Work up a sweat indoors
Fundazzle
This cavernous indoor playground has a huge two-story jungle gym, trampolines and a toddler area with small cars, swings, see-saws, toy houses and so on. On weekends, counselors put on shows, lead the kids in song and dance, and teach arts and crafts. RMB 35 (kids), adults free (except on weekends when entry costs RMB 15). Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat-Sun and public holidays 9am-7pm.Gongti Nanlu, Chaoyang District.
Go Bowling!
Bowling gets a bad rap for its associations with tacky venues, bad shoe requirements, and the alleged claim that bowling isn’t a real sport – but that’s what makes this game so exceptional. Try Gongti 100 (which is named for its number of lanes). Small-sized shoes are available for kids over 6. See Directories for more options in the capital.
Toning Drum Music Makers
Offers percussion classes specifically designed for students aged from 1-6 years and their families, and classes for students aged 7-19. Percussion instruments – including drums, shakers, sticks, bells, chimes, and other safe noise-making items – are provided at the classes. The language of instruction is English. Contact the office for further information and class schedule. 1) Inside The British School of Beijing, 7 Sanlitun Beixiaojie, Chaoyang District.; 2) Rm 303, Bldg 3,Sun City, 18 Xinzhong Jie, Dongcheng District. (8447 2638 , English: 159 0117 9007; Chinese: 137 0117 7596) www.toningchina.com, www.toningschool.com 托宁鼓学校, 1) 朝阳区朝阳区三里屯北小街7号北京英国学校内; 2) 东城区新中街18号 阳光都市3号楼303室
Goose ‘n’ Duck Ranch
The “ranch” is unevenly maintained but hyperactively landscaped and is better suited for younger kids than teens. Activities include swimming, archery, horseback riding, fishing, soccer, basketball, badminton, softball and paintball. You can stay for a day or spend the entire weekend in one of the cabins. Shuttle buses depart from Goose ‘n’ Duck Pub. Single-day packages (RMB 260, half price for kids 4-12) include food, beverages and round-trip transportation; two-day packages (RMB 600, half price for kids ages 4-12, free for kids under 4) include the above, plus accommodation. Reservations are required. Daily 24 hours. Huairou Beizhai, Huairou District. (6067 1097) www.gdclub.net.cn 鹅和鸭, 怀柔区北寨
A-Z Kids
A cleaner, pricier version of Fundazzle, A-Z features a multitude of play equipment including a maze, an art corner, a play supermarket as well as bilingual staff and entertainers to ensure your kids are never bored. Best suited for kids ages 2-8, A-Z hosts birthday parties complete with a clown and an enthusiastic staff. Daily 9.30am-7.30pm. 4/F, Shangjie Plaza. For details, see Directories.
Star Trooper Laser Tag
Indulge your trigger-happy inner child in a very trippy atmosphere. Each game lasts 15mins. Kids must be taller than 1.3m. RMB 40 (first game), RMB 30 (each additional game). Groups of six or more can rent the entire venue for RMB 1,280/hour. Wed-Fri 2-8pm, Sat-Sun 9am-8pm. B1/F, 316 Wangjing Xiyuan Sanqu, Chaoyang District. (6475 8329, wendy@startrooper.net) www.startrooper.net 激光搏击, 朝阳区望京西园三区316号楼，地下一层
Go Ice Skating
Lace up your skates and do a Kim Yu-Na (Kim of South Korea, is the current world champion in ladies’ figure skating, couch potatoes). All-Star Ice Rink was founded by Wang Rui, figure skating gold medalist in the 1999 Asian Winter Games, and Li Ning, the legendary gymnast who lit the torch at the Opening Ceremony in the Beijing Olympics. Located on the first floor of Solana Mall, the ice rink covers 800sqm and uses equipment that meets international standards, creating a rink fit for both entertainment and professional competition. For adolescents new to the sport, All-Star offers classes.Especially precocious athletes can request coaches from the Chinese national skating team. Private lessons (Chinese only) are priced at RMB 135-200 (90 min). RMB 30, 50 for admission. Daily 10am-10pm except for Sat (10am-9pm). 1/F, Solana International Shopping Park, Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District (5905 6328) 全明星滑冰俱乐部, 朝阳公园路6号蓝色港湾国际商区首层. For more ice skating locations, see Directories.
