Kidzania – the most interactive educational experience in London

It’s that time of year again, time to swap the shades and flip flops in favour of pristine school uniforms that have been panic bought in the last week of the holidays. That’s right, summer must be coming to a close as the focus turns from beaches and pools to books and schedules, but consider taking the children for a final summer treat before expecting them to knuckle back down, after all, they won’t be young forever. That said, after a six week break, you might be feeling as though you have exhausted all of the nearby attractions and places of interest. If that’s the case, then consider a quick jaunt to London to really impress the kids.

London, is home to numerous museums and art galleries, and it’s probably no surprise to learn that most of these educational places are free to enter, however, if you’ve already visited a few museums this holiday, then it won’t impress the children much. If you’re looking for an educational visit with a difference, then look no further than Kidzania.  This is a day out that will be talked about for weeks, possibly even months afterwards, because it is just so very different to any other experience that London can offer your youngsters.

Kidzania, is a purpose built area just for children in order to allow them to role play and interact safely to learn about different career paths. Perhaps your son is a budding fire fighter who would relish the chance to get kitted out to put out a fire, or maybe your daughter’s dream is to become a dentist. No problem, at Kidzania, anything is possible. There are different zones which will teach your children the various skills necessary to perform their role, whether that be mechanic, air pilot, actress or chocolatier. 

Each child is given 50 Kidzos (which is the currency of Kidzania) upon entry which can be saved and deposited in the bank to be used via a debit card that will be printed just for your child with their name and signature on, or can be used to pay for specific activities, such as chocolate making or burger flipping. What’s more, Kidzos can be earned by ‘working’ at the various different stations for performing certain duties. It’s a fantastic and fun way to teach children about the value of currency and is a brilliant introduction to cultivating a good work ethic within them. If children know that they can earn money through doing a job well, they will learn the value of enthusiasm and competency in no time at all. More so when they learn that Kidzos can be used to purchase real items to take home with them at the gift shop as you leave Kidzania.

If letting your precious little ones loose in a huge warehouse fills you with anxiety, then you don’t need to worry, when you enter Kidzania, each child and adult is issued with an electronic wristband that records any allergens and will log your last location within Kidzania, meaning that adults can check where there children are at any given moment meaning that children can play freely in a safe environment and parents can relax knowing that their little ones can be found within minutes. 

If your children are older than seven years old, then you can drop them and their friends off and then collect them four hours later, though if you’re not comfortable with doing so, then you can of course stay around to keep a watchful eye over them.

Playing and learning at Kidzania teaches children vital skills through play, they will discover the importance of teamwork, dedication and cultivate an attitude of seeing through to completion the tasks that they start. Most importantly, Kidzania teaches children that if they want nice things (from the Kidzania gift shop) then they have to work for them. This realisation that currency doesn’t actually grow on trees (although we would all love it if it did!) is an important life lesson, and children will want to work their socks off to earn more Kidzos to spend at the gift shop. It makes a refreshing change to be able to leave an attraction through a gift shop that won’t cost you any additional money because your little darlings can pay for their own goods using their very own debit card.

After a busy day ‘working’, the children should be suitably worn out and ready for a nice chilled out night back at the hotel. You might even be extra lucky and be in for a quiet night yourself, if they take themselves off to bed early! If you’ve booked a luxurious room in a place like the Park Grand London Hyde Park, then the temptingly comfy queen size beds will have your precious ones lured off to the land of nod in no time, and well rested for another fun filled day of exploring tomorrow. You, on the other hand can enjoy a well-deserved glass of wine whilst you settle down in front of the TV. 

After a refreshing night’s sleep, you’ll all be raring to go and visit the next attraction on your itinerary, but before you do, be sure to take advantage of the sumptuous breakfast available at the hotel to really get your day off to a great start. And, if you’ve really enjoyed your hotel stay, then ensure that you sign up to any loyalty schemes that the hotel may offer. These often open up exclusive to you that aren’t available elsewhere, so that next time you visit you can save some of your hard-earned cash for spending on other things.