The 15 best things to do with kids in Beijing this week

Art exhibits, stage performances, much-awaited films and more this week.
For all your young Frozen fans out there, the sequel finally hits theatres this week. But that's not the only event to watch out for these next few days. From stage performances and award-winning musical Matilda to bazaars kicking off the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, we've got your week covered.
If you're looking for more activities in addition to the events we've listed below, check out our November guide for families here.The listing only contains some of the events happening this week. For even more promotions and things happening around town, be sure to visit our website. Check out our menu for easy access. And in case you're an event organiser with an upcoming event you'd like us to know about, here's how to add your event to our website.And as always, have a great week, Beijing!   Activities   

WAB's Winter Charity Bazaar

Photo: Western Academy of Beijing (WAB)WAB. Sat 23. 10am-3pm. Free. Kick off the holiday season with WAB's annual Winter Charity Bazaar. Tons of holiday festivities, international spirit, family fun, great shopping, and global tastes await, and expect to see dozens of charity organisations, professional vendors, custom handicrafts, as well as WAB student and parents presentations. The event aims to support of the various charity initiatives suggested by WAB students.Western Academy of Beijing 北京京西学校. 10 Laiguangying Dong Lu, Chaoyang district (WeChat: WAB_Chat; 5986 5588) 朝阳区来广营东路10号

Roundabout Charity event

Photo: RoundaboutShunyifornia Theatre. Sat 23. 10am-5pm. Free, but activities require feeThis weekend, Roundabout is holding a charity event which includes a market, two concerts (280RMB per ticket) and a photo-taking session by Dave's Studio (80RMB) which includes a Christmas card-making activity and gifts from Santa. The market is from 10am-5pm while the performances are from 11am-12.30pm and 2-3.30pm. Learn more here.Shunyifornia Theatre. 23 Yuhua Lu, Shunyi district (8046 1368; [e-mail]) 顺义区裕华路23号 

F2N Market: Thanksgiving Plant-Based Market

Photo: F2NThe Grand Summit. Sun 24. Noon-6pm. Free.Looking for an alternative, perhaps a turkey-less, way to celebrate Thanksgiving? Then check out this F2N's Thanksgiving Holiday Market, in partnership with Veggie Planet, that celebrates an eco-friendly, low-carbon footprint lifestyle. There will be a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan-friendly foods on sale and workshops for people to learn and enjoy how to enjoy a healthy diet without sacrificing delicious taste.The Grand Summit. 19 Dongfang Dong Lu, Liangmaqiao Chaoyang district (WeChat: F2NMarket) 朝阳区东方东路19号官舍   Workshops   

3e Tea Talk: Assess and Address Learning Disabilities In Young Children

Photo: 3e International School3e International School. Fri 22 9am-10.30am. FREE.Learn more about childhood learning disabilities, including ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders, and how to recognize and assess any learning deficits. The talk gives parents the proper tools to become equipped with strategies, interventions, and a multi-disciplinary approach to address any issues and support their children even better.3e International School 3e国际学校 9-1 Jiangtai Xi Lu, Lido, Chaoyang district (6437 3344; [e-mail]) 朝阳区将台西路9-1号    

Beginner Brush Pen Calligraphy Workshop at Tribe

Photo: MishiscriptsMishiscripts. Thu 21. 9-11am. 280RMBLearn a new skill while enjoying healthy food as Tribe and Mishiscripts bring you a brush pen calligraphy workshop especially for beginners. Fee includes learning how to write all the letters of the alphabet in calligraphy, a card-making session with phrases of your choice at the end of the class and then one of Tribe's all-day breakfast dishes and coffee or tea. 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

Distinguished Speaker Series: Anton Nel

Photo: Western Academy of BeijingWestern Academy of Beijing. Tue 19. 5-7.30pm. Free. Join the Western Academy of Beijing for an intimate concert and discussion with Anton Nel, world-renowned classical pianist and winner of the 1987 Naumburg International Piano Competition. Anton’s remarkable and multifaceted career spans five continents and four decades and includes the release of several solo CDs and performances with the globe’s most famous symphonies and orchestras.Western Academy of Beijing 北京京西学校. 10 Laiguangying Dong Lu, Chaoyang district (WeChat: WAB_Chat; 5986 5588) 朝阳区来广营东路10号
   Open days   

La Maison Montessori de Pekin

Photo: La Maison Montessori de PékinLa Maison Montessori de Pékin. Sat 23 9am-noon. FREEFrench Chinese bilingual Montessori kindergarten La Maison Montessori de Pékin (LMMP) invites you to discover its Xingfucun Campus. Learn more as their teachers give the children a firsthand experience to what a Montessori program is like while parents get a deeper insight into knowing the school, pedagogy, daily routines and the registration process in detail. Book your spot now by adding LMMP (ID: lmmp-beijing) on WeChat.La Maison Montessori de Pékin. 220 Block D, Glory Garden Compound, Xingfucun Zhong Lu, Chaoyang district (La_Maison_Montessori; ID: lmmp-beijing; [e-mail]) 朝阳区幸福村中路锦绣园公寓D座220         Film   

Frozen 2

Photo: Walt Disney Animation StudiosIn cinemas from Fri 22Six years after the hugely popular Frozen, the sequel sees Elsa (voiced by Kristen Bell) and company travelling beyond their homeland into the ancient forest of a magical land to discover the origins of Elsa's power in order to save the kingdom.

The Farewell

Photo: Big Beach FilmsIn cinemas from Fri 22. 

Based on the personal story of the writer and director Lulu Wang, this bittersweet and maturely witty family drama tells the story of Billi (played by the amazing Awkwafina), a young American-born Chinese whose family decides not to tell her grandmother that she has cancer. Poignant and sometimes funny, the film brilliantly captures cultural differences between the East and the West. Read the full Time Out review here.

   Stage   

CISB StageCats: Elf the Musical

Photo: Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB)Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB). Tue 19 (7pm), Thu 21 (7pm) and Sat 23 (2pm). 30RMB (students) 50RMB (adults)The CISB StageCats welcome the holidays with Elf: The Musical – Junior! Based on the smash-hit movie starring Will Ferrell, this musical comedy tells the story of Buddy the Elf who goes on an adventure to find her real family after a shocking revelation…that she is actually a human! The performance will be the StageCats Junior's first-ever, with a cast made up entirely of CISB's fresh-faced middle school members. Buy your tickets at the front desk or by contacting the organiser.CISB. 38 Liangmaqiao Lu, Liangmaqiao, Chaoyang district (131 6732 6310; [e-mail]) 朝阳区亮马桥路38号   

CISB StageCats present Almost Maine

Photo: Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB)CISB. Wed 20, Fri-Sat 22-23. 7-9pm. 30RMB (students) 50RMB (adults)The CISB StageCats will perform Almost, Maine, a romantic comedy that tells ten short stories about love  –  the most complex human emotion  –  the magic, the laughter, the beauty, the pain, and everything in between, all occurring on the same night in the same place in a small town called Almost, Maine. In each story, characters experience a magic moment of connection, revelation or heartbreak at the very moment that the beautiful northern lights appear in the sky. This will the first-ever performance of StageCats Ensemble, with a cast made up entirely of the school's most experienced performers. Buy your tickets at the front desk or by contacting the organiser.

CISB. 38 Liangmaqiao Lu, Liangmaqiao, Chaoyang district (131 6732 6310; [e-mail]) 朝阳区亮马桥路38号   

Matilda: The Musical

Photo: 247ticketsPoly Theatre. Sun 24-Sat 30. Various timings. From 880RMB.Matilda, the gifted autodidact at the centre of Roald Dahl’s wonderful 1988 novel, is brought to life once more with this all-singing, all-dancing reinvention by the Royal Shakespeare Company. This joyful adaptation, buoyed by a sly, inventive score by Tim Minchin, follows the story of our brave hero as she battles an authoritarian headmistress and parents who just don't understand. Matilda has won over 90 international awards, proving once more that Dahl's imagination remains timeless.Scan to buy

Deutsche Kantorei Winter concert

Photo: 247ticketsDeutsche Botschaftsschule Peking (The German Embassy School). Sun 24-Sat 30. Various timings. From 880RMB.

Celebrate the start of the festive period with a performance by the German Kantorei Peking. Watch as they reenact the sacred vocal works spanning from the Renaissance to the Late Romantic era and other great Christmas choral works using a wide range of styles and singing techniques. The event will be conducted by Patrick Johansson, the group's conductor since August this year. The performance will be held at the auditorium of the German school. More information here.

Deutsche Botschaftsschule Peking (The German Embassy School) 49A Liangmaqiao Lu, Liangmaqiao, Chaoyang district (6532 2535)  

   Art & exhibitions   

Moka 小 Vincis Kids' Arts & Crafts Club

Photo: Moka BrosMoka Bros (Shuangjing). Sat 23. Noon-2pm. Moka Bros, Shuangjing is hosting their second Bilingual Kid's Arts and Crafts workshop. Moka 小 (Xiao) Vincis is an ongoing kids' art class taught by bilingual artist and designer, Blanca Rosa Rasmussen. The monthly art club will have your kids making fall harvest-themed crafts including mobiles, lanterns and adorable button mushrooms. The crafts are appropriate for kids ages 2 to 12 and parents are welcome to get involved. There is no attendance fee, but spots are limited.Moka Bros (Shuangjing) Landgent Mall, Shuangjing, Chaoyang district (6775 1968; [e-mail]) 朝阳区乐成中心B座

Splendid China: Exhibition of Ancient Chinese Textiles   

Photo: Capital MuseumCapital Museum. Tue 19-Sun 24 (closed on Mon) 9am-5pm. Free, but adv booking requiredCurrently on exhibit at The Capital Museum is the ancient silk fabrics from historic China. In olden days, China's silken wear did more than just clothe people; the different designs and styles were an interpretation and an expression of beauty. The rare, high-quality collection of 175 pieces and sets of cultural relics is divided into different time periods, giving its audience a glimpse into China's history of Chinese woven embroidery, the different types of aesthetics and craftmanship during different time periods and the evolution of this form of art to what it is today.  Capital Museum 首都博物馆. 16 Fuxingmenwai Dajie, Xicheng district (6337 0491; http://en.capitalmuseum.org.cn/) 西城区复兴门复兴门外大街16号

AS-Helix: The Integration of Art and Science in the Age of Artificial Intelligence  

Photo:  National Museum of ChinaNational Museum of China. Tue19 -Sat 30 9am-5pm (closed on Mon). Free.The annual Art and Science International Exhibition and Symposium is back and will last until the end of the month. Entitled AS - Helix: The Integration of Art and Science in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, the exhibition showcases more than 120 works that include new media art, industrial design, architectural and environmental design, visual communication design, textile and fashion design, ceramic design, and other creations that embody the fusion of art and science. Now in its fifth year, the exhibition aims to present the most cutting-edge results from the world of art and science introducing both young and adults alike to the infinite possibilities of art. More information here.   National Museum of China 中国国家博物馆. 16 Dong Chang’an Jie, Dongcheng district (6511 6400) 东城区东长安街16号 For our top 25 picks around Beijing,
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