Spotlight Theatre School
Spotlight is a performing arts school covering acting, singing, dance and public speaking, with programs ranging from introductory classes for younger kids to more structured performance training for teens.
The school runs weekly performing arts programs in Shanghai, with classes spanning acting, musical theatre, singing, dance and public speaking. There are options for different ages and levels, so this can mean a first taste of being on stage for younger kids or more serious training for students who have already caught the theatre bug. Spotlight also offers LAMDA training and examinations from age five, giving kids the option of working towards internationally recognized qualifications in performance and communication. Beyond its own studio, Spotlight works with more than 20 international and bilingual schools around Shanghai on extracurricular programs.
MCAA (Meraki Contemporary Art Academy)
MCAA is a contemporary art school for kids, with age-based programs covering painting, drawing, color, comics, 3D art and design. Older students can also work on more advanced projects and portfolios, while the youngest group starts with sensory, exploratory art.
The academy takes a broader approach than your standard after-school painting class. Its curriculum mixes practical art skills with design thinking, art history and project-based learning, with courses becoming more structured as kids get older. Ages 3–9 move through visual arts and 3D projects, while the 9–15 group can get into sketching, color theory, cartooning and comics, as well as portfolio work. There are also activities that get kids out of the classroom, including outdoor sketching, museum visits and workshops with artists. MCAA has been around in Shanghai since 2014, with its current Xuhui space on Wending Lu.
Tennisline
Tennisline runs structured kids' tennis programs for ages 4–12, with complete beginners welcome and all rackets and equipment provided. Classes combine technique with games, fitness and match play, so younger players aren't expected to spend an hour hitting forehands down an empty court.
Training follows an ITF-based curriculum, with sessions typically moving through warm-ups, footwork, fitness and agility exercises, drills and games before progressing to match play when kids are ready. There's a clear development pathway rather than a one-size-fits-all class, with individual progress reports along the way and opportunities to move into matches and tournaments at higher levels. Tennisline has an international team of qualified coaches, and its centrally located courts were freshly renovated in August 2026. For parents testing the waters, kids can start from age four and don't need to turn up with their own racket.
BodyLab Dance Center
BodyLab covers quite a bit of ground: ballet, hip-hop, jazz, contemporary and Latin dance, plus rhythmic gymnastics, with recreational and competitive programs for kids from 4 to 16. There are two locations in Pudong, on Zhangyang Lu and Yanggao Zhong Lu.
Founded in 2016, BodyLab runs classes for everyone from kids trying dance for the first time to students interested in more intensive training and competition. Dance options include hip-hop, ballet, jazz, contemporary and Latin, while its rhythmic gymnastics program combines dance with flexibility, strength and apparatus work. Students also get opportunities to take part in performances and competitions, and BodyLab works with international schools around Shanghai on additional programs and performances. There are two Pudong studios: one on Zhangyang Lu near Minsheng Lu and another on Yanggao Zhong Lu near Fangdian Lu.
Vera International Rhythmic Gymnastics Club
Vera is a dedicated rhythmic gymnastics club in Pudong, with training focused on flexibility, coordination, dance and the technical side of the sport. The club caters to young gymnasts and runs both regular training and more intensive workshops with international athletes and coaches.
Established in 2017, Vera is led by Kyrgyz rhythmic gymnast and coach Yana Nemolochinova. Training combines the athletic and performance sides of rhythmic gymnastics, working on flexibility, coordination, choreography and apparatus skills. The club also brings in high-level international gymnasts for specialist training: this August, for example, it is hosting a five-day masterclass with three-time World Championships bronze medalist and two-time Olympian Melitina Staniouta. Vera is based at Pudong Football Stadium on Jindian Lu.
Hong Wu Chinese Kung Fu Centre
Hong Wu has been teaching Chinese martial arts in Shanghai since 1996, with kids' classes starting from age four. Training covers the fundamentals of traditional kung fu while working on coordination, flexibility, strength and, naturally, learning how to throw a decent kick.
The school is run by Zhang Yi, who started training in kung fu at seven and went on to spend more than a decade at the Shanghai Sports Institute before becoming an instructor. Kids don't need that sort of résumé to get through the door: classes are open to beginners as well as more experienced students. The current schedule has a one-hour Friday class for ages 4–5, a 90-minute Saturday class for ages 6–8, and a Sunday class for ages 7 and up. Expect kicking, punching, blocking, stance work and other traditional martial arts training, with an emphasis on coordination, discipline and physical fitness along the way. Classes take place at Hong Wu's studio inside Tianzifang, a couple of minutes from Dapuqiao metro station.
OriTahitiShanghai
Something a little different from ballet class. OriTahitiShanghai teaches traditional and contemporary Tahitian dance, with an emphasis on rhythm, movement and the culture behind the dances, rather than simply learning choreography.
Founded by Kiana Mendoza, a California-trained dancer who has taught and performed internationally, OriTahitiShanghai focuses on two main forms of Tahitian dance. Ote'a is the faster, more athletic one, driven by percussion and plenty of hip movement; 'Aparima is slower and more expressive, using hand gestures and movement to tell a story. Classes combine dance technique with music, performance and an introduction to Polynesian culture — a fairly unusual after-school option in Shanghai, and certainly one that comes with more drumming than your average Tuesday afternoon.
Acorn Scouts
Acorn Scouts takes the American scouting model and adapts it for kids in Shanghai, with outdoor activities, practical skills, teamwork and plenty of opportunities to get away from screens. The program is conducted in English, with children grouped according to age, language ability and maturity.
Based out in Qingpu, Acorn Scouts is less about sitting in a classroom and more about learning by doing. Activities are built around outdoor education, problem-solving, teamwork and practical life skills, with camp-style routines designed to get kids working together and becoming a little more independent in the process. There's an English-immersion element throughout, but language learning happens through activities and projects rather than another afternoon of worksheets. For city kids who could use some mud, fresh air and time away from an iPad, this is the one.
Hankuk Taekwondo
Hankuk is a Korean-owned taekwondo academy with English-language classes starting from age three. Complete beginners are welcome, with younger kids starting with the basics of movement, focus and taekwondo before progressing into more technical training, sparring and higher-level skills.
The Shanghai school is led by Grandmaster Lee Seung Man, an 8th Dan black belt certified by Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo Headquarters, with more than 30 years of coaching experience. He usually teaches the classes himself. Kids are divided into a 3–6-year-old foundation program and a 6–16 program, with the younger classes kept to around five or six students per instructor. Beginners generally train for an hour once a week, moving up to twice-weekly training as they progress. There's also a free 30-minute one-on-one trial for newcomers, so kids can have a go before parents commit to a term. The Shanghai studio is in Fengshang International Square, opposite Shanghai American School in Minhang.
Studio Insight
Piano and guitar are here, obviously, but Studio Insight goes considerably wider: drums, bass, vocals, violin, saxophone, flute and ukulele, plus DJing and music production. Kids can learn one-on-one or in groups, with classes available in English, Chinese and Russian.
Studio Insight opened in 2018 and occupies a sizeable music space near Changshou Lu, with 23 rooms covering classrooms, rehearsal spaces and recording studios. Courses run from beginner through advanced, so kids can start from scratch or take things further with band classes, recording and more structured training. Studio Insight is also an official Rockschool partner, meaning students who want to work towards something concrete can prepare for internationally recognized graded music exams. For the kid who's less interested in football or ballet and more interested in making enough noise to concern the neighbors, there are plenty of options here.
***
Got an after-school program that should be on this list? Get in touch with us about getting it listed.
