26 brilliant things to do with the family this week

From a Fast & Furious spin-off opening, walking tours and fantastic stage shows, there's plenty of awesome events to take the family out to this week!

To see our complete listing, which we'll continually update, our menu is just a few taps away. 

And as always, have a great week, Beijing!

Things to do & Tours

Family Hike to Changyucheng Village

Photo: Beijing Hikers

Meeting point on registration. Sun 25 7.30am-6pm. 360RMB/325RMB for members; 180RMB for kids ages 6–12; 150RMB for kids ages 4–5

Take a hike with Beijing Hikers into the mountains of Changping district's Changyucheng, a village that used to be a Ming Dynasty-era military barracks. The route includes a walk to the forest by the village reservoir for a picnic and an optional hike, before walking back down to the village to check out the lanes, stone houses, temple, and thick walls of the old barracks. This relaxing outing is perfect for kids to enjoy some family time and mother nature. Best for ages 5–12; younger children would need to be carried for most of the way on this hike.

Beijing Farmers Market

Photo: Beijing Farmer's Market

Nali Patio. Tue 20 11am-2pm. FREE

Support local Beijing farmers at the roving Beijing Farmer's markets. This Tuesday 20 they will be at Nali Patio. Browse through their range of organic fresh produce, and local artisanal products including homemade rice wines, wild blueberry juices and ginger candies.

Nali Patio. 81 Sanlitun Bei Lu, Chaoyang district. 朝阳区三里屯北路81号

Rumble in the Jumble: Happy Third Birthday!

Photo: Rumble in the Jumble

El Nido at The Other Place. Sat 24 Noon-6pm. FREE

Born out of a love for British jumble sales and American thrift stalls, Rumble in the Jumble is Beijing's monthly bazaar featuring a mix of haberdashery and homemade goodies. From baking, clothing, jewellery, books and more, the bazaar is a one-stop shop for all things vintage, craft and even second-hand books. Join them this weekend when the market returns from its holiday break and celebrates its third birthday with soulful, uplifting, dance-ready jams from producer and DJ Edward Grey and even a face painting activity that the kiddos will love!

The Other Place, 1 Langjia Hutong, Beiluoguxiang, Dongcheng district. 东城区郎家胡同1号

Roundabout's Book Fair and Flea Market

Photo: Freestocks.org/Unsplash.com

BSB Shunyi. Sat 24 10am-3pm. FREE

Donate, volunteer or buy a 'new' book at Roundabout's upcoming book fair and flea market. The event will be held at the British School of Beijing (BSB), Shunyi and is open to the public. For families interested in volunteering, flea market kid volunteers must be between ages 4 to 12 and book fair volunteers from 16 and up.

BSB Shunyi. South Side, 9 Anhua Lu, Tianzhu Development Zone, Shunyi district. 顺义区安华街9号南院

Girl Scouts Registration

Photo: Beijing Girl Scouts/WeChat

ISB. Aug 24 10am-noon.

For those with aspiring Girl Scouts, the Beijing Girl Scouts is holding sign-ups at the International School of Beijing on Saturday 24. Beijing Girl Scouts is for girls Grades K-12 with foreign passports who also speak English. Girls who join get to spend time earning badges in STEM, outdoor activities, leadership and life skills. Learn more what it's like to be a Girl Scout here.

International School of Beijing (北京顺义国际学校). 10 Anhuajie, Shunyi district . 顺义区安华街10号

The Official Midnight in Peking Walking Tour

Photo: Bespoke Travel Company

Zhong Gu Hotel 北京中谷酒店.  6 Beijing Zhan Dongjie, Dongcheng district 东城区北京站东街6号

Join in the official walking tour of Midnight in Peking, Paul French’s bestselling murder mystery.This is your chance to retrace the footsteps of those embroiled in the grisly death of Pamela Werner (a British diplomat’s daughter) in 1930s Peking – a death that shocked the foreign community to its core. Two historians will take you through the little known areas of old Peking, painting vivid pictures of Beijing history the city would rather forget. For fans of the book, this is the tour not to be missed.

Classes & Workshops

Flips & Kicks Plus Gymnastics Classes

Photo: Flips & Kicks Plus

BSB Sanlitun. Tue 27-Nov 26 (Every Tue) 4-6.30pm. 1,960RMB

Looking for a gymnastics class for your kids? Flips & Kicks Plus specialises in providing sports coaching for Beijing's international community and is currently offering gymnastics classes at BSB Sanlitun. Sports programs are taught in English by qualified international staff who can also speak Chinese as well. First-timers get a chance at a free trial, so sign up before slots fill up.

BSB Sanlitun. 5 Xiliujie, Chaoyang district (137 1846 2044). 朝阳区三里屯路西六街5号

Safari Time Songs

Photo: The Bookworm

The Bookworm. Every Sat 9.30-11.30am. 80RMB

Can your little one stand and walk on their own, does he or she love to sing and dance? Bring them to the Bookworm for a fun Safari Time with Hannah to learn songs and rhymes from around the world, that you can also practice at home. This class is suitable for children up to 4 years old.

The Bookworm (书虫). Inside Courtyard 4, Gongti Bei Lu, Chaoyang district (6503 2050) 朝阳区工体北路4号院

Beginner Brush Pen Calligraphy Workshop at Tribe (Update: Full)

Photo: Tribe

Tribe (Solana). Sat 24 9am-noon. 280RMB.

This weekend, learn a new skill while enjoying good food as Tribe and Mishiscripts bring you a brush pen calligraphy workshop especially for beginners. For 280RMB, attendees get to learn how to write all the letters of the alphabet in calligraphy, show off what they've learned from the class by making their own cards with phrases of their choice at the end of the class and then top all that with Tribe's all-day breakfast dishes.

Tribe (Solana). Unit K139, Building 9, Solana, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang district (5905 6256) 朝阳区蓝色港湾9栋一层K139（Nike旁边）

Pizza-making class at Domain

Photo: Domain

Domain. Sat 24-Sun 25 2-3pm. 198RMB.

This weekend, get your little chefs ready to make some pizzas at Domain's monthly cooking class using quality tools from OXO. The class costs 198RMB per child, which includes one glass of juice.

Domain. Second Floor, East Hotel, 22 Jiuxianqiao, Chaoyang district (8414 9830) 酒仙桥路22号东隅酒店

Film

Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw

Photo: Fast and Furious/Universal Pictures

In cinemas from Fri 23

A spin-off from Fast and Furious 7, this movie follows sworn enemies hulking lawman Hobbs and lawless outcast Shaw as they partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves.

Eating & Drinking

Weekend Unlimited Lunch at Red Bowl

Photo: Red Bowl

Red Bowl. Until Dec 29 (every Sat-Sun) 11.30am-2.30pm. 198RMB

Every Saturday and Sunday, Red Bowl presents an unlimited steamboat experience, brilliant if your kids and teenagers are bottomless pits. For just 198RMB per person, the family gets to enjoy an unlimited hotpot lunch featuring an array of homemade soup stocks, premium meat and seafood, farm fresh seasonal vegetables, tofu and dumplings, along with plenty of appetisers and desserts.

Red Bowl. First Floor, Rosewood Beijing, Jing Guang Centre, Hujialou, Chaoyang district (6536 0066). 朝阳区呼家楼京广中心北京瑰丽酒店1层

Little Italy Sunday buffet

Photo: Via Roma

Via Roma. Sun 25 11.30am-3.30pm. 388RMB, 288RMB (without alcohol), 144RMB (kids 6-12)

For the love of all food and things Italian, head over with the family to Via Roma's 'Little Italy'. The family Sunday lunch buffet combines Italian favourites and classics with modern and fun dishes. Food stations include a rich antipasto selection, a create-your-own pizza station, live cooking stations and delicious dessert options. And when the kids are bored, let them keep busy with the restaurant's little indoor play area.

Via Roma. Kempinski Hotel Lufthansa Centre, 50 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang district (6465 3388) 朝阳区亮马桥路50号

Gluten-free set meal at Gung Ho!

Photo: Gung Ho! Pizza

Gung Ho! Pizza (Sanlitun) Until Dec 26 (every Thu) 2-11pm. 149RMB for two

Someone in the family gluten-intolerant? Come get your pizza-comfort every Thursday at Gung Ho! Pizza, the only gluten-free friendly pizza joint in town. GF pizza, salad, side dish and dessert for 149RMB a pop! Feeds two people.

Gung Ho! Pizza Sanlitun. 101 Building 3, China View, 2 Gongti Dong Lu,  Chaoyang district (8587 1404). 朝阳区工体东路2号中国红街3号楼101号

Stage

Samajam: Kids Show 2

Photo: 247tickets

Beijing Exhibition Centre Theatre. Fri 23 7.30pm, Sat 24 10.30am and 7.30pm. 102-323RMB.

Join this 200 percent participatory musical show catered specially for the little ones who will receive a pair of drum sticks, whirly tubes and an African diembe. This interactive musical performance will get the kids banging, jumping and moving to the beat with their instruments as well as learn about musical notes as they let loose and play alongside the talented performing musicians.

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Listen to the Snail Emma

Photo: 247tickets

The Future Theatre. Fri 23 7.30pm, Sat 24 10.30am and 3.30pm. 180-380RMB. Best for kids 2 and up.  

Check out this Chinese adaptation of the German-English children's book Emma the Homeless Snail by Karina Sheerin, the story tells of Emma and her longing to find a new home. Unhappy with her current broken home, she starts a long and adventures journey for a perfect replacement, where she eventually finds her home in the most unlikely place.

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Notre Dame de Paris

Photo: 247tickets

Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Centre Grand Theatre. Fri 23-Sun Sep 1 7.30pm; Sat 24, Sun 25 and Sat 31 2pm. 980-1,180RMB.

Based upon the 1831 novel Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo (who also wrote the novels behind Les Misérables and The Grinning Man), this original French production that has gone on to sell-out runs across tehe world features an international ensemble of singers, dancers and acrobats to tell the tale of the hunchbacked cathedral bell-ringer, Quasimodo, and his tragic love for the gypsy, Esmeralda. With unforgettable music composed by Richard Cocciante, and lyrics by Luc Plamondon, Notre Dame De Paris continues to capture imaginations and send hearts soaring around the world.

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Madagascar the Musical 

Photo: 247tickets

Rulun Lecture Hall of Renmin University. Thu 22-Sun 25 7.30pm; Sat 24-Sun 25 2pm. 180-880RMB. Best for kids 5 and up.

Join Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria as they bound out of the zoo and onto the stage in this live musical spectacular. This smash-hit musical features all of your favorite crack-a-lackin' friends as they escape from their home in New York's Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien's Madagascar. This brand new musical from Dreamworks will leave audiences with no choice but to 'Move It, Move It!'

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That Physics Show

Photo: That Physics Show

Tianqiao Performing Arts Centre. Fri 23 7.30pm, Sat 24 10.30am, 7.30pm. Sun 25 10.30am, 3.30pm. 180-380RMB 

In this Chinese version of the Broadway interactive parent-child science drama, The Physics Show, handsome Dr Why will use fire extinguishers, bicycle wheels, Coca-Cola, basketball, pillows, spring ropes and everyday objects to create the most magical physical world. Let the children discover the fun of Newton's three laws. Tickets available via Damai.cn.

MUSIC

China Film Symphony Orchestra with Zhang Bingbing

Photo: 247 tickets

NCPA Concert Hall. Sat 24 7.30-9.30pm.  100-500RMB

A great way to introduce the kids to classicial music is through the media they are familiar with: films. Join the China Film Symphony Orchestra and conductor Zhang Bingbing for an evening of music from classic films that the kids can identify with.

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Art & Exhibitions

Lucy Sparrow’s Felt Art Imaginarium

Photo: Lucy Sparrow/WeChat

M Woods. Until Oct 11 Tue-Sun 11am-6pm (Closed Mon). 60-120RMB

M WOODS presents an exhibition by one of the most exciting and innovative artists in the UK today, Lucy Sparrow. Using felt as her primary material, Sparrow is renowned for her bright and engaging recreations of objects from everyday life.

M Woods 木木美术馆. D-06, 2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, 789 Art District, Chaoyang district (www.mwoods.org) 朝阳区2号789艺术区2号院D-06

Leandro Erlich: The Confines of the Great Void

Photo: Leandro Erlich/Port of Reflections (2014)

CAFA Art Museum. Until Sun 25 Tue-Sun 9.30am-5.30pm. 60-120RMB

Calling himself a conceptual artist working in the real and perception field, Leandro Erlich's works are all about subverting the normal and rethinking the expressions of reality. He advocates for the construction and thereby, deconstruction of situations in an attempt to break realities. It’s the last week to catch this so head down before Sun 25.

CAFA Art Museum 中央美术学院美术馆. 8 Hua Jia Di Nanjie, Chaoyang district (6477 1575) 朝阳区花家地南街8号

Japanese Animation and Studio Ghibli Manuscript Exhibition

Photo: 247tickets

Polar Bear Gallery. 10am-6.30pm until Aug 29. 55RMB. 

Japanese animation has captured the hearts and minds of millions worldwide. This exhibition at Polar Bear Gallery showcases some of the best cels (short for celluloid) that anime has to offer. Featuring work from Studio Ghibli to Osamu Tezuka, this is an event for true fans of anime and newcomers alike.

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Wavelength: Made in Illusion

Photo: 247tickets

Times Art Museum. Until Sun Oct 6 10am-10pm Tue-Sun. 68-158RMB.

Following the first cooperation in 2017, Wavelength will once again join hands with Beijing Times Art Museum to usher in a comprehensive conversation into 'How Art Discusses Consumer Culture'. Through various art forms like installations, sculptures, paintings, and new media, this exhibition brings together thirty artists and hundreds of works in the discussion of substance and materials in the world of manufacturing and consumption.

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The Beatles: Beat On

Photo: 247 tickets

Chaoyang Joy City. Until Sun Sep 15 10am-10pm. 178RMB for two; 98RMB/person and 68RMB/child (under 1.4m)

Have the kids take a look at the history of the legendary British rock group The Beatles. The exhibition features themed spaces, artwork and photographs from the band's history as well as many of their classic hits.

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3D Digital Space Exhibition 'Hello Mars'

Photo: 247tickets

China Millennium Monument. China Millennium Monument. Until Aug 25 9am-5pm (every day except Mon). 98RMB.

Walk through space and find out how the outer space has changed over the years at this educational, immersive exhibition about planet Mars. The huge 1,500sqm exhibition space is split up into 14 different sections where visitors are directed to engage with extraterrestrial popups and interactive projections. With its spectacular high-tech exhibits, you'll feel like you're walking on Mars itself.

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