As a parent, the term “Spring Break” conjures up very different images nowadays than it used to back in college. Now, we look for comfortable, clean, and wholesome fun for the whole family, and Beijing is ready to deliver. Check out these family-focused hotels and great packages they’re offering for your staycation this spring break!

Artyzen Habitat Kids Room Package

You might already have been introduced to Artyzen Habitat by editor Mina Yan when she held her daughter’s first birthday there to rousing success. This spring, Artyzen continues to cater to families with a specially-tailored staycation offer in their Habitat60 kids-friendly room that’s all decked out in cheery yellow and equipped with a swing set, cute tents, soft toys and bath toys. It’s a dream come true for kids 3 and under, and would make for some delightful pictures!

The room measures 60sqm with an open kitchen and the RMB1,188 staycation package includes brunch for two at their in-house restaurant. Kids below 1.2m dine for free, while it costs RMB118 for kids between 1.2m- 1.5m. Artyzen is located right behind the MOMA residences close to the Liangmaqiao river and is great for a quick getaway this holiday.

Building No.11, No. 1 Area, Xiangheyuan Street, Dongcheng District
北京市东城区香河园街1号院11号楼
Phone: 010 8474 3000

Hi MaMa 亲子庄园

Need to cut out from the urban jungle for some countryside fresh air? This family hotel is nestled in the greenery of Huairou and Miyun districts, which is pretty much as far as you can get away while remaining within Beijing. Drive for a couple hours on the expressway, and you’ll soon arrive at Hi MaMa Manor to find a sprawling outdoor play area with animal decorations and swings set against the scenic mountainside.

Inside, every room is designed to be kid-friendly, with fun and colorful interior decorations, and toys like rocking horses, slides, and tents. Choose from rooms with a view of the Great Wall, beautiful water features, or the forest, or check out the Stone House, where, traditionally, mattresses are placed upon a sort of rock bed heated by a fire underneath. Prices per night start from RMB 1,680.

There is a restaurant on-site, which reviewers on Dianping have said is clean, adequate, and inexpensive if your meals are not included in the room price. The Chinese breakfast buffet is listed at RMB 88.

The Manor also boasts a cozy library inside (though we wouldn’t count on anything other than Chinese books) and kid-friendly activities led by staff – from painting to catching and identifying bugs. Activities are conducted only in Mandarin, and parents are allowed to either sit in or leave their kids if they are independent.

You can also buy a ticket at the door just to play on the grounds without staying the night. These tickets go for RMB 98 for kids and RMB 38 for accompanying adults.

Club Med Joyview Beijing Yanqing Resort

Club Med hotels and resorts around the world enjoy a reputation for being family-friendly, and this one in Yanqing, Beijing is no different. Located out in the surrounding countryside about a 3-hour drive out, the key selling points of Club Med Joyview are the dedicated kids amenities, including two big indoor playgrounds – one catered to younger toddlers and another sporting trampolines and soccer play areas suitable for older kids, plus pool tables and a kid-friendly hot spring pool.

Not to mention, there are virtual golf training facilities, and you can play some mountainside golf on the actual grass outside as well! Seems there’s something for everyone here. At the time of writing, there’s a special promotion on Dianping at RMB 1,338 for their double bed rooms for one night including breakfast for 3.

No.66 Gulong Road, Zhangshanying Town, Yanqing District, Beijing
北京延庆度假村， 张山营镇古龙路66号
Phone: 010 69198899

Waldorf Astoria Beijing Enchanted Fantasy Suite 

This is one for those who want to kick things up a notch. Based on the idea of a fairyland, the Waldorf Astoria Beijing brings fantasies to life with the Enchanted Fantasy Suite on the top floor of the hotel where the entire 69sqm suite is transformed into a ball pit. Other features of the Fantasy Suite include the hot air balloon chair, rocking horses, and huge floral motifs.

The Enchanted Fantasy Suite comes with exclusive VIP service and the works, such as a special dessert trolley, fruit platter, and sparkling wine upon your arrival. The RMB 9,888/night package includes breakfast at Brasserie 1893 for three people.

5-15 Jinyu Hutong Dongcheng
金鱼胡同5-15号
Phone: +86 10 8520 8989

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Images: Dianping, courtesy of hotels

If there’s one thing that schools learned last year, it’s to have many contingency plans to choose from in the event we need to shut down and move to e-learning. Part of those plans includes the possibility of shifting school vacation dates as needed or eliminating some breaks entirely to compensate for missed time in person. In fact, when it was announced that Shunyi schools would start online, many chose to extend the Chinese New Year break and forego spring break in an attempt to maximize how much time students will spend together in the classroom. Other schools are keeping this option in their back pocket.

School vacations, and especially the Spring Festival, are usually times that families travel out of Beijing. But with guidelines discouraging travel and most people staying put, it’s possible that school breaks aren’t as necessary while we still have Covid outbreaks, even small and controlled ones. Rather than seeing a school year as starting on a fixed day and ending at a set time with scheduled breaks, maybe it’s time to consider a more flexible timeframe.

Summer vacations, after all, evolved mostly out of convenience over the years. In some areas, it was too hot during those summer months to even be inside a classroom. Summers have since come to mean downtime, summer jobs, and a chance to see family or go on vacations, or for some students, it’s considered a forth semester to continue studies elsewhere.

What do you think we should do? Take this year a few weeks at a time or rethink our idea of vacations entirely? Scan the QR code to let us know!

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Images: Canva

Spring break dates differ from school to school this year. Some schools are on holiday the week of March 30, others the following week. In response to this, a number of sports and activity organizations have planned camps that will run over a few weeks. If you’re staying in Beijing for Spring break, you’ll want to keep the kids busy and active, and let them have some fun too. With sports, arts and crafts, activities and games, there really is something for everyone. Here’s our round-up of this year’s Spring break camps.

Dulwich Community Programmes (DCP)
All DCP camps will be held at Dulwich College Beijing (DCB) Legend Garden Campus, and will run for four days from Tuesday April 7 to Friday April 10. Registration opens March 23. Register in person at DCB Legend Garden Sports Club weekdays and weekends or at Riviera Campus during school hours.

Football Camp with Beijing Kickers
6-14 years: 9am-12pm RMB 1,200

Tennis Camp with Rising Stars Tennis Academy
Beginner 5-8 years: 9-10.30am RMB 1,200
Beginner 9-12 years: 10.30am-12pm RMB 1,200
Intermediate 8-12 years: 2-5pm RMB 2,400

Swimming Camp with Beijing Dragon Fire
Beginner 1: 10-10.45am
Beginner 2: 10.45-11.30am
Beginner 3: 11.30am-12.15pm
Intermediate 2: 10-11am
Intermediate 1: 11am-12pm
All ages, RMB 520. If you are unsure which swimming group your child is suitable for, contact Kevin on 136 0106 4524 before registering.

Manchester United Soccer School
The British School of Beijing (BSB) Shunyi campus is playing host to Manchester United Soccer Schools (MUSS), on Tuesday March 31 – Thursday April 2, from 8am-5pm. The MUSS camp will give kids the opportunity to learn training tricks and techniques from some of the best soccer players in the world. Premier League football coaches from Manchester, England, will be delivering 21 hours of coaching, designed by Manchester United’s first team coaches. The soccer school is open to everyone aged 6-18 years, male or female, and players of all abilities are welcome to attend. For booking, and pricing information, click here.

O’le Spring Camp
O’le Sports will be offering various activities, at their three day sports camps.
Camp 1: March 30-April 1, 10am-4pm
Camp 2: April 6-8, 10am-4pm
Activities include bouldering, football, big wall climbing, abseiling, and box climbing. Both camps will finish with a BBQ party on the last day, followed by fun games in the afternoon. RMB 1,600, including the BBQ party. Price does not include lunch on the first and second days, so please bring a packed lunch. To register online, click here.
 

Sports Beijing
Between March 30 and April 10, Sports Beijing is offering a number of activities to keep kids busy and active. Their five day camp RMB 3,180 is suitable for ages 5-13 years. To register, click here.

Camp Schedule:
9-10.30am: English/Chinese Course
10.30am-12pm: Choose from tennis, football, or basketball
1.30-4.30pm:
Mon – karting
Tues – fencing
Weds – horse riding
Thurs – rock climbing
Fri – roller skating, games, and a party to finish the week

Atelier Art School
Keep your artistic ones busy this holiday, with a one week workshop at the new Atelier Art School in Shunyi. The Mayan themed workshop RMB 1,500 runs from Monday March 30 to Friday April 3. Morning sessions are 10am-12pm for 5-8 year olds, afternoon sessions 1.30-4pm for 9-12 year olds. The workshop promises to be a cultural journey into Mayan Civilization. Students will learn how Mayan people lived, what their cities looked like, and imagine themselves as Mayan people. The teacher will lead them to create their own Mayan world, with grandiose pyramids, colorful masks, cypher-like languages, and mysterious calendars. A workshop packed full of art and craft, as well as knowledge and fun. To register, click here.

Easter Camp
House of Knowledge (HoK) will be running a fun packed five day camp, offering a range of activities, including crafts, games, and songs, all with an Easter theme. The camp will run from Monday March 30 to Friday April 3, from 9am-3.30pm. RMB 2,200 (lunch included) or RMB 1,720 (lunch not included) for the full day camp, or RMB 1,350 for the half day camp. To register, email info@hokschools.com with your child’s name, age, and the campus you would like your child to join.

Imagine. “Knight School”
At Knight School kids will wield a sword, fire a bow and arrow, ride a horse, build a trebuchet, design a shield, make chainmail, journey to a castle, slay a dragon, and much more.
Camp 1: March 23-27, 9am-4pm
Camp 2: March 30-April 3, 9am-4pm
Camp 3: April 6-10, 9am-4pm

RMB 4,000 per camp, including transportation, all equipment, and training fees. Pick up and drop off are at Beijing Riviera Clubhouse each day. You must bring your own packed lunch and wear comfortable clothes. To register (186 1045 3101, info@imagine-china.com)

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: courtesy of Beijing Kickers, Blockhelden, Cyndy Sims Parr (Flickr)

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Some of the Shunyi schools are now on spring break, so if you’re wondering where to take the kids for something to eat, this week’s Shunyi Happenings has some suggestions for good deals on food. To help burn off all those calories, Harrow is hosting a Charity Run towards the end of April, but you have sign up before the deadline. While we all love giving our kids the odd treats, we need to make sure their teeth are super healthy. BJU and HoK will partner up for a talk on oral hygiene this month.

Food, Glorious Food!
•    Every Monday at The Garage, there’s a two-for-one burger deal starting at 3pm.
•    At any branch of Annie’s, buy any dessert and get a free tea or coffee from 2pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
•    If you don’t want to venture out, how about having Two Guys and a Pie deliver to you? They have just introduced a “family pie” scaled for four people and featuring a more English-style crust. Email info@twoguysandapie.com, text 186 1255 7637, or order online on their website.

Harrowthon 2014
Keep fit and raise money for charity at the same time by signing up for Harrowthon 2014. Harrow International School Beijing is holding 10k, 5k, and 3k charity runs on Sunday, April 27 with all proceeds going to the Philippines Relief Fund. All participants must sign up by 10am on Tuesday, April 8, so get cracking.

It costs RMB 100 to enter for adults and RMB 50 for kids and teens 18 years and under. To sign up, click here. Payment and t-shirt pickup will be on April 24-25 from 8am-6pm, with payment made to the Finance Department and t-shirts collected from Reception. For more info, call 6444 8900 ext 6800/1.

Free BJU Talk: Oral Health and Good Habits for Kids
House of Knowledge’s Quanfa campus will be hosting a free talk on Wednesday, April 23 from 10am-11am in co-operation with Beijing United Family Hospital. There will be a presentation by BJU Pediatric Dentist Dr. Irene Lau on fostering good habits for oral health. Topics include flossing, foods that are surprisingly detrimental to your child’s teeth, and why it’s important to start habits early in their development. To RSVP, email info@hokschools.com, qf@hokschools.com, or jenifer.sullivan@ufh.com.cn.

Roundabout Book Fair at DCB
On Saturday, April 12 from 10am-3pm at their Legend Garden Campus, Dulwich College Beijing will be hosting a Roundabout Book Fair. Browse through hundreds of books of every imaginable genre. All profits will go towards helping kids in need. To find out more, email Joanne.Ross@dulwich-beijing.cn.

Parent Effectiveness Training (PET)
Another round of Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) sessions will be offered by Naomi Taylor in Shunyi. This time, the eight-week course will be hosted by the International Montessori School of Beijing.

Join Taylor to learn a new way of communicating effectively with your children. As a parenting program, P.E.T. does not use punishment and reward methods. Instead, it aims to equip parents with listening skills, understanding, and the ability to respond in an honest and non-judgmental way so that both yours and your child’s needs are met.

All courses take place on a Thursday morning (April 17, 24; May 8, 15, 22, 29; and June 5, 12) from 8.45-11.45am. To sign up, contact Taylor at counsellingwithnaomi@hotmail.co.uk or 186 1009 0164. To find out more, visit her website.

Photo courtesy of Benson Kua (Flickr)

Ahhhh…spring break! Just those two simple words bring back memories of trekking south with friends for some sunshine and fun. But even if I went nowhere it was still a week off of school, much needed R&R. While the “official” history of spring break has no true origins, there is a lot of speculation about its purpose: celebrating the return of spring, having a holiday around Easter weekend, observing “study week” or “reading week” to avoid academic burnout, or just being a college student tradition (for some) of, well, partying.

As spring breaks approach in our area, we hear about planned trips to exotic locations – far more thrilling than the trips we used to take. Wow, how lucky are our children?! Sometimes it’s nice to simply stay home and relax with no pressures or homework; other times there’s an urge to travel to warmer weather or simply explore different places. 

Schools here have their week off at different times – most unfortunate if families have children at different schools. While some call it Spring Break, others will say Term Break, Easter Break or something else just to denote some time off to recharge everyone’s batteries. For those schools whose breaks are not around a Chinese holiday, it may well be a good time to travel when the rest of the country is not. If staying in Beijing, the weather is warming up enough to enjoy some outings on the town with family.

Some Shunyi school spring breaks:

• International School of Beijing (ISB):                       March 26-30
• Dulwich College Beijing:                                        March 30-April 6
• Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA):          March 30-April 6
• British School of Beijing (BSB):                               March 30-April 9
• Western Academy of Beijing (WAB):                        April 2-6
• Harrow International School Beijing:                        April 2-13
• Beijing Rego British School:                                   April 30-May 4
• International Montessori School of Beijing (MSB):      April 30-May 4
   

Photo by astrolame of flickr.

Dulwich College Beijing has a great selection of Spring Camps this year for those staying in Beijing from April 2-6 when some school spring breaks occur. Registration begins today, March 12. Go to www.dulwich-beijing.cn for more detailed information, or call 6454 9127 to reach Julia Chow, Dulwich Community Programmes Manager.

*Jia You Football:
For ages 5 and up, groups are divided by age and ability and are led by FA qualified coach Gary Saunders. Held at the Legend Garden Campus from 9:30am-noon; cost is RMB 1,250.

*Basketball Camp:
Progressive training programs by the Basketball World coaching team help kids 8-12 improve individual and team play. Held at the Legend Garden Sports Hall from 9:30-11:30am; cost is RMB 1,000.

*Sports Fun Camp:
Coach Yaping Peng, a former Chinese National Gymnastics Champion, will lead this camp designed for active children. Held at the Riviera Main Campus Gymnasium from 9:30am-12:30pm; cost is RMB 1,500.

Photo by stevendepolo of flickr.