Bring to life your kids’ best dreams by letting them play in VIVA mall’s Sesame Street styled ball pool. The box of balls will be opened for few more weeks, until August 20.
Dressed in mostly yellow and white colors, the pool’s bright fence has a few booths scattered around its edge with Sesame street characters, including Cookie Monster, Bert, and Ernie. Each hero meets kids with a short introduction story, although all in Chinese. Even if, more likely, the last generation is unfamiliar with this show, they will still like fluffy and happy characters.
The good thing about this playground is that it has not only a few slides and enormous donut-looking inflatable pillows, but also many transparent orbs with an inside space for kid, kind of like a mini-zorbing ball. Note kids will need to be patient to wait until one of these very loved orbs becomes free.
Shuangjin is a very nice district that is located only one station down from Guomao. VIVA is the only big shopping mall around, offering visitors all kinds of entertainment for every age. Perhaps overwhelmed by house and work duties, parents could take turns watching their children on the playground to have coffee in the neighboring Starbucks, or bring the coffee out and enjoy the flavors together.
VIVA has many dining places on the ground floor, and up on the highest level there’s a cinema, another food court, and many children clubs with arts, drama, dancing, English and drawing courses. Plenty for a fun family weekend. Of course, there are 5 floors full of stores, so shopping needn’t be ignored.
An hour in the pool will cost somewhat around an average price for Beijing playgrounds. One single kid can go for RMB 60. An accompanying adult with child will cost RMB 90. A child plus two adults will be RMB 120. Two children with one adult are RMB 150. Note that a child under the age of four or shorter than 1.2 meters should be with a parent.
VIVA Beijing Plaza, Sesame Street Pool, Until August 20
All ages. RMB 60 and up per hour. 10am-10pm. 65 East Third Ring Central Road, Chaoyang District. Subway line 10, Shuangjin, exit A. 朝阳区东三环中路65号.
