In the nearly three years that Little A's school has been operational, the students have not gone on a field trip, despite my numerous suggestions over the years (science museum, petting zoo, children's museum, aquarium). Until last week.
Finally, after what must have been much begging by the students as well as some parents, the teachers organised a day at Kidzania. Little A had not yet been, despite its location just a few streets away from our apartment building. Opened sometime last year, it has been a huge hit among the middle class youth of Manila, as it seems to be in every city which is lucky to have one.
While the other classes decided that their pupils would experience everything together, as a group, Little A's teachers let the kids in his class pick and choose their own activities.
Set loose, Little A first headed for the theatre at the centre of the "town". When he had explored it thoroughly, I suggested we find an activity. We walked around and on the second level he found the perfect first "job," at a greengrocer's. This was followed by a stint as a pretend rock star, a veterinarian to stuffed animals, and a gardener. Lunch was with the rest of the group, then we waited until the afternoon highlight, his firefighter workshop.
In spite of the number of children at the venue and the minimal supervision he required (special needs kids were allowed an adult in the activity room with them while typical ones were made to do everything on their own), I felt Little A did very well overall, and liked that the facilitators at each activity, particularly the greengrocer's, were quick to adapt the "lessons" to his non-verbal condition so that he never felt left out.
While there were numerous other activities still left untried, there will be many more times to visit Kidzania again, and I look forward to seeing Little A adapt more and more each time.
While the other classes decided that their pupils would experience everything together, as a group, Little A's teachers let the kids in his class pick and choose their own activities.
Set loose, Little A first headed for the theatre at the centre of the "town". When he had explored it thoroughly, I suggested we find an activity. We walked around and on the second level he found the perfect first "job," at a greengrocer's. This was followed by a stint as a pretend rock star, a veterinarian to stuffed animals, and a gardener. Lunch was with the rest of the group, then we waited until the afternoon highlight, his firefighter workshop.
In spite of the number of children at the venue and the minimal supervision he required (special needs kids were allowed an adult in the activity room with them while typical ones were made to do everything on their own), I felt Little A did very well overall, and liked that the facilitators at each activity, particularly the greengrocer's, were quick to adapt the "lessons" to his non-verbal condition so that he never felt left out.
While there were numerous other activities still left untried, there will be many more times to visit Kidzania again, and I look forward to seeing Little A adapt more and more each time.
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