"Taipei Chapter": The Entire City Is Our Family Playground

In Taiwan today, green spaces have diminished while high-rises have multiplied, turning most children into urban kids. There’s no small stream in front of my house—just a busy road, and no hillside behind—just towering buildings. To find lush green lawns, you have to visit city-planned parks, or buy a few potted plants or seeds from a flower market and create your own little garden.

Luckily, during Xiao Yi’s elementary school years, Taiwan was still in the early stages of its economic takeoff. The drainage ditch beside our elementary school wasn’t covered, and during the ten-minute breaks between classes, we’d call out to each other. A bunch of little rascals would shout, “Let’s go catch shrimp!” and dip our hands into the ditch—sometimes actually scooping up tiny creatures. The memory is so distant now that I’ve forgotten whether it was shrimp or something else. But back then, the drainage ditches seemed pretty clean, and those ten-minute breaks were full of fun. We’d crawl through the grass on the playground to catch grasshoppers or watch swarms of red dragonflies dancing overhead, making the otherwise dull time spent listening to the principal’s speeches on the field much more enjoyable.

Back then, when I saw a red dragonfly, all I could think of was my then-idol group, Little Tigers (because they had a song called “Red Dragonfly”). A few little girls would gather around to admire a precious newspaper clipping brought from home by one of them, featuring photos of the Little Tigers. The silliest part? One day, a good friend said she had something mysterious to tell me and handed me a tiny slip of paper with a phone number on it. She emphasized that it was the phone number of “Well-Behaved Tiger”—it felt like discovering treasure! For a long time afterward, Xiao Yi kept that slip of paper by the phone, agonizing over whether to call or not. In the end, shyness got the better of her, and nothing came of it. Thinking back, those really were happy memories—catching shrimp, chasing grasshoppers, watching dragonflies—what a joyful childhood it was.

Nowadays, even though Da Ye may not have the kind of clean drainage ditches like his mom did as a child, we can still treat the city as our playground. Rather than handing over tablets or kids’ iPads too early, the most natural and traditional joys are right outside our door—even just stomping on leaves in Da’an Forest Park.

Or crouching with mom in Mengjia’s Peiliao Street, examining the little pebbles outside old houses, is also a wonderful thing to do. This article is to share some family-friendly attractions we’ve visited together—moms who are interested can check them out.

The Hidden Xinzhuang Public Childcare Center **Free, Reservation Recommended**

The Xinzhuang Public Childcare Center is very conveniently located. Take the Brown Line to Banqiao Station, walk toward the back entrance of Banqiao Dayeh Department Store, and you’ll reach it in about five minutes. The building has a clear sign, making it very easy to find.

Check Out Planes Too at Zhongshan Parent-Child Center **Free, Reservation Recommended**

Zhongshan Parent-Child Center is very accessible, located at Yuanshan MRT Station. Exit at Exit 1 and walk about three minutes to arrive. Its convenient location is a thoughtful arrangement for moms traveling alone with their kids.

Additionally, besides Zhongshan Parent-Child Center, kids can also run around in the Flower Expo Garden, where planes often roar overhead. Every time the little guy sees a plane fly by, he gets so excited.

Truly Luxurious Beitou Parent-Child Center **Free, Reservation Recommended**

It doesn’t disappoint—Beitou Parent-Child Center is indeed as rumored: big, luxurious, and super fun. It’s also very convenient to get to—just a three-minute walk from Beitou MRT Station, making it very mom-friendly.

Beitou is a great place for a light trip with little ones. For an active child like Da Ye, in addition to the Parent-Child Center, it’s highly recommended to also plan a walking tour of Beitou’s hot spring town (see attraction references here). Alternatively, you can do a stroller-friendly mini-trip—nature spots accessible by MRT are highly recommended.

Zhonghe Nanshi Corner Public Childcare **Free, Reservation Recommended**

Zhonghe Nanshi Corner Public Childcare is located on the second floor of the Southern Star Building, near Exit 1 of Nanshi Corner Station. Take the MRT to Nanshi Corner Station and you can walk there in under five minutes—it’s very accessible. Actually, Nanshi Corner Childcare has quite a variety of teaching tools, but when I visited in 2013, they were all locked up, which was a bit disappointing. You need to borrow them from the staff, but the hassle of getting a key and unlocking them makes it feel like a chore.

The Wan Hua Parent-Child Center with an Outdoor Racetrack **Free, Reservation Recommended**

If it weren’t for the fact that it’s still a bit of a distance from the MRT station, the Wan Hua Parent-Child Center would rank second in Xiao Yi’s heart (the first is Beitou Parent-Child Center in Taipei’s hot spring town—you can also plan a one-day trip to Beitou while you’re there).

The biggest highlight of Wan Hua Parent-Child Center is probably the small outdoor racetrack. Every little kid’s eyes light up when they see the cars, and they rush forward eagerly. On a not-too-hot day with a bit of a breeze, the outdoor racetrack is perfect for family outings.

Heritage Tour – Banqiao Lin Family Garden **Currently No Admission Fee**

The formal name of Banqiao Lin Family Garden is “Lin Benyuan Garden Mansion.” It took forty years to build the estate, costing approximately 500,000 silver taels. For comparison, the construction of Taipei City in the 10th year of the Guangxu Emperor (1884 AD) cost about 200,000 silver taels. This shows how luxurious and grand the Lin Family Garden is—it even surpasses Taipei City. Many people think the owner of Banqiao Lin Family Garden was Lin Benyuan, but actually, Lin Benyuan isn’t a person’s name—it’s a business name. The vast garden is great for taking little ones for a stroll, and if you have time, you can also join a guided tour.

Heritage Tour – Mengjia Peiliao Street **No Admission Fee**

For heritage buffs, it’s highly recommended to bring your kids to Peiliao Street. Besides walking along the Qing Dynasty-era main street, there are also exhibits suitable for children.

What made it famous was probably the movie “Mengjia.” The portrayal of male bravado in the film brought an alternative kind of romance to Mengjia. Beyond the movie, we also began to view this city—and its stories—through the lens of that romanticism. According to land deed records from Mengjia, the area of Fupi Liao Street (Note 1) already had records of shop transactions in the 4th year of the Jiaqing Emperor’s reign (1799 AD), so it’s estimated that the Peiliao settlement had already formed in the early Qing Dynasty. In other words, Da Ye is walking on genuine streets with over 200 years of history from the Qing Dynasty.

Heritage Tour – The Land Bank Museum with Big Dinosaurs and Old Vaults **Admission Required**

(One ticket for 20 TWD grants access to both the Land Bank Museum and the National Taiwan Museum, which are right across from each other.)

If you have a little one who loves dinosaurs, then the Land Bank Exhibition Hall is highly recommended. Besides the awe-inspiring experience of the giant vault, another great reason to plan a family visit is the museum’s “Epic of Life” permanent exhibition, which showcases the evolution of life on Earth—from the era of trilobites to the rise of humans and their impact on nature. Evolution unfolds like an epic, presented vividly through specimens and timelines.

Heritage Tour – The Grand National Taiwan Museum **Admission Required**

When the city is our playground, we don’t always have to head to indoor amusement parks or family restaurants. As long as you choose exhibitions suitable for children, museums can be a fantastic family destination.

It’s sure to be a wonderful parent-child experience. The National Taiwan Museum is also a place that Aixiaoyi often takes Dayi to. Along with the Bank of Taiwan Exhibition Hall, they belong to the same museum system (the other being the Nangang Factory), so one ticket grants access to both venues!

For example, the plant exhibition that just ended not long ago was very suitable for toddlers.

Heritage Tour – National Taiwan Museum Nangang Factory **Admission Required**

Centered around the National Taiwan Museum near Taipei Main Station’s NTU Hospital Station, this route connects historical buildings in Taipei City and has been developed into public spaces suitable for families and citizens. The “National Taiwan Museum Nangang Park” is the third venue in the National Taiwan Museum system (with the Bank of Taiwan Exhibition Hall and the National Taiwan Museum being the first and second venues). The park was formerly the Taipei Nangang Factory during the Japanese era, established in 1899, and was previously used for opium production.

The “Nangang Fairy Tale – The Sleeping King of the Old Camphor Tree” children’s exploration room inside the administration building is unfortunately only open to children aged 3 and above, so at the time we could only sadly take photos from the outside.

Taipei Fine Arts Museum Children’s Art Center

Although many people are hesitant to take their children to art museums, Aixiaoyi still believes that you have to try things to know. Moreover, life experiences and exposure are also a form of learning for little ones. The first time I took Dayi to the TFAM, he was 1 year and 5 months old. Sure enough, during the exhibition, the little guy kept wanting to be carried by mom. Viewing the whole exhibition was a bit tiring, but it’s okay—many things require accumulated experience, whether for kids or for us.

When he was 2 years and 8 months old, we went to the TFAM again, but this time the Children’s Art Center had just opened. If you want to bring young children to an art museum, you might consider the TFAM’s Children’s Art Center.

Five-star fun at the Suho Children’s Art Museum **Admission Required**

Located near the Qixian Building in Tianmu, the Suho Children’s Art Museum is hidden in a building within an alleyway, and if you’re not paying close attention, it’s easy to miss.

Currently, admission is ticketed: general admission is 150 TWD, and children aged 2 and above are also charged 150 TWD. Indoors, there are mainly children’s art exhibitions and interactive aesthetic play areas. Although the price isn’t cheap, overall, I personally still think it’s worth it.

Small but exquisite Museum of Contemporary Art **Admission Required**

The Museum of Contemporary Art, accessible via Taipei Main Station’s Zhongshan Station, is relatively convenient in terms of transportation and is also one of Aixiaoyi’s personally favorite art museums. Though small, it’s very refined and perfect for moms who want to introduce their children to exhibitions or art—it’s a great addition to your must-visit list.

The Museum of Contemporary Art often collaborates with artists to create installation art. For example, Gary Baseman’s solo exhibition in the summer of 2014 featured the adorable Toby, which became a beautiful part of the urban scenery.

Our 2-year-and-10-month-old little guy had already started seriously looking at exhibits that interested him and would even make up his own stories while viewing them.

The recently ongoing “Fairy Tale Metamorphosis” exhibition (displayed until 11/30) is also a very fun theme, especially the Mirror Forest, which is an unforgettable fantasy. However, if you have little ones who are afraid of large stuffed toys, this exhibition might not be recommended.

A must-visit for plane-loving little ones: Songshan Airport Observation Deck **Free Admission**

The reason the Songshan Airport Observation Deck is great for family trips is primarily because of its very convenient transportation. Take the Wenhu Line to Songshan Airport Station and exit from Exit 2. The outdoor observation deck space is very spacious and perfect for letting little ones run around. Aside from the charm of watching planes (which some may not understand), it’s truly a great spot for a half-day family outing!

Da’an Forest Park

Honestly, Da’an Forest Park is indeed a very well-planned urban park. Especially after the opening of the Da’an Forest Park MRT Station, it’s even more suitable for taking the MRT to stroll with little ones.

Especially on a winter’s warm sunny day, going for a walk, watching pigeons and squirrels—the accessible nature in the city is not hard to find!

Run, run, run at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and National Father Memorial Hall

If you don’t know where to go, but really want to tire out little ones, and don’t necessarily need to spend money on an amusement park, just buy an MRT ticket and head to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall or the National Father Memorial Hall. Their plazas are definitely big, wide, and perfect for running!

Of course, the city occasionally also hosts interesting exhibitions. For example, the “Jimi Moon Bus” parked next to Taipei 101—the Jimi Moon Bus.

There was also the “Frozen” exhibition that came to Taiwan with the Frozen craze. It’s currently free to visit, located on the 9th floor of the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Nishi Branch main store. However, the weekday lines can be quite impressive, so we just took photos at the entrance and left. After all, our little guy isn’t really a princess fan (laughs)!

The city is our playground. Occasionally, you can also switch to taking the train to get around. For little ones, the happiest thing in the world is to play—play non-stop—and exploring the city to discover many interesting things is also one way to experience and have fun!

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