Place for jobs and play

Open your mouth: The children listen attentively as they are told about the importance of dental hygiene.

CHILDREN in fire-fighting uniforms rushed to put out a fire, little pilots learnt to fly a plane, kids were learning to drive, and none of them were past their eighteenth birthday.

This can only happen in the perfect world ruled by a government of children known as Kidzania, an ‘edu-tainment’ theme park.

Housed in the Curve NX shopping centre, the entrance emulates an international airport’s arrival hall, giving the effect of crossing borders into this child-sized metropolis.

Upon entry, visitors are tagged with a security bracelet and offered a KidZanian currency cheque of 50 Kidzos to help them get started with their new play-lives.

“At KidZania, we say ‘Ki’ and ‘Zenk you’ instead of ‘Hi’ and ‘Thank you’ to add to the unique culture here,” said KidZania Kuala Lumpur General Manager Susanah Abdul Rani.

There are 60 establishments offering over 90 activities, each a small-scale example of the sponsor’s business operations; allowing for a child to participate as an employee or customer.

A child can choose to be a chef, police officer, firefighter, surgeon, photographer, courier, lawyer, pilot, actor, newscaster, artist, nurse and even a tax officer.

“Most children will they want to be a doctor or a pilot but there was a child who surprised me by saying she wanted to work at Kidzania when she was older.

“I think that just shows how much they form independent and critical-thinking skills through the activities.

Susanah said that children not only received instructional learning, but also applied their own instinctive learning.

“When they put on a uniform, it gives them a sense of responsibility and empowerment.

Kenneth Phun, an n expert in childhood psychology, said that the activities at Kidzania were designed for kids to practice independent decision-making, without parental pressure.

“Parents play an important role, having a big influence on their child’s ‘formation’ of ambition.

“As they grow up however, young minds will go through something called ‘psychological moratorium’, where the individual makes mistakes, trying out different social roles to understand their own identity.

“Parents should not instil the fear of making mistakes in kids as it is integral to the formation their character in adolescence,” he said.

Susanah made a point by saying that the delivery courier is consistently the top five of jobs most applied for, as children quickly figure out it is the fastest and most fun way to earn their money.

“This is an activity that children really love, so we have to rethink our expectations of them, and look at what kids actually enjoy doing.

“This also helps reduce long hours that children spend staring at screens and playing games, which parents sometimes use as a distraction to keep their children from misbehaving,” she added.

KidZania believes that the next generation should break away from gender stereotypes.

“We try to use gender-neutral terms like firefighters instead of firemen, or ‘flight-attendants’ and ‘police officers’ instead of ‘air stewardess’ or ‘policemen’, so that both girls and boys can try what they want without stigma,” said branding and group communications associate Fiona Ng.

Find out more at www.kidzania.com.my/