PK News

Bringing Up Bei Bei
Looks like the authors of the Chinese edition of “Baby Names” have some revamping to do. Since news of Beijing's winning bid to host the Olympics broke out in 2001, 7,491 Chinese couples have opted to name their newborns in honor of the games, with 3,491 taking the direct route and naming them “Aoyun,” or “Olympics” in Chinese. The remaining 4,000 children were blessed with the names of the famous Five Friendlies with Jing Jing’s moniker leading the fab five, followed by Huan Huan, Bei Bei, Ni Ni and Ying Ying. At least the names “Leap Forward,” “Cultural Revolution” and “Found the Nation” are now a thing of the past-and thank goodness for that!

Seeing Double
Shunyi: the once endless expanse of dirt is no longer. In fact, it’s safe to say that it’s become its own mini-city as city staples continue to trickle into the booming area, including A-Z Kids. Come June, this popular play place will be opening up its new Shunyi branch just in time for Children’s Day-good news for parents tired of making the long drive into the city. In fact, we’re not sure who will be more excited: the kids or those parents who are all too familiar with the choruses of “are we there yet?”
A-Z Kids. Tel: 8559-2883

Legos, Please
Let’s face it: 2007 was a disastrous year for toys, marked by lead paint scandals, Aqua Dots and endless rounds of recalls. And as Chinese toy exports continue to face fierce scrutiny from the foreign media and toy manufacturers, it seems that the “Made in China” label is not safe from even the local Chinese consumers themselves. The People’s Daily recently reported an average 20 percent increase on money spent on toys as parents opt for the extra security that comes with more expensive, foreign-made toys. Grandparents looking to find another reason to spoil their little ones have just found it. Legos, anyone? Lego (Wangjing). Tel: 6471-2077

School News

Moving On Up
When it comes to clothing, there are deals and then there are steals. This may well be the school equivalent of a steal. Eton Bilingual Academy is proud to announce the upcoming soft opening of its new campus in Eastern Province within Changping district. This will be the sixth Eton school in Beijing alone and to celebrate, the new campus will be offering an astounding 50 percent discount on first-year tuition beginning March 22 through to its Grand Opening on September 6. We know, we can't believe it either. And we thought Black Friday discounts were good. Eton International Schools. Tel: 6533-6566

Shoots and Ladders
China’s new plastic bag policy may have been the brainchild of a student of Family Learning House. The first kindergarten in Beijing to register and incorporate the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots and Shoots environmental education program, FLH uses hands-on activities such as tree and water conservation to encourage children to be proactive on the local and global stages and to have a positive impact on the community and the environment. Now if only we could get more government officials to sign up for these classes the world would be a better place.
Family Learning House. Tel: 8430-2547

Health News

Dentist = Spa?
A trip to the dentist may no longer be so scary thanks to the opening of Detailed Dental’s newest clinic. Supported by the Canadian Ethedent group, the self-proclaimed “dental spa” features Body Shop products, high brow art, visual entertainment and the iconic Tim Horton’s coffee as well as all the modern technology needed to guarantee the most satisfactory of care. American Lumineer and Invisalign headline the clinic’s array of services and, as an added bonus, all new orthodontic patients will receive a free instant teeth whitening and a year of free cleanings and check-ups. Detailed Dental. Tel: 6512-6668

3e Upgrade
Starting September, 3e International Kindergarten will be welcoming a new addition in the form of its very own first and second grades. Following a bilingual immersion curriculum, the school teaches Chinese and English fluency in children at a young age and encourages them to experiment, discover and learn through the contexts around them. Fortunately, antsy parents looking to get a head start in scooting their energetic little ones out of the house and into one of the coveted spots can start enrolling as early as March 18. And for those of you looking for a little added incentive, 3e will be awarding families who enroll by April 30 a five percent discount on first-year tuition. A quiet home for less? We don't know about you, but it sounds to us like a promotion worth waking up your disgruntled 6-year old for. 3e International Kindergarten. Tel: 6437-3344

Third Time's a Charm
Looks like Shunyi can add another school onto its ever-growing list, thanks to the January opening of Ivy Bilingual Academy’s third campus in Orchid Garden. As of February, three of its five classrooms are up and running, but according to campus manager Jenny Chen (pictured), once complete, the school will be home to a total of 100 students and a bilingual staff certified in the Multiple Intelligences Theory. To top it all off, the campus will feature a fully-stocked library and soccer field that are open to the public, as well as a range of extracurricular activities such as qi gong, creative movement and swimming in April. Kinda makes you want to go back to kindergarten doesn’t it? Ivy Bilingual Academy (Orchid Garden). Tel: 8439-7080