This week on beijingkids online: Want to watch movies at Chinese cinemas? Buy your tickets on… WeChat! That, along with autumn hiking essentials and more, in this week’s roundup.

How to Buy Movie Tickets on WeChat

Are you deterred by the hassle of buying a ticket, or worried your chosen screening will be sold out when you get to the cinema? Check out our guide to buying tickets on the all-encompassing WeChat app, and enjoy your popcorn stress-free.

What You Need to Know Before Hiking in Beijing

Since the autumn days are rather short, the last thing you’d want is to be underprepared once you reach your hiking destination. As such, here are three essentials to pack before you go on your hike.

Food for Thought: Wake Up with These Delicious Sweetbreads

These recipes for citrus bread and a classic take on cinnabuns are both tasty and suitable for intermediate bakers, making them the perfect additions to your fall cooking regimen.

WeChat Group of the Week: Yoga, Meditation and Wellness Beijing

The pace of life in the Jing can be frantic, so it’s no surprise that so many in the international community turn to yoga and meditation, to find balance, calm, and well-being.

Want to know what’s happening in the Beijing expat community? Tune in on WeChat account every Sunday morning for This Week on BJK Online, our weekly roundup of the articles and other essentials published on www.beijing-kids.com. See more of our previous roundups here.

Photos: Tookapic via Pexels, rottentomatoes.com, mylittleadventure.com, courtesy of Nika Mirzoyan

This week on BJK online: Where to find a “Greek shipwreck” in Beijing, pet rescue from scratch, why next weekend will be “big”… and more!

Family-Friendly Exhibitions in Beijing

From an antique collection from the Qing Dynasty to an exhibition of salvaged archaeological finds from an ancient Greek shipwreck, Beijing’s art scene this month is full of impressive masterpieces that families should see!

Miss Plus Size Global Founder Sammy Sibanda on the Big Story Behind This Plus-Size Pageant

Beauty “challenges” have long been circulating on Chinese social media, which dare women to go to extreme lengths to be considered “beautiful”. But this pageant, now in its fourth year, is trying to challenge local preconceptions and stereotypes about plus-size women.

How I Saved a Visually Impaired Dog on the Streets of Sanlitun

“In a scene reminiscent of a TV drama, I rushed to the middle of the road and stopped the cars to drive the dog to the pavement…” Our editor recounts his first-time experience of rescuing an animal on a very busy thoroughfare.

The Future Is Here, and It’s a Tea-Slinging Robot

This charismatic space shuttle-esque robotic arm automation will shake up your order of iced tea with more than a little flair, making it the key attraction at Cosmo Mixology in Nali Patio.

Want to know what’s happening in the Beijing expat community? Tune in on WeChat account every Sunday morning for This Week on BJK Online, our weekly roundup of the articles and other essentials published on www.beijing-kids.com. See more of our previous roundups here.

Photos: The Palace Museum, Andy Penafuerte III, courtesy of Cosmo Mixology and Miss Plus Size Global

This week on BJK online: A step-by-step guide to applying for an e-bike license, “pollution blue” is gone… well at least in Beijing’s smog alert system, World Stroke Day, and more!

How to Apply for a Temporary License for Your E-Bike

Beijing authorities have released an online application channel for temporary licenses for e-bikes, which will be activated on October 31, a day before the official crackdown.

“Pollution Blue” No More: Beijing Authorities Modify Smog Alert System 

The city’s environmental regulators propose to remove the lowest “blue” alert for pollution and replacing it with just a “health reminder”, at a time when authorities say that Beijing’s air quality is gradually improving.

How to Help Someone Who’s Experiencing a Stroke

Monday (Oct 29) marks World Stroke Day, an international campaign that emphasizes the need for everyone to understand the serious nature of this disease. How can you and the first-aid responders at home act “FAST” to save the life of a stroke sufferer?

WeChat Group of the Week: Mommylosophy

How can mommies cultivate positive emotions daily while balancing them a bit more with the negative emotions they often face? Here’s a group for mothers who help one another raise the level of parenting consciousness.

Want to know what’s happening in the Beijing expat community? Tune in on WeChat account every Sunday morning for This Week on BJK Online, our weekly roundup of the articles and other essentials published on www.beijing-kids.com. See more of our previous roundups here.

Photos: Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, Sohu News, Medical News Today, Pixabay

This week on beijingkids online: CBD residential hood lacks hot water, TCM and mental health, a group for female expats, and more!

CBD Residents With No Hot Water Given Cold Shoulder

Some are treating it as a minor inconvenience, for others, it’s a failure to provide a basic utility despite the notoriously high rents in CBD, reminding many people that China, for all its wealth, is still a developing country.

Holistic Healing: Can Traditional Chinese Medicine Help with Our Mental Health?

Many of the TCM healing practices can be found everywhere in Beijing, but does it have the ability to help with, or even cure, mental health issues? We talked to a Western doctor who practices TCM to find out more.

WeChat Group of the Week: Female Expats in Beijing

A globetrotting lifestyle can make it hard to maintain friendships, which is why a female expat founded a group for female expats in Beijing.

School Open House Events in October and November 2018

Looking for a new school can be a daunting task for parents, so a visit can help them see the school in action. Here’s our roundup of the upcoming international school open houses.

Want to know what’s happening in the Beijing expat community? Tune in on WeChat account every Sunday morning for This Week on BJK Online, our weekly roundup of the articles and other essentials published on www.beijing-kids.com. See more of our previous roundups here.

Photos: Clem Onojeghuo via Pexels, Pixabay, Alex Lindblom, courtesy of BIBA

This Week on beijingkids: New e-bike rules, a hongbao giveaway, Brit teachers on a “better life” in Beijing, and more!

Unlicensed Electric Bikes will Be Impounded and Owners Fined, Warns Beijing Authority

What are the documents you need and where can you register your electric bicycles? We list the location of the official transport bureaus to go to, but be forewarned: a tight timescale has meant that these offices are being overwhelmed by owners trying to get register.

British Teachers Flee “Broken System” for Better Life in Beijing

Several British teachers in Beijing describe China’s different attitude to schooling, in contrast to “bureaucracy” in England that creates an intolerable workload for teachers.

11-Year-Old Gives Away RMB 9,000 of Mom’s Money in Hongbaos

It’s not Chinese New Year yet, but several people have gotten lucky after a girl in Nanjing gave away hongbaos on a messaging app from her busy mom’s digital pocket. Will the mom be able to recover it?

Family-Friendly Niche Cafés in Beijing

The city is now home to numerous cafés, so just where can you find those that are kid-friendly and offering an alternative to coffee and alcohol for their younger customers?

Reaching Out: What to Do When Someone Is Considering Self-Harm?

We continue our coverage of mental health topics and this time, we talk about how open discourse about suicide can be empowering and can have life-changing ramifications. Just how can we offer assistance to a person we think might be suicidal?

Want to know what’s happening in the Beijing expat community? Tune in on WeChat account every Sunday morning for This Week on BJK Online, our weekly roundup of the articles and other essentials published on www.beijing-kids.com. See more of our previous roundups here.

Photos: shutterstock.com, Pexels, Jacob Botter via Flickr, goldendragoncapital.com, Xue Yuzhe, Adobe Creative Cloud

This Week on beijingkids: Lessons from the BISS school crisis, recognizing the signs of student stress, Breast Cancer Awareness month, and more!

Lessons From BISS Crisis as Beijing Authorities Save Troubled School

As Beijing BISS International School gets a new lease on life, there are lessons from this crisis that everyone who cares about the city’s international education should know about.

Mastering Mindfulness: Beijing’s International Schools Continue to Expand Support for Students’ Wellbeing

The importance of recognizing signs of stress in students is increasing at Beijing’s international schools at a crucial time in China, where many still consider mental illness shameful.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: How to Show Your Support and Love

It takes all of the patients’ energies to stay strong at these trying times, but there are ways that we can show our love to them.

Headband, Banned!: This Mom Discovers Class and Sass at Catherine de France

We took this kindergarten teacher to a hip salon popular with the international community, and the results are posh!

Want to know what’s happening in the Beijing expat community? Tune in on WeChat account every Sunday morning for This Week on BJK Online, our weekly roundup of the articles and other essentials published on www.beijing-kids.com. See more of our previous roundups here.

Photos: Courtesy of WAB, chinadaily.com, Miguel Á. Padriñán via Pexels, Uni You

This Week on beijingkids: What’s “shocking” this time of year? Zapping nuisance, financial struggles of a Beijing international school, travel hacks this October holiday, and more!

Top Stories

“No Soap, No Pencils”: Former BISS Teachers Describe Life at Crisis-Hit School

Several former teachers from Beijing BISS International School detail the “mismanagement” and “environment of mistrust” as the school fails to deliver on its promise to pay outstanding wages of several faculty and staff.

Find Your “Cake Buddy” With New Cake Lovers Group

If there’s one thing this city’s not short of, it’s delicious cake… but what if you only want a slice, not a whole one? A Beijing expat has come up with an ingenious solution.

De-Stress, Don’t Distress: The Methods to Reduce Stress

Overwhelmed by your workload and the relentless pace of life in the city? Give yourself a break; here’s how you can do it.

A Shocking Fact: You Can Prevent Static Shocks With These Simple Tips

They’re shocking and irritating: those static shocks that jolt our very existence at this time of year. But here’s some shocking news: you can reduce your risk of experiencing this zapping nuisance!

If You’re Travelling in This National Holiday Period…

Ten Things to Do During the Golden Week

October is the perfect time of year to squeeze in some local sightseeing, but be sure to save the major tourist haunts for another time. Here are ten suggestions to keep the kids busy during the holiday.

Five Tips to Beat the Crowds at Beijing’s Tourist Hubs

Over 60 percent of the population plans to travel during the October holiday season, so how can one enjoy the sites and still avoid the crowds?

6 Hacks for Visiting (and Actually Enjoying) the Forbidden City

Still want to explore the Forbidden City, even if it’s the last place you should be during the Golden Week? Here are a few tricks which can make your visit there tolerable, if not actually pleasant.

Want to know what’s happening in the Beijing expat community? Tune in on WeChat account every Sunday morning for This Week on BJK Online, our weekly roundup of the articles and other essentials published on www.beijing-kids.com. See more of our previous roundups here.

Photos: News.com.au, Giphy, Michael Babilon-Teubenbacher, Adobe Creative Cloud, riverrunnerbaits.net, csstoday.com, Andy Penafuerte III, Jeremiah Jenne

This Week on beijingkids: Catch Beijing’s last “ghost” before it disappears, Italy’s cheesy gift to humanity comes to Beijing’s student mecca, a dog lover’s second best friend, and more!

Top Stories

Browse Beijing’s Last Ghost Market Before it Becomes an Apparition

This unique bazaar offers an aura of mystery and adventure for buyers, but as with many other historic Beijing institutions which have disappeared overnight, the city’s last “ghost market” is threatened with potential closure.

The Beijing Pizza Festival 2018 Is Coming to Zhongguancun, Oct 13-14

The sweet scent of dough and cheese from Beijing’s best pizza extravaganza rolls to a new and exciting place in the capital’s student and tech hub.

In Case You Missed It…

Filipinos in Beijing Raise RMB 12,000 for “Mangkhut” Relief Efforts in the Philippines

International groups, including a Beijing-based network of Filipinos, have called for donations after this year’s strongest typhoon pummeled the northern Philippines, leaving at least 81 people dead and causing USD 265 million in damages.

Homework and Screens Blamed for Epidemic of Myopia In Chinese Schoolkids

Over a third of Chinese fourth-graders, and nearly two-thirds of eighth-graders, have poor vision, believed to be the highest rates in the world, potentially causing problems in the job market in the future.

What to Eat in Beijing: A Visitor’s Guide

Rather than listing Beijing’s best restaurants, our sister brand the Beijinger picks out the dishes that best represent the capital’s food culture and give suggestions for where to eat them.

WeChat Group of the Week: Beijing Dog Owners

They say that a dog is man’s best friend, but for the dog lovers of the city’s international community, the Beijing Dog Owners group might be second best.

Want to know what’s happening in the Beijing expat community? Tune in on WeChat account every Sunday morning for This Week on BJK Online, our weekly roundup of the articles and other essentials published on www.beijing-kids.com. See more of our previous roundups here.

Photos: Sina, The Beijinger, Rappler.com, discovermagazine.com, Joey Guo, Pixabay

This Week on BJK Online is a weekly roundup of the articles and other essentials published on our website.

Top Stories

Bloodline: A WeChat Community Saving Lives

Blood donation levels in China are low, but some in the international community have responded to this issue by creating a WeChat community of blood donors.

Beijing Releases New Rules to Improve Preschool Safety

Beijing authorities have laid down new rules to standardize the operation of preschools and regulate teacher behavior.

Kids’ Favorite Characters Come to Life, as Disney On Ice Hits Beijing

Here’s a chance for kids to stay young, as the world-famous production featuring timeless Disney stories returns to Beijing this November.

Community

Déjà Vu Turns Over a New Leaf For Second-Hand Books

A start-up platform for selling and buying second-hand books has emerged, offering a great service to price-conscious bookworms.

Dining

A Taste of Home… in China: Exploring Chinese Cuisine Through its Comfort Food

With this guide, you also won’t break the bank as Chinese food, especially in its simplest form, is almost always cheaper than its western equivalent.

Playing

On Guard: Get to Know This Fencing Club Making Headway in Beijing

Your ideas of fencing may come from popular culture, involving classic swordplay action and an intense fight. While the reality isn’t too far from fiction, yes, fencing is a proper sport.

Photos: Pranidchakan Boonrom via Pexels; Pixabay; courtesy of Disney On Ice’ Adobe Creative Cloud