MANILA, Philippines - Kids love to role play; not only do they get to be into someone else’s shoes, it also allows them wear costumes which they absolutely love use props and “travel” anywhere, in the real world or in a very fictional one.
This fun activity has become so popular among children around the globe that it inspired Mexican entrepreneur Xavier Lopez Ancona to “build” a city where kids get to take their “dream jobs” into a very realistic educational environment KidZania.
At KidZania Manila, a city built to scale for children, kids (between the ages of four to 12) navigate airplanes, serve as TV anchors, treat sick people, enforce laws or make cheeseburgers at McDonald’s Burger Shop.
This newest McDonald’s branch in town is not like any other in the country. Its facade looks very much like a McDo resto, but a closer look reveals a kid-sized kitchen with young crew members.
“All the equipment we have for the burger-making activity are custom-fit for children,” notes Romel Ong, McDonald’s marketing manager, over breakfast at the newly opened McDonald’s store at Park Triangle.
The McDonald’s gang — Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Hamburglar and Birdie — together with its celebrity kid endorser Alonzo Muhlach welcomed guests during the store opening. My nieces, Gianna and Atrexandria, were delighted to meet Alonzo who gamely posed for a souvenir photo with them.
At McDonald’s Burger Shop in KidZania, kids have to lineup for the burger-making activity. Each batch consists of 10 kids. Upon entry, they are instructed to put their stuff in the storage area, wash their hands, wear their hair net, put on their apron and disposable kitchen gloves. The adult crew members guide the kids along the way — from putting together all of McDonald’s Cheeseburger’s tasty ingredients (100-percent pure beef patty, a slice of American cheese, tangy pickles, minced onions, ketchup, mustard on a sesame seed bun) down to wrapping. The activity teaches kids to be patient, to be confident to listen and to follow orders.
“Making a McDonald’s Cheesebuger is an exciting activty in itself, but the real treat for kids and their parents is the experience and values learned while doing the activity,” says McDonald’s Philippines president and CEO Kenneth S. Yang. “Together with KidZania, our hope is for kids to learn and appreciate the importance of hard work and responsibility, at the same time building their social skills and self-confidence.”
Learning through role playing is probably one of the most effective tools for children to make sense of the world around them.
“KidZania Manila is a place where kids can do big things and let their creativity run free,” said Maricel Pangilinan Arenas, State Governor of KidZania Philippines. “Here, they get to experience how a community operates, discover different careers, and learn while having fun by working closely with real-world brands that they know and love, like McDonald’s.”
* * *
McDonald’s Burger Shop is on the second floor, KidZania Manila is at Park Triangle, North 11th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.