Fun Cultural Classes for Family to Take While Touring China

Successful travel en family is never lack of fun activities and games for kids, who actually don’t care that much about those places of interest or famous scenic spot. Why not take some interesting cultural classes – a selection of family-friendly projects when touring China? Which are perfect for introducing both kids & parents to the Chinese history and culture in the forms of practicing Tai Chi, making dumpling…

Recommended China Family Tours 

Cooking Class

  

Culinary trip is one of the best way to know a culture. Therefore you won’t skip the excellent Chinese food, nor the culinary class to learn how to make it. You’ll find great pleasure when making extraordinary varied local dishes in different Chinese cities with your children, and sampling the Chinese food cooked on your own. As the most traditional food in China, Dumpling (jiao zi) is always the first dish for foreigners to try.

Recommended China Culinary Tours

Kong Fu Classes

  

An authentic Kong Fu (wu shu) class in China provides you the chance to discover China’s national treasure in history. Kong Fu training for kids is usually moderate, funny and aiming at developing their physical skills and emotional skills. Shaolin Kong Fu (wu shu) originating from Shaolin Temple – the cradle of Chinese martial arts is the most popular among learners, followed by Tai Chi. Both adults and kids can take Kong Fu class.

Recommended China Kung Fu Tours

Chinese Calligraphy Class

Take the Chinese calligraphy class to savor the elegant art of writing. Calligraphy embodies the unique beauty of Chinese script, and can reflect the writer’s character, mindset and mood. It won’t be easy to master calligraphy. First of all you need learn how to hand the brush – the traditional writing tool in China, then the word structure and writing style.

Peking Opera Mask Painting

Parents and kids seeking programs to dig into Chinese culture and art are recommended to have a Peking Opera mask painting class. Peking Opera is a time-honored comprehensive stage art style, a blend of literature, music, painting, martial arts, acrobatics and performance art. Peking Opera performance can’t go without mask. And the class is for you to learn how to paint this put-on facial make-up for opera actors and actresses.

Moreover, Shadow puppetry, another traditional Chinese handicraft and performing art also attract many kids and adults to learn and play.

Mahjong Lesson

It’s mainly for the adults with entertainment. There’s no other pastime more popular than playing Mahjong in China. Legend has that Confucius developed the game of Mahjong in 500 BC. Nowadays, Mahjong playing varies in different places, and Chengdu in Sichuan province is most famous for this game. After learning playing Mahjong, you can also enjoy this pastime at home with your friends.

8 Family-friendly Activities on China Trip

Forbidden City? historical museums? Or Buddha temples? Actually there are few children fond of these when visiting China. If you travel with kids, you’d better try others. For your sake, we have a list of 8 delightful destinations and activities to try in China that should satisfy both you and your “difficult” kids.

1. Riding up and down Great Wall

Given the wonder’s historical significance and magnificent construction, Standing atop the Great Wall is a lifetime experience. To flee from the noisy crowd, Mutianyu Great Wall, 70 km northeast of Beijing is the best choice with kids. Yet it is hard for kids to climb up. Luckily Mutianyu has a 723-meter-long cable car that helps take kids to the top (640 meters above sea level) and a toboggan ride down to the valley via a 1,580-meter track, which will surely bring kids fun.

2. Hug with panda

Animal is a classic theme for family travel. And when touring China, try giant panda – the country’s rare treasure. Sichuan is home to this lovely creature and several Giant Panda Breeding and Research Centers, where you and your kids can observe the animals, or pay extra fee to be a panda volunteer feeding and taking care of them, or even hugging a panda and take a picture with it！

3. Bamboo rafting in Yangshuo

Yangshuo resembles a Chinese landscape painting, a perfect blend of misty mountains and tranquil waters. If you are in Yangshuo with children, go for a lively bamboo rafting along Li River or Yulong River. Encourage your youngster’s imagination to name for the fantastically shaped limestone mountains on both banks, watch the quaint villages along slowly fade out. Why not rent a water gun? Kids are most likely to have fun with it.

4. Acrobatics in Shanghai

Like magic tricks, acrobatics can always fascinate children. While Chinese acrobatics, a gem of China traditional performing arts will amaze even the hard-to-impress teenagers. Shanghai's main show, "Era, Intersection of Time", uses the fantastic acrobatic skills to combine the present and future, the oriental China and the Western World, the fashion and Nostalgia, culminating with motorcyclists zigzagging upside-down and all-around inside an on-stage globe.

5. Learning Chinese Kung-Fu

Children visiting China deserve a Kung-Fu class. Many places in China including some hotels, Hulongs in Beijing can arrange a Kung-Fu class with a large selection of subjects, from Tai Chi to Shaolin Martial Arts. However, if the older children or teenagers want a high-level practice or learning, try the training course taught by master in Shaolin Temple - the cradle of Chinese martial arts.

6. Kites flying

Another delightful family activity when touring China is kite flying. People usually fly kites in the central parks, where children can run and play with their peers, while the parents will have an opportunity to meet local people, watching them dancing, playing cards and chess. Recommended parks for kites flying are Temple of Heaven or Ritan Park in Beijing, and Fuxing Park in Shanghai.

7. Playing with funny street food

Whet your appetite with tasty, interesting street food in China. It is also a quick source of entertainment for children. The snack street is never shortage of bizarre patents, such as scorpions, centipedes and even sea horses, apart from “plain-looking” Baozi, dumplings and noodles. In Beijing’s temple fair, you can see another funny food - Sugar Painting, a traditional street food made of sucrose and maltose into figures, animals, flowers and other shapes. Take photos with these cute things!

8. Riding a bike to the countryside

If you're in China with children and looking an opportunity to burn off kids' energy, go for a bike ride. Tourists in Yangshuo of Guilin can cycle to explore the countryside, watching the farmers plowing by hand, which is something children won’t forget. Or ride around Xian’s Old City Wall to enjoy a good view of this ancient capital, comparing its past and nowadays.

Contact us for more info on family-friendly activities in China.