2026: Tiananmen Square & The Forbidden City for Little Legs – How to Make the Most of These Big Attractions with Kids
Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City are some of Beijing’s must see attractions. But they’re a big walk for adults, so for little ones these gigantic places can be hard work. Here’s how to save the tantrums and make the most of these amazing, historical sites with kids.
Quick Facts Before You Go
Both sites sit right in the heart of Beijing and flow into each other, so most families do them in one (big) morning. A few things worth knowing before you set off:
Tickets
The Forbidden City must be booked online in advance and sells out fast, especially in summer and on weekends and public holidays. Booking tickets is easiest through the official website:
Tiananmen Square is free but requires a passport/Chinese ID booking to enter – you will also be subject to a bag inspection and a pat down. Without a valid ticket/time slot to enter, you may be turned away from the checkpoints.
The online booking system is wholly in Chinese – but we found the best comprehensive guide to booking a time slot for foreigners here, by Dolphin Union:
Bring everyones passports on the day. You will need them to book, to pass security, and to enter. No passport, no entry, and this catches a lot of families out.
Time to allow: Give yourself 3 to 4 hours for both, more if you want to slow down for little ones.
Tiananmen Square with Kids: What to Expect
Let’s be honest, Tiananmen Square is enormous and mostly wide open concrete. For adults it’s history you can feel underfoot. For a four year old, it’s a very big empty space with not much to touch. That’s fine. You don’t need to linger.
My advice: treat the Square as the walk-through on your way to the Forbidden City rather than a destination in itself. Point out the flag, the huge portrait over the gate, and the sheer scale of it, snap a couple of photos, then keep moving before little legs get bored. Go early to beat both the heat/cold and the crowds, security lines here can be long but once you’re in things will start moving.
North Entrance or Tiananmen Square?
There’s lots of advice on social media saying to skip the square and enter the Forbidden City from the North Gate – through Jingshan Park, to avoid crowds and lines.
But honest take from someone who goes at least once a month (as family and friends personal tour guide), if you enter through the North gate you are going to skip the majesty and wow that walking through Tiananmen Gate into the Palace offers. The sheer size of this grand entrance will have you and the kids marvelling before you’ve even come into site of the palace. This is what I think captures the whole point of seeing these places.
Tips: If you go early (aim for a morning T-Square booking slot) the crowds and lines are doable (if any at all) and I truly believe you need to experience entering the Palace at least once, under the enormous Tiananmen Gate. If you skip this for the sake of saving a little bit of time, you are skipping the best part.
The Forbidden City for Little Legs
This is the part kids actually love, once you manage the walking. The Forbidden City is huge, and the main central route from south to north is a long, straight march past courtyard after courtyard. If you only follow that line, you’ll get tired kids and repetitive views.
Instead, duck off to the sides. The quieter side palaces, gardens and the old living quarters are where it comes alive for children: dragon carvings, giant bronze water vats, little bridges, and shady corners to rest. The Imperial Garden near the north end is a lovely reward to aim for, and it means you exit at the north gate ready to move on.
The Gardens are a great place to have them let loose and run around. There are also lots of exciting things to see away from the general crowd in the middle.
Survival Tips to Save the Tantrums
- Go EARLY.
Try to book a morning time slot for Tiananmen Square – walk through to the Forbidden City before 10am. You’ll get cooler temperatures, shorter security lines and happier kids before the midday crowds pour in. - Be Sun Smart
There is little to no shade in the Square and the main route through the palace offers little place for reprieve from the hot sun. Summer in Beijing is brutal, so be sure to pack hats, sunscreen, refillable water bottles and hand-held fans. This will help make the day easier with the heat.
Plan stops and rests along the sides of the palace under the eaves and in the gardens. - Take Snacks. Stop at a convenience store before heading to either. Snacks are available there, but are limited and a premium price. A packet of chips or small fruits like an apple or two always go well with our kid. A hungry toddler in a 600 year old palace is not the memory you want.
- Toilets: there are plenty of facilities throughout, but they get busy. Go when you see a quiet one rather than waiting until it’s an emergency. Make sure to take your own toilet paper (tissue packet) and hand sanitiser.
- From Tiananmen Gate, through to the Palace is one-directional. The Forbidden City generally flows south to north – it’s a lot of ground to cover, so doubling back isn’t ideal. Once you exit the north gate you’re out, so plan your meeting points and photos accordingly.
What to Pack for the Day
Pack light, it’s a lot of walking – but some of my essentials for kids are:
- A refillable, insulated water bottle
- Sun hats and sunscreen
- Mozzie spray
You can checkout my other recommendations here: Top Travel Resources and Discounts for China
Key tip, if you have a baby or toddler who still requires a stroller, seriously consider a carrier instead. The cobbles aren’t stroller friendly, and you will end up having to carry it most of the way.
Want It Made Easy? Hire the Same Guide or Book the Same Driver We Use (Every time)
Here’s where I can genuinely take the stress out of your day.
Doing Tiananmen and the Forbidden City with young kids is so much easier with a local guide who knows the shortcuts, the shady spots and the kid-friendly stories that keep little ones interested, and who can handle the booking and passport formalities for you.
As someone living here, I can arrange a trusted English-speaking guide and a private driver to get your family door to door, no wrestling little ones on and off the subway in the heat. We use them for all our visits plus our family and friends visits too. If you’d like to enquire for your trip, get in touch and tell me your dates and how many are in your group below:
So, Is It Worth It with Young Kids?
Yes, with realistic expectations. Go early, keep it short, lean into the side gardens, and don’t try to see every hall. Your kids won’t remember the dynasties, but they will remember the dragons, the giant golden doors and the day out with you. That’s the win.
Planning the Rest of Your Beijing Trip
If this is on your list, don’t miss my full Beijing with Kids 5-Day Family Itinerary and my 8 Best Tips to Visit the Great Wall of China to round out your family adventure.
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Until next time,
Nic x
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