Experiential Learning

Role play is a form of Experiential Learning and is an effective educational tool that motivates children to become active participants in their learning. Children can explore, put themselves in others' shoes, wear costumes and props, communicate and make decisions while in character. These actions allow them to take risks and explore different areas. The child development expert Marie Cecchini summarizes the benefits of role-playing in four main areas:

• Social/Emotional: Recreating some of their life experiences, children learn to cope with the fears and concerns that may accompany such experiences. They can show empathy for others because "they have tried to be someone else". Children also develop the skills they need to cooperate with their peers and control their impulses
   
• Physics: The role play helps children develop their gross and fine motor skills, firemen handle water hoses, doctors perform surgeries and factory workers operate machinery. Additionally, when the children keep the materials, they practice visual-motor coordination and visual discrimination
   
• Cognitive: When children engage in role-playing games they reinforce the abstract knowledge they learn in school by putting it into practice. Activities such as counting change in the supermarket promote the use of mathematical skills; writing articles for the newspaper or participating in a trial in court, helps them develop reading and writing skills; when children come together to play, they also learn to share ideas and solve problems together
   
• Language: To work together in a role-playing situation, children learn to use language to explain what they are doing. They learn to formulate and answer questions, as well as the right words for the role they are playing. Their vocabularies grow as they use new words appropriately and they also learn the importance of reading and writing skills in their daily lives

Experiential Learning is an essential part of everything we do at KidZania. We are passionate about combining fun with learning to fulfill our mission of encouraging children to "Prepare for a Better World".

In KidZania children can learn different concepts that help them understand the adult world and prepare to improve it. The general areas of learning are divided into 5 main categories: Functioning of a City, Financial Education, The World of Work, Good Citizenship and Good Habits.
 

• How a City Works: KidZania is organized as a real city with blocks and buildings, city streets, vehicles, and pedestrian areas
   
• Financial Literacy: To help children gain personal financial learning, KidZania has its own currency: the kidZo. Visitors learn how they can earn, spend, save, care and donate their kidZos
   
• The World of Work: One of the most exciting parts of the KidZania experience is an opportunity for kids to learn about employment in different types of jobs.
   
• Model Citizenship: KidZania helps children understand what it means to be a good citizen and contribute positively by becoming actively engaged in issues such as community, civism, giving back and environment
   
• Good Habits: Cultivating good habits, and forming them early in children, is something that is incredibly important for their development. At KidZania we look to instill good habits in children, from how to take care of their health and personal hygiene and how to keep safe and react in emergency situations

By participating in activities and establishments, children gain knowledge about different industries and careers, develop the necessary skills for their future and acquire values that can be applied in their daily behavior. The learning areas are divided into three main categories: Knowledge, Skills, and Values
 

• Knowledge: This category refers to the information given about specific professions. The information of each job such as purpose, processes, products or services are shared with children through practical activities, scripts, graphics, props, multimedia, and giveaways
   
• Skills: All our activities are designed taking into consideration the different skills that visitors can develop while performing a specific activity. Through active participation, children can develop different types of skills. According to the theory of multiple intelligences developed by the psychologist Howard Gardner, as well as other pedagogical and psychological studies; we have classified in 6 categories the skills that can be developed in KidZania activities: communication, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, motor skills, and self-knowledge
   
• Values: These are the principles that society considers as desired in the behavior of a person. The promotion of values is a very important part of the KidZania experience. Values are communicated through activities so that children can learn both their importance and their value. KidZania promotes the following nine universal/appropriate values for children: generosity, gratitude, honesty, integrity, justice, loyalty, respect, responsibility and solidarity