No kidding, work-life role play set to take off

Toby Ng

Children can experience realistic role-play of almost 50 jobs at 11 SKIES near Hong Kong International Airport next year, as K11 Group announced its plans to start trial operation of the entertainment facility in phases from mid-2024.

KidZania - an interactive city made for children aged one to 14 to experience the world of work via role play - will open its first branch in China with a three-story lifelike scaled city.

Children will be able to explore jobs through 50 occupational role-plays in KidZania Hong Kong, allowing them to develop concepts relating to financing, environmental protection, health and hygiene, and many more from an early age.

KidZania Hong Kong is collaborating with nearly 30 international and local brands to offer seven unique career experiences, including the first-ever Wealth Management Center established by HSBC within the KidZania zone, where children can learn about basic financial concepts such as saving, spending and investing.

"We are honored to collaborate with 11 SKIES and bring KidZania Hong Kong to this unique and groundbreaking retailtainment and tourism destination. With the inclusion of nearly 30 international and local brands, we provide children with the chance to learn while being entertained, creating a fun and thrilling experience for every family," Xavier Lopez Ancona, CEO & Founder of KidZania said.

KidZania has been established in 27 regions worldwide with over 18 sites, welcoming more than 100 million visitors.

Furthermore, FTLife Insurance is partnering with the entertainment facility to create a sports center where children can role-play professional sports players and cheerleaders by participating in games designed specifically for them.

Hong Kong Telecommunications will open its first 5G Smart City Technology hub, where children can take on the role of engineers and plan the layout of base stations using 5G technology.

The entertainment zone plans to combine local culture with career experiences, such as working at a radio station created by music streaming platform MOOV, to promote local music.

Emphasizing future development in innovation and technology, KidZania is co-curating a university with Panasonic to popularize STEM, where children can earn a "university degree" upon completing the course.