A Day at Songcheng, a Whole Summer of Joy: Shanghai's Ultimate Family Trip

📍 Shanghai · 👁 7 reads · ❤️ 179 likes

This is my second time in Shanghai, and my child's first encounter with the city. My impression of Shanghai is that you rarely see any convenience stores on the streets, perhaps because land is so expensive here. Another thing I noticed is that drivers are generally very courteous, especially when it comes to yielding to pedestrians. For a family trip, the Bund is really crowded—always packed with people. With a child, it's better to admire it from a distance rather than get up close.

However, there is one place in Shanghai that is truly a family travel paradise: Shanghai Songcheng.

Shanghai Songcheng is located on the beautiful Huangpu River, at 1750 Expo Avenue in the Pudong New Area, near the once sensational World Expo site. On our way to Songcheng, the taxi driver spoke of the World Expo with evident pride.

Based on my experience, when visiting Shanghai Songcheng, it's best to plan your day around the schedule of shows. That way, you'll have a packed and fulfilling day. The program schedule is updated daily, so follow it to make sure you don't miss any experiences.

Songcheng has many family-friendly programs. We arrived around 10 a.m. and, following the schedule, headed straight to the 6th floor. There are lots of activities for kids there. For example, at 'Celestial Market' there was a crystal ball performance. The performer manipulated the crystal ball as if it were alive, mesmerizing my child—and I was amazed too. It must have required incredible calm and concentration.

The 6th floor also has a slanting house, a sideways house, an invisible house, and more—my child had a blast exploring them.

My child also did some drawing at the 'Joyful Art Workshop' on the 6th floor. Parents and children can create together, which was really enjoyable.

There are plenty of activities on the rooftop, too. Songcheng has even built a suspension bridge. Walking across its shaky planks opens up a whole new world. There's Elf Valley and Fantasy Space, reminiscent of Hobbit houses—photos there look amazing. Inside, you'll find tables, chairs, and beds set up as if elves live there. It's a great spot to take a break.

Opposite Elf Valley are many family fun activities: slides, rope climbing—kids absolutely love these. My child played there over and over and only left reluctantly.

Shanghai Songcheng is very considerate of visitors. There are plenty of rest areas—almost every floor has places to sit. Most of the attractions are indoors, which is especially appreciated during the scorching summer heat. You can really see the thoughtfulness in the design.

We had lunch inside Songcheng. There were drinks, Shanghai-style snacks, noodles, rice, and more—a good variety, and not too expensive. My child ate to his heart's content.

On the 4th floor, there's a costume-changing hall, Qiangqingqing Street, Modern Times, and Theaters 1 and 3. In Modern Times, I got to try being a news anchor, and my post-2010s child got a taste of 1980s retro vibes.

At Qiangqingqing Street, there was a 'Hello! Chaplin' performance. An actor dressed as Chaplin did a lot of entertaining gags, and my child laughed non-stop.

If you're visiting Songcheng with kids, I highly recommend not missing 'WA! Dinosaurs'.

The show lasts about 35 minutes. My child is a dinosaur fan, so he was super excited. Before the show, staff brought out dinosaur puppets to interact with the children, and every kid was thrilled and eager.

Once the show starts, you follow a professor on an adventure back to the age of dinosaurs. The children get to see and learn about many different dinosaur species.

The immersive interactive experience really brought the whole theater to a climax. Everyone worked together to protect dinosaur eggs from pterosaur attacks. For a moment, it felt like we'd traveled back to the Jurassic period.

This show wasn't just educational; it also got the children thinking. It's a rare and thoughtful production.

On the 2nd floor, in a study room, there's a relaxation area that's a paradise for book-loving kids: 'A'Bu Sister's Story House.' Here, children can read on their own or listen to Sister A'Bu tell picture book stories.

The 1st floor has even more activities. Besides a clown to keep the kids company, there are also alpacas to feed.

At the outdoor Bird Show Theater, you can watch 'Forest Divine Birds.' It's said that parrots have the intelligence of a three-year-old child—they can talk, roll on a skateboard, play bowling, balance on balls... These clever parrots drew plenty of gasps and applause from the kids. When they offered a chance to kiss the parrots, children's hands shot up high.

The 'Magic Bubbles' on Magic Street were a real thrill. Bubbles floated down from the sky, and children bounced around inside them, covering themselves in magical foam. My child got so excited that he ran off and started a water fight nearby.

Drenched from head to toe, he then jumped into the splash pool to play on the water challenge course.

These attractions were so fun that my child played there for over two hours and refused to leave.

He was having a ball, but seeing him completely soaked, and having forgotten to bring spare clothes, I thought: oh no, he'll have to go back in wet clothes, and I have no idea if a taxi will even let us in.

When we got to the changing room, I found that Songcheng had actually provided dryers!

I was overjoyed. It's no wonder Songcheng is so popular with visitors—they truly think of everything from the visitor's perspective, with all necessary facilities fully in place. Parents needn't worry; just let your kids freely enjoy themselves at Songcheng.

By the end of the day, my child was perfectly content, and seeing him so happy made me feel that this trip was absolutely worth it!

This summer vacation, hurry and bring your child to Shanghai Songcheng. A day at Songcheng can give them joy that lasts the whole summer.

Of course, if you're an adult, Songcheng has plenty of activities for grown-ups too. Trust me, it will be an unforgettable day.

Shanghai Songcheng Address: 1750 Expo Avenue, Pudong New Area

Travelogue Directory1. Joyful One-Day Trip to Shanghai Songcheng

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