Travel to China with Kids – Asia

At the Great Wall with Chinese Warriors

Would you travel to China with kids? For all you BootsnAll-ers, the answer would be a resounding "Yes. Why not?" Indeed, China is a great place for children. We brought our son, 7 and nephew 10, for a whirlwind tour of China last year, just to whet their appetites.

One of our concerns from the beginning was, whether there would be enough kid stuff to keep them entertained. They would probably be quickly bored with the temple and historical scene. Well, no need to worry there. We managed to keep them out of trouble by:

- flying kites in Tian'an Men Square as the sun was setting and a line of soldiers marched down

- climbing watchtowers at the Great Wall and riding the toboggan down

- riding rickshaws through the Hutongs and getting lost in the alleyways

- watching Pandas, riding dragon boats, shopping at the markets

- biking around City walls and encountering ancient warriors

- cruising on peapod rafts right before crossing the locks at the largest dam in the world

It was a study of contrasts: old versus new, ancient past versus modern technology, old China versus the new modern futuristic China, trying to emerge. Don't miss the sleepy water villages or the fastest trains in the world. And learning about Chinese culture at every turn while making it fun. We let them guess what the Chinese "bad luck" number is when we got on an elevator. The missing number on the elevator pad isn't 13; it's 4, "suh" which sounds like the character for "death". The lucky number? Eight "ba", sounds like the character for "wealth". The Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremonies are set to start on 08/08/08 at exactly 08:08:08 p.m.

Everything you hear about the terrible pollution, the crowds, the heat in the summer, the annoying vendors, well, it's all true. Being aware and prepared is your best weapon. Know what to expect and the whole family can enjoy a wonderful journey of discovery, learning and understanding. Don't leave the kids behind!