KidZania: Where getting and spending is child's play
New entertainment venue sets out to allow kids to mimic adult life
Augmented reality is on its way to becoming the next big thing for young consumers to demand from their parents, as "experiences" begin to trump traditional toys. Alpha Investment Group, holder of the licensing right to develop KidZania in sub-Saharan Africa, is one company that is investing for this target market. It says it is set to spend R400-million - funded by bank loans - on KidZania, an 8,000m² mini city playground, to be opened in Johannesburg in December, with streets, buildings, a transport system and a functioning economy. Alpha Investments has also begun raising funding outside South Africa to fund the group's expansion. Children will be able to role-play careers they see adults doing, such as driving, going to the bank and purchasing electronics and other big-ticket items, said Alpha Investment Group CEO David Ngobeni. "It's an effective way to learn. When you are immersed in activity there is 90% retention, compared with 10% when reading and 20% when hearing informati...
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