beijingkids Magazine

11. Fundazzle
Fundazzle makes young kids squeal with delight, while it makes their parents wince (because it smells of feet), then gasp (at the size of the plastic-ball-filled pool) and finally sigh (as they realize that for a few precious hours, the furniture in their home is safe). This cavernous, indoor playground has a huge two-story jungle gym, trampolines and a toddler area with small cars, swings, seesaws, toy houses and so on.

RMB 30 (kids); adults free (Mon-Fri), RMB 15 (Sat-Sun). Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat-Sun and holidays 9am-7pm.
Gongti Nanlu, Chaoyang District (6593 6208) 朝阳区工体南路

12. Horse Riding The Asgard Horsemanship Club near Shunyi is run by husband-and-wife team Daisy and Ren Yake. In addition to stables, Asgard features a soccer field, children's playground, a fishing and duck pond, petting zoo and a fruit orchard. Accommodation is available for RMB 300 a night.

RMB 380 for a 45-minute single lesson. Memberships available for RMB 2,400 (10 sessions), RMB 6,600 (30 sessions) and RMB 9,800 (50 sessions). Tue-Sun 7am-7pm. Shunhuang Lu (just west of Danshui Restaurant), Chaoyang District (8459 5908); 亚萨园乡村俱乐部.朝阳区顺黄路淡水餐厅西边

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Boracay, Philippines

The Best Part
The kids probably won't care which particular patch of sand they're playing in, but parents will enjoy exploring the beaches around this beautiful island, especially Pukka, which is less frequented by tourists than the world-famous White Beach. We recommend hiring a boat to go snorkeling. If you're lucky, the little ones will eventually fall asleep and you'll be able to have some mom-and-dad snorkel time. The boat crews will be more than happy to watch over your kids.

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1. Goose 'n Duck Ranch
 Better suited for younger kids than teens, the ranch's activities include swimming, archery, horseback riding, fishing, soccer, basketball, badminton, softball and paintball. You can stay for a day or spend the entire weekend in one of the cabins. Shuttle buses depart from Goose 'n' Duck Pub. Single-day packages (RMB 260, half price for kids 4-12) include food, beverages and round-trip transportation; two-day packages (RMB 600, half price for kids ages 4-12, free for kids under 4) include the above, plus accommodation. Dogs are welcome. Reservations are required.

Daily 24hrs. Huairou Beizhai, Huairou District (6067 1097)                                            www.gdclub.net.cn 鹅和鸭, 怀柔区北寨

2. Star Trooper Laser Tag
Indulge your trigger-happy children in a very trippy atmosphere. This is a great option for birthdays or large groups (kids must be taller than 1.3m). Each game lasts 15 minutes. Groups of six or more can rent the entire venue for RMB 1,680 per hour. Pizza delivery is available.

RMB 40 (first game), RMB 30 (additional games). Wed-Fri 2-8pm, Sat-Sun 9am-8pm. B1, 316 Wangjing Xiyuan Sanqu, Chaoyang District (6475 8329, info@startrooper.net) www.startrooper.net 朝阳区望京西园三区316号楼，地下一层

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The Travelers
Alex Key, and his wife Jacqueline Renee Cohen, their son Nathaniel (4) and daughter Saskia (3).

The Plan
The Cohens flew to Bangkok from Beijing via Hong Kong and then flew Bangkok Air to Koh Samui. Bangkok Air tickets are easy to book online, although they are expensive. When the kids are older, the family hopes to return, but travel by train or boat instead.

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Crab Island
The Crab Island resort reportedly sprawls over 1 million square meters. What's not in question is the wealth of family fun that if offers: a lake with paddle boats, fishing ponds, go-karting, grassland carting, a zoo, and an "organic" farm complete with egg picking. There are two amusement parks: one with a carousel and bumper cars, the other with a big playground, aqua bumper boats and a swinging boat. The zoo features ostriches, camels, llamas, bunnies, exotic birds and deer.

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