Let Your Children Have A Taste Of Adulthood With A “Kid-Sized City” Coming To Manila
3 min readAdmit it. Nobody is ever prepared to enter adulthood. You have to take care of a lot of things like finding the right job, paying bills, and other grownup things that no one prepared us to do in the first place. But what if you can break the cycle and let your kids experience what it’s like to be an adult? Fortunately, there is now a place where kids can learn the ins and outs of adult life: KidZania.
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Through the eyes of the children
KidZania is an edutainment center designed for kids to have a glimpse of the adult world through role-playing. In this place, they will get the chance to mimic roles that are traditionally for adults. They work “jobs”, get paid for it, and use their hard-earned money to shop or pay for services.
Currently operating in 19 cities all over the world, KidZania is the brainchild of Xavier López Ancona, a Mexican entrepreneur who envisioned a place where kids can assume adult roles with free spirit, enthusiasm, and childlike wonder. The adult town simulator will allow children to imagine themselves as responsible adults, unmarred by the craziness of being a grownup.
Starting this year, Filipino children will finally get the chance to experience KidZania as the entertainment franchise is expanding to Manila this year. Situated right in the heart of Bonifacio Global City, it is perfectly snugged in the middle of one of the busiest districts in the metro.
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A kid-sized city in the middle of grownup town
To make the role-playing experience more believable, KidZania Manila has been designed to look like a large town, yet scaled down to make it easier for kids to navigate. They will find everything a real town has to offer, making education and entertainment more dynamic and immersive.
Upon each entry, each kid will be given 50 kidZos – the only currency accepted at KidZania. They will learn how to handle money wisely and appreciate its value when they start to participate in the activities and enter the town proper. To earn kidZos, the children must find the jobs they want to do.
Since KidZania is a microcosm of adult life, there are real jobs there from real industries. Kids can assume different jobs such as a craftsman, firefighter, fast-food crew, paramedic, news writer, and many more. Upon completion of their tasks, they either have the option to save their hard earned money or frivolously spend it in town.
While there is no real-world reward for putting money in the bank, the fact that kids are able (to) and highly encouraged to save money, it can have a lasting impact in their lives. This kind of experiential learning is something they can always look back to in the future or better yet, carry on to adulthood. -
More than just child’s play
While KidZania is just a scaled down model of the adult life presented to kids, the experience it offers is a unique glimpse of what it’s like to be an adult in a lushly detailed landscape. The kids these days maybe familiar with the roles played by adults in their lives, yet they are greatly distanced from the struggle of reality and not given the chance to learn about them.
This is where the whole experience comes in: a chance to relish the adult life. Through this immersive role-play, they will be opened to responsibilities and one day, become responsible adults themselves.
KidZania Manila will open its doors to the public on August 7. It is located at Park Triangle, North 11th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City.