During our time in Bangkok, we were very lucky to be invited to attend an amazing play facility called Kidzania. Kidzania is a purpose built miniature kids city which offers kids the chance to try a huge range of different adult jobs.

From the moment you arrive at Kidzania, the kids become the focus of the entire day. The entrance is set up exactly like the check in counter of an airport. All the staff are dressed like air stewards and the kids are issued with a wrist band and a boarding pass which is the ticket. They then have to pass through security before entering Kidzania. The kids are also issued with a cheque which they have to cash at the Kidzania bank where they are given Kidzo’s which is the currency at Kidzania. From the moment you step inside, parents have to take a backseat and let their children take the lead. Parents aren’t allowed inside any of the “shops”or “businesses”  and have to remain on the street and just watch the kids through the windows.

 

 

The object of the day is for children to earn more kidzos by doing different jobs in the city and they can then spend them on other activities and food. Most of the jobs have age limits with some being 8 and over only. Most of the jobs were suitable of all our kids to try.

At the start, our kids were so excited that they just ran around widly and couldn’t decide on which jobs to start with. Some of the jobs they eventually tried inclued….

Courier… getting dressed up as a courier in the depot, receiving a map and a trolley, you have to pick up 3 packages from different areas around Kidzania, get your clipboard signed off then return to the depot with your packages on time. You get paid 10 kidzos for completing the task.

Firemen…. You get trained to become part of the Kidzania Firefighters Squad, wearing a uniform  and jumping aboard a firetruck to race around the streets of Kidzania, to put out a raging inferno with real hoses and water. I can’t even tell you how much my boys enjoyed this activity. They got paid Kidzos but they would have done this a million times over for free!!!

Japanese Restaurant…. My 2 big kids paid 15 kidzos each to take a Japanese cooking class. They got dressed up like sushi chefs, went into a sushi bar and got taught how to make delicious crab and egg sushi. This activity took about 30 mins and they ended up with a beautiful sushi roll each which we then had for dinner that night. Yum Yum!!!

Police Station…. Another one that my boys loved!!!! Dressing up in uniform then racing around Kidzania with mug shots of the baddies. They had to  match up the mugshots with the correct face (each time it was a different staff member from anywhere around Kidzania) and arrest the baddies!!! It was heaps of fun to watch and the boys looked super cute all dressed up.

Culinary School…. Once again my big kids got involved with food prep and had to construct a breakfast cereal from a range of different ingredients. They both got a bag of it to take home which they ate the next morning.

Secret Agent…. Our little guy was just a bit short for this one but his big brother loved it. Our little 007 had to enter through a secret door then was lead into the underground world of Kidzania where he had to race through a series of obstacles and test his physical ability. We couldn’t see any of this except for on CCTV screens that were set up in the streets to monitor the underworld. It was so authentic and awesome to watch.

Convenience Food Store….. Two of the boys did the 7/11 shop together. One was the employee and had to do the cash register and the other was the shopper. They swapped over and had a turn at each.

Beauty Salon….. Mr 3 paid 5 kidzos to have his finger nails painted “hulk smash”green. He was very proud and showed us all his pretty fingers for the next 3 days.

Bottling Plant…. This was a big hit with all our crew. They have to work the production line and make their own bottle of Coke. Seeing the whole bottling process was a great learning tool. The bottle of Coke at the end was a big draw card as well!!!

Constuction Site…. The boys used building techniques and worked with large blocks and constuction equipment on a building site. They spent about 15 mins and earn some kidzos for their time.

Although we spent the entire afternoon at Kidzania, the kids only managed to get through about 1/3 of the jobs and activities on offer. Some of the jobs they were keen to try but ran out of time for include…

Photo Studio…. The kids are given real DSLR cameras and are given an assignment where they have to take photos of different things around the city. They can then print out their work at the photo lab.

The Stadium….. The boys really wanted to get involved in a game of soccer but being kiwi kids, they only had jandels on and this activity required covered in shoes as did the rock climbing wall. We will know for next time!!!

University…. Our big girl was very keen to go to university and gain a degree or masters which would then give her a higher earning salary around the city.

Doctor…. My youngest started this job but then freaked out when it was time to go in the ambulance so didn’t complete the job. He did however get dressed up in scrubs and learn basic first aid. The rest of the class boarded the ambulance and raced around the city before taking the patient into theater and preforming surgery. The patient (a giant teddy) flat lined during surgery but luckily his well trained little doctors could save his life.

With well over 60 different jobs and activities there really is something for everyone at Kidzania. From little aspiring firefighters to performing arts , stage acts, radio and TV, automotive and electronics and so much more.

Kidzania is by far one of our biggest highlights of our time in Bangkok. We really loved it. Although there is a parents room with free wifi and comfy seats, we loved following our children around the city and taking photos at every opportunity. The highlight from a parents point of view was seeing our children’s confidence and independence shine through. They had to decide on their own jobs and then follow through with the training and task if they wanted to gain more Kidzo dollars. We were super lucky as it was really quiet on the afternoon we visited so the kids didn’t have to wait in line for anything. They could walk straight up to any business and make a start on the task. I imagine this wouldn’t be the case on weekends or holidays. We can’t speak highly enough of the well trained, professional staff who all spoke excellent English and engaged with our kids in such a fun and  exciting manner. We were so impressed with our afternoon at Kidzania Bangkok. At the completion of your day you can choose to spend your left over Kidzos at the gift shop or you can hold on to them for your next visit. Kidzania is also in Singapore and Kuala Lumper so our kids have chosen to hold onto their extra kidzos in the hope that we will take them again while we are travelling around south east Asia. (To be honest, they have actually begged and pleaded that we go to one of the other Kidzanias)!!!!

This place is like nothing we have ever seen before so if you are in Bangkok with your children put this as top on your to-do list. You won’t regret it !!!

Thanks for an afternoon we will never forget Kidzania Bangkok x