Top 10 Things to Do in Beijing with Kids

Headed to Beijing? The Chinese capital can be most excellent fun with kids at almost any time of year — though do avoid the main Chinese holidays.

Herewith, ten of my favourite things to do in Beijing with kids. (And, no, the smog won’t kill them.)

Skate on a Frozen Lake

There’s nothing quite like outdoor skating, and when the lakes freeze solid over winter ice skating is a very Beijing thing to do with kids. Qian Hai lake boasts ice bikes, ice slides, ice dodgems, ride-on sledges, ride-on highchairs and unnerving robot rickshaws – all surrounded by Chinese lanterns. For an even more local experience, head to a suburban lake. Note that skates are retro soft lace-up affairs rather than the solid plastic boots your children might be used to.
Metro: Guloudajie

Eat Candied Haws

Candied haws are an absolutely classic Chinese winter treat – like sour miniature toffee apples on a stick. And, increasingly, they’re sold alongside a whole welter of different fruit, from strawberries to pineapple. Delish. And a lot more appetising than the scorpions on a stick you can buy at the tourist food stalls on Wangfujing – although some kids will love to brave their insect fears.

Drive a Virtual Train

The trains in China are seriously fab, with many modern ones ticking along at 300kph or faster – and, even if you don’t make it out to Shanghai to ride the turbo-charged Maglev, one great thing to do with kids in Beijing (particularly those of train-obsessed age) is to visit the railway museum on the south-east corner of Tiananmen Square. In among more worthy exhibits, kids can take their turn in a simulator and pilot their own bullet train.
Metro: Qianmen

Walk on the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a little out of the city – and, as one of the wonders of the world, it’s an absolute don’t-miss for everyone, kids or no kids. As you’d imagine from something that once extended many thousands of kilometres, there are a whole bunch of choices as to where to visit it. Our favourite spot? The ruined Great Wall at Badaling (NOT the main Great Wall at Badaling), where we had the wall pretty much to ourselves. Note that unless you speak rather more than basic Chinese, you’ll need a driver, a guide or a tour to get there.

Pick up Some History

The National Museum of China, on Tiananmen Square, is seriously enormous. It’s one of those places, like the British Museum, the Louvre and the Uffizi, where you’re not going to see everything in a day, or even several, and you shouldn’t try – especially with kids. Go early in the day, start at the basement level, and let the kids run through stopping at what they like – it’s in conveniently chronological order.
Metro: Qianmen

See the Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven is probably the piece of Chinese architecture that Beijingers are most proud of – yes, more so than the Forbidden City. And it’s an excellent building to do with kids because, unlike many of Beijing’s other sights, it’s not overwhelmingly gigantic. A flawlessly circular Ming-dynasty temple, with some surrounding buildings that are well worth exploring if your kids can face it, it’s one of those sights, like Nelson’s Column, that’s easy to appreciate and takes barely any time at all. The park around it is great for a wander.
Metro: Tiantan Dongmen

Go to a Theme Park

The Happy Valley Chinese theme park chain delivers thrills, spills and bellyaches aplenty courtesy of some seriously amazing coasters – though don’t even THINK about going on weekends or during holidays, when what feels like half of Beijing’s 20 million people come out to play. The Beijing outlet is perfect for tweens and teens, but offers plenty of things for little kids to do as well, from climbing frames through to face painting. Look out for the older generation, too, taking the chance to enjoy a type of entertainment that would have been unthinkable when they grew up under Mao. You’ll need to take a taxi — Chinese and English addresses here.

Make Dumplings

Jiaozi, the deliciously porky, succulent northern-style dumplings are a classic Beijing experience, whether you pick some up at a street stand or head to a more prettyfied chain like Orient King of Dumplings. They’re also both fun and simple to make. Some hotels and many tour operators offer dumpling-making courses – or check out Time Out’s list. Oh yeah. For duck, we like Li Qun, while vegetarians can get fake duck at Gongdelin.

Picnic at the Summer Palace

After the British burned the first Summer Palace during the Opium Wars, a charming period of history when we went to war to force China to give up drug prohibition and accept our opium, this Summer Palace became the emperors’ summer retreat. With dazzling grounds, fabulous palaces and pretty walkways set around a tranquil lake, it’s an absolutely phenomenal spot for a picnic — or just some snacks and a scamper.
Metro: Xiyuan or Beigongmen

Explore the Forbidden City

Whether or not you’ve seen Bertolucci’s Last Emperor – a movie that’s easily accessible for older kids – the Forbidden City, where the emperor lived with a welter of concubines and princes, is another Beijing must-do. If you’re doing it with kids, I’d recommend steering off the main drag of enormous ceremonial halls and courtyards, which are always full of tour groups, and exploring some of the sideways and byways. Don’t miss the garden, look out for the incredible jade collections, and let your kids lead.
Metro: Tiananmen Dong / Tiananmen Xi

Check out Some Crazy Clocks

The Drum and Bell Towers aren’t that visually impressive, although on smog/fog free days, the views can be pretty darn cool. But the climb up is fun, and at the top of the Drum Tower is a little museum of Chinese time pieces. Sound dull? It isn’t. Because in olden times, Chinese used everything from incense to water clocks to tell the time. A great thing to do with kids, even those with very short attention spans.
Metro: Guloudajie

And Finally…. Don’t Bother with the Cube

The famous Cube from the Beijing Olympics is now an indoor water park – well, half of it is, anyway. It SHOULD be one of the best things to do with kids in Beijing, but the slides are already tired, the place feels kinda grimy and the water temperature, as in every Chinese swimming pool, tends to the bracing at cooler times of year.

Image credits: Summer Palace Beijing by Colin Capelle, Happy Valley Beijing by David Castor and Jiaozi by John.