General Information » Essential Info » Children

Shanghai, for the most part, is pretty kid-friendly. Hongqiao’s Hongmei Lu pedestrian street holds Moon River Diner () and Blue Frog , which both have inside and outside play areas and extensive kids’ menus. Mesa () restaurant in the French Concession offers a great family Sunday brunch, complete with highchairs, kids’ corner and on-hand nannies. Shanghai also has plenty of attractions aimed at children. Hongqiao’s Shanghai Zoo (), Pudong’s Natural Wild Insect Kingdom , and Ocean Aquarium are fantastic for animal lovers. Other options include the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum in Pudong (), the Jin Jiang Amusement Park in Hongqiao , and Dino Beach water Park in Minghang. To give parents a much-needed break, there are plenty of children’s activity groups and classes available, ranging from drama and art classes to sports clubs (see Sports and Activities, pXXX). City Weekend and That’s Shanghai list details on parent groups such as Bumps and Babes (6247 2880), which offers support to new and expecting mothers. Established babysitting services are hard to come by in Shanghai, mainly because most expat families hire a maid or ayi () who looks after their children while cooking and cleaning.