Do you have an upcoming family-friendly event that you want to be included in our listings? Maximize the reach of your event and promote it on beijingkids!

Let us know by leaving your message in the comments section below or by emailing us at webeditor@beijing-kids.com. Follow us on WeChat (ID: beijing-kids) or join our family events WeChat group by sending us your WeChat QR code. Please note that readers should confirm with each organizer if events are canceled or scheduled as planned. For more events that may not be included in this list, please check our Events page. 

Street Dance Classes with Sunshine Studios, Mar 6
Sunshine Studios is organizing two street dance classes and dance team courses for different levels of dance ability. For regular classes, you can choose from four sessions. Through joining the dance team courses, members can get four hours of expert training per week leading to a final performance. All ages. RMB 130 per hour, RMB 280 per week. 6.30-8.30pm. Western Academy of Beijing. (enquiries@sunshine-studios.co.uk)

National Theatre of China: Beijing Fayuan Temple, Mar 6-10
The drama Beijing Fayuan Temple portrays a series of historical events from 1888 to 1927, from the end of the Qing Dynasty and the early years of the Republic. The performance integrates intricate elements like life and death, country and family, and emperor and courtiers. These brutal and cruel histories presented through the court, populace, and temple on the stage are a great opportunity to familiarize yourself with some of the major aspects of Chinese history and culture. All ages. RMB 280-1,080. 7.30-9.30pm. National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA). (6655 0000)

International Women’s Day Brunch, Mar 8
The International Women’s Day Brunch is organized by AustCham China and the Australian Embassy. This year, Fortescue Metals Group CEO Elizabeth Gaines will attend and join a discussion with CGTN anchor Cheng Lei. Gaines is a highly experienced business leader across a range of industries and economies and will bring a broad international perspective and a unique insight into leadership, diversity, and business. Adults. RMB 450. Noon-2pm. China World Summit Wing, Beijing. (6505 2299)

Dylan Werner Workshop at Pure Yoga, Mar 8-10
Dylan Werner’s workshop at Pure Yoga is a three-day course where you can learn about Master Vinyasa, Buddha Palms Yoga, fascial stretching, and conditioning. Dylan Werner, with 18-years of experience, brings the advanced concepts of yoga and movement to all levels of yoga ability. Adults. RMB 3,000, RMB 750 (single class drop-in). 6.30-9.30pm (March 8), 9am-5.30 (March 9), 9am-6pm (March 10). Pure Yoga, WF Central.

Rumble in the Jumble: Femme Festival, Mar 9
The popular Rumble in the Jumble pop-up market aims to take the celebration of International Women’s Day further in their March “Femme Festival”, which honors the beauty, strength, and power within women. Aside from Rumble’s signature community bookstall, and the vendors and artisans who will sell all things creative and artistic, this edition also features activity providers including Black Rabbit Tattoo who will do personalized tattoos on site; a pop-up poet called Boriqua in Beijing, writing customized poetry on the spot; and embroiderer Emilie 工dea who will mend your clothing items for free in her “Surgery for Broken Clothing” session. All ages. Free admission. Noon-6pm. Modernista, Baochao Hutong. (WeChat ID: CharLouise)

Be You Beijing Women’s Retreat, Mar 9-10
Be You Women’s Retreat organizes an overnight stay at EAST Hotel, with goodie bags, a class with Jindafit, brunch with free flow bubbly, hair and make-up, a photo booth, a Berry Thoughtful Workshop, and much more. Adults. RMB 2,400 (single room), RMB 1,900 (double room). EAST Beijing. (8426 0888)

Photography Art: Greetings from South Korea, until Mar 10
Three Shadows Photography Art Centre presents the exhibition Greetings from South Korea, which shows multifaceted aspects of Korean photography across three different periods. This theme is divided into three parts: “Limb Eung-Sik: History Through the Lens”, “Reinventing Our Time”, and “Same Seasons, Different Memories”. It will be the first tour of the exhibition after its appearance at the Jimei×Arles International Photo Festival in Xiamen in 2018. All ages. Free. 10am-6pm (closed every Monday). Three Shadows Photography Art Centre. (6432 2663)

Green School Family Camp 2019, Mar 10-16
This family camp takes place at Green School in the jungles of Bali. Participants will gain experiences from various environmental activities, such as bamboo raft building and Balinese mud wrestling so that they can arouse thinking about the symbiotic relationship with nature. Ages 2-7. RMB 5,300 (kids), RMB 7,700 (adults). Ubud, Bali (WeChat: 186 1034 6037)

Harrow Beijing Careers Fair, Mar 12
The inaugural Harrow Beijing Careers Fair will present business activities, especially career prospects, to secondary school pupils in the Beijing area. Participants will gain first-hand knowledge of possible career paths as they plan their next educational steps. All ages. Free. 4-7pm. Harrow Beijing. (6444 8900)

2019 Avenir Business Competition at BCIS, Mar 16-17
No experience is necessary to take part in this entrepreneur competition at Beijing City International School (BCIS). An experienced entrepreneur will guide students on-site, and there will also be talks from local entrepreneurs to inspire students with their stories. The event will be conducted in English and is associated with the Queensland University of Technology. Ages 14-18. Free. Noon. BCIS. (Register here)

National Geographic: A New Age of Exploration 2.0, Mar 23-Jun 23
To celebrate its achievements over the past 131 years, National Geographic magazine is holding a special exhibition: Classic Image Feast 2.0, to explore the wonders of the world and discover the beauty of China. The exhibition will showcase classic images of China and include a new display called “China Memory”, which allows visitors to rediscover the grand beauty and cultural heritage of China. All ages. RMB 70-100. 9am-5pm. Beijing World Art Museum. (5980 2222)

First Aid Training for Parents, Mar 24
At IMC’s first aid training for parents, you will learn how to protect and help your child in a variety of situations. From small things, like teaching your children how to get to emergency services, to bigger things, like basic life support and how to deal with environmental emergencies, this course covers all the basics of first aid you need to know. Adults. RMB 300. 9am-noon. International Medical Center (IMC). (6465 1561)

Baby Book Club, every Tuesday
The British School of Beijing (BSB), Sanlitun is delighted to announce Baby Book Club. Through this event, you can introduce your young kids to the wonderful world of reading every Tuesday at the school’s Li Building. All babies must be foreign passport holders and accompanied by his or parents, and not an ayi. Ages 0-2. Free. 10-10.30am. Sign up at receptionsltey@bsbsanlitun.com (10 seats only). The British School of Beijing (BSB), Sanlitun. (8532 5320)

Photos: courtesy of event organizers

Do you have an upcoming family-friendly event that you want to be included in our listings? Maximize the reach of your event and promote it on beijingkids!

Let us know by leaving your message in the comments section below or by emailing us at webeditor@beijing-kids.com. Follow us on WeChat (ID: beijing-kids) or join our family events WeChat group by sending us your WeChat QR code. Please note that readers should confirm with each organizer if events are canceled or scheduled as planned. For more events that may not be included in this list, please check our Events page. 

The Jingkids International School Expo 2019 Beijing, Feb 23-24
The future is full of uncertainties, and the future of education will also not be exempt from these challenges of an unforeseen world. With what is sure to be a constant overhaul of learning as we know it, how can parents concerned with preparing their children stay informed of these innovations gradually being introduced or even be prepared for the changes of tomorrow?

Direct access to the educators who have their sights on tomorrow as well as today, is exactly what we will be providing at the Jingkids International School Expo 2019 Beijing, coming to Kerry Hotel Beijing, in CBD, on Feb 23-24. Our school expo not only provides an excellent opportunity for parents to learn about nearly 100 schools spanning both the K-12 and preschool categories, it’s also a forum for parents, teachers, and administrators to discuss the future of learning for our children.

We will also be hosting other events around Kerry Hotel that you absolutely cannot afford to miss. This includes
– In-depth lectures from the leaders of international education in Beijing
– Parent forums
– The Jing Youth Entrepreneurship Competition
– Food and family fun

Swiss School Beijing Open House, Feb 26
Swiss School Beijing is organizing an open house for families of children aged 3 and over. Participants will have an opportunity to visit the school, led by their elementary school Principal, Swiss School representatives, and admissions staff. Adults. Free. 9.15-11.30am. Swiss School Beijing. 10 Laiguangying Donglu, Chaoyang District. (Email: info@swiss-school-beijing.ch)

BSB Baby and Toddler Group, Feb 22
The British School of Beijing (BSB), Shunyi continues holding their invaluable baby and toddler play group sessions at their Shunyi campus. Families with little babies ages 0-18 months can come to this group to meet other expat families, enjoy playing with age-appropriate toys, creating seasonal crafts, singing songs, and more. This event will provide drinks and snacks and is open to foreign passport holders only. The baby must be accompanied by his mother or father and not an ayi (babysitter). Age 0-18 months. Free. 9-10.30am. The British School of Beijing (BSB), Shunyi campus. 7 Sanlitun Beixiaojie, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区三里屯北小街7号(8532 5320)

Three weekly events for young kids at British School of Beijing (BSB), Sanlitun, Feb 20-22
The British School of Beijing is holding three weekly free events (except holidays) for young kids at their Sanlitun campus. All activities are for foreign families only.

Baby Dance Classes
Families with little ones ages below the age of two can come to BSB, Sanlitun’s baby dance class to meet other expat families and enjoy singing and dancing together every Friday. Age 0-2 (14 seats only). 9.45-10.15am.

Baby Play Group
The British School of Beijing, Sanlitun is organizing a weekly group every Wednesday, where they will host families with little ones aged two and below to a fun-filled morning of supervised play, promoting social interactions and providing stimulating play opportunities for young kids through songs and storytelling. Age 0-2. 9.45-10.15am.

Baby Book Club
Introduce your kids to the world of reading with BSB, Sanlitun’s Baby Book Club, held every Tuesday at the Li Building. All babies must be accompanied by one or both parents and not an ayi (babysitter). 10-10.30am.

The British School of Beijing Sanlitun campus, 5 Xiliujie, Chaoyang district. (8532 5320; receptionsltey@bsbsanlitun.com) 北京英国学校（三里屯）朝阳区三里屯路西六街5号 (Email: receptionsltey@bsbsanlitun.com. )

The Art of Tea-making at Beijing Mandarin School, Feb 21
Beijing Mandarin School is holding a tea-making activity for all levels of tea-making ability. If you are interested in Chinese tea culture or have no idea about where to start, then you need to check this out. Adults. RMB 150. 1:00-2:30pm. E-Tower Beijing Mandarin School. For more information you can scan the QR code on the poster. Room 904, E-tower, Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District. (6508-1026)

Tangyuan Culture Course at Beijing Mandarin School, Feb 19
Come and join this Tangyuan culture course at Beijing Mandarin School to learn the origin of Lantern Festival and why Chinese people tend to eat Tangyuan on this special day. All ages. RMB 150. 1-2:30pm. E-tower. Rm 904-905, 9F, E-tower, Guanghua Lu,Chaoyang District. 朝阳区光华路12号数码01大厦9层904-905室(10 6508-1026)

Chinese New Year celebration at Black Sesame Kitchen, Feb 23-24
Black Sesame Kitchen is organizing family-friendly activities this month to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Kids Dumpling Cooking Class 
This is a kid-only dumpling cooking class being held on February 23, where participants will be divided into two groups according to age and make Jiaozi (dumplings), Guotie (pan-fried dumplings), and Tangyuan (sweet dumplings). Kids. RMB 200. 2-4pm.

Family Dumpling Cooking Class
This is a family-friendly dumpling cooking class on February 24, where parents will make Jiaozi (dumplings), Guotie (pan-fried dumplings), and Tangyuan (sweet dumplings) alongside their children. All ages. RMB 380 (one adult and one kid), RMB 180 (additional adult or kid). 2-4pm.

The Courtyard Institute. For more information or reservation, please contact this email. 28 Zhonglao Hutong, Dongcheng District. 东城区中老胡同28号. (136 9147 4408; Wechat: BlackSesameKitchen.)

Street dance classes at Sunshine studios, Feb 20-24
Sunshine Studios is organizing two alternative street dance classes – regular classes and dance team courses – for different levels of dance ability. For regular classes, you can choose from four sessions costing RMB 130 per hour. For dance team courses, attendees can get four hours of training a week leading to a performance, and need to pay RMB 280 per week. Their rehearsal program will be available to the public for free on Wednesdays and Sundays. If you are interested in hip-hop dance and aren’t sure how to get started, or if you want to improve your dance skills, then check them out. Adults and ages 4-6. RMB 130 per hour, RMB 280 per week. Western Academy of Beijing (WAB). Email: Enquiries@sunshine-studios.co.uk. 10 Laiguangying Donglu, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区来广营东路10号(03330 883328)

Tea for Two at Pauline’s Cuisine, Feb 24
Join Pauline’s Cuisine for a fun Sunday at East Hotel, and learn how to create the ultimate afternoon tea: scones with clotted cream, homemade jam, chocolate mousse, and finger sandwiches. All ages. RMB 420. 10am-1pm. East Hotel. For more information or to register, please scan the QR code in the image. 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区酒仙桥路22号. (8426 0888)

Indian food cooking classes at Sarika, Feb 23
Come and join this cooking class to learn how to make Indian food including Medu vada, Masala dosa, Poori and Sabji, samosas, and coconut, tomato, onion and green chutneys. Adults. RMB 400. 10am-noon. Sarika. Shiqiaoguomao Tower. For more details, please scan the QR code in the image. 16B Dongshanhuan Zhonglu, Chaoyang District.朝阳区东三环中路乙16号。(Wechat: Sarikadhami)

Becoming a Man Whisperer, Feb 18
Are you wondering how to have better communication in your marriage? Come and join MOPS to learn communication skills in cross-gender relationships from Shaunti Feldhahn, who graduated from Harvard University and is a social researcher, bestselling author, and popular speaker. This event is for foreign passport holders only. All ages. Free. 10am-noon. 21st Century Hotel. 2F, Rm FA 201, 40 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District.（Emai: mops@bicf.org）

Skiing at the Olympic Forest Park, Feb 14- Mar 3
Get skiing without having to hit the slopes out of town. Head to the JF-Dry Ski Resort at the Olympic Park to experience their 16,000sqm of trails catering to various skill levels. The slopes are open for three sessions a day and last until March 3. All ages. RMB 241. Morning sessions (8.30am-12.30pm); Afternoon sessions (1.30-5.30pm); Evening sessions (6.30-10.30pm). Olympic Forest Park.

Roundabout’s Book Reading Club, Feb 17-24
The Roundabout Book Reading Club is a bilingual program which is implemented and run by teenage and adult volunteers to inspire more children to enjoy reading. The reading club is currently in its sixth term and will take place on February 17 and February 24. Ages 5-7. Free. 3-4pm. Roundabout Boutique and Community Centre, Cathay View Plaza, 2 Xiangjiang Bei Lu, Chaoyang district. 朝阳区观唐广场香江北路甲2号. (134 3998 0007)

China National Traditional Orchestra Lantern Festival Concert, Feb 19
To celebrate Lantern Festival, the National Centre For the Performing Arts (NCPA) is holding a Lantern Festival Concert with a performance by the China National Traditional Orchestra which is dedicated to performing Chinese traditional folk music at the highest level since 1960. The orchestra has toured around the world and collaborated with prominent musicians such as Christoph Eschenbach, Jean Michel Jarre, Yo-Yo Ma, and Minoru Miki. All ages. RMB 80-500. 7.30-9.30pm. National Centre For the Performing Arts (NCPA). For tickets visit this page. 2 Xichang’an Jie, Xicheng District. 西城区西长安街2号(6655 0000)

Photos: courtesy of event organizers

Clubs come in all shapes and sizes in order to fit the unique needs of students. They allow young people to expand, nurture, and develop leadership skills or other talents that might be neglected in their normal curriculum. Whether it be athletic, academic, or creative, these clubs offer students the perfect opportunities to connect with others who have the same interests and do so in an atmosphere that is very focused and passion driven.

Here are some examples of a couple clubs that are available to students from any school, along with some valuable insight about these clubs from active members. In our process of seeking out these clubs, we also learned about a couple of instances of students building their own groups focused on either a particular interest or a service to the community that wasn’t yet being offered through their school. They explain a bit of the process to help those wanting to get the ball rolling at their own school.

We hope you find this to be a helpful primer for learning about some of the great afterschool activities this city has to offer, and it encourages you to try something new.

Imagine

Imagine is a British organization based in Beijing, offering a variety of action and adventure-based activities year-round, all in English. They are also well known amongst the international and bilingual schools community for survival camps, parkour training, ski trips, school trips, team-building outings, sailing camps, and the annual school snowsports championships known as ISSCC.

Joshua Ai

Imagine is a unique organization providing kids with a great opportunity to participate in a variety of outdoor activities. Give us a brief introduction of some of the activities you have done with Imagine.
So far, we have loved participating in their water camps, parkour training, survival classes, ski camps, and bubble football.

What first inspired you to get involved in the range of extreme sports offered through Imagine?
I guess it would be how fun all of the activities are, such as their Civilization Games. All of these activities were pretty new to me. I learned lots of new games and was able to try many new sports that weren’t being offered at school.

What are some of the most memorable experiences you’ve had with Imagine?
Last winter, I won three gold medals at International Schools Snowsports Championships of China (ISSCC) ski race in the Giant Slalom, Dual Slalom, and Freestyle categories. Plus, this past summer I went to the Water Camp hosted by Imagine and loved jumping from the boat.

Tell us about some of the most important skills you’ve learned through your participation.
From their parkour classes I learned how to do a front flip, and in their fun ski classes, I’ve learned lots of new freestyle tricks. Most importantly I’ve also enjoyed the opportunities I’ve had to collaborate with and get to know other kids.

Do you have any advice for newcomers to Imagine?
Be brave at the beginning and you’ll find plenty of excitement with the coaches’ help. It’s also a great opportunity to meet new friends with similar interests in the sports being offered.

For more information, email info@imagine-china.com 

Sports Beijing

Founded in 1999, Sports Beijing is an organization that connects students and parents with a variety of interesting athletic opportunities for all skill levels and age groups. They seek to retain the essential spirit of community and volunteerism in their recreational programs where there is an emphasis on participation, fun, and learning the basic skills. But they also recognize the appetite amongst young athletes for higher-level training and competition with qualified professionals and ‘match play’ teams across many programs.

Nicole LeCren

How long have you been playing hockey?
13-years. I love it! My dad works for a hockey brand called Bauer. Since the Olympics are coming to Beijing, it has been his job to help people gear up. Also, the government has been building up hockey facilities and encouraging people to give it a try.

What is Sports Beijing doing to help build this interest in hockey?
We cooperate with Sports Beijing because they have this really developed base of people already interested in sports. If we tried to start a hockey class on our own, it might be hard to get students. But since they have this huge community of people, it has been helpful in getting kids out to try our class.

What’s the class you offer through Sports Beijing like?
All of the kids starting off can’t skate or have likely never played hockey before, and we help them build confidence, and start them off with a lot of beginner-friendly scrimmages. Usually, a standard class will be about an hour long of teaching the basics of hockey, then we will have a scrimmage game for about 15 minutes to encourage the kids. Usually, kids come in for about one or two semesters to learn the basics then we send them off to a more competitive club. Hockey gets pretty intense, so our program is just to help kids to have fun with the sport.

What are some of the positive changes you’ve seen in the kids taking your hockey class?
It’s really cool to see the kids come in being very shy at the beginning of the semester, and then by the end, they open up and learn about teamwork and sharing, which are both very important in hockey.

For more information, contact activities@sportsbj.com 

Sunshine Studios

As one of Europe’s largest dance studios, Sunshine Dance offers dance classes for beginners and advanced students alike. The primary instructor here in Beijing is Jerry Tse. Having trained all over the world, including London, Hong Kong, and LA, with some of the industry’s top choreographers, he has gone on to become a choreographer and teacher himself. He’s worked with many big stars, and TV shows, and now spends most of his time flying around the world teaching courses and masterclasses sharing the knowledge he has gained in the industry.

Deniz Guven

What is Sunshine Studios?
Sunshine Studios is a big, international dance company that was founded in Beijing by Jerry Tse. For me, I like how it is international with branches across China and the UK. We practice twice a week, mainly in the style of street dance and hip-hop mixed together. It’s really cool!

How has this experience helped you to develop your love for dancing?
Dancing with Jerry is so different from what I’ve experienced with any of the dance teachers I’ve had before. He’s so passionate about it, and he inspires me because of his attention to detail. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s crazy good at dancing. I think with him teaching me, it has made me love dancing even more.

Do you ever get to choreograph or create dance routines of your own?
First, for the basic stuff, Jerry choreographs it for us, but we are able to add our input for what we think would be cool and he helps us to connect our imaginations with his to make it happen.

What is the typical practice like?
We get into class, and we first have a short workout comprised of sit-ups, pushups, and planking. Then we do some stretching and start dancing. Sundays are typically our longer classes, so we do the workouts and stretching, then we do some warmups and leg exercises. You need to be fit for dancing.

What would you like newcomers to know about Sunshine Studios?
The class community is super tight. Everybody is friends, and it doesn’t matter what age or level you’re at. We all support each other and want to grow together. It’s a safe space, where you don’t need to feel like you are good or bad at this, and everybody is learning together.

For more information, email enquires@sunshine-studios.co.uk

Photo: Courtesy of Imagine and Sports Beijing
A complete version of this article appeared on p44-48 of the beijingkids September 2018 Teen Takeover issue.

Sunshine Studios is back for another year of breakdancing fun. Along with providing world-class training in street dancing, they will also soon be having auditions for their competitive dance team. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill “do the shuffle” or “electric slide” style of dancing, but more of what you see being done by some of those troupes backing up some of the biggest pop acts in the world.

As one of Europe’s largest dance studios, Sunshine Dance offers dance classes for beginners and advanced students alike and are led by US and European professionals who have danced for stars like Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and more.

The primary instructor here in Beijing is Jerry Tse. Having trained all over the world, including London, Hong Kong, and LA, with some of the industry’s top choreographers, he has gone on to become a choreographer and teacher himself.  He’s worked with many big stars, and TV shows, and now spends most of his time flying around the world teaching courses and masterclasses sharing the knowledge he has gained in the industry.

Classes are on Wednesdays (6-7pm beginners, 7-8 pm intermediate), Saturdays (10.30-11.30 am beginners, 11.30 am-12.30 pm for ages 4-6), and Sundays (11 am-12 pm improvers, 1 pm-2 pm intermediate) at Western Academy of Beijing (WAB). Dance team auditions will also be held here on Aug 19 (1-4 pm), and dance team training sessions are on the Wednesdays (7-8 pm) and Sundays (1-4 pm) that follow.

The Sunshine Studio team will be handpicked by the coaches at these open auditions and will give its participants a taste of what it takes to make it in the professional dance world! The performance team will be a huge commitment for the selected dancers who will train multiple times per week and eventually build up a routine for regional competitions. Both classes and joining the dance team are open to students from any school; you just need to love dancing. For more info extract the QR code from the promo image above.

For those of you out there wondering if there is interest in street dance in China, you should know that it is gaining in popularity with reality TV productions like “Street Dance of China” recently wowing audiences and allowing this performative art form to flourish and gain exposure among young people.

Photos: Courtesy of Sunshine Studios