be plenty of fun had by all, and best of all the event is free of charge.

To get a better idea of what to expect we connected with Kristen Harding, head of BSB Sanlitun’s Early Year’s program. She was able to shed a little light on all of the mini-people themed fun that will be had by all in attendance.

What are some of the activities going on during the Open House Coffee Morning at BSB Sanlitun Early Years?

A variety of activities will be on offer for the children, including a sensory exploration table, cause and effect toys, water play, big block building, motor skill development activities, small world play, role play and books in our special story tent. The event will finish with a singing session led my myself. The little ones can expect a morning full of fun, stimulating activities, in a safe environment, where they can socialize with other children.

What are some of the benefits of getting your child to socialize with other kids at such an early age?

Allowing your child to socialize at an early age builds the foundations for forming positive relationships and introduces children to new experiences.

How would you define stimulating play?

My definition of stimulation play is; children actively having fun and are engaged in their play/learning through a sensory approach.

Will this be a good opportunity to socialize with your baby?

The coffee morning at the BSB Sanlitun Baby Group will be a great opportunity for your child to have social interactions with others. It is also an opportunity for parents to meet, chat and make new friends, especially if they are new to Beijing.

What are some good things you can do at home to start preparing your baby to meet lots of other kids?

At home, parents could expose their children to lots of new experiences. They could develop their child’s confidence by encouraging them to explore and interact with others in their own environment.

Finally, what are some of the things that you have planned for the parents?

The parents will have an opportunity to meet our Early Years teachers and to visit our classrooms and our outdoor learning area. We have also invited some of our current parents along to share, with others, their own and their child’s experiences, at BSB Sanlitun’s Early Years. Refreshments will also be provided.

If you are interested please RSVP here to make sure they are prepared to host you and your child.

photos: courtesy of BSB Sanlitun

A young Chinese girl plays on a beach in Thailand, making sandcastles while her parents look on during a well-deserved break from work and school, but the best aspect of that girl’s classroom life stays with her during that vacation. She sees another child, about her age, fair-haired, playing in the water, and decides to walk up then invites her to play. The Chinese child first speaks in German to the other child but this doesn’t get a response until she switches to English and gets the response she was hoping for then walk away chatting and playing.

The level of confidence, the ease at which to strike up a conversation regardless of grammatical mistakes, the convergence of everyday communication and classroom lessons were all valuable aspects that came in handy for the child, who studies at House of Knowledge School (HoK). The child’s parents shared that charming story with founder and educational director Farshad Danicek.

It’s moments like that when a child overcomes shyness,  has the ability to communicate, and make a new friend that Danicek has dreamed of enriching his students’ education experience ever since he founded the school in 2007.

Danicek chats with his students in German while visiting different classrooms

To achieve this, Danicek and his HoK colleagues have adopted a multilingual approach in the entire school. Parents have the option of choosing between a trilingual or bilingual program with a Reggio Emilia-inspired curriculum in its early years program. The multilingual environment is also applicable to its elementary school programs where students can pick between a bilingual and trilingual program.

Reggio Emilia is a holistic educational approach that’s child-centred and empowers children to explore, question, and discover. Moreover, it supports and reinforces language acquisition through the many different ways children use to communicate, not only just spoken word but also through art, singing, dancing, and playing (you can read more about its post-WWII, psychology inclined origins here).

HoK utilizes this educational approach when exposing its students to English, Chinese (putonghua), and German on a regular basis through language immersion. The benefits of multilingualism extend beyond just the language itself, it opens their minds to multiculturalism, has neurological benefits, better social, and communication skills.

Below, Danicek tells us more about the inspirational virtues of this approach, and how it is setting up HoK’s students for success.

A student holds the German book they were reading at the time

We’ll often use this approach to teach students a classic story or play in one language, then build on it in other languages (see image below). So the class might read a story in German, and later the English teacher will come and guide the children into building crafts inspired by the story’s characters and setting. Then the Chinese teachers come in and will guide an activity about the story in Mandarin, and we just keep going.

After all those activities, the children will think about the story in three different languages, and if you go up and ask a child about the story, they’ll reply to you in the language you asked. Obviously, they’ll be stronger in one language than the others, but they can get many ideas and points across in the other languages with surprising success.

The school encourages children to explore and learn, rather than dictating dull lessons to them says founder

Our goal for teaching multiple languages is to increase their level of understanding, to help them communicate better, and also to increase their awareness and thinking about broader possibilities. We want them to start thinking: “Oh there’s something else.”

You won’t have the children stepping back, saying “I can’t speak that language,” when they are struggling to communicate. They’ll at least give it a try.

In our school’s multilingual environment, the children learn to try and make themselves understood. And they’ll learn not to be afraid of making mistakes, which encourages children to have dedication and perseverance from an early age. Now, think of where that overlaps in other areas? That attitude can carry over to all of their learning.

Danicek discusses the virtues of Reggio Emilia

We also adopt that attitude as teachers. If a child comes and asks us something, we don’t always just tell them the answer. We often take a step back and say “I don’t know, let’s find out together.” By stepping back as a teacher, and telling the students “Good job researching this with me, you’re so clever, I’ve learned so much from you,” it gives the child so much confidence.

It’s also important in this environment to let a mistake be a mistake. We guide them to the facts and knowledge, instead of dictating it to them. If you scold a child and make them less confident, and take a step back, you’ve achieved nothing. But by you stepping back, and them stepping forward, you’re helping them to grow.

Find out more information about the Reggio Emilia inspired approach in the early years section at HoK here.

This post is paid for by HoK.

Photos: Uni You

One moment, the children were in the hallway and the next they were not only stepping into a new room, but also a lush new landscape that would help them forever remember the day’s lesson. The second grade class at House of Knowledge School (HoK) had walked into their classroom only to be amazed by how their teachers decorated the space with greenery, fake snakes, and even a diffuser to increase the humidity.

This creatively engaging introduction to the students’ unit about rain forests is a key component of the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), which HoK has adopted starting the academic year and is already seeing impressive results.

Fieldwork Education states that “the IPC is now the curriculum choice of international and national schools in over 1,800 schools in over 90 countries around the world.”

The curriculum’s success with children is based on numerous factors such as the design to have phrases that make up each of the dozens of units available for teachers to choose from. That introductory phase is, aptly enough, called the entry point. At least that’s the case put forth by Ms. Nellie Townsend, HoK’s Elementary Principal and IPC Coordinator. She describes those initial moments as a “wow factor” that ensures the students’ attention spans are attracted to the lesson in those crucial early moments.

Ms. Nellie Townsend, HoK’s Elementary Principal and IPC Coordinator

“The point is not for it to be ‘Oh, today we’re going to move to the next unit, and it will be about this,’” Townsend says of the too dull conventional approach that prompts many children to tune out just as the lesson is beginning. She says it’s important to begin with a bang by actually building a lush setting to help the children literally immerse themselves in their rain forest unit, or smell and taste cocoa for a unit about the chocolate industry, or interview a visiting reporter and snap shots of a photographer with a child-friendly camera for a unit about journalism.“

“We want to get them excited and have fun,” Townsend says. “That way they can’t wait to get further with whatever it is, rather than just telling them we’re going to work on writing.”

From there, the students move through the remaining phases within the IPC’s unit framework. Next up is a “knowledge harvest,” where the teacher leads an open-ended discussion about what they might already know about the topic.

“Now we’ve wowed you, and we want to ask you what you already know. The children have seen the diffuser and the artificial snakes. And there are no right or wrong answers, you’re free.” Townsend says. “As the teacher you’ll throw in some questions and moderate the discussion, but the students lead it otherwise. And now they’re wondering ‘What else will I find out?’ and ‘Is what I know exactly like some of the things I’m going to learn?’ So you’re building curiosity student is always at the center of it, as opposed to you dictating and leading. It’s their own little journey.”

The core values of House of Knowledge

The students’ prior knowledge is contrasted with the “explaining the theme” phase. This section is the only conventional lesson portion of the unit, in which teachers dictate information and crucial details, but only for succinct periods that don’t slow the momentum of the prior phases. After that comes a research component where the teacher guides students to check books or use online tools to get more information about the unit.

It all culminates with a presentation portion, where students can showcase what they’ve learned. But these are not high pressure, on-the-spot ordeals. Instead, the students display their work as part of a fun assembly that celebrates how far they have come to their teachers, parents, and peers.

The flags used in the exit point phase of the “Different Places Similar Lives,” unit.

Prime example: the end of a recent “Different Places Similar Lives” unit. It finished with an assembly-turned-international festival, as the students presented research about the culture of their homelands, along with flags, and tasty treats prepared by their parents. “There were scones from British parents, and one boy who’s half-Nigerian half-British was with his parents who brought food from both,” says Townsend. “And they had this celebration at the exit point, and they got to display what they’ve learned.”

The fun celebratory vibes were in step with the upbeat, innovative entry point that hooked students into the topic in the first place. But, more importantly, Townsend says the exit point allows the unit’s phases to come full circle, as students not only absorb information but also share what they’ve learned, taking ownership of it the entire time. “In that moment they become the teacher,” she says of the how the students present their findings to their parents. And at that point, those students are helping immerse others in the topic in the same way that their teacher did at the entry point, with a lush setting and an equally lavishly prepared lesson.

For more information on the IPC curriculum, click here.

This post is paid for by HoK.

Photos: Uni You

For the last month we have heard from Beijing parents about their sons’ and daughters’ experiences coming to school for the first time. With the school year now in full swing, for our last blog of the series we speak with Hope International School (HIS) mom and Admissions Director Alicia Moody (US) as well as fellow parent Favour Ibom (Nigeria) about their daughter and sons’ adjustments coming to school for the first time.

Was your son or daughter scared to come to school?
Alicia: She had been prepped so she was really excited! She did not do summer school so was really eager to get back in school.
Favour: David was not scared. He was very excited to go to the school. He actually woke up early on the first day of school.

Who had a harder time saying goodbye, you or your child?
Alicia: Me. She loves opportunities to meet other people and to play. She likes the environment and structure school gives her.
Favour: It wasn’t hard for him to say goodbye as he was looking forward to it.

How did you prepare them for the first day?
Alicia: We had described the day to her and we chose clothes together, and took her to the school site. She was eager to meet her classmates!
Favour:We had a lot of discussions weeks ahead to prepare him about the new school and the school bus. We also prayed for him to adapt well to the new school.

Can you offer any advice to other parents about adjusting to a new school?
Alicia: A positive, loving environment truly makes the adjustment to a school easier. I couldn’t be happier that she likes her teacher and feels comfortable to be herself. It gives me peace of mind.

Photos: Courtesy of Hope International School

For the last month, we’ve had the chance speak with moms from international schools about their sons and daughters experiences either attending a new school in Beijing or coming to school for the first time. This week, we talk to British School of Beijing (BSB) mom, Clara Motsisi, who shares her sons’, Tshenolo and Otlotleng, first day of school story. The family hails from South Africa and the boys attend BSB’s Shunyi campus in Grade 1 and Grade 5 respectively.

Were your sons scared to come to school?
Both of them were very excited to start the new school. The excitement was brought about primarily by the warm reception that we received from the British School of Beijing (BSB) Shunyi’s Admissions Team on our first visit to BSB. When our children saw the facilities, they began to look forward to their first day. They have enjoyed their stay at the BSB since their first day. The school provides a different learning environment to them and our involvement as parents makes it more exciting for them every day.

Who had a harder time saying goodbye?
We were all ok for some strange reason. This experience compares to no other. The whole  idea of moving to china was well received by the entire family; we have channeled our thinking to be positive in everything we do. This in a way explains why we all appreciate the new environment. The kids tell me that they are getting along very well with the other kids at school, which in turn allows all of us to relax and let them enjoy their schooling.

How did you prepare them for the first day?
Both of them were looking forward to the first day. They stayed for two months in a hotel in Beijing waiting for school to open so this was the longest holiday they’ve ever had. They deeply missed the contact with other kids and the learning environment.

Photos: Courtesy of BSB Shunyi

With the first month of school coming to an end, we talk to moms about their sons and daughters experience coming to school for the first time. We spoke to YCIS mom Jenny Chang about her son Justin’s first day of school. See part one and two, of the series here.

Was Justin scared to come to school?
Scared? Not at all! My three year old son Justin was very excited and eager about going to school because he’s finally able to join with his five-year-old brother Brendon. Going to school for Justin means “grown-up” kids. On the first day of school, I took Justin to school myself instead of letting him ride the school bus with his brother. I took him to his classroom and carefully told him that I had to leave him but would come back to pick him up after school. He gave me a big hug and a goodbye kiss and then he walked in the classroom to look for things that interested him.  I didn’t leave school right away because I was worried that Justin might look for me and would cry if he couldn’t find me. I went back to the classroom after 30 minutes and peeked through the window. Then saw Justin happily playing blocks with the new friends he had just met.

Who had a harder time saying goodbye?
I think it’s me that had a harder time saying goodbye.

How did you prepare him for the first day?
In order to help Justin with his transition to a new school life, over the summer I started telling him how fun school would be and what kinds of activities he would do during class. Of course, I also trained him in some basic manners and self-care skills that he needed to know before going to school. Plus, the new student orientation before school started was a very good event for kids to get to visit their classroom, meet their teachers and get to know the school better so they were able to adopt to the new environment easier and sooner.

Photo: Courtesy of YCIS

With the first month of school coming to an end, we talk to moms about their sons and daughters experience coming to school for the first time. We spoke to International School of Beijing (ISB) mom Elizabeth Hardage about her daughter Olivia’s first day of school. To see the first blog of the series, click here.

Was your daughter scared to come to school? Tell us about the experience. 
She was super excited to go to school. She missed being around friends and kids her own age this summer. Additionally, we attended Meet the Teacher Day at ISB so this helped tremendously in getting her ready and excited for the first day. So, I would say she was not scared to come to school.

How did you prepare her for the first day?
This is not my daughter’s first time going to school, but it was the third school she had attended in the last three years! So, I felt it was important to prepare her a bit for her new school, ISB. We looked at some pictures on the ISB website, reviewed some of the pictures I had taken on Meet the Teacher Day and read a few stories about going to school for the first time. We also tried to guess what some of the student’s names would be in her class. I think all of these things combined helped to prepare her for her first day. 

Anything to add?
My daughter attends ISB’s full-day program, but for the first week, they had all of the students attend for only half of the day. I think this helped tremendously with the transition to her new school. Her classroom has s swing, sandbox, fish, turtles, a library, and computers to name a few things! Also, the teachers are incredibly friendly and caring.

Photo: Courtesy of ISB