A kids’ guide to Shanghai

This article, A kids’ guide to Shanghai, is for native English speakers and learners of English as a second or foreign language. It can help children practise reading and comprehension, learn new vocabulary, and discover fun facts about Shanghai. Written by Sinead O’Carroll, a writer and EFL teacher since 2017.

An introduction to Shanghai

Shanghai is a huge city in eastern China. It sits on the coast, where the Yangtze River meets the East China Sea. It’s one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world, full of tall buildings, bright lights, and fast trains.

It’s not all noise and traffic though, Shanghai also has peaceful parks, riverside walks, and leafy streets where you can enjoy nature. People from all over the world come to Shanghai for business, food, shopping, and sightseeing.

Facts about the city

• Currency: Chinese yuan (¥)
  
• Language: Mandarin Chinese
  
• Flag: China’s flag is red with five yellow stars
  
• National animal: The giant panda (China’s national animal, though pandas live mostly in other parts of the country)

What is Shanghai famous for?

Shanghai is famous for its shiny skyscrapers, tasty dumplings, and its mix of modern and traditional culture. It’s home to one of the tallest buildings in the world, the Shanghai Tower, which rises 632 metres into the sky! It also has one of the fastest trains, the Shanghai Maglev, which can zoom along at 460 km/h.

The city isn’t only about tall buildings and high speeds. In some areas, you can still find the charm of old China, with stone bridges, peaceful temples, and tea houses where people go to relax and talk. This mix of modern and traditional makes Shanghai a very special place to visit.

Cool places to visit

• The Bund – A famous riverside walkway with amazing views of the city’s skyline. On one side are modern skyscrapers, and on the other are old European-style buildings. It’s a great place for a stroll or a boat ride.
  
• Shanghai Tower – One of the tallest buildings in the world! You can take a super-fast lift to the top and see the whole city from above.
  
• Yu Garden – A peaceful, traditional Chinese garden with ponds, rockeries, and dragon-decorated walls. You can explore small bridges, pavilions, and hidden corners.
  
• Shanghai Science and Technology Museum – A fun museum with hands-on exhibits, robots, and a special Earth and space area. Great for curious kids!
  
• Shanghai Disneyland – A magical theme park with rides, characters, and shows. It has the largest Disney castle in the world!

What’s on the menu?

Shanghai is known for its tasty dumplings, especially xiaolongbao – soup-filled dumplings you eat carefully so they don’t burst! These little parcels are soft, warm, and full of flavour.

For something sweet, try sweet red bean buns or glutinous rice balls, which are chewy and often filled with sweet sesame or peanut paste.

You might also see dishes like cong you bing – crispy scallion pancakes made with green onion. 

If you’re not familiar with Chinese food, some dishes may sound unusual at first, but they’re often delicious once you give them a try!

What do people wear?

Most people in Shanghai wear modern clothes like jeans, T-shirts, and jackets. However, during festivals, you might see people in traditional clothing, such as the qipao, a beautifully patterned dress often worn during Chinese New Year. Some performers and shopkeepers may also wear traditional outfits for special occasions.

Fun facts for kids about Shanghai

• Shanghai has more people than the whole of Australia!
  
• The city has one of the world’s fastest trains, the Maglev, which floats above the tracks using magnets!
  
• “Shanghai” means “upon the sea” in Chinese.
  
• Shanghai has more than 100,000 restaurants, so there’s always new food to try!

Article vocabulary list

• Skyscraper – A very tall building
• Dumpling – A small ball of dough filled with meat, vegetables, or soup
• Riverside – The land beside a river
• Traditional – Something from the past that is still done today
• Lift – What British people call an elevator
• Pavilion – A small building, often found in gardens or parks
• Maglev – A super-fast train that floats above the track using magnets
• Burst – To break open suddenly

Comprehension questions

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