Manila’s fun but pricey attractions for kids

With all the hype about the opening of the Mexican chain KidZania Manila at the BGC in Taguig, it had to be the next destination (after Fun Farm in Laguna) with our grandchildren visiting from the United States. It was not easy buying tickets online because school groups left us very few available dates. The ticket prices were steep so it was quite disappointing that while the well-maintained place had many interesting offerings at career make-believe, one wasted much time waiting for one’s turn. Not all the pretend booths were in operation, either. Perhaps it was poor planning and lack of time management on our part—hey, try that on very young kids—but this observation was validated by my niece Cybele, a young mother with a similar experience.

Were we too distracted to realize that the two kids below four years old in our company could not do the make-believe career shops and were restricted to the play areas upstairs where, I vaguely recall, there was a kitchen and a farm? That did not thrill the toddlers with me as they have all that stuff in their homes, anyway.

Yet it was not a totally wasted experience. They enjoyed the bus ride, the fire truck ride, the popcorn, and the end-of-the-day parade and the song-and-dance routine in what served as the plaza in the complex.  These were all held indoors and reflected excellent use of the limited space.

As for the basketball enthusiast Diego, who had access to all the make-believe choices, he enjoyed the Milo sports area and the session on saving the seas.

The concept is commendable, as it allows the children to explore career options, pretend and even put on the required attire for the sessions, and familiarize themselves with the trappings of the trade. The career booths carried familiar commercial names, from St. Luke’s Medical Center to ABS-CBN to BPI to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.  A full day is required to get your money’s worth and to enjoy all the offerings, including a Via Mare coffee shop in the plaza.

Diego’s comment during one of our many waiting periods: “I thought it would be bigger than this.”  Did I oversell KidZania to him?

It was then the Asean season, so we were supposed to have obtained Asean-friendly rates. But the admission cost was still so prohibitive that the two drivers and two nannies in our entourage were the ones who themselves offered not to join us in Manila Ocean Park at Luneta—something I was not happy about. Again, a whole day of watching all the scheduled shows would have been ideal, but we only had a rainy afternoon to spare.

Emilio loves Sea World in San Diego and does not tire of watching sea creatures. What amazed him at Manila Ocean Park were the giant water tanks with divers swimming with large fishes and even waving at us.  Fascinated by penguins from his July Sea World visit, he insisted on our feeding the penguins and getting so close to them that one caught their slimy odor. It meant an entrance fee to the tiny feeding hole one had to climb and another fee to have our requisite photo shoot to prove to all that we got that close. And that was how Emilio, Nana, my nephew Cris, and I got to feed the penguins with raw fish.

There were other fees to pay, no different from amusement parts in Southern California, with a fee at the entrance for a photo with the Ocean Park backdrop.

And guess what was as enjoyable to the youngsters as feeding the penguins? The play area with the jumpy house and assorted child-safe play equipment. They asked to play longer and, of course, there was a required fee for that as well.

I am reserving the best for the last—a rediscovery of Museo Pambata for me, and a novel  experience for Emilio and Nana (Diego had by then flown back home with his dad for school), that was as unforgettable as riding the well-groomed  healthy carabao ChocNut at their all-time favorite, Fun Farm in Laguna.

Neni Sta. Romana Cruz ([email protected]) is chair of the National Book Development Board and a member of the Eggie Apostol Foundation.