Kids can learn about the construction and maintenance processes of multi-story residential buildings while earning their own currency.

KidZania is a Mexican chain of “edutainment” amusement parks that combine educational experiences with entertainment by allowing kids to role play different professions within a constructed city. Furthermore, they earn kidZos currency for completing jobs, which they can then use to buy goods or services throughout the city. There are currently three locations in Japan: KidZania Tokyo, KidZania Koshien, and KidZania Fukuoka. KidZania Tokyo has previously made it onto a list of the top 20 places to go in Tokyo as chosen by travelers.

A new work zone in partnership with construction giant Haseko Corporation opened at KidZania Tokyo on December 3, and we were invited to tag along with some kids trying out the new space to see what it was like.

The official opening ceremony of the new zone was presided over by Haseko Corporation President Satoshi Kumano and KidZania Tokyo President Michinari Tsumuraya.

In addition, special guest and former professional boxer Daisuke Naito was also in attendance. He was previously an employee of Haseko Corporation while pursuing his boxing career.

The new Mansion Construction Site (“mansion” in Japanese refers to a multi-story apartment building) is a faithful representation of an actual construction site complete with full-scale scaffolding and equipment. It’s also three stories tall, making it unusually high for most buildings at KidZania. There are three activities for kids to try in this zone: constructing the entrance as a construction engineer (recommended for ages three and up), and inspecting the drainpipes and replacing the exterior wall panels as a maintenance engineer (recommended for ages six and up). As the latter two activities require kids to be hoisted on a harness to the second and third stories, there’s also a 120-centimeter (47.2-inch) minimum height requirement. Each task takes approximately 35 minutes to complete and pays 10 kidZos.

Kids don actual uniforms and helmets from Haseko Corporation, which makes the experience feel even more authentic. The outfits vary slightly depending on which activity the child chooses to complete.

Let’s take a peek at each of the three activities in more depth. In the construction engineer role, kids install floor panels at the entryway of the apartment building.

It also involves construction of an exterior wall using “bricks” (made from a soft material for safety purposes) as well as gray parts designed to resemble mortar.

The little workers have to carefully add the bricks and mortar in alternating layers.

They even have to check their work using a level tool!

Next, let’s take a look at the two activities kids can perform as maintenance engineers. Just as in the real world, these jobs begin with a safety inspection of their equipment.

The outfit includes an authentic Fujii Denko safety harness designed specially for kids.

As they begin to climb the stairs to the second-story scaffolding, they’re instructed to hold onto the handrails with both hands.

In fact, special attention to safety has been built into the scaffolding itself, with shock absorbers lining the corners.

The first task is to repair the exterior wall panels. When they reach the worksite, they must clip their harnesses onto a ceiling rod for safety purposes.

Let the work commence! The kids use an electric screwdriver to begin removing parts of the outer wall.

The wall is realistically constructed, consisting of several layers including insulation. It’s a great opportunity to learn about what makes up a building’s structure.

The final test comes when they use a light to confirm whether there are any deficiencies before replacing the panels.

The second task is to inspect the drainpipes. The little workers first receive an explanation from their supervisor about the different types of pipes.

It’s then time to inspect the pipes from top to bottom to make sure that there are no blockages–and if there are, they must fix the issue.

They also get to use cool technology by dropping a ball equipped with an RFID tag into the pipes to check for blockages.

We watched as the kids tracked the balls on an electronic device and identified any clogs that needed to be fixed. This method is an example of Haseko Corporation’s “Drain Trace” pipe testing system.

The process was complete when they confirmed that the ball had successfully reached the first floor with no obstructions. It was pretty cool stuff to watch on the sidelines!

That’s a wrap on KidZania Tokyo’s new Mansion Construction Site. It was clear that the kids we watched all had a blast and learned the importance of teamwork in the field of construction. Plus, even the grown-ups learned a lot from the supervisors’ instructions about what goes into this kind of work.

If you need an adult pick-me-up at the end of your KidZania Tokyo experience, you might want to end your outing at the Starbucks location just north of Tokyo that’s also kids-friendly with special menu items to boot.

Attraction information
KidZania Tokyo / キッザニア東京
Address: Tokyo-to, Koto-ku, Toyosu 2-4-9 Urban Dock LaLaport Toyosu, North Port 3rd floor
東京都江東区豊洲 2−4−9 アーバンドック ららぽーと豊洲１ ノースポート３階
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