KIDZANIA Kuala Lumpur: HELPING KIDS BUILD A BETTER WORLD

Declaration of Independence

We, the kids of the World’s
cities, countries and continents
proclaim our independence
from adults.

We hereby hold the following truths
to be obvious, that all kids are
created equal, and that we are
endowed with certain irrevocable
rights to be, know, care and play in
the pursuit of our happiness
of the world.

We therefore make known our
joining together as one force, as one
spirit and with one vision in the
development of a better world where
education and experimentation will
lay the foundation of our readiness
to inherit the world.

Unified in our purpose we thereby
declare ourselves now and forever
independent.

Get  Ready for a Better World!

——————-

When I was a child, I loved pretending to be a teacher. It even came to the point where my mother bought me a small black board and a box of chalk. I would write on the board and pretend I had students listening to me. Whenever any of the household help was free, I’d ask them to sit and listen. I am now a lawyer and even though I was not able to realize my dream of becoming a teacher, I still hope that in the future, I would become one.

Role-playing was a big part of my childhood, even when playing with other kids. I used to play “plato-plato” with my friends and we would pretend to cook food and serve each other meals. Pretending to be an adult as a child was fun.

Having a chance to visit KidZania in Kuala Lumpur made me want to be a child so badly again because it is every child’s dream come true – a world of role-playing and make-believe.

When I was told by my friend, Miss Zuhairah Abas of Tourism Malaysia, that I would be visiting KidZania, I asked her right away what it was. She just told me that it was for children, and that she hasn’t been there herself yet. I researched about KidZania on the net and somehow got an inkling of what the place held in store for us, but I was not prepared for how fantastic the place was. And how realistic.

We were met at the front by Miss Waikuan Wong, Vice President for Branding and Group Communications of Themed Attractions and Resorts Sdn Bhd. She was such a gracious host, accompanying us around the whole place and providing detailed descriptions of the kid-sized city.

The first thing you see when you enter the building is the arrival area, which pretty much looks like the arrival area at airports. Even at this early a point, children are already made to act like adults as they wait for their turn at the arrival area. I believe this is a good exercise for teaching kids patience, because most children are not used to waiting in line. I know I couldn’t wait when I was a kid whenever we’d go to theme parks.

The entrance fees to KidZania are as follows:

Toddler                         MYR 35 or approximately PHP 470;

Child                             MYR 75 or approximately  PHP1,005;

Adult                             MYR 50 or approximately PHP 670; and

Senior Citizen              MYR 30 or approximately PHP 403.

Reasonable rates, right? Besides, KidZania is worth it.

The kids have to wait in line for their adventure to begin. When it’s their turn, they are given a boarding pass, a map to the city and a check worth fifty (50) kidZos, the official currency of KidZania.

Afterwards, they can then go inside KidZania and start their adventure!

I was amazed when I stepped inside KidZania. It is a world by itself, a mini-city which is very appealing to the young AND the young at heart. We were told by Miss Waikuan Wong that KidZania is 80,000 square feet big and can house 1,500 people at any one time! Impressive indeed.

SNAPSHOTS OF VARIOUS AREAS OF KIDZANIA

At the center of KidZania is the fountain, on which the statement “Get Ready for a Better World” is carved into. This statement caught my attention because it summarizes what KidZania does exactly – it allows children to act like adults, developing in them a strong sense of responsibility and more importantly, it allows them to dream of a good future for themselves.

THIS BOOK CONTAINS THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

The first stop for kids of course, would be the bank, where they can encash their checks. They are also given ATM cards which they can use on real ATM machines.

Seeing the kids at the bank made me think of my eldest child, Abdul Rashid, who is three years old now. He likes asking me for money to buy goodies at the sari-sari store and when I’d give him PHP 20 (approximately MYR 1.49), he’d refuse to take the bill and would demand instead for a one-peso coin, which amounts to only about MYR 0.07! He doesn’t understand the value of money yet, as he is still very young, but I do hope when he’s older, he’ll learn how to use money properly.

I think letting the kids do the banking themselves at KidZania really helps in instilling in them the need for proper money management. They can use their KidZos to buy products and to avail of services but once their money runs out, they have to earn more KidZos by working.

There are around 60 establishments in KidZania for which the kids can work, and there are 90 different professions and jobs which the kids can choose from. Yes, NINETY. Heaven for kids who love role-playing.

KIDS MAKING SUSHI

CHILDREN CREATING THEIR OWN BURGERS

JUNIOR POLICE INVESTIGATORS

AT THE STUDIO

My favorite establishment in the whole of KidZania is the television station. The kids who are part of the tv crew get to handle the video camera, and they can also be reporters and newscasters. They have screens in front of them just like real newscasters and they read news in front of the camera. Meanwhile, in the technical room, kids also get to handle real equipment. So cool!

CHILDREN WORKING AT THE GAS STATION AND THE MECHANIC SHOP

THE FIRE STATION

I also liked watching how the kiddie firefighters at the fire station worked. They rode on an actual fire truck and went around the city before arriving at the fire scene at the hotel. There were fire hoses at the scene and they all worked together to put out the “fire.” It took a couple of minutes for the “fire” to die down. I think this activity is instrumental in teaching kids just how dangerous fire is, and will help them become more conscious of fire hazards. Moreover, it also teaches kids that teamwork is essential in any endeavor.

In the photo above, children can be seen donning their courier uniforms. They have an actual route to follow and they have to ensure that the packages get delivered right where they’re supposed to be delivered. Surely, this will develop patience among children, as well as accuracy in performing a given task.

KidZania has its own hospital with top-of-the-line equipment and facilities. In the photo above, the children are in the operating room.

THE NURSERY ROOM AT THE HOSPITAL

At the ultrasound room, children get to see actual footage of internal organs, and they’re also allowed to handle real medical instruments.

AT THE DENTIST’S CLINIC

CHILDREN CAN CLIMB A SIX-METER HIGH WALL

YOUNG JEWELLERS CRAFTING THEIR OWN MASTERPIECES

A YOUNG LADY GETS HER FACE PAINTED ON

AT THE NEW STRAIT TIMES – THE PERFECT PLACE FOR KIDS WHO WANT TO BECOME JOURNALISTS AND NEWS WRITERS

In this photo, children try their hand at window washing. They are taken high up, to wash windows. I think this is also a good activity, because it instills respect among children for workers who have dangerous jobs, such as window washers.

KIDS AT A TRAVEL AGENCY

CHILDREN CAN WORK AS DISC JOCKEYS AND RADIO BROADCASTERS

KIDS CAN TAKE A BREATHER FROM WORK AND RELAX HERE

KIDZANIA HAS ITS OWN DISCO LOUNGE 

THE THEATER, WHERE KIDS ARE THE ACTORS AND ACTRESSES IN PLAYS

BACKSTAGE AREA OF THE THEATER. SO MANY COSTUMES!

It is in this area where the kids are made-up before their theater performance. There are also acting coaches, who prep the kids up before the play.

THE SUPREME COURT OF KIDZANIA

For a lawyer like me, it was fun watching the court proceeding because it looked exactly like what we experience in the courtroom. I couldn’t go inside though, as adults are not allowed inside the establishments, so I couldn’t actually hear what the kids were saying. I bet it was an interesting exercise for the kids.

AT THE SKYRIDER TRAINING AREA

In the Skyrider Training Area, children get to see an actual cockpit and they get to operate on some airplane equipment.

The kids look adorable in their pilot costumes, don’t you think? Here they are being given instructions by the Zupervisors (yes, it’s with a “Z”, as most words in KidZania start with the letter “Z”) in the training area.

This is the Air Asia aircraft cockpit at the training center.

You can see the body of the aircraft inside the building.

You can also see the aircraft from outside the building!

As you can see from these photos, KidZania also has establishments supported by well-known brands,emphasizing the international appeal of this indoor activity center for kids.

Although I don’t encourage bringing young kids to trips abroad because they might not remember most of the trip afterwards (case in point, I went to Singapore with my family when I was just six years old and now all I can remember is the taste of the chicken rice), you can still opt to bring your young ones and let them play at Urbano’s House, since they can’t be left alone at the various KidZania establishments just yet.

KidZania is open to everyone BUT only children aged 4 to 14 can go inside the various establishments. There are designated areas where parents and companions can hang out, though, like the Plaza Premium Lounge. In turn, kids are not allowed inside. I believe this rule is also helpful in developing independence and self-confidence among children.

Another incentive for children to “work” at KidZania is the department store, which only accepts KidZos. There are a LOT of cute items inside, and you can only buy them if you have KidZos. This is helpful in teaching kids to work and save up for the things they want.

The whole KidZania experience was a thrilling one for a parent like me. I, like most other parents, want my kids to have a bright future, In shaa Allah, which also means that I want them to make the right choice for themselves in terms of career and profession. KidZania is about that – about having choices, and having the capacity and ability to choose correctly. I can’t wait to bring my own kids to KidZania someday.

ZANK YOU, KidZania, for a wonderful trip! Thank you also to AIR ASIA Philippines for bringing us with them to wonderful Kuala Lumpur on their inaugural flight from the Philippines. Most importantly, thank you so much to TOURISM MALAYSIA for once again extending their warm and welcoming arms.

—————-

KidZania is open daily. On weekdays, they are open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Meanwhile, on weekends and during public and school holidays, they cater to two sessions, one from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and another from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

KidZania Kuala Lumpur is located at the Curve NX in Mutiara Damansara. They have special packages for big groups. For more information, you may visit their website at KidZania Kuala Lumpur.