Exploring the world of KidZania

Children love pretend play, don't they? You can often catch them playing roles they admire or wish to be. Well, there is one place in Dubai where they can live these dreams. KidZania Dubai is a city in its own - a place where kids rule!

The huge entertainment and role play zone in The Dubai Mall looks like a town that is two-thirds life size. And it's the perfect size for kids to explore and roam about freely. With 90 role playing activities and 50 'establishments', kids never run out of new things to do. Each of these (mostly sponsored by brands) feature different activities that kids can do according to their age.

We visited KidZania recently, and it was certainly a memorable experience for Little Dude. Now, most of the activities are suited for children over 4 years, but we did find lots of things for him to do. We entered through a boarding process like in an airplane, and were given a cheque for 50 KidZos (currency that works within KidZania). We first headed to Al Hilal Bank to encash our cheque and get started!

The Fire Department in KidZania is probably the most popular venue, where kids learn about fire safety and can become firefighters. More so, they actually get paid a salary for their services at the end of the activity. Little Dude was so excited about the whole thing, and even participated in putting out a fake fire with real water hoses!

Moving on, he got to fulfil many interesting roles. Little Dude loves anything to do with cars, so imagine his excitement when he got a KidZania Driving License from the Emirates Driving School! Then he drove a car at the ENOC station, which was a thrilling experience for him.

We also checked out the Waitrose Supermarket where he was a customer given a shopping list to follow (he got paid for this too). He would have loved being a cashier but was too young for the role. The good part is that at the start of each activity, the kids are briefed about the role they are about to play, and so it becomes an educational experience too.

With his love for cooking, he also joined the pizza making activity at Domino's, where he also learned the importance of hygiene in cooking.

There's also a space called Urban's House on the first level where toddlers can play in a pretend kitchen, a soft play area, a ball pit, and a preschool set-up.

But there is still a lot we are yet to explore, and we'll probably try other activities once he turns four. We definitely have a eye on going into the Emirates aircraft to become a pilot, and perhaps try the Strata activity to design an airplane wing.

We would love to go into the Rotana Hotel and the Jotun paint school. Other notable establishments are the Recycling Centre, the Paramedics activity, the Hospital, the Lacnor milk factory, and many more!

These are the things we liked about KidZania:

• It's safe - There are Zupervisors everywhere, and if your child is over 120 cms, you can just drop them off. They will be in safe hands. There's even an RFID tag in their entry bracelets, so the staff can give you their location immediately.
• It's fun - As I said, it makes their fantasies and dreams come to life. There are so many interesting roles to play that there's no question of them getting bored.
• It's a small economy - You don't just end up spending money at KidZania, the kids can actually earn salaries! So, the whole experience is self-propelling.
• It's educational - Kids can learn so much about different professions, and learn first hand about how things work in the real world.

Tips for visiting KidZania with a toddler:

• Check the details outside each outlet to see if they are allowed to participate. Also, ask at the reception for a brochure which has a list of activities suitable for toddlers.
• Some outlets take children in by height, so your toddler may be allowed to enter in some even if younger than 4 years.
• It's best to bring a stroller because there's a lot of walking involved!
• There is a baby changing room located on the first level.
• Parents are not allowed in any of the establishments, so make sure your toddler knows that you can't some in.

Pricing and tickets:

Toddlers between 2 and 3 years: AED 95
Adult: AED 95
Children between 4 to 16 years: AED 140
Re-entry into KidZania is not allowed with the same ticket.
Visit the KidZania Dubai website for more details, and to purchase tickets online.

THE DUBAI SUMMER PASS

With the heat upon us, it's near impossible to head outdoors until sundown. The Dubai Mall has introduced a wonderful concept to keep your kids indoors without having to empty your pockets!
The Dubai Summer Pass will cost AED 250, giving you a value of AED 440 for different attractions in The Dubai Mall.
The pass entitles guests to visit the following attractions from July 23 to September 5"

• Kidzania - 1 child ticket (adults are free)
• Reel Cinemas - 2 standard tickets for adults or children
• Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo - 1 ticket for an adult or child
• SEGA Republic - 1 ticket for an adult or child, and receive 100 credits to use
• Dubai Ice Rink - 1 ticket for an adult or child

Details on purchasing the pass will be available shortly. Watch this space!