Every district in Guangzhou has its own Children’s Park but the one in Baiyun is the best and the largest one. It has just undergone a massive renovation, too. Absolute paradise for kids! Best bit? It’s FREE!

Go early. That’s my No.1 tip for anyone planning to visit this large park. The area is vast, with many trees and shady areas but quite a few attractions/playgrounds are under the sun so you want to be at the park at 9am, when it opens. This also means you’ll get there before the crowds descend. Hey, it’s China, you need to be mentally prepared that it is highly likely you’ll have to wait for your turn on the swings etc. but trust me, it is so worth it!

Some of the play areas:

• Mini Waterpark – Opens at 10am. Suitable for kids from 3-10. Parents can accompany kids inside. It is outdoor and only open in summer season. You need to make an appointment in advance as spaces are limited. Appointment can be made on the park’s official Wechat channel, I believe, though I haven’t tried it myself since we tend to go to…
• Toddler Water Play Area – as the name suggests, this is a special place for the younger kids, even as young as 1.5 years old. Note that most of this area is under the sun so prepare sunblock, hats and an umbrella. Your child of course won’t even realise they are roasting in the sun as they will be having so much fun splashing around! No appointment necessary.
• Swings – there are two separate areas with swings, one dedicated only to swings, where adults are not allowed to enter therefore this is only suitable for children who feel confident swinging on their own (they can see parents waiting nearby), and another specifically for toddlers but that one is always super crowded; you’ll find it next to the castle
• Sandpit – a gigantic sand kingdom with climbing equipment, a wooden ship and water taps. Mostly in the sun but has a shaded seating area too.
• Elephant slide – this one is of questionable safety but seems popular due to the speed at which you go down. A super tall slide made of metal. Not a great material to slide on in the summer months unless you want burns. Not suitable for younger kids unless sliding down with a guardian, in fact there is a height limit on the highest slide and a staff member checking kids’ height before they can go up. Older kids go crazy for it.
• Play area for toddlers – colourful slides and climbing walls aplenty
• Trampolines – just after you enter through the main gate, on your left you’ll find a few trampolines just waiting to be jumped on, very safe
• Space-themed climbing/sliding structure (picture) – suitable for kids 3+ if your child doesn’t mind being shoved aside every now and again by older kids going absolutely nuts there:)
• Castle – we have never been there since every single time it was incredibly crowded but looks like more climbing and sliding-type of fun

The park offers vast lawns for families to relax on, have picnics and play games, with the atmosphere being very chilled and joyful. Adults can also appreciate pretty bridges, lakes and ponds, winding paths, beautiful flowers and shrubs or relax in a café in the centre of the park (it specialises in drinks with honey). There are plenty of toilets, a couple of snack/toys shops in case you forgot that ever-important kite or an airplane (rookie error) and a few vending machines selling drinks.

THERE IS LOADS TO DO THERE!

Update 29. October ’24 – due to new attractions, this park gets even more visitors than in the past therefore I recommend it even more to go as early as you can to avoid crowds. You have been warned…

Info:

Opening time: 9am

Getting there: To get to the park type Guangzhou Children’s Park, Qixin Road in Didi app or take metro line 2 and get off at Baiyun Park. The metro station is right outside the main (south) entrance to the park, exit D.

There are two gates, North and South. At each entrance to the park, you’ll be asked to go through an X-ray machine and get your bag scanned, same as in metro stations. North gate area is much quieter.

Parking: There is a dedicated car park next to North gate but during weekends it fills up very quickly, the queues to get in can be extremely long and therefore I wouldn’t recommend driving there. Alternatively, you could park at Capita Mall Sky across the road from South gate.

Food: If you don’t feel like a picnic and don’t wish to eat in the park cafe then it may interest you that right across the road from the South gate, there is a small shopping mall, Capita Mall Sky, very handy, I know! No need to drive, just walk across the road. You’ll find both cheap eats, fast foods and proper restaurants there. It is very children-friendly (read: aimed at parents to spend money on their kids), clean and you could spend another hour there resting after all the fun. It also has a BRAVO supermarket downstairs. Believe me, this mall has been my saviour many a time when I found myself at the receiving end of whining-an inevitable result of too many hours of exhilarating fun.

Tips:

-Go in the early morning as the park can get insanely crowded on weekend afternoons, I’m talking a sea of kids and all lawns totally covered with blankets/mats. It can be dangerous due to the crowds and kids have gone missing in this park on almost every occasion I had visited it (luckily not mine!), my husband even helped one toddler find his parents!

If you ever find yourself in the terrifying situation of not being able to locate your child there or in any other park, the best thing to do is for one adult to continue searching and another to go directly to security guards at either gate and they will get an announcement to play through the central speaker system. Security guards do not allow children to leave the park on their own but they are unlikely to leave their post to help you search for your child.

-The quietest part of the park is to the right of the South gate (left of North gate), by the lotus ponds. There aren’t as many big attractions there but plenty of small, educational fun places with an ecological theme.

-Don’t forget a swimsuit and a bag for wet clothes. There are no changing rooms, only toilets.

-If you haven’t prepared a picnic but don’t feel like leaving the park, feel free to order a delivery. I’ve seen many families do that. The only thing is, one person needs to walk to the main gate to collect the food as delivery drivers are not allowed inside, and rightly so.

-Remember to book an appointment in advance if you have an older child/would like your child to use the waterpark. Waterpark is only open during the summer season.

-If you want to make a day out of it but have had enough of the sun, 5min drive from the park you’ll find GATE NO.5 Mall, which has several play areas for younger kids and a soft play area-all paid. Restaurants, shops and AEON supermarket can be found there too. Interesting fact-this mall used to be Guangzhou’s airport until 2004!Hard to believe when you see just how small it is! Wanda Plaza is also not far and has plenty of things for kids.

Overall, this is a phenomenal place for the whole family! Just be prepared that once you walk in, you won’t walk out anytime soon…:)

What’s the best children’s park you’ve been to in Guangdong?