Where to go in Hong Kong?

 Ocean Park

 The bargain here is that you can buy an Adult's annual pas for $495 (all prices in Hong Kong dollars), or $375 if you can give up Sundays and public Holidays. Under-three's get in free, so it's an inexpensive place to visit on a regular basis.

Victoria Park If we're in TST or Causeway Bay, we try and go to the playgrounds in Kowloon Park or Victoria Park respectively. The equipment is similar to that in an ordinary public park, but there's a lot more of it, and some more fancy stuff to play on

 The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens). As the name suggests, it's got monkeys and Orang Utangs to see, lots of pretty birds (currently off limits due to the Avian flu scare), an open area to play with other kids by the fountains, and a playground right at the top by Robinson Road.

Swimming pools. If your children like swimming, they have plenty of choice here. In the cooler weather we go to the Kowloon park indoor pool, as it is nice and bright - but can be a bit chilly. There's also the Morrison Hill pool in Wanchai, but I've always found it a bit crowded and a little bit grubby, so it's definitely the backup choice. Or you can pay $100 to be a member at the South China Athletic Asociation (SCAA) in Caroline Hill (near Causeway Bay), and they have a clean, warm children's pool.

In the Summer your options expand, as the outdoor pools open. You'll probably want to go in the late afternoon to avoid the strongest sun, or in mid-Summer it can be nice to go for a cooling splash in the evening when it is dark, as the outdoor pools are floodlit and stay open until 10pm.

Beaches. Living in such a crowded place has its benefits - you're never far away from the countryside or the beaches. We're currently going to Deep Water Bay and Chung Hom Kok on HK Island most often as they are easy to reach on public transport. There are lots more good beaches.

What about when it is too hot / cold / rainy to play outside?

A favourite is the Toy Library on the second floor of Central Library (which confusingly is in Causeway Bay and not Central). There are areas where you can play house, doctor, etc, and you can also request games from their catalogue. As you can gues, it is very popular so you'll need to book in advance - there is one sesion per hour.

Libraries. On the same floor of the Central library is the Children's section of the library, with a large selection of English-language books. Have you ever visited your local library? The selection of English-language books for adults can be disappointing, but there are usually plenty of English-language books for children and a pleasant area to sit and read them.

Science Museum. This is the most recent addition to our list of places to visit. There are buttons to pres, animals to see, bubbles to blow, etc. The annual pas is another bargain, at $200 for a family of four, and giving you acces to all of Hong Kong's museums plus a 10% discount on the cost of an Ocean Park annual pas!