KidZania Manila empowers kids through fun learning
Last Tuesday, I was at Sofitel Manila to attend the Bulong Pulugan (media event) of KidZania Manila. When I received the invitation from one of my favorite PR (Stratworks), I can’t contain my excitement, I am really excited about this new edu-tainment facility in town. Here is my first article about it (check here). From then on, I wanted to know first hand it’s development and other details about it. This is one of the perks of being a blogger, you get to know first what’s new in the market.
This is me, with co-mommy blogger Glaiza of Moomy Musings (thank you for the picture).
Okay okay back to KidZania hehe….
Dr. Maricar Gustilo-de Ocampo, and Ms. Maricel Pangilinan-Arenas, president and CEO of Play Innovations Inc., (the local franchise owner of KidZania Manila) were the ones who introduced us to KidZania Manila and answered the questions of the media.
ABOUT KIDZANIA MANILA
KidZania Manila will feature over 100 different role playing activities. KidZania will be open to all children ages 3-14 years old. The park is locally franchised by Play Innovations Inc., an ABS-CBN subsidiary. It is a place where children can explore their interests, gifts and talents and learn through fun role-play.
“Here, children are given the opportunity to try out, pretend and create different roles and characters, so that when they become adults, they will have a better idea about what they want to be when they grow up”, according to child education expert and professor Maricar Gustillo-de Ocampo, Ph.D.
KidZania incorporates real-world brands into establishments, partnering with businesses to bring to life a child-proportioned metropolis that pays incredible attention to detail-from paved, roads, storefronts, buses and cars-to provide children with an authentic, interactive, immersive and memorable experience. By doing so, KidZania uses this play community to inspire kids to aspire and believe that through their creativity, participation and collaboration, a better community-a better world- is possible.
I have recently read an article about Candy Pangilinan and her son with special needs, I was about to ask the question if KidZania will cater to kids with special learning needs, when Ms. Maricel Pangilinan-Arsenas mentioned that KidZania will open its door to ALL KIDS. So, my next question was are their staff trained to handle kids with special needs? Her answer was, their staff is globally trained, the only thing that could make a person unable to handle kids with special needs is when they are not aware of their unique needs. If the staff are well informed and empowered then there will be no problems in accommodating kids with special needs.
Ms. Arenas, also mentioned that their plane-DC-9 airplane fuselage, recently arrived last month. The arrival of the airplane marks a key milestone in the development of the P1-billion interactive kid-sized play city, over 8,000-sqm of indoor play space in the heart of BGC, close to the international schools zone of the community. Little tykes can work as pilots and learn how to fly their passengers from the Philippines to KidZania using state-of-the-art flight simulators. (via: www.philstar.com)
Parents are not allowed to go inside the premises. Don’t worry about the security though, because each kid will be given a bracelet (and the parents/guardian too). The kids will not be allowed to go out if the parents don’t have the bracelet that matches with the one the kid/s is wearing.
Most of the activities lasts between 15-25 minutes and the kids can complete about 7-8 activities per visit.
I can’t wait for KidZania Manila to open. As I write this, Ren is here besides me reading what I type hahaha. He keeps on asking me to go to KidZania, and I keep on explaining that it is not open yet (kakaloka).
BTW, they did not mentioned the exact price yet since as of now, they are still on the process of costing it. As I have mentioned in my recent post I think it will be around P500-P700 with discounts for Public students and Teachers as per Ms. Arenas.
For more information about KidZania, visit them at manila.kidzania.com/en-us
ang ganda naman po jan
Really the best for kids; 7 activities to engage with during the course.
This is another education yet fun place to visit. I’m sure my son will enjoy the activities. It’s very important for a developing toddler this kind of interactive games.
What a way for kids to learn and prepare them? Same here, waiting for KidZania Manila to open. Hoping that price will be practical!
looks like a fun way of learning for kids,I like the idea.
I think learning opportunities like Kidzania can really help kids be more creative.
wow.. this is a good project for the kids bec as for me, I dont have much extra curricular when I was young that made me to get confuse with what course Id be taking in college. this kidzania will help kids to make their passion a career. or just to discover his talent.
I think the price to pay will be very worth the experience, fun and learning the kids would gain. 🙂
Hope they can open soon. This is a great place to bond with kids and aside from the fact that it’s a fun place for kids, it’s educational too. Can’t wait for them to open here.
Are kids at heart allowed to go inside too? Not to try the activities well because its for kids but to look around picture taking hahaha.Im so excited for my nephew.
They’ve mentioned that adults are not allowed inside, that is a nice question pano nga yung gusto mag picture. SIge I will ask them that if they will have another presscon 🙂