Last Friday, Week 3 of our summer camp came to a joyful close. From pictographs to fan calligraphy, from the Nine-Bend Bridge to the Huangpu River—children from different countries spent one week exploring Shanghai through language and culture at Mandarin Inn. Parents told us: “My child couldn’t wait to come every morning, and came home so excited to share what they learned.” That, perhaps, is the best compliment we could ask for.
Mornings were for Chinese class. The children began with pictograph animations, learning 15 characters like sun, moon, water, fire, mountain, tree, and bird. They picked up clothing vocabulary, played shopkeeper and customer, and completed a full “buying and selling” role-play in Chinese. Learn it, then use it—that’s the secret to why our campers learn with joy and remember what they’ve learned.
Trying to draw the ancient character for “bird” – just like the ancients did.
Learning to write 15 ancient Chinese characters.
Pictograph characters – their very first Chinese artwork.
After learning clothing vocabulary, they designed their own clothing stores.
Presenting their shops to each other – all in Chinese.
Drawing their own money and lining up to shop at each other’s stores.
Afternoons were for cultural workshops and city exploration. In calligraphy class, the children started with brush grip and basic strokes, progressing from simple tracing to independently completing “福” (fortune) characters and fan paintings—every stroke a step forward. In paper-folding class, they folded shirts, pants, baskets, traditional boats, magnolias, and frogs—their little hands turning paper into lively creations. The highlight? They played the classic “Fortune Teller” game together, bursting with laughter, and ended with a frog-jumping competition to see whose frog could leap the farthest.
Learning the proper brush grip – the foundation of calligraphy.
Focused practice – stroke by stroke.
Their finished calligraphy pieces.
Fan paintings they designed and painted themselves.
Paper-folding: tiny shirts.
Gluing folded clothes onto cards and adding their own creative touches.
Paper-folding: boxes.
Paper-folding: magnolias.
Paper-folding: the classic “Fortune Teller” game.
Paper-folding: the classic “Fortune Teller” game – and lots of laughter!
Paper-folding: frogs – and a jumping competition!
On Thursday, we took the classroom to the city—a bus ride to Yu Garden, across the Nine-Bend Bridge, sitting quietly at Mid-Lake Pavilion to imagine the old days; then to the Bank of East Asia Museum, where they pretended to be bankers, played a money-counting game, and explored vintage vaults; and finally, a ferry ride across the Huangpu River. That day, the city was their classroom, and every step was a step of growth.
Checking in at the Nine-Bend Bridge, Yu Garden.
Sitting at Mid-Lake Pavilion – imagining what it was like for scholars of old.
Stepping into history at the Bank of East Asia Museum.
Pretended to be bankers from old Shanghai.
The money-counting game – who can grab the most?
Crossing the Huangpu River by ferry – wind in their hair, city in their eyes.
At Friday’s Showcase, the children stood in front of their parents and introduced a week’s worth of work in Chinese—pictograph calligraphy, fan paintings, and paper-folded creations. From being too shy to speak on Day 1 to presenting with confidence on Friday—in just five days.
Presenting their week’s work to parents – in Chinese
Presenting their week’s work to parents – in Chinese.
When certificates were handed out, the children’s smiles and their parents’ proud looks made it all worthwhile.
This Is Mandarin Inn Summer Camp—Happy Kids, Reassured Parents, Culture Shared Through Laughter.
At Mandarin Inn, language learning has never been confined to the classroom. We believe the best way to learn Chinese is to explore the city with your feet, experience culture with your hands, and make friends with your heart. Every word the children learn here is used in real life right away. That’s why they learn with joy, remember what they’ve learned, and want to speak.
Our summer camp continues. If you’d like your child to have a summer like this—welcome to Mandarin Inn, and let them draw their very own “My Shanghai Map.”(End)
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Mandarin Inn, More Than Just a Language School
Located in the scenic heart of Shanghai’s former French Concession, Mandarin Inn is housed in a historic villa, offering not only an ideal place for studying Mandarin but also a chance to experience Shanghai’s rich history and culture. As the home of the APM Public Library and recognized by Ecovadis for corporate social responsibility, Mandarin Inn carries a dual mission of education and cultural heritage.
