Movies, malls and a night stroll on Ghost Street
Mall Crawl
The newly opened, labyrinthine Ginza Mall offers enough attractions to keep the family entertained for ages. Your teens will salivate at the sight of genuine Quiksilver and Adidas brand clothing at Sport 100 on Basement Level 1, while cartoon fans will be desperate to search out every section of the Disney store, which is divided into several outlets dotted throughout the mall. Mom and Pop can sip lattes in one of the numerous restaurants or coffee shops, or browse over the designer jewelry available at every turn. Keep up your energy with a treat from one of the many patisseries. And don't forget your wallet!
Ginza Mall
(Some English spoken.) Daily 10am-10pm. 48 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Dongcheng District. 银座 Mall, 东城区东直门外大街48号
A stroll on Ghost Street
Gui Jie, otherwise known as “Ghost Street,” is a feast for all the senses. Decked out with red lanterns, this place really starts to heat up around the witching hour. But Gui Jie is still buzzing when the sun’s out, and both sides of the street are lined with restaurants offering dishes from every conceivable area of China – build up an appetite with a fun and noisy family stroll.
Gui Jie
(English levels vary.) Most restaurants open daily 24hrs. Gui Jie, Dongzhimennei, Dongcheng District 簋街，东城区东直门内
Park Your Keister
Miniscule Nanguan Park, located near the Russian Embassy, has a quaint, local feel. It's usually filled with senior citizens and young mothers, but don’t allow yourself to be put off by the apparent tranquility. Feel free to unleash your rabble on all the facilities that the park has to offer: a junior-sized basketball hoop, a trampoline, a swing set, a duckpin bowling lane, a collection of toy cars, and air-guns. Fatigued parents can put their feet up and admire the curious landscaping, which seems to have been constructed entirely out of bathroom tiles.
Nanguan Park
RMB 1, RMB 4 (monthly pass). (No English spoken.) Daily 6am-8.30pm (winter), 6am-9pm (summer). 1A Xiyangguan Hutong, Dongcheng District (6403 4087) 南馆公园，东城区西洋馆胡同甲１号
Have a Whale of a Time
If the thought of throwing down big bucks for the kids' clothing at the Ginza Mall makes you light-headed, take a detour and head behind the mall to the dinky but well-stocked Whale Baby Clothing Store. Catering to kids up to 1.3m tall, this place has the gear you need to make your kids perfectly dapper without denting your bank balance. Basic baby accessories start at RMB 5; the most expensive items don’t exceed RMB 300. For the fashion un-inclined, there’s a selection of simple dolls and toys.
Whale Baby Clothing Store
(No English spoken.) Daily 8.30am-8pm. 2A Dongzhimen Nandajie, Dongcheng District (6413 1550) 鲸鱼宝宝童装, 东城区东直门南大街2A
Catch a Flick
Sure, DVDs get the job done, but there’s still nothing that compares to the movie theater experience. Treat yourselves to some celluloid magic at East Gate Cinema – at RMB 60-70 for a ticket it’s admittedly a little pricey, but children under 1.3m get 50 percent off, and two hours of free parking are provided. English-language films are usually shown in English with Chinese subtitles, but call ahead to make sure.
East Gate Cinema
(Basic English spoken.) B1/F Bldg B, East Gate Plaza (behind the Poly Theatre), Dongzhong Jie, Dongcheng District (6418 5931) www.dhyc.cn 东环影城，东城区保利大厦北侧东环广场Ｂ座地下一层
Get Some Game
Are your xiao Yao Mings itching to get out there and dunk? RMB 50 books you a basketball and an hour on a half-court (trash talk not included) at the East Gate Fitness Center. If your kids are into less sweaty pursuits, you can skittle some pins at the bowling alley, or flex your wrists at table football.
East Gate Plaza Fitness Center
(No English spoken.) B1/F, Bldg A, East Gate Plaza, 29 Dongzhong Jie, Dongcheng District (6417 1188 ext 588) 东环广场健身中心，东城区东中街29号A座B1
Make a Production out of Dinner
The gregarious staff at the always-bustling Dongbeiren welcome you to their restaurant with a song, and will come to your table to serenade you again if you’re lucky. The flowery uniforms and open kitchen are fun to look at, and there’s space for the whole family to lounge luxuriously on a kang. Little kids are welcome and they can rustle up a makeshift highchair should it be required. Ask the staff to do a fan dance for your kids, and they’ll happily oblige. A meal for six should be around RMB 200.
Dongbeiren Restaurant
(One English speaking member on staff, picture menu.) Daily 10am-10pm. A1 Xinzhong Jie, Dongzhimenwai, Dongcheng District (6415 2855) 东北人,东城区东直门外新中街甲１号
Beijing’s young fiction fans were given a treat last month when hugely popular British children’s author Julia Donaldson (accompanied by her guitar strumming hubby Malcolm) arrived to give an all-action performance of her book The Gruffalo. This quirky picture book has sold over a million copies and been translated into 31 languages. tbjkids headed to The Bookworm to catch the show and check out just how excited the lucky little Beijingers in the audience were going to get. Afterwards, we managed to grab a word with the lady herself.
JD: I suppose that’s not really a question for me – you should ask the people who buy it or like it. I have thought about it though and I think it’s the combination of a good plot and some really interesting language at the heart of the book that makes The Gruffalo so successful.
With the mercury in Beijing’s thermometers set to skyrocket, the chances of a family meltdown are high. But don’t panic just yet! Instead, pry those sticky bodies off the couch and follow the tbjkids guide to the best places and ways to stay cool in the swelter – you might just end up wishing the summer would go on forever ...
You don’t want your kids to turn into summertime slugs, so keep them active in the heat with a trip to a local water park. If you’ve suffered too many sunburns already, the indoor H2O fantasyland Merry Water World offers plenty of activities for kids of all ages including multiple waterslides, a pool, and a lazy river. Parents can enjoy a relaxing time poolside while the little ones attack the tube slide again and again. If you’re seeking a little vitamin D and a beach-like feel but can’t make it up to Qingdao, head instead to Crab Island, where you can pick a spot on the real sand “beach,” float on the artificial waves or mosey down the lazy river. Big kids will thrill to the waterslides, and little ones can tear things up in the large kiddie section. You can also get wet just outside the confines of the Third Ring Road at Tuanjiehu Park, which features a wave pool and other aquatic fun.
Attention parents! Ice is not only an ingredient in margaritas – it’s also an amazingly versatile substance and a ton of fun to skate on. An afternoon at one of Beijing’s many indoor ice rinks is an ideal way to burn off steam without getting instantly drenched in sweat. The Century Star Club rink is a bit on the small side but private lessons are RMB 300/90 min; group lessons start at RMB 70/90 min if your kids get really into this activity. If your little ones are still on training skates, try the Champion Rink in Haidian – it isn’t usually busy and novice skaters can fall over without fear of embarrassment. If skating isn’t your cup of tea, drop the kids off at the small but popular Le Cool rink in the China World Trade Center, and hit the (air-conditioned!) shops on your own.
When you’ve had your fill of cold noodles it’s time to move on to the most delicious summer food of all: ice cream! Comptoirs de France, which has branches at East Lake Villas and China Central Place, has delicious gelato (as well as some tasty pastries and chocolate). For the more health conscious and farther-flung Beijingers, Haidian’s New Zealand Natural is a lighter way to enjoy the sweet treat. If you are interested in a Chinese twist on dairy treats, try Wen Yu Nai Lao, which offers traditional cold milk puddings just as satisfying as a tub of Ben and Jerry’s. Last but not least, there’s Gustomenta, the good ol‘ Sanlitun standby, offering up homemade gelato and a lovely patio – there’s also a branch tucked inside a coffee shop at Soho Xiandai Cheng. 
It’s important to drink your water, especially in the summer, but it’s way more fun to play in it. Pools serve several important functions: they get the kids out of the house, offer a chance for some exercise, and can cool you down, even on the hottest of days. If you’re after some outdoor swimming try Splash Recreation Club near the airport – you can sip cocktails from the poolside bar while your kids play Marco Polo. In the city proper, there’s an outdoor pool at Chaoyang Park and tons of indoor pool options – many offer swim clubs if your child is thinking of getting serious about his breaststroke. 
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I love the Japanese. They have a work ethic that would put Ramses’ slaves to shame, invent technology that I covet with every ounce of my being, and party like it’s the end of the world practically every night of the week. The “sarariman” (salaryman) and his female counterpart, the “OL” (office lady), typify that spirit. Sararimen and OLs are practically married to their jobs. But when they finally clock out, they hit the town hard, quaffing Suntory whiskey like it’s going out of fashion and only heading home when their vomit-soaked bodies have been kicked out of the last bar in town.