Review of KidZania Singapore at Sentosa

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In 2020, the brightly coloured streets of KidZania Singapore shuttered no thanks to COVID-19. 4 years on, kids can once again rejoice with the return of the beloved indoor theme park, just in time for the June holidays.

We went down to Sentosa to check out the KidZania reopening to get you all the deets on what’s worth checking out and what can be given a miss. If you’ve been before, you’ll be happy to know that the space is donning brand new exhibits and activities.

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– Tips to know before you go down to KidZania Singapore –

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What is KidZania Singapore & what is the entry fee?

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Simply put, KidZania Singapore is an indoor theme park aimed at helping children discover adulthood in an entertaining and immersive way. It’s constructed as a replica city complete with a bank, retail stores, and most importantly role-playing jobs for your kids to try including “salaries” to earn.

These are ticket prices, segmented by age:

• Baby (0-1 years): Free entry
• Toddler (2-3 years): $29-$58
• Child (4-17 years): $60-$120
• Adult (18 years and above): $37-$73

Note that ticket prices are dynamic and vary according to timing, season, and demand. There are also frequent promotions on tickets you can look out for and when booked in advance, prices can go down for as low as 50% off.

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Come as early as possible & allocate a whole day for exploring

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Like at any theme park, lines are to be expected. Apart from queuing time, parents also need to factor in the time each activity takes to complete – generally, about 15 minutes. Some of the more popular ones can take up to 30 minutes, as opposed to a 2-minute rollercoaster at a theme park.

Squeeze in nap time on the stroller if queues get too long.

This can lead to extremely long queues as the batches of children per activity are also quite small. We know what you’re thinking, “Let’s split up and have one parent queue for their child, while the child does a more free activity”. Alas, this isn’t possible due to Kidzania’s “only kids queuing” rule.

The longest we waited was over an hour, so we suggest keeping a full day to explore the entire theme park. It might also be a good idea to bring along a fully charged iPad or game to keep the young one entertained while waiting.

That being said, KidZania was a brand-new attraction at the time of our visit, so large crowds were expected. However, with several exhibits still being closed and the school holidays under way, we think the waiting times and lines will linger for a few more weeks.

We suggest planning your visit on a weekday and trying to get to KidZania as early as possible. It would also be helpful to study the map in advance and prioritise activities the kids really want to do, so you don’t waste too much time navigating the area.

The exhibits with the longest wait times were the Aviation Academy, SCDF Fire Station, SCDF Police Station, Irvin’s Chips Factory, and the Parkway East Paediatric Hospital.

Image credit: Ezekiel Sen

Another useful tool to help you gauge waiting times is the placards at the entrance of each activity. These list out important details such as capacity, duration, suggested ages, and learning outcomes.

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Chill at the common seating areas & free zones

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Now, you must be wondering whether there are rest areas for the fam to chill out in between activities and luckily there are quite a few. There are benches on the main street near attractions and in the cafe area.

Alternatively, if your child still wants to be thrust into action, you can take a breather at the KidZania Stadium to watch batches of children do simple drills and play a round of football.

There’s also the KidZania Theatre, where there are occasional performances by staff and children, as well as screenings of cartoon films.

Finally, if parents need a break, there’s a Parent’s Lounge with couches and Wi-Fi access where usually young ones aren’t allowed in but knowing them, they’ll find a way to weasel in and not leave their parent’s side.

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Earn Kidzos & redeem them for toys or merchandise

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Upon entering KidZania, kids get 50 Kidzos, which is the official currency they can earn from their “jobs” and spend at places like the KidZania Department Store. On average, kids can earn about 6-10 Kidzos depending on the activity they do.

If the kiddos want to earn more, they can sign up for the B·KidZanian loyalty program, where for $38, they’ll get a “pazzport”. This can be used at selected KidZanias around the world to earn more Kidzos from activities and discounts at KidZania stores.

Your kid can also head over to the CIMB Bank to open a bank account and deposit their hard-earned Kidzos, getting a debit card in return.

If they’d like to withdraw cash or check their balance, they can head over to a mock ATM in the park too.

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– What activities can you do at KidZania Singapore? –

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There are over 60 activities that kids can explore at the theme park if you have all the time in the world. Here are some of the highlights:

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Become a pilot at Malaysia Airlines Aviation Academy

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We headed first to the Malaysia Airlines Aviation Academy, anticipating a long queue as it is the most popular attraction in the park. After about 30 minutes of waiting, we were in and this exhibit truly doesn’t disappoint.

Kids embark on a mission to land a plane via the flight simulator, clad in a legit pilot uniform. There’s great attention to detail in the several cockpits with all the buttons and switches that one would assume are also seen on real flights.

The entry to this exhibit is hidden inside a hallway on the first level, which could be a strategy to manage crowds. However, when lines get longer, the narrow hallway can get a little stuffy to wait in. It’s also worth mentioning that this is one of the few activities where kids will have to pay Kidzos to participate.

Fun factor: 4/5

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Step into the shoes of a doc at the Paediatric Urgent Care Hospital

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The Parkway East Paediatric Urgent Care Hospital was our longest wait at the park, taking over an hour to get to the activity. This activity involved a group of children learning how stethoscopes and gauze work in an urgent care room replica. The highlight of this zone, though, is the ambulance ride after the briefing.

We’d say this activity works great for younger attendees as there isn’t too much going on. For older kids, it may be a bit less stimulating in comparison to being a pilot or game designer.

Fun factor: 2/5

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Make your own sweet treats at the Cookie Factory

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One of the most enjoyable activities we did was at the Cookie Factory. Here, your future Cheryl Koh can get their chef hats on by making their own chocolate cookies, decorated with sprinkles of their choosing.

The activity yields 4 cookies, which take 20 minutes to bake in the oven, so you can go ahead to a different activity and then return for some freshly baked treats. Participation in this activity does cost real money – $5/child to be exact – but it’s worth the hands-on experience. Plus, kids get to bring home their creations… or devour them on the spot.

Fun factor: 5/5

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Extinguish a fire engulfing Flamingo Hotel

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Besides pilot, firefighter is probably one of the most common answers given by kids when asked what they want to be when they grow. And they get to do just that at the Fire Station by trying to put out a “fire” engulfing Flamingo Hotel.

There’s also a red SCDF fire truck on display for snapping photos of your little firefighter in action.

Fun factor: 5/5

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Fix a faulty tap at Howdy Man plumbing

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KidZania features a number of activities involving manual jobs such as that of a plumber, electrician, and window washer, for kids to appreciate. The Howdy Man plumber station involves a crash course on how plumbing systems work and how to fix a simple leaky faucet.

This activity was by far the most hands-on and might be a more common problem for kids to encounter at home. We also noticed that there was a smaller line for this exhibit, so you could pin it down as something to do when the other activities’ waiting times become unreasonably long.

Fun factor: 4/5

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Try your hand at 21st-century jobs like gaming designer

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One of the major changes to KidZania’s exhibits is a focus on newer jobs you’ll find today such as an antimicrobial lab in response to the pandemic, or a videogame designer. The Game Design Lab allows youngins to create their own mini-game on a computer including base-level coding.

Sustainability is another focus with an Urban Farm job station, where there’s a take-home plant for you to nurture and grow after learning about indoor farming. Here, you’ll also find an electric vehicle driveway that shows how solar panels are used to generate electrical energy.

Fun factor: 3/5

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Learn how to make a pizza at the Pizza Factory

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Aside from the flight simulator and fire truck exhibits, the Pizza Factory by Canadian Pizza was by far one of the most popular attractions. Entry for this activity is $10/pax which is inclusive of a pizza-making class where you get to bring home the pizza, as well as a drink and a badge.

Due to time constraints, we weren’t quite able to go for the class so instead, we bought a Pizza + Drink Combo for $9.50, with a personal pan pizza and a drink. Pick from 5 flavours of pizza including Super Cheese, Beef Pepperoni, Hawaiian, BBQ Chicken, and Cheesy Mushroom.

Kids can also snack on sides like chicken nuggets and tater tots.

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Shop for souvenirs & merch at KidZania’s Department Store

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So, what do the kids do with the rewards of their hard work? Head to KidZania’s Department Store to buy toy sets, stationery, and games with their earned Kidzos. We will say, though, that the cheapest item at the store was around 250 Kidzos, so it may take a few rounds of work to get the things they want.

There is also a KidZania gift shop where you can buy items with real money, such as merchandise, plush toys, and water bottles.

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How to get to KidZania Singapore?

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If you plan on taking the Sentosa Express, alight at Beach Station and take a 4-minute walk to KidZania Singapore.

Those driving here, the closest parking lot is Beach Station Car Park, which is also 4 minutes away from Palawan Kidz City – the building in which KidZania is located. The building is easily identifiable with a large sign and a plane head jutting out the front.

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Is KidZania Singapore worth a visit?

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So, is KidZania worth the steep entry fee? TLDR; it is a no-brainer that the theme park is designed for kids to have a fun time. I mean, imagine telling a child that there’s a whole city dedicated to them to be just like mommy and daddy.

However, we’re not sure if the schtick of teaching kids how adult lives work is really prominent enough to justify the whopping entry fee of almost $100/child, especially when some kids are just there to mess around as opposed to sit and learn.

We also found a few of the exhibits still a work in progress when we reached and some seemed like they were open but had no attendees. It would have been helpful if the website reflected this information to avoid any disappointed faces. Finally, the super long queues were a bit of a turn-off but hopefully that eases as the hype of the opening slowly dissipates.

All that being said, we highly appreciate how attentive and genuinely caring the staff of KidZania was. We noticed that every instructor took great care to include all participants in activities and gave extra time to those who needed a little more. For parents and guardians, KidZania’s design is also amusing to look at, being a bite-sized version of the real world.

If you’re looking for other things to do with kids, check out our list of the best indoor playgrounds in Singapore and immerse yourself in thrilling games at Inmers Play. For some free things to do with your kiddos, check out the vehicle-themed Ubi Grove playground or splash into some free water playgrounds.

Book your tickets to KidZania Singapore

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Photography by Shawn Loh.