Students enjoy ice and snow at the Bird's Nest

More than 3,000 students from across Beijing enjoyed themselves on the first day of the annual Bird's Nest Happy Ice and Snow Carnival at the National Stadium, aka the Bird's Nest, which kicked off on Thursday and will last till Feb 16. It offers over 20 kinds of ice and snow-based recreational games, including ice slides, skiing and snowball fights. Admission is free for children and teenagers under the age of 17, to encourage more young people to participate in winter sports.