In recent years, the ultimate teen craze has been escape rooms! Though their popularity cannot be doubted, they are still shrouded in controversy. So … Are escape rooms really worth it? Are they safe? Too expensive?

You wondered, Beijing teens answered.

Let’s dive right in!

Safety?

While most reputable escape rooms are very safe to play in, there have been news reports of people getting injured at escape rooms. Though safety should not be a big problem, it’s important to understand and follow and safety precautions listed by the worker. For instance, those who are claustrophobic or have cardiovascular diseases should not participate.

“I personally don’t like escape rooms because I’m scared of the safety issues and also in most of the escape rooms there is very little space, so if anyone is claustrophobic then [they]should avoid going to the escape room,” says Kannika Mehrotra from ISB.

“The one I went to was quite expensive, but I think it was pretty worth it because of the quality. I could see where the expense came from because there were costumes and monitors and NPCs and props that had to be replaced after every group,” explains Tina Cui from THIS.

Expensive?

Usually, the cost for playing in an escape room ranges from RMB 100 to more than RMB 300 per person. But it really depends on the place you choose.

“I think it depends from person to person. Personally, I don’t think so that it’s worth paying because you’re literally paying to get scared, but I do understand that a lot of people enjoy such mystery and horror stuff, so for them it might be totally worth it,” says Mehrotra.

Selene Sun from Keystone Academy explains, “Personally I think they’re too expansive. Take the escape room Yin Yang Shi as an example. It’s RMB 500 for two hours per person. So when there’s five to six people, they’ll earn RMB 2,500-3,000 for a single round. That’s way too expensive, although the place is huge and there are many good-quality NPCs.”

Spend Time With Friends?

A large part of an escape room experience is solving puzzles or problems with your friends (for those who aren’t scared to death and at this point crying on the floor). Many enjoy this bonding experience as everyone gets terrified together, laughs together, and just has a good time together.

“It’s a nice place to kill time with friends and it’s also a chill place to hang out during summers,” says Mehrotra.

Cui says, “Every time my friends coerce me to go, I end up regretting it and wanting to leave the entire time. I’m miserable and pretty useless in solving tasks because I’m too scared to think properly. But afterward I usually don’t regret going because I can look back on the experience with humor.”

“You get to practice using your brain and just be happy with friends,” mentions Joyce Zhang from Keystone Academy.

“It’s a fun experience to be with friends and interact with a realistic storyline. It’s also a good place to hang out since often we don’t know where to go out with friends,” says Sun.

Popular escape rooms in Beijing for the daredevils:

1. Mr. X (X 先生密室逃脱)

Find it:
2/F, Shimao Plaza, 13 Gong Ti South Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路13号世茂广场F2
Tel: 186 0004 9303
Hours: Open 24 hours. Average Price: RMB 249

2. It’s Young (异次元密室逃脱)

Find it (1):
2/F, Shimao Plaza, 13 Gong Ti South Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路13号世茂广场F2
Tel: 8453 8041

Find it (2):
B1/F, Gui You Building, 5A Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国门外大街甲5号贵友大厦B1
Tel: 131 2195 1558
Hours: 10am-10pm. Average price: RMB 97

3. Omescape (奥秘之家)

Find it:
B1/F, Bld. 12, Ban Dao International Compound, 18 Qu Tong East Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区阜通东大街18号半岛国际公寓12号楼B1层
Tel: 173 4300 5634
Hours: 9.30am-10pm. Average price: RMB 115

Images: Pexels, Dazhong Dianping

Have you ever wanted to start doing something but a month later feel demotivated to continue? Well then you have come to the right place! Here you will find the steps needed to stop yourself from giving up. 

The 4 crucial steps needed to start:

1. Cue – What is your goal? This is probably the most important step, as this is where you will begin. Bear in mind that this goal has to be realistic, do not set a target where you haven’t started and already think “I’m probably not gonna achieve this”. Having a positive mindset from the beginning will drastically help.
2. Craving – How do you intend to start? A cue will not be enough to get you started. A plan, an action is what will trigger you, motivate you. The emotions you feel about your goal is what will start a craving, because the outcome is too good to be true.
3. Response – taking your plan into action You can do this by creating a journal where you set all your goals for the week. At the end of each week reflect, and plan for the next.
4. Reward – what will motivate you to continue? Think about a want you have, what reward you dream of.

It takes 21 days to form a habit and in order to maintain it, you need to do it for at least 90 days.

Let’s take running as an example.

According to residents of Beijing running in the morning suits them best. With the humidity and the heat, mornings are a refreshment.

At first running can be hard and exhausting. When running with others, it’s hard to catch up. A great way would be to start a running group with either members of your compound or friends. As you all start running slowly, it will be easier to keep up. With each day the speed will progressively increase.

Great running locations in Beijing:

• Your compound
• Olympic park
• Beijing Historical Run
• Yuyuantan Park
• Zizhuyuan park

If you are interested in learning more about this topic “Atomic Habits” is a great book to inform you about it.

Images: Pexels

Recently a father approached us with a very important question that we have yet to conquer here at beijingkids. Maybe it’s a little beyond our territory as a family magazine, but still something relevant to families that want to have a little tipple on occasion. Well, we decided to run with it anyway as this is something we also know plenty about as our sibling publication is the beijinger, Beijing’s best source for this kind of material.

Even though many of us here on the beijingkids editorial team are currently parents, this doesn’t mean that we deny ourselves these earthly pleasures, or have lost the ability to cut loose on occasion. By cut loose, we don’t mean a debaucherous night on the Gongti strip, but maybe just finding a place with a variety of items that will not only entertain the kids but also provide mom and dad with a great selection of classy drinks to get you feeling relaxed, while the kids chow down on burgers or other savory goodies. Needless to say, all of these places mentioned have excellent service, strict anti-smoking policies, and even fun gaming opportunities for the little ones.

But, as always, it’s important to remember that consuming alcohol must only be done responsibly and not impair your ability to be an effective parent.

The Local
Many expats know that The Local is a great place to sit down and experience a generous happy hour after work, with their deeply discounted drinks. But, do you know that throughout the weekend they also screen a variety of sporting events, have a legit pool table, and plenty of dining and brunch options suitable for the whole family? Obviously, they have a pretty mean list of drinks, but this place is far from dive territory and is clean, with proper bathrooms, and strict no smoking rules. These criteria allow us to give it our beijingkids stamp of approval for being a family-friendly watering hole.

Xian at East Hotel Beijing
This elegant art hotel is probably familiar to many parents living in the surrounding areas of Shunyi or Wangjing. It’s not only a convenient place to get some shopping done at Indigo Mall, but also the perfect spot to brunch it up on the weekends at either East Hotel Beijing’s FEAST or Domain. But after a long day of shopping or participating in one of the many kid-friendly activities available at the mall, there’s nothing like kicking back with a couple of thin crust pizzas or an Old Fashioned or two at Xian Bar. With an informed cocktail menu and a lovely outdoor terrace that’s situated very near to a kid’s play area, this spot is ideal for the whole family.

Mimi e Coco
While Fangjia and many of the other surrounding hutongs are being walled up at a speed that would make Donald J. Trump jealous, this spot is very much still alive and known for their unique bottled cocktails and their delicious pizzas to be found at the adjoining Ramo. So, what we’re getting at is along with pizzas, salads, and smoothies, you can find delicious adult-oriented concoctions accompanied by unique mixes from their resident DJ, CAD 73.

8-Bit
This video game-focused bar at the northern end of Beiluoguxiang not only gives Beijingers the opportunity to throw back a variety of cocktails and draft beers, but also is a mecca for gamers. If you go early enough, they open at 3pm on the weekends; you can game the day away with your kids on almost every system available. Though we recommend you get out of there before the Wudaokou crew saunters in, as they treat their Super Smash Brothers and Mario Kart very seriously, if you catch our drift. If you are reading this then you also probably remember the era of throwing an abundance of loose change into an arcade machine. Well, as an additional perk you won’t have to do this here as they are all free to use, and there are burgers and other comfort foods to keep you satisfied while you pound away on those NES controllers.

photos: http://lumdimsum.com, the beijinger, facebook

Our school editor, Jessica Suotmaa is currently blogging from Turku, Finland, where she is resting with family as she prepares to give birth to her second child. 

Before you wonder what I’m talking about, I should state that Finland is a welfare state with a very low population (about 5 million) and therefore excellent benefits that encourage child-rearing (the more, the merrier!)  As such, the baby essentials that the government “dictates” is not so much a dictation as it is a gift. Every year there is a new newborn package (with different designs/patterns/color themes), but families are also given the option of cashing out (this year it’s worth 140 euros).

The ‘maternity box‘ is highly valued and discussed by expectant mothers here. Even non-parents will often ask if you will be getting your “maternity box” soon, and if you’re excited about its contents!

The 2014 newborn box that I could’ve gotten for my son.

I have to admit, looking back at how I’ve scrambled for “newborn shopping recommendations” and spent hours on Taobao (in Beijing) looking for import newborn items from my list–the newborn gift box would’ve saved me a lot of time, effort, and worry. Unfortunately for me, the box is something that has to be ordered two months prior to due date, and, as an “overseas Finn”, I don’t qualify for it.  However, what I regret most is not that I didn’t get the box two years ago (or that I won’t be getting it this year), but that I didn’t use the box as a reference for what I need; it would’ve saved me so much trouble!

So this year, I thought I’d take a closer look at what’s in the package and see what’s “recommended” for a newborn.

1. The actual cardboard box, which doubles as an infant bed or bassinet.
2. Full winter gear (snowsuit) with a full-body jacket, mittens, and “shoes” (60-74cm)
3. Sleeping bag (95x95cm), which can be used in the stroller, in the car seat, and at home (if you want to be frugal).
4. A “lighter” hooded full body suit that isn’t waterproof (for fall and spring).
5. A wool full body suit (1, 68-74cm) for layering purposes.
6. Baby ski hat (I’ve been wondering if this is really necessary in Beijing…)
7. Hat.
8. Footless overalls (1, 62-74cm).
9. Overalls (2, 62-68cm).
10. Long-sleeve kimono body (1, 50-56cm) and overalls (3, 50-56cm).
11. Long-sleeve kimono body (2, 50-56cm).
12. A long-sleeve body (3, 62-68cm).
13. A long-sleeve body (4, 68-74cm).
14. A long-sleeve body (5, 62-78cm).
15. A long-sleeve body (6, 62-68cm).
16. A long-sleeve body (7, 62-68cm).
17. A long-sleeve kimono body (8, 50-56cm).
18. Pants with socks (1, 50-56cm).
19. Pants (2, 68-74cm) .
20. Pants with socks (3, 50-56cm).
21. Pants (4, 62-68cm).
22. Pants (5, 62-68cm).
23. Pants (6, 68-74cm).
24. Stockings for layering (62-68cm).
25. Sock (1, 19-21) and mitten set.
26. Socks (2, 19-21).
27. Full-body suit (2, 62-68cm).
28. Bedding: mattress (700x428x40mm), mattress protector (90x150cm), blanket (80x120cm), flat sheet (90x150cm).
29. Infant towel (85x85cm).
30. Reusable diaper for 0-8 month olds (3-11kg) and changing cloths (80x80cm).
31. Hygiene products: washable nursing pad set, nail clippers, toothbrush, digital thermometer, baby powder (90g), nipple cream (30g lanolin), condoms (6x), menstrual pads (10x), bath water thermometer, soft-bristled hair brush
32. Waterproof bib (1).
33. Soft-toy.
34. Baby’s first book.
35. Triangle bib (2).

While I’m not in love with the colors and designs for this year, I do like the recommendations.  I remember reading an article on newborn essentials that had a “range”, but it didn’t have sizes, so it was hard to picture how many onesies I needed to buy in each size. My mother kept reminding me that babies come in all sizes (my son was pretty big and fattened up quickly), and that I shouldn’t buy too many of “smaller sizes” (0-3 months), so for my baby shower (onesie decorating activity), I bought 5 of each size, and then of course I had other onesies as well. It turned out that we really needed all those onesies, even the bigger ones, because my son had colic and was always puking or otherwise dirtying his clothes.  In the end, what we learned from all this was that just like I can wear my husband’s clothes (while pregnant) and look like I just stepped out of the early 90s, babies don’t have to wear the perfect size.

Something to take away from this box is that the clothes range from roughly 3 month size (50-56cm) to about 12 month size (74-78cm). Maybe all the bodies will be worn within the first six months, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be used later. We’ve managed to stretch the life of a sweater for 1.5 years just by rolling sleeves (admittedly, my son was very chubby at six months), and jackets for over a year (2 of the same season!)

Now, I’m not saying these clothes (and products) are enough to last a whole year, but there is the potential–after all, the whole purpose of the box is to ensure that every newborn child has the bare minimum necessities and is not lacking in clothing or basic products.

Photos: Kela

We’ve done comparisons of play centers before, but never from a Chinese mom’s perspective. Last week, I came across a thread on Beijing Mama (not to be confused with Beijing Mamas) on this topic, complete with a crowd-sourced table of user ratings, prices, and reviews. I’ve translated and copied the information here, omitting a few centers in areas that our readers don’t tend to live in like Haidian.

You can find the original thread here.

Sijia Chen is a contributing editor at beijingkids and a freelance writer specializing in parenting, education, travel, environment, and culture. Her work has appeared in The Independent, Midnight Poutine, Rover Arts, and more. Follow her on Twitter at @sijiawrites or email her at sijiachen@beijing-kids.com.

Photo: Jim Champion (Flickr)

I think this list is interesting for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s very Anglo-centric (not that that’s a problem for me), but I’m sure there must be some lesser known classics from outside of the UK that are easily the equal of some of these. I suppose that’s what I get for choosing a list from a British newspaper.

As far as the number one choice goes, I’m a little uncomfortable having a Christian allegory there. I’m sure the majority of people don’t get the religious connotations of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe when they read the book, but don’t like the idea of spoon-feeding kids that kind of message.

1. Nicobobinus (Terry Jones and Michael. Foreman)
2. Jennings’ Little Hut (Anthony Buckeridge)
3. Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K. Rowling)
4. George’s Marvelous Medicine (Roald Dahl)
5. Albert Herbert, the Naughtiest Boy in the World, and the Olympic Games (Frank Dickens)