Shanghai With Kids: The Little Moments They Remember
This is a longer blog summarising the BEST experience of hosting family guests with young people in the group.
What will make this child light up?
That is usually the question in my mind when I plan their Shanghai itineraries for families.
Not every child wants a “children’s activity.” Some need to climb something. Some want to make something. Some are fascinated by basketball, robots, cars, food, history or outer space. Some simply need an open space where they can run until they are ready to sit through dinner.
I once helped a client travelling with three children under three. We took them to a playground where they could release all that toddler energy, and they took a nap while the adults could have an authentic Shanghainese lunch. By the afternoon, the well-rested toddlers were well-behaved. They were completely exhausted and ready to sleep after dinner. I would call that excellent itinerary planning.
The point is not to entertain children every second. It is to notice them, listen to them and give them a part in the journey.
First, the usual theme parks
Shanghai Legoland Resort
Shanghai is home to Mainland China’s first Disneyland and Legoland.
A full day at one of Shanghai’s major theme parks—such as Shanghai Disneyland, LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort or Haichang Ocean Park—is a popular choice, but it is not a must. It really depends on the family’s travel style and what the children actually enjoy.
For Shanghai Disneyland, I usually recommend going near the beginning or end of the trip because it is in Pudong and relatively close to PVG Airport. LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort is in Fengjing, Jinshan District, near Shanghai’s southwestern border with Zhejiang, and is a much longer journey from central Shanghai.
If possible, avoid weekends and public holidays. Depending on the children’s ages, heights and favourite rides, paid priority access can be good value if it saves the family from spending hours in queues.
I also recommend buying tickets through official or authorised channels. Tickets are normally tied to each visitor’s passport or identity document, so make sure you enter every name and document number correctly. Downloading the park’s official app or WeChat mini program before the visit also makes the day much easier: families can use it to navigate the park and check attraction requirements, waiting times, showtimes and activity schedules. At Shanghai Disneyland, this is currently called Disney Premier Access rather than FastPass, you can also book different bundles on Trip.com, which come with concierge, meals, and butler services at various prices.
Where children can run—and parents can breathe
For children around three to ten, I love Shanghai’s fancy, multi-themed indoor playgrounds. Honestly, they are the kind of places I wish had existed when I was a child. Some visiting families may not have anything quite like them back home.
Children can climb, explore, learn, dress up, play pretend and use up an impressive amount of energy inside a comfortable, child-friendly space. Parents can join in and help them play, watch from nearby, or sit down at the cafeteria for a little break while still keeping an eye on them and tracking where they are on the floor.
It is a very good mix of “me time” and “we time.” The children get some independence, the parents get to breathe, and everyone can come back together when they feel like it.
These playgrounds are especially useful on rainy, extremely hot or simply over-ambitious days. Sometimes a playground is not a backup plan. Sometimes it is the smartest part of the plan.
When the weather is pleasant, not every good family activity requires a ticket. The West Bund, North Bund, Pudong riverside and Shanghai’s larger parks provide the simplest thing an energetic child needs: space. They can run, watch dogs, kick a ball, ride a scooter or enjoy not being told to stand still inside another attraction.
Here is an updated list of selected indoor playgrounds available in the city:
Most don’t require pre-booking; just show up at the desk to check in. Staff have limited English, but non-Chinese-speaking parents and kids can have fun.
Neobio Family Centre (Yu Garden Branch)
Neobio Children's Museum (Weestbund Gate M Branch)
Mini Mars Family Club (Changning Branch) / (JIng’an Branch) / (Panlong Tiandi Branch) / (1000 Trees Branch for toddlers)
For children fascinated by science and the future
Shanghai has plenty for children who love dinosaurs, planets, robots and futuristic cars.
The Natural History Museum is conveniently located in central Shanghai and works well for younger children. Afterwards, Jing’an Sculpture Park outside gives them room to breathe and move.
The renovated Shanghai Science and Technology Museum is much more interactive, with exhibitions involving artificial intelligence, aviation, energy, ecology and the human body. Some popular experiences need advance reservations. You can pre-book tickets here
The Shanghai Astronomy Museum is fantastic for a child who is already interested in space, but it is far away in Lingang. I would treat it as a major outing rather than casually adding it between two city-centre stops. Lingang is also home to L+ Snow indoor skiing resort and Haichang Ocean Park. It can be enormous fun, but it requires time, a longer commute and advance planning.
Robot experiences and electric-vehicle showrooms are particularly good for older children and teenagers who may feel they are too grown-up for conventional family attractions. These locations change quickly, so I normally confirm what is open and accessible shortly before the family arrives.
For children who would rather make something
Xiaolongbao classes are always fun because nobody has to sit quietly and listen for very long.
Children can roll the dough, add the filling, attempt the folds and then eat the evidence.
The dumplings are not always beautiful. That is part of the charm.
One girl later said that making xiaolongbao with her family was the highlight of her whole China trip, and was even better than Shanghai Disneyland!
A short calligraphy class can work in the same way. Instead of only looking at Chinese characters, children get to hold the brush, play with ink and take their own work home. For most visiting children, I prefer a lively introduction rather than a long, serious lesson.
For the brave ones
I took a 12-year-old boy onto the Jin Mao Tower skywalk. Walking high above Shanghai is exciting enough for an adult, so you can imagine what it felt like for him: an experience that he can brag about to his peers, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that stays in his memory.
For children who enjoy climbing and challenges, Magic Jungle at the North Bund is another fun option. It has high-rope courses for different heights and abilities, with the skyline as the backdrop. Age, height, health, and weather restrictions apply, so I always check before adding it to the day.
Older children may enjoy seeing Shanghai from riding shared bikes. A pair of teenage twins once cycled with me through the quieter part of the Former French Concession. We were not rushing between attractions. We simply rode beneath the trees, looked at the streets, and enjoyed the freedom of moving through the city together.
I normally consider cycling for confident children 12 and above (by law), depending on their height, road awareness, the weather and how comfortable the parents feel. It is not for every family.
For the basketball fan
A young boy I guided loved Stephen Curry. At HOOP PARK, he found a wall featuring his favourite player and took a photograph with him—or at least the printed version of him. For a basketball fan, that small stop meant far more than another landmark selected by adults.
The venue is Playground X / HOOP PARK at Shanghai Magnolia Plaza on the North Bund. Children can see the basketball-themed spaces, player graphics and jerseys, take photos and enjoy the atmosphere. They don't need to play a full game to have a good time there.
For the children who are curious of Chinese History
At the Shanghai Museum East (walking distance from Sci Tech Museum, close on Tuesday, Free admission, passport ID required), a young girl named Giada found a wall with her name on it inside the jade gallery. Of course we stopped for a photo. How often do you travel across the world and unexpectedly find your own name inside a museum? She also “guided” me and shared what she'd already learned in school about Chinese history. She was happy to see things related to what she has already learned from school, like the Qing and Ming Dynasties. I was fascinated by her knowledge and curiosity.
Children are very good at finding these tiny connections. Adults may focus on the importance of the collection; the child is thinking, “My name is on the wall together with other characters of other languages of my name’s meaning on it.”
For young food explorers
Some children are wonderfully adventurous eaters. For them, it might be xiaolongbao, street snacks, tea, fruit, pastries—or an important investigation into Shanghai’s best gelato.
I sometimes make a little deal with the children at the start of the day: stay close, listen when we are crossing the road, be kind and cooperate with the group, and later we will get delicious gelato.
It gives them something to look forward to and saves the parents from repeating the same instruction all afternoon. Everyone wins, and it works every time.
For a young gourmet, I can turn tasting into a game: smell the tea, choose between two snacks, learn how to eat a soup dumpling without burning your mouth, or decide which gelato flavour deserves the winning vote. Nobody is forced to eat anything they don’t like. “No, thank you” is always allowed.
I remember one time, a young boy was an almost impossible picky eater; all he would eat was plain rice with soy sauce, that’s ok too, until he tried the first bite of Zongzi (Chinese Rice Dumpling, wrapped in leaves) - he had 2 full ones that day (as an adult I can only eat 1 at most)
For future business starter
Shanghai’s markets can be a playground of affordable toys, 3D-printed creatures, gadgets and strange little electronic instruments.
One multilingual child decided to buy a book designed to teach Chinese children English—so that he could use it backwards to teach himself Chinese. I thought that was brilliant.
Another child wanted a Pokémon toy and decided to buy it himself. After negotiating with the seller in Chinese, he succeeded. The toy was exciting, but the confidence he gained from buying it was even better.
Before a child tries bargaining, I quietly explain the basics before we enter the market: set a budget, ask politely, make a reasonable offer and be willing to walk away. Negotiation does not need to become a battle. If a vendor becomes too pushy, I step in. We also check the quality before paying and focus on fun souvenirs rather than counterfeit branded goods. It is a small real-life lesson in language, money and staying calm under pressure.
A manicure, a foot massage—just for the experience, why not?
Travel memories do not all have to be educational.
Young Judy’s first nail appointment was one of those small, joyful experiences. Watching her excitement was infectious. For a child who genuinely wants one, a simple, age-appropriate manicure at a clean salon can become lovely one-to-one time with a parent.
Sam’s first foot massage ended differently: he fell asleep. His grandmother, naturally, took a picture. He woke up with rested feet and photographic evidence.
These aren't famous Shanghai attractions, but they became core holiday memories in Shanghai for some families.
Some experiences stay with them in a deeper way
One history-loving teenager I met was considering a future in warfare; he was very into defence technology, warfare strategy, etc. After learning more about what war actually does to ordinary people, he had an epiphany. He told me he had changed his mind.
That stayed with me.
Travel can be fun, silly and delicious. It can also make a young person reconsider something they thought they understood. I would never force that kind of lesson, but when a child or teenager wants to talk, I listen.
A few things children have taught me about family travel
A full day does not have to mean filling every minute. One wonderful experience is better than four rushed ones. We can squeeze in a quick visit to PopMart if we want.
Children enjoy having some control. Give them two choices, a small souvenir budget, responsibility for one metro journey or the job of finding the strangest car in a showroom.
Shanghai becomes much more interesting when children have something of their own to do—not just somewhere adults are taking them.
Don't save all the fun for the end of the day, when everyone is already tired and hungry.
And do not underestimate the ordinary moments. A subway ride may introduce you to a new local friend your age. A bookshop may inspire a new way to learn Chinese. A foot massage may end with the best nap of the trip.
The little people are part of the journey too
I may spend only a few days with these young minds, but I learned a lot from them. I listen to them, watch them grow a little more confident and see Shanghai through their eyes.
I am always grateful to the parents and grandparents who trust me with their family time. I love hearing afterwards that the children are still talking about China—or receiving an update about something that began here.
They may forget the names of the buildings. But they remember making a xiaolongbao with their own hands and tasting what they created from scratch. They remember finding their name on a museum wall, taking a photo with Stephen Curry, buying their first toy in Chinese or riding a bicycle beneath Shanghai’s trees.
Those little moments are often precious, and I cherish every one of them.
Thanks for reading! I hope it gives you some inspiration on what to do with kids in Shanghai. I look forward to creating more blogs to share tips and inspiration that help visitors create wonderful memories and great experiences in Shanghai. If you have any questions about trip planning in Shanghai and beyond, drop me a message at genie@genieyip.com