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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pack light, it’s a lot of walking – but some of my essentials for kids are:
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.
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:
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.
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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