Chilling Out This Summer

It may be hot in the city, but behind closed doors, it’s nice and shady. Tania McCartney finds some frosty spots where kids can keep their cool

Feeling hot hot hot? Your best shot at cooling the kids down this July may be to slip indoors, before the buzz of the Olympic Games lures us all outside again. Shelve the sunglasses for now and hotfoot it to these inner oases of kid cool.

A fresh flick
Dark. Frigidly air-conditioned. Alternate reality from Beijing’s sweltering heat. Perfect. This summer’s kiddie treats include Kung Fu Panda and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Wanda International (3/F, Bldg B, Wanda Plaza, 93 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang district (5960 3399). 35-70RMB) and East Gate (B1/F, Bldg B, East Gate Plaza, Dongzhongjie, Dongcheng district (6418 5931) 35-70RMB) cinemas are just two frosty theatres showing these treats, so snaffle an icy drink and immerse. Real cool, especially on Half-Price Tuesdays. Squirts under a certain height are free (usually 1.1 to 1.3 metres).

Alternate reality from Beijing’s sweltering heat. Perfect

Icy confections
Lick the heat with Beijing’s diverse range of ice creameries and gelaterias. Hover near the freezers to cool down, and be boggled by choice. Böccherini (23 Kuntai International Centre, 12 Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang district (5879 7021), open 9am-9pm daily) and Sprinkles (Oriental Plaza, 1 Dongchang’an Jie, Dongcheng district (136 9927 1548), open 9am-10pm daily) offer fine assortments from full-cream decadence to sorbets and gelati, with the latter featuring a DIY topping-fest à la Cold Rock. For something a little more traditional, try Bellagio’s Taiwanese towers of shaved ice, condensed milk and fruit (6 Gongti Xi Lu, Chaoyang district (6551 3533), open 11am-5am daily) or the cold milk puddings at Wen Yu Nai Lao (49 Nanluoguxiang, Dongcheng district (6405 7621)).

On ice
Get cool from head to toe at one of Beijing’s nippy indoor skating rinks. Private instruction is available at both New World Champion Skating Rink (B1, New World Shopping Mall, Chongwen district (6708 9523), open 9.30am-9.30pm daily) and Le Cool (B2/F, China World Trade Centre, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang district (6505 5776), open 10am-10pm daily), with one-on-one sessions ranging from 120-300RMB for 45 or 90-minute lessons. Group lessons start at around 75RMB for 90 minutes. Take your beanie with you!

This ain’t no Ya Show market, but then – there’s no price on cool

A chilly read
Settle with a book into an air-conditioned nook. Chaterhouse Booktrader (The Place, 9 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang district (6587 1328), open 10am-10pm daily) and Wangfujing Foreign Language Bookstore (235 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng district (6512 6903), open 9am-9pm daily) both stock spooky tales that will make the blood run cold, like R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps and Kathryn Lasky’s Guardians of Ga’hoole series. If the kids would rather just browse or borrow, head to The Bookmark (1 Kaifa Jie, Xibaixinzhuang, Houshayu, Shunyi district (8049 9175), open 9.30am-6pm Tue-Sun) or The Bookworm (Courtyard 4, Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang district (6586 9507), open 9am-2am daily) where parents can grab an iced coffee or tea while the kids plunge into a chilling tome.

Hover near the freezers to cool down, and be boggled by choice

Cool Duds
Become cool personified with the hot range of summer kids clothes at Beijing’s hippest kids’ shops. Both Okaïdi (6587 1515) and Zara (6587 1341) at The Place (9 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang district, both open 10am-10pm daily) have babes to teens totally covered. Okaïdi’s tees feature funky slogans (from 52RMB) and girls’ hats start at 87RMB. At Zara, little princesses can frock up and big boys can cool it in hip shorts from 200RMB. Naturino (Pinnacle Plaza, Shunyi district (8046 1788), open 10.30am-6pm, Tue-Sun) has cool dudes catered for with sandals starting at 270RMB. Bring your money with you – this ain’t no Ya Show market, but then – there’s no price on cool.

First published, in part, in Time Out Beijing magazine.

Summer Lovin' - Beijing Summer Camps

School will soon be out for another year, and unless you’re escaping Beijing, the advancing days of kid-boredom are probably already giving you heat rash. Happily, the city’s summer camps are offering an even greater variety for families trapped in a long, clammy headlock.

But with so many options around Beijing, how do you choose the right camp for your child?

For PRE-SCHOOLERS, there are more choices in Beijing this summer, with several camps catering to kids as young as eighteen months. Kindermusik’s Sarah Peel Li believes Beijing’s heat and pollution are real issues to consider for littlies. “We find families with young children are looking for indoor options to help them beat the heat, rather than more traditional outdoor summer activities,” says Peel Li.

Another factor is distance. With options in both Shunyi and Downtown, registering with a nearby camp cuts down on travel time.

Also look for half-day sessions, currently offered by Camp Beanstalk, Eton International Summer camp and Sarah Peel Li’s ABC Music & Me Half-Day camp. These hours are ideal for wee ones. Nap time is offered by most pre-school camps and Beanstalk offer an early drop-off/late pick-up.

MIDDLE AND HIGH-SCHOOLERS will also be covered with a glut of events around Beijing for those aged 16 to 18. At this age, kids can become more involved in choosing a camp, although the main focus would probably be variety.

An ideal schedule would combine physical activity with indoor pursuits

Australian mom Maxine Hewitt, says her choice depends on activities that keep ten-year-old James and seven-year-old Bethany engaged for longer than one week. “Not only does a camp have to be supervised and well-organised, it must have variety,” says Hewitt, “It’s their holiday break – they should have fun and be happy.” An ideal schedule would combine physical activity with indoor pursuits like craft or science experiments; schedules similar to the long-running Camp Adventure and BISS Summer Camp.

Many camps offer this set-up, however bear in mind it’s often repeated each week, albeit under a differing theme. “We are actually considering enrolling the kids in several different camps around Beijing for a week at a time, so they don’t get bored,” says Hewitt.

Kids may also prefer to attend camp with friends from school; talk to other parents about how you can coordinate this.

Other things to consider when choosing a camp include transport, languages spoken, hours, dietary requirements and timing.

Many Beijing parents believe in giving kids a break after school finishes, then sending them to camp in the second or third week. Breaking camp into manageable portions is an appealing option, especially if you plan to get out of Beijing during the summer.

One last thing to factor into your choice is definitely cost. If you plan to enrol more than one child, look for a camp that offers discounts for siblings or multiple enrolments. Many camps such as Beijing Playhouse Summer Camp and Kids Chinese Summer Camp offer discounts for early registration, and TLC Summer Enrichment Programs discount when you book multiple weeks.

If you’re still in doubt as to which Beijing summer camp will best suit your child, talk to other expat parents for their recommendations and speak to a camp counsellor to better understand the facilities available to your child.

Summer time is, after all, a time for fun – and knowing your child will be happy makes the summer camp decision a whole lot easier.

First published, in part, in City Weekend Beijing magazine. Photograph by Tania McCartney. Information on current camps can be found on the City Weekend website.

Long Hot Summer Camps

Is the long, hot, school-less summer already bearing down on you like a Szechuan hotpot? Never fear – Beijing’s summer camps are here! Tania McCartney finds eight camps that will fire up the kids, while parents stay nice and cool

ABC Music & Me Half-Day Camp
Kindermusik educator Sarah Peel Li explores a different musical theme each week. What? African drumming, folk music, jazz, crafts, games and sports. Who? Ages 4 to 7. When? July 21 to August 29, Mon-Fri, 8am-4.30pm (half-day sessions), full-days possible. Where? Children’s Learning Center of Beijing (CLCB), Shunyi district. How? 139 1062 5893, kmwithsarah@yahoo.com.cn, kmwithsarah.com.cn. Cost? From RMB300/day half-day to RMB1500/week full-day. Single days available. Bus RMB25-100. Discounts available.

Yes, yes – it’s a true-life sleepover camp!

Beijing Playhouse Summer Camp
The Playhouse’s first two-week summer camp, culminating in a performance of Alice in Wonderland on July 12. What? Kids dance, sing, act and learn scripting, set design, costume making and more. Who? Ages 6 to 18. When? June 30 to July 12, Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm, plus Saturday July 12 performance. Where? Dulwich College Legend Garden campus, Shunyi district. How? 137 1890 8922, performance@beijingplayhouse.com, beijingplayhouse.com. Cost? RMB4,900. Lunch included. Discounts available.

Camp Adventure
Running eleven years now, Camp Adventure hosts its first Downtown camp. What? Activities include dance, cooking, art, tennis, track and field, basketball, swimming and a weekly field trip. Who? Ages 4 to 13. When? June 16 to August 7, Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm. Where? Beijing City International School (BCIS), Chaoyang district. How? 6532 3831 ext 5084, aeabeij@eastnet.com.cn, bcis.cn. Cost? RMB2625/week pre-camp, RMB2800/week post-camp. Bus service and lunch included. Discounts available.

Camp Beanstalk
Daily themes including Wet and Wild Wednesdays and Field Trip Fridays – what more could you ask for? What? Littlies can enjoy arts, crafts, sports, music and indoor/outdoor play. Who? Ages 2 to 6. When? June 30 to July 25, Mon-Fri, 9am-3.30pm, half-days available. Where? Beanstalk International Kindergarten (BIK), Chaoyang district. How? 6466 9255, bikoffice@bibs.com.cn, bibs.com.cn. Cost? RMB1,500/week half-day, RMB2,000/week full-day. Bus RMB800/4 weeks. Lunch RMB25/day. Discounts available.

Eton International Summer Camp
Two camps – Chinese Language & Culture and Playground Olympics! What? Games, sports, arts and music, including folk dancing, martial arts and Chinese language. Who? Ages 18 months to 6. When? June 30 to July 25, Mon-Fri, 8.30am-4pm. Where? Eton International School, Global Trade Mansion, Lido and Shunyi campuses. How? 6533 6566 ext 1035, education@etonkids.com, etonkids.com. Cost? RMB1,815/week full-day, RMB1,210/week half-day. Lunch RMB33/day. Discounts available.

Daily themes including Wet and Wild Wednesdays
and Field Trip Fridays – what more
could you ask for?

Haus des Wissens Summer Adventure Camp
Yes, yes – it’s a true-life sleepover camp! Kids board for five days in the countryside. What? Hiking, tae-kwon-do, theatre, games… and kids get to sleep in a ginormous tent! German, English and Chinese teachers. Who? Ages 6 to 12. When? July 14 to August 1, Mon-Fri. Where? Village View Resort, Huairou. How? 8470 5928, fdanicek@hausdeswissens.com, hausdeswissens.com. Cost? Approx RMB4,000. All meals and bus service included. Discounts available.

Neighborhood Chinese Center Summer Camp
A perfect opportunity for kids to brush up on their Mandarin. What? Learn Chinese through games and activities including gongfu, aerobics, swimming, field trips, Chinese painting, calligraphy and paper-cutting. Who? Ages 5 to 12. When? June 16 to August 22, Mon-Fri, 9am-3.30pm. Where? Beijing Riviera Clubhouse, Shunyi district. How? 8450 1789, mrwangs@chineseneighbor.com, chineseneighbor.com. Cost? RMB2,980/2 weeks. Bus 300RMB. Lunch included. Discounts available.

Summer Enrichment Programs
Multifaceted programmes for Elementary, Middle and High School students, encompassing language, arts and academic enrichment. What? Includes drama, reading, creative writing, public speaking, poetry, science, art, math and SAT preparation. Who? Ages 6 to 18. When? June 16 to August 8, Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm, half-days available. Where? The Learning Centre, Shunyi district. How? 8046 3886, registration@learningcenter.com.cn, thelearningcenter.cn. Cost? RMB1,400-RMB3,130/week depending on days and weeks registered. Bus service included. Lunch RMB25/day. Discounts available.

First published, in part, in Time Out Beijing magazine.