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Tourism Malaysia

Where Kids Rule

Where Kids Rule

DARYL YEP CHECKS OUT KIDZANIA, THE NATION FOR KIDS, AND IS FASCINATED BY THIS AWARD-WINNING THEME PARK

Kai! That’s probably the first word you’ll hear as you step into KidZania, Kuala Lumpur’s latest indoor family edutainment centre. Here’s how greetings are exchanged instead of hello. It’s personal; giving kids an instant sense of belonging and a feeling of being connected and accepted within a place meant only for them.
KidZania even has its own dance and song, not to mention currency, the kidZos.
Hailed from Mexico City, this award-winning theme park was first opened in 1999. It has since been established in eight cities worldwide including Monterrey, Tokyo, Dubai and Seoul.
Think it’s another children’s theme park with rides and arcade games? Well, think again. KidZania has none of those. Instead, it’s a place where children can lead independent lives and understand the world of grown-ups better, by being grown-ups themselves.
Put simply, KidZania is where kids experience the world of adults in a replica of a real city.


They now have a place where they can freely and openly do things that would otherwise send mummy into a screaming frenzy.
Here, if you’ve reached the age of 4 and fulfil the minimum height requirement, you can even climb a building – how about that?
Putting on lipstick and nail polish are not forbidden either. Kids can even get a beauty makeover. Yeah, your five-year old daughter must be gleaming with joy knowing this. In fact, she can even earn ‘money’ if she applied them on others.
Most parents would agree that kids simply enjoy imitating adults. KidZania is the answer to satisfy their curiosity of the adult’s world and their desire to be an adult through fun role-playing activities. Targeted at those aged 4 to 14, it is truly a nation for kids.
Let’s face the fact that those days where a game of Snake Ladder or reruns of Tom Jerry is enough to keep kids occupied for hours have long gone.


In this day and age where Apple products are placed on top of most kids’ wish list and Internet-access has become a necessity, traditional games can no longer satisfy the amazing development of their brainpower.
They are hungry for information and tasks that challenge their intelligence. Hence, they require experiences that are stimulating, hands-on, engaging and educational, yet fun. They are still kids, after all.
At KidZania, children are empowered to take charge and make their own decisions. They are encouraged to choose or try out whatever that strikes their fancy. It is to remind them that life is about options. In a way, it’ll foster confidence and independence.
There are 60 “establishments” in KidZania offering 90 authentic role-playing activities. Kids can play and experience the jobs that their parents are doing – from surgeon and pilot to fashion model and hair stylist.


These outlets are sponsored by well-known local and international brands such as AirAsia, Celcom, Honda, Marrybrown, and the New Straits Times.
To enter the city, kids need to go through an airline check-in counter by AirAsia.  They’ll get a boarding pass, a map to the city and a cheque for 50 kidZos to begin their exciting journey of discovery.
They need to head straight to the bank to cash the cheque first.
In the city, kids can spend their kidZos and earn it when it runs out. All the establishments have tasks for the young workers to carry out for a specific duration.
They can be a surgeon and perform surgery on a mock patient on the operating table; pilot an airplane; dispatch parcels as postmen; go on a fire engine as firefighters to put out a fire; or be a journalist.
Staff members, known as Zupervisor, will be on hand to guide and assist the kids in each of the establishments.
By completing the prescribed tasks, kids earn kidZos which can be saved in the bank, or spent purchasing other goods and services.
If at the end of the session they have kidZos left, they can open an account at the bank and deposit the kidZos, to be used for their next visit. They’ll get an ATM card that can be used at the ATM machines within KidZania.


According to KidZania, the role-play activities are specifically designed to aid physical and intellectual growth. They also contribute to the development of skills and attitudes.
With so many roles that kids can assume here, it reflects the importance every person has in the development of a community, thus teaching them the value of equality and respect for others.
Kids also learn about financial literacy and money management at KidZania. As they have the freedom to decide on what to do with their kidZos, they can choose to spend or save them, as well as what and where to spend them on.
Parents must try not to interfere with the choices of their children. It is, after all, their hard-earned cash.
The diverse learning experience of KidZania Kuala Lumpur will benefit children in their life at school, home and when they are out with friends. It’ll give them much to talk about.
Safety is always a prime concern when bringing kids to a theme park especially one where you can just drop them off like KidZania.
Here, all visitors will be given a security bracelet that doesn’t allow children to exit the premise without the accompanying adult. There’s a tracking system on each child where the ID bracelet will be scanned each time they enter or leave an establishment.
Children aged eight and above can be left at KidZania without parents’ supervision. Parents have the option of dropping off their kids for a fun-filled time at KidZania, or they can pay a fee and enter the city as well.
While their kids are ‘working’, parents can relax at the Parents’ lounge, which is equipped with Wi-fi and TVs.
Toddlers too are not left out. There’s an exclusive section to cater to them called ‘Urbano’s House’. Here, those aged 3 and below can take part in story-telling and puppet shows, make their favourite meals, jump around on an inflatable bed, enjoy games, colouring books, puzzles and many more.
Understandably, KidZania can be really packed during holidays.
“Brace yourself for hours of queuing up at certain establishments,” related a friend who had brought her son there during the school holiday.
Whether children would eventually find KidZania interesting or enriching, I’ll leave it to them to judge. After all, the city is created for them.

FAST FACTS:
Location                   :    The Curve NX in Mutiara Damansara.
It is connected to the Curve shopping mall via a link bridge.
Size                         :    80,000 sq ft spread across 2 levels.
Capacity                   :    1,700 people at any one time.
Operating hours        :    10am – 5pm (Mondays to Fridays)
10am to 3pm 4pm to 9pm (Weekends, Public and School Holidays)
Website                   :    www.KidZania.com.my
Facebook                 :    www.facebook.com/KidZaniaKualaLumpur
Careline                   :     1 300 88 KIDZ (5439) – 9am to 8pm (Mondays to Sundays)

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Wonderful Malaysia

KidZania Kuala Lumpur (The Curve)

A whole new experience that can add experience and color to a child’s life has been brought to Malaysia. Malaysian kids are now given the chance to experience ‘working life’ through a role play session which offers up to 90 real-like jobs here at Kuala Lumpur. At KidZania Kuala Lumpur, children from the age of 4 to 14 will spend their time wisely in an indoor entertainment and educational theme park which caters to the ever-curious minds of children.

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“What do you want to be when you grow up? A pilot? A newscaster? At KidZania Kuala Lumpur you can fly a plane, read the news or both! In this world, there’s over 90 things you and your friends can do.”

With the price of RM55 for MyKad holders or RM75 for non-MyKad holders, kids will be able to ‘work’ as a fireman, chef, painter, actor or even a magician. Whatever profession that you can think of, they would have it at the newly opened Kidzania, which is located directly opposite popular The Curve shopping mall at Mutiara Damansara.

kidzania malaysia entrance

The first KidZania was built in 1996 at Mexico by Xavier Lopez with a dream to provide children a playground to have fun while participating in the real life working environment. He has a vision to create a play room that can inspire the younglings. Upon entering the ‘corporate world’, a child will be presented with a boarding pass, a map and a cheque of 50 KidZos (i.e KidZania currency). With that, he/she will then pick an occupation by learning and performing the tasks dressed in the uniform equipped with needed ‘gear’.

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Everything is surreal at KidZania. Real-life stimulation are presented to the children so that they will experience the challenges of the position, just as those faced by the adults in the job. Children can expect to be putting out a fire should they wish to be a fireman, perform surgery on a patient if they desire to be a surgeon or pilot an airplane if flying is what they want. Creating an interior design piece or even hosting a television or radio program is possible too; as mentioned, almost possible occupation thought of is available for role-playing at KidZania.

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KidZania was not set up with the intention of gearing and grooming children to be doctors, lawyers and engineers as their parents would want them to be. Instead, KidZania places its main focus on creating a fun playground with sufficient freedom for the children to develop their abilities so that they will have more insights on his/her preference and interest. It is certainly wonderful to expose the children to available opportunities; after all, it is at this young age that perceptions and interests are formed. The children’s growth and development are stimulated too through the instilling of confidence and promotion of creativity and innovation.

kidzania malaysia 1

Opening hours of KidZania

A spacious playroom that can cater up to 1,700 people at a time is where you’d want your kids to be. KidZania is open daily from 10am to 5pm Mondays to Fridays. On weekends, school holidays and public holidays, they are open for a longer time until 9 p.m., giving your children ample time to learn about their desired profession. KidZania is indeed something different for the kids to do, unlike the regular play centre where they would just tire themselves out running up slides and swinging about.

Mon – Fri: 10am to 5pm
Sat / Sun / Public Holidays / School Holidays: 10am to 3pm (Session 1) and 4pm to 9pm (Session 2)

Entrance fees KidZania

Baby (aged 0-1): Malaysian/Non-Malaysian (Free)
Toddler (aged 2-3): Malaysian/Non-Malaysian (RM35)
Kid (aged 4-17): Malaysian (RM55) Non-Malaysian (RM75)
Adult (aged 18-59) : Malaysian (RM35) Non-Malaysian (RM50)
Senior Citizen (aged 60 above) : Malaysian/Non-Malaysian (RM30)

Contact details address KidZania

KidZania Petaling Jaya
Curve NX
Mutiara Damansara
47810 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 1300 88 KIDZ (5439)
Fax: + 603 7839 9488
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.kidzania.com.my

How to get to KidZania

KidZania is located at the intersection between Ikea, The Curve and the big Tesco. There is ample parking space in the area (you can park easily at Ikea and cross the road, or park within the building). Every taxi driver knows the way to IPC Shopping Centre (formerly known as Ikano Power Centre). Getting a taxi back to your hotel in the city center of Kuala Lumpur might be tricky, as taxi drivers around IPC are known for charging high prices. Alternatively you can take the LRT to Kelana Jaya and take the (free) shuttle bus to IPC Shopping Centre.

Video KidZania

Map of KidZania

Suggestions?

Got any good tips to share with us? Do you know of any great things to do in Kuala Lumpur, or tips on the best places to eat? Let us know by leaving a reply below!

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