Want to learn more about all the wonder that exists above our heads on an interactive journey to Mars? Or how about getting up close and personal with original artwork from legendary Japanese animators? These and more family-friendly offerings are now on display in Beijing’s creative spaces this July.

Lucy Sparrow’s Felt Art Imaginarium, until Oct 11

This summer, M WOODS presents 70 masterpieces recreated by Lucy Sparrow, one of the most exciting and innovative artists in the UK today. Each piece was hand-crafted from the annals of art history and covered the entirety of the museum in her signature, colorful felt. Having received worldwide attention for felt installations in London, New York, and Los Angeles, Lucy Sparrow’s Felt Art Imaginarium marks the artist’s debut in Asia, and creates an immersive installation commissioned specifically for this Beijing gallery.

RMB 80 (RMB 50 for students).Tue-Sun 10.30 am-7 pm. M Woods (D-06, 798 Art Zone, No. 2 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District).

NBA Exhibition: Unstoppable Beijing, Jul 13 – Oct 13

Aimed at showcasing the excitement of the game and the rich history of the league, the NBA is launching its touring exhibition in Beijing. By using interactive exhibits, video, and exciting memorabilia, the multi-level experience will showcase the passion of the league, its teams and players, and will explore the many ways the NBA has evolved since its founding in 1946.

RMB 90 (Before Jul 12 early bird ticket: RMB 66 per person). 10 am – 8 pm. Yang Art Museum (3F, Building 14, Solana, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District).  (Go here for tickets and more information)

RMB 66-256 (May 8-Jun 20 early bird ticket: RMB 66 per person). Tue-Sun  9am-5pm. The China Millennium Monument. (Go here for tickets and more information).

Van Gogh Immersive Experience: Fantasy of the Inner World, Now-Sep 22 

Let’s be honest, it’s not always easy to get the kids excited about a trip to the museum. But, when you throw VR into the mix then you have another thing all together. From now until Sep 22, The National Museum of China is hosting this immersive VR exhibition, bringing to life some of the most famous works of famed Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. The experience has more than 200 works by Van Gogh, reconstructed into a multi-sensory experience for new audiences.

RMB 55. 9am-5pm. The National Museum of China. (6512 8901, go here for tickets and more information). 

Anthony Browne’s Happy Museum, Now-Sep 22 

The exhibition displays 162 original paintings from renowned British writer and illustrator Anthony Browne, who is a winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international recognition given to creators of children’s books. Themed ‘happiness’, the exhibition shows how Browne portrays his characters with impeccable details and pencil strokes to truly bring them to life. The exhibition is filled with paintings and interactive activities that people of all ages can relate to. As Browne has said: “Picture books are for everybody at any age, not books to be left behind as we grow older.”

RMB 58. 10am-6pm. National Museum of Classic Books. (Click here for more information and tickets). 

Picasso – Birth of a Genius, Now-Sep 1

“Picasso – Birth of a Genius”—the most significant exhibition of work by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) ever to take place in China—will be presented at UCCA between June 15 and September 1, 2019. The exhibition, which offers a comprehensive overview of the first three decades of Picasso’s career, is drawn from the collection of the Musée national Picasso-Paris. It includes 103 works in total, including paintings, sculptures, and works on paper.

RMB 138-188. 10am-7pm. UCCA. (Go here for more information or to buy tickets).

The Soften The Glow, Jun 29 – Jul 28

“The Soften the Glow” exhibition was created by the artist Shao Wenhuan, and displays his explorations of natural Swiss landmarks such as the Matterhorn and the Aletsch Glacier. By using mixed media, while remaining firmly rooted in photography, he is able to capture climate change on a deeper level.

RMB 60 (RMB 30 for students).Tue-Sun 10am-6 pm. Three Shadows Photography Art Centre (155A Caochangdi, Chaoyang District). (6432 2663, go here for tickets and more information)

Photos: courtesy of event organizers

Daystar Academy Beigao Campus is shooting off into space, and is inviting kids to join them. This day camp will run from July 10 to 14, daily from 9 am to 3.30 pm for 2nd to 6th grade students. New Horizons Education Consulting and Daystar Academy are collaborating to put together this Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) experience for students. The kids will build rockets, robots and even learn coding.

If you don’t want your kids to hang about over the summer holidays while you try to get them to study, and want to keep their curiosity alive, this camp would be a great way of doing so. The camp is bringing together experts in engineering and education to create an unforgettable journey to Mars. “This camp is in English but it is designed to be friendly to English learners. We believe English is best learned while being used to do something else,” according to the creators of the camp.

I would be very interested in what happens with rockets and the rovers and all of the exciting stages in between. New Horizons believes that “learning should be experiential and connected to life, but most of all it should inspire our students to explore!”

As a parent I agree with this, as I see that my daughter learns best when she sees the connection to daily life. And this makes her more curious about exploring life itself. If she would be old enough I would send her to this day camp, so for one thing I could get some work done, and she would come back home on warm summer days a bit smarter, all the while being fed organic lunches and snacks. If you sign up before April 30 you get a RMB 500 discount; scan the QR code to do so. The early bird goes into space.

Photo credits: Pixabay.com, Daystar, and New Horizons Education Consulting

Pauline van Hasselt has been working for beijingkids since October 2016. Born in Wassenaar, The Netherlands, she moved with her husband and her 3 year-old daughter to Beijing in June of last year. Prior she lived in the Netherlands, Belgium, Paraguay, Texas, and London, studying and working as a chef. Pauline enjoys biking around Beijing, finding markets and new restaurants, reading crime and fantasy books in bed, and most importantly, turning her house into a home for her family.