After our first KidZania visit, my son would mention every so often that he wanted to go back. A couple of weeks ago, we were finally able to go to KidZania again.

We went during a weekday, when he didn't have any classes scheduled for the day. If you can go during a weekday, do so. We saw several kids from different schools on a field trip during our visit, but none of them stayed for the whole day so for the most part, KidZania was pretty quiet and there were no long lines for most activities. Not only does this mean that you don't have to wait too long to do the activities, but sometimes, your child has the cycle all to him/herself (so the Zupervisor can focus on him/her) and the fewer the kids, sometimes, the faster the cycle can go and the more jobs your child can do.

While I was paying for the tickets at the counter, I noticed two signs advertising discounted kid's and adult's meal, as well as the Snack and Snap! package. The Snack and Snap! package seemed like a pretty good deal so I decided to avail it. On hindsight, though, I probably shouldn't have since my son did a few jobs that gave out food so we didn't need the extra snack. If your kid isn't planning on doing any of the food activities, though, then this is a good bargain for you.


The first order of the day was getting a Spark Card to fill up. I saw this on KidZania's Facebook page, so I knew where to go to get one. While we were going around, though, I didn't notice anyone at our stops who were carrying their own card.



There are ten tasks and he was able to finish two right away: picking an Act of Kindness and sharing an idea for an Act of Kindness. 

Fortuitously, he hadn't been able to do any of the jobs needed to complete the Spark Card during his previous visit so almost all the jobs he did that day were new to him.

RECORDING ARTIST

One of the tasks was to perform a song or dance at the Acting Academy or Music Studio. Since both are really close to the Main Square, it was the perfect place to start filling up the Spark Card.


Recording music at the Music Studio costs 15 kidZos (if the child doesn't have a PaZZport). I was asked to sign a waiver and was told that the songs that they were going to perform were Star Music songs and if that was okay with my kid. It was perfectly fine for him.


The Music Studio has two rooms. This one is the recording studio where the kids will get to try playing instruments and singing.


Before they go to the recording studio, they are briefed in the control room.


Then it's time to choose the instrument they want to play. My son chose the keyboard. When it was time to switch instruments, he was offered the chance to play the drum kit and the other instruments but all he wanted to do was play the piano again so for both sessions he was on the keyboard.


At the end of the activity, my son was given a copy of the recording session. When we tried to play it on my laptop, however, we couldn't hear anything. There's an audio file, around the appropriate length for a song, but even when we tried a couple or so different programs to play it, we couldn't hear any music.


MARINE CONSERVATIONIST

We walked around for a little bit but when he saw the Marine Research Lab, he immediately expressed interest in trying it.


There are four monitors near the Marine Research Lab's sign, wherein you can see what's going on in the lab itself.


Because one of the Spark Card tasks was to go to a Terrific Two establishment with your adult companion, I decided to join him for this one.


The kids get a Marine Conservationist vest before going in.


I don't have pictures of the inside of the Marine Research Lab because photography is not allowed inside. I can give you an idea what goes on, though.

First, after entering the door, you have to go down a flight of stairs. The Research Lab actually looks like a submarine, with the "windows" showing fishes.

You will then be asked to sit on the seats in front of a television where you will watch a distress call and a conservation video. Afterwards, you will pair up, go to a different area of the lab, wash your hands, and do an activity with your partner. Basically, it involves listing whatever you see (mostly trash) in your assigned grids.

Afterwards, you will wash your hands again and move to another area of the lab wherein you can see live aquatic animals. We also got to touch a seastar. My son was scared at first so he only touched it after I did, and only for a second or two. It actually didn't feel weird at all. It was a fun experience for both of us. After washing our hands again, we headed back to our seats.

At the end of the activity, we were all given Marine Conservationist badges.


We took a little break after this to eat an early lunch, then we headed to the cooking school.

COOKING STUDENT

Last semester, our son's class had a food unit which included things like learning to slice ingredients, making simple food like pastillas, etc. He had a lot of fun then but we weren't able to try the Cooking School during our first visit because there was always a line and we couldn't get the timing right.

This time around, we didn't have any trouble lining up. I joined him for this activity again so I don't have any pictures.


It was a good thing I joined him too. We made an egg salad sandwich, and even though the steps were simple enough, the others were pretty quick to finish the tasks. My son's dexterity isn't as good as the older kids with us, so I would start the task for him and then give him back the egg/bowl, etc. so I could work on my own tasks. Every so often, the Zupervisor came to help us out.

The activity took 30 minutes or so but it felt so much faster.


MODEL

My son was curious about the fashion boutique and when I told him that it involved having his picture taken, he was all for it.



First off, the kids are given posing tips.


Then it's time to choose clothes...


...and accessories.


Then it's time to pose for a KidZania photographer. You can find copies of these photos when you scan your child's bracelet at the PikZ Station.



PERFORMER

Since the City Clock Tower only has one cycle per hour, it took my son awhile to get his chance to try it.



The kids perform the dance on this balcony at the top of the hour. Companions can leave the child at the establishment and go down to the Main Square to view/record the performance.


This is the Spark Kindness tree in Main Square, by the way.


PASTRY CHEF

The Bakeshop is a little ways down from the City Clock Tower, and my son stopped in his tracks when he saw it. Luckily, there was no line and no ongoing cycle, so he was able to start after waiting for just a couple or so minutes.


The activity costs 15 kidZos (if the child doesn't have a PaZZport) because kids get to take home the cookies they make.


This is the oven where the cookies are baked.


Kids are given dough to flatten and cut using cookie cutters of their choice. Then the dough is baked. The kids are also taught how to use a piping bag, which they will then use to decorate their cookies.


My son chose a dinosaur cutter and he seemed to really enjoy decorating his dinosaur. After decorating, the finished products are put in the Goldilocks box which the children can then take home.


STREET BAND PERFORMER

While we were looking around for our next activity, one of the Zupervisors for Acting Academy asked my son if he was interested in being a street band performer. My son, who loves singing and dancing, was game, of course.



They practiced a couple of songs before heading to the Main Square to perform. Surprisingly, my son had a little bit of strange fright. I think it was because there were a lot of Zupervisors/audience looking at him so he only sang out loud when the Zupervisor playing the guitar would cue him.


PIZZA MAKER

This was one of the activities he mentioned wanting to try after I first told him we were going back to KidZania.


The activity costs 15 kidZos (if the child doesn't have a PaZZport) because your child will be taking home the pizza they make.


The kids are given their own aprons to wear while making the pizza.


They are then given some dough and flour.


They then used a rolling pin to flatten the dough, and used another tool that looked a little bit like a meat mallet.


Afterwards, it's time for the toppings.




Their pizzas are then put in this oven. The cooking time is fairly quick.


They wait for their pizzas in the same place where KidZania visitors can buy Yellow Cab pizzas.


There's a nice little note on the box, too.


INVESTIGATOR

There are two jobs you can try in the Police Station & Crime Scene Investigation: police officer and investigator. My son chose to be an investigator.


Again, he had this cycle to himself.


I'm a little unsure exactly on the details of his case, but he left the establishment with a Zupervisor and they headed over to the ABS-CBN Mobile establishment.


While he was investigating, the Zupervisors asked him to sing Jingle Bells (they saw him while he was performing with the street band) and he gamely sang for them.


HEALTH CARE WORKER

My son really wanted to do the doctor job next so we headed over to the hospital establishment. When we got there, he was asked if he wanted to do the doctor job in the operating room or be a paramedic in the emergency room. My son chose to do the paramedic job first. Since I already discussed it in my first blog post, I won't go into detail this time around. It was pretty much the same thing except since he was the only one in his cycle, he got to do all the tasks himself.

After finishing the paramedic job, he went inside the hospital. I thought he was going inside the operating room but when asked if he wanted to do the operations or the one with the babies, he chose the job with the babies.


He was taught how to change the baby's diapers and how to swaddle the baby.



He was also taught how to carry the baby.


DENTIST

This was actually the job he kept asking me the day before if he could do, but when we got there, he didn't want to do it. Luckily, when the day's shift was about to end, he noticed the establishment (which is near the hospital) and this time he wanted to do it again.



The dentist establishment was very realistic.


First, there's a mini lecture.


Then it's time to look at the patient.


My son was able to try out all sorts of dental equipment while conducting dental procedures on the pretend patient.



PARADE PERFORMER

We were actually on the way out of KidZania when one of the Acting Academy Zupervisors saw him and recognized him. She asked him if he was interested in performing in the parade. My son said yes.


There were actually a lot of kids who participated. They lined up, walked a little and got into formation when they reached the Main Square. After dancing there, they paraded around KidZania and stopped a couple of times more to do a dance in place.


SPARK KINDNESS

I mentioned earlier that there are ten tasks in the Spark Card. If you finish at least four, you get this badge. This isn't the only design but it's the one my son preferred.


Since he was able to complete all ten tasks, he was given the chance to choose between three bags of different colors. He chose the red one and this was what was inside. The picture is missing one Cream-O (which we already ate) and one Nips (which I didn't notice I had left out until after I had put everything back in the bag again.


CONTACT DETAILS

KidZania Manila
Park Triangle
North 11th Avenue
Bonifacio Global City
Taguig City

+632 711-KIDZ (5439)