China with Kids: A Practical Family Travel Guide

The short version

China is one of the most rewarding family destinations in Asia. It is safe, cities are modern and clean, high-speed trains make long distances easy, and children are welcomed almost everywhere.

For a smooth first family trip:

1. Choose three or four cities. Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu and Shanghai is the classic combination.
2. Stay two or three nights in each and plan one big sight a day, with a rest in the afternoon.
3. Travel by high-speed train where you can. It is calmer than flying with children.
4. Get documents right: every child needs their own passport and a visa or visa-free eligibility, just like adults.
5. Book real-name tickets for everyone, including children who enter free.
6. Avoid Chinese holidays, especially 1 to 7 October, 1 to 5 May and Chinese New Year, when sights are very crowded.

Ticket rules in this guide come from China Railway 12306 and the official websites of the attractions named, checked on 29 September 2026.

Where to go in China with kids

Best for younger children (under 6): Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Hainan, which have short transfers and plenty of flat walking.

Best for older children and teens: add Xi’an, Zhangjiajie and Guilin for history, hiking and adventure.

A 10-day family route

This route keeps transfers short and leaves time to rest:

Short on time? Drop Xi’an and fly Beijing to Chengdu. For a ready-made version with a private guide and driver, see our China family trip itinerary.

Child tickets: age, height and passports

China uses age for some tickets and height for others. Measure your children before you go.

Trains

According to China Railway 12306:

If you want a seat for a child under 6, or have more young children than adults, buy child tickets. Add each child to the booking with their own passport. See how to book train tickets in China.

Flights

Domestic airlines usually sell child fares for ages 2 to 11 and infant fares for babies under 2 who sit on a parent’s lap. Child fares are not always cheaper than sale fares for adults, so compare. Request a bassinet for babies on long-haul flights when you book.

Attractions: examples

Always bring each child’s passport. Most big sights use real-name booking, so every visitor, including a free child, is registered with an ID and may need to show it at the gate. See Forbidden City tickets, Great Wall tickets and Chengdu Panda Base.

Documents and entry for children

• Own passport: every child, including babies, needs their own passport.
• Visa: children follow the same rules as adults of their nationality. If you can enter visa-free, so can your children; if you need a visa, so do they. See which countries can visit China visa-free.
• Arrival card: fill it in for each child. The online form lets you add accompanying family members. See the China arrival card.
• Fingerprints: children under 14 do not give fingerprints at immigration. See arriving in China step by step.
• One parent traveling alone? Carry a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a signed consent letter from the other parent. Your airline or your home country’s border checks may ask for them.

Getting around with children

• High-speed trains are the easiest way to travel between cities: spacious, smooth, with toilets and hot water on board. Book early for school holidays.
• Metros are cheap and fast but very crowded at rush hour (roughly 7:30 to 9:30 and 17:00 to 19:00). Most stations have lifts, but not every exit.
• DiDi and taxis: most do not have child seats. A private driver with child seats is the safest option for day trips, such as to the Great Wall. See our private driver service.
• Distances inside sights are long. The Forbidden City is about 1 km from end to end, and the walk from the Great Wall car park to the cable car takes time.

Strollers and carriers

• Bring a light, foldable stroller for cities, airports, malls and museums.
• Bring a baby carrier as well for the Great Wall, temples, ancient towns, mountains and metro exits without lifts.
• At the Great Wall, the Summer Palace hills and Zhangjiajie, strollers are more trouble than help.

Food with kids

Chinese food is more child-friendly than many parents expect.

Dishes most children like:

• Dumplings (jiaozi) and steamed buns (baozi)
• Fried rice and egg noodles
• Tomato and scrambled egg (xīhóngshì chǎo jīdàn)
• Sweet and sour pork or chicken
• Peking duck pancakes in Beijing
• Congee (rice porridge) for breakfast
• Fresh fruit from markets, which you can wash or peel

Useful phrases:

• Bù là (不辣): not spicy. Important in Chengdu, Chongqing and Hunan.
• Wēi là (微辣): a little spicy.

Tips:

• Kids’ menus are rare, but sharing dishes family-style works well for children. Order a few plain dishes alongside spicier ones.
• Familiar food is easy to find: KFC, McDonald’s, pizza, bakeries and supermarkets are everywhere.
• Drink bottled or boiled water, not tap water. Hotels provide bottled water or a kettle.
• Food allergies: carry a card in Chinese that lists the allergy. Nut, sesame and shellfish allergies are hard to explain in a busy kitchen without one.
• Ordering: many restaurants use QR-code menus with pictures. See how to order food in China.

Babies and toddlers

• Diapers are sold in supermarkets, pharmacies and many convenience stores.
• Formula: widely available, but bring enough of your usual brand for the whole trip.
• Baby changing: look for mother and baby rooms (母婴室) in airports, train stations, malls and big attractions.
• Hot water for bottles is available free in trains, stations and most restaurants.
• Priority lanes: families with babies can often use priority lines at airport security and immigration. Ask staff.

Health and safety

• Travel insurance with medical cover is essential. Most families use international clinics in big cities, which are expensive without insurance. See travel insurance for China.
• Children’s hospitals and paediatric departments (儿科) in public hospitals are good but busy. International clinics and the international wards of big hospitals have English-speaking staff.
• Emergency numbers: 120 for an ambulance and 110 for police.
• Bring a small medical kit: children’s fever and pain medicine, oral rehydration salts, plasters, sunscreen and insect repellent. Bring prescription medicine in its original packaging.
• Air quality: check an air quality app, especially in northern cities in winter, and carry children’s masks.
• Crowds: on busy days, agree a meeting point, dress children in bright clothes and put your phone number on a wristband. If you are separated, go to staff or police immediately.
• Attention from strangers: Chinese people often find foreign children adorable and may ask for photos or want to touch a child’s hair. A smile and a clear “no, thank you” (bù yòng, xièxie) is perfectly polite.

China is one of the safest countries for tourists in terms of violent crime. See is China safe?

Hotels for families

• Check that the hotel accepts foreign guests. International chains and most mid-range and upscale hotels do.
• Room sizes: many standard rooms are for two adults. Ask for a family room, connecting rooms or an extra bed, and confirm the maximum number of guests when you book.
• Twin rooms with two double beds suit families with two young children.
• Every guest is registered, including children, so bring all passports to check-in.
• Choose hotels near a metro station to cut travel time with tired children.

Pace: the most important decision

Children in China get tired from the heat, the crowds and the walking, not from the sights.

• One big sight a day, in the morning when it is cooler and quieter.
• A rest in the afternoon, at the hotel pool, a park or a teahouse.
• Two or three nights per city. Moving hotel every day wears everyone out.
• Build in a free day every four or five days.
• Go early to the big sights: the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Panda Base are all best at opening time.
• Travel in spring or autumn if you can. Summer is hot and humid, and school holidays make it busy. See what to wear in China for the weather month by month.

Plan your family trip with us

A family trip works best when the route, hotels and transfers are planned around your children’s ages. See our China family trip itinerary for a starting point. Our free trip planning service can suggest family-friendly hotels, a private driver with child seats and a relaxed daily pace.