by on 16/05/2018 527 2804
Career aspirations of children in today’s tech-savvy world have expanded into occupations we have never once imagined in our wildest dreams. However, some things never change. Many children still express interest in becoming teachers, doctors, pilots, firefighters and police officers.
This is where KidZania comes in to play. The interactive educational theme park is where childhood dreams meet adult reality. Children aged 4 to 14 no longer have to anticipate the physical aspects of their dream job. The experience combines logical thinking and social-emotional growth through realistic role-play. Children get to channel their inner passions and interests, sparking excitement about their professional future.
For nursery field trips, there is a dedicated area named “Urbano’s House” catering to toddlers below the age of 4. This section can house up to thirty toddlers at a time and will be supervised by 2 Zupervisors. Toddlers may participate in activities allocated in selected establishments. The ratio of complimentary tickets for teachers of kindergartens and nurseries is 1:5.
Upon arrival, children land at the Airport of KidZania. This leads to an 80,000 square feet space comprising realistic replica of a city proportionate to their size. The space features more than 60 establishments, i.e. role-play locations, which fall under several categories, including Food and Beverage, Arts and Culture, Retail, Media, Sports, Public and Private Services, and Construction. Children can try their hands at over 100 exciting activities. They can participate in a surgical procedure to remove a tumour, try out different roles in a television production set, take part in a legal proceeding and build a robot amongst others. Most activities are expected to last between 15 to 30 minutes, allowing children to cover up to ten activities on a weekday.
Rest assured that KidZania adheres to a strict hygiene policy and all uniforms, wigs and props are cleaned on a regular basis. Though several stringent security measures are in place at the establishment, it is the teacher’s responsibility to monitor the children at all times.
As a certified co-curricular partner of the Ministry of Education Malaysia, KidZania strives to provide a forward looking fun and educational experience. The setting is used to great advantage to impart a love of learning through collaborative learning and teaching modules created for both teachers and students. Knowledge and the social context of role-play are at the forefront of the establishment, as is literacy. Children get to build vocabulary through their experiences here. Another focus is on the facilitation of money management through employment, acquisition of goods and services, savings and other financial aspects of earning a living. The whole experience seeks to build confidence and create independent individuals. It is augmented by a dedication to the development of children’s psychomotor, cognitive, emotional and social skills.
KidZania is the very definition of experiential learning. For preschools and kindergartens intending to challenge young children to reach their fullest potentials, do check out their Future Leader Program. Through this program, children get to rate their experience, while teachers evaluate the children’s performance. Feedback on the level of attention, interest and participation are recorded as a guideline to help identify children’s interests and determine their future career potentials.
The city is very consciously built to address the young population preparing them for success in the future. The whole concept adopts an international gaze, looking well beyond the roles enacted. It teaches children the value of equality, respect, empathy and ethical behavior, all with a strong attention to growing an awareness towards good global citizenship.
