If you've got kids somewhere in between a summer school program and proper school opening up in the fall, here's a bunch of events you can check out if you're looking for a little fun for the whole family. Quite a lot of variety for kids of all ages and interests.

Coming in August

Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, is up to no small amount of trickery: He's stolen the holy peach from the Peach Garden as well as all the wine. He's also eaten Lao Jun's elixir and fled back to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit.  Now, the Jade Emperor has sent 1000 heaven soldiers to catch Sun back. The Children's Theater version of this classic Chinese folk tale features a Kun Opera rendition of the telling, with traditional makeup and costumes. Kids in the lobby can also pose for photos with their own makeup and Monkey King costumes. Show time on 10:30am and 2:30pm on August 5 and August 6, with a ticket price of 180rmb.

Also known as, 'Farting Elephant Plays Tuba' -- hey, it's for kids! -- 'Der Elefantenpups' is a child-friendly audiovisual symphonic concert, blending story and music. Based on a German picture book by Heidi Leenen with music by Christian Klaessen, it follows a friendly animal keeper, his elephant and his zoo friends as they explore the world of musical instruments and genres, like jazz, blues, and more. The book was commissioned by Schott Music as a clever way of introducing children to the characteristics of various instruments both working solo and in concert, with musical accompaniment and sound effects provided by a 19-musician orchestra. Good for children above age 2. Please note that children and adults tickets are the same price.

A 100% interactive musical experience where the audience is the show. Canadian performance troupe "Samajam" performs a show for families, creating musical happenings with the help of their young audiences. After a successful tour last year, they're back in China and sweeping their audience through the culture and music of South America. Lively show leaders on stage will teach the audience basic music theory and lead parents and kids in percussive group performances with instruments provided. Tickets are 180rmb-380rmb. Two shows on Sunday, August 13. 

"Billy the Kid" is an adventure story; a magical, musical comedy set in a colorful world of cowboys and bandits, cactus trees, and caballeros. Saddle up for a journey back in time, to a land where the bravest heroes are only a whip-crack away. Written by Ben Frost and Richard Hough, the brand new "Billy The Kid: The Musical" is one rootin’ tootin’ – all singin’ an’ all dancin’ – musical comedy with a lovable heart as wide as the Grand Canyon. Watch talented youngsters on stage for a theatrical entertainment experience for all the family. Shows are on August 17 and August 18 at 7:15pm. Tickets, 80rmb-480rmb.

As the name suggests, this one's a classical music concert just for kids, with a selection of bright and fun selections from Mozart, Strauss, and Liszt, as well as famous opera songs. Singers and pianists will join to bring this performance to kids and families at the Shangyin Opera House. The show will be on for 120 minutes (including a 10-minute intermission). Ticket price 180rmb at 280rmb. The performance is one night only on August 19 at 7:15pm. 

"Growl", an English-language children's musical created by the British National Youth Musical Company, will be performed by Serious Play, an international musical theatre troupe created by Shanghai Fresh Prime Limited and NYMT. This musical is the real story of the Big Bad Wolf. As the forest guardian, the big bad wolf silently protects a beautiful forest and the small animals living there. Suddenly one day, a clever lumberjack and his cronies decide to cut down the forest and build a new community. To beat the wolf, they spread doubt among the wolf's friends. The wolf and his woodland family will be pushed to the breaking point, and even the gentlest of creatures will learn that there are times when you just have to be Big and Bad. Purchase tickets on SmartTicket. Two nights of performances on August 23 and August 24, at 7:15pm.

On the last weekend of August, Theater YOUNG will host The French Cartoon Concert series, inviting international artists to present three works: ‘Not Afraid of the Wolf’, ‘The Little Mole’ and ‘In My Forest’, suitable for kids three and up. ‘Not Afraid of the Wolf’, and ‘The Little Mole’ are voiced with live music by French musicians while the classic animation is playing in the background. ‘In My Forest’ will also feature live improvisational projections by French visual artist Sherley Freudenreich. Three performances on August 25 and August 25, with tickets, 180rmb-380rmb.

Ongoing Events

Zotter Chocolate Theatre is in Shanghai and they are giving a complete chocolate tour including a 17-minute documentary titled "Hello, Cocoa." Your golden ticket to the chocolate factory is here and you don't need to tear through hundreds of chocolate bars to find it. Learn about the history of chocolate manufacturing, participate in a DIY chocolate session, and taste more than one hundred kinds of chocolate. Pre-sale tickets (6 years old and above) are at 258rmb, and the Two People Package (6 years old and above) is at 408rmb. Each pre-sale ticket holder can bring 1 free child below 6 years old. Note: Please make an appointment at least one day in advance.    

Based on Jules Verne's classic ‘Around the World in 80 Days’, the British Library provides hundreds of digitized reproductions of exhibits on display at the Shanghai Library East Branch. There are 24 themed exhibition halls featuring different cultures from France to Egypt, Italy to India. Family-friendly for sure, but weekdays will definitely be less crowded than weekends. You can purchase a ticket with a ‘passport’ to collect stamps from different sections, if you and your kids have Chinese language equipped, you can also book a tour guide! In addition, it’s a good chance to check out this branch of Shanghai Library in Pudong, as the new building is now one of the largest libraries in the world.

Temple of Light - the immersive digital art exhibition on the Bund - continues its Shanghai presence with a new theme show focused on Chinese Shadow Puppetry. The exhibition uses a projection area of ​​more than 1,500 square meters, a 360-degree immersive light and shadow art ‘stage’, and 3,000+ collections of shadow puppetry to reproduce the Chinese aesthetic in a modern way. From Aug 19 to Nov 30. The early bird offer ends on Aug 18.

The second season of multimedia spectacular "Era – Intersection of Time" will have a preview performance on June 19. It will officially debut on July 31 at Shanghai Circus World. The show, "Era 2 – Spirit of Shanghai," will feature a completely new storyline and scenes. The first season had a 15-year run since its debut on September 27, 2005 and attracted more than 5 million viewers from home and abroad, with 600 million yuan (US0,000) worth of tickets sold. 'Era' to return with new show for a new seasonTi Gong "Era 2 – Spirit of Shanghai" will open at Shanghai Circus World on July 31. The second season will be a blend of traditional Chinese acrobatics, Western theater and avant-garde technologies. Extreme sports and improvisational comedy and dance are included in the new show. It is a romantic tale of a boy who is looking for the girl he fell in love with at first sight in the city. On his journey, he discovers the charm of the city and his true self. French director Alain Pacherie said the it was inspired by many places in Shanghai, including its buildings, parks and squares.