Celebrate Thanksgiving
American Thanksgiving is a time to be with family, count one’s blessings and gorge on great home cooked food. On November 24, treat yourself to loads of turkey, cranberry stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. Order your own bird or reserve your place at one of the many Thanksgiving dinners to be held around town. For a list of providers and restaurants, see Event listings.
Bazaar Mania
Avoid buying mass-produced gifts this holiday season and visit one of the city’s many bazaars. CISB is holding a Gift Charity Bazaar on November 20 with unique gifts from boutiques and arts districts, while BCIS is hosting its annual Christmas Bazaar on November 24 to benefit migrant school projects. For complete list of bazaars, see Event listings.
“Is there a doctor in the house?”
Introduce a variety of careers through role-playing at EE City (蓝天城). Kids get to dress up and gain practical experience in 84 careers. With 18,600 square meters of playing space, EE City will keep your family busy for hours.
Tue-Sun 10.30am-3pm, 4-8.30pm. 10/F, Joy City, 101 Chaoyang Beilu, Chaoyang District (8569 6688)
Spot a Black Swan
Take advantage of those last blue sky days by spending a lazy afternoon around Si’de Park in Lido. There are plenty of cafes, shops, restaurants, and green spaces in the area. For a closer look, see What’s Fun In.
Creature Feature
Look but don’t touch at this market for all things furry, scaled, and creepy crawly. Be warned; it’s not for the faint of heart. The dizzying array of animals include fish, birds, reptiles, scorpions, kittens, puppies, squirrels, ducks, and more.
Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat-Sun 9am-6.30pm. Guangyuan Dasha (northeast corner of Zizhu Qiao), Xisanhuan Lu, Haidian District
Slide Into a Pit of Fun
The Familier has a new place for families to learn and play in. Like the original
Chaowai SOHO location, the 798 Art District branch offers play areas,
language classes, and art workshops for babies, kids, and adults.
Daily 10am-6pm. Beijing 798 Art District, Zhong’er Jie, D05 (5762 6017)
www.thefamilier.com
Take a Hike Around Beijing
The days might be getting crisp, but there’s still time to explore the rolling hills and plunging canyons around the city. Beijing Hikers is hosting hiking trips for different experience levels until the end of November. For families with teenagers and older kids, Dandelion Hiking organizes longer hiking, camping, and cycling trips around Beijing. For details, see Feature.
Settle In For a Story
Every Sunday at The Bookworm, teacher Hannah hosts a session of reading, games, music, and activities. The program is designed for ages 4 and up, giving early readers the chance to discover classic and modern children’s books in a cozy, relaxed setting. For details, see Directory under Family Dining.
Scale the Wall
Get a head start on those winter couch potato blues by heading to O’le, an indoor sports center for children and adults. Facilities include Beijing’s highest bouldering gym (150 square meters), a 13-meter climbing wall, four soccer fields, and more. The center also organizes skiing and snowboarding trips during the winter. For more information, see Feature.
Visit the Revamped National Museum of China
The National Museum re-opened its new building to the public in March. If you haven’t been there already, this dramatic museum offers several large-scale art and history displays. Current exhibitions include the Art of the Enlightenment, Ancient China, and Masterpieces of Modern Chinese Fine Arts.
Tue-Sun 9am-5pm. Closed on Mondays. Free admission (RMB 10 for special exhibitions). 16 East Chang’an Avenue, Dongcheng District (6511 6400) www.chnmuseum.cn
This article is excerpted from beijingkids October 2011 issue. View it in PDF form here or contact distribution@beijing-kids.com to find out where you can pick up your free copy.
