Kidzania! Play park opens for children to experience work

A new theme park has opened in London where children can try their hand at a range of careers.

Set across two floors in the middle of Westfield Shopping Centre, Shepherd's Bush, the child size city is complete with a variety of educational activities. There is a newsagent’s, fire station, hairdressers, doctor’s surgery and even a supermarket, to name a few.  

Billing itself as an “Educational Entertainment Experience” which aims to “ignite the hearts and minds of kids everywhere by empowering them to make the world a better place” this centre is the 19^th in the Kidzania worldwide franchise.

Perhaps the most endearing aspect of the venue is the monetary system in place. Every child is given 50 kidZos, the assumed currency, on entrance. In order to buy items at the gift shop the children must work to earn a salary in one of the many locations around the village. Being a police officer earns Z8, a fashion model gets Z9 and a surgeon receives Z12.