The Land of a Thousand Play Rooms!

The one unfortunate thing about Jakarta that we miss about Washington DC, is that there are very few public green spaces or parks for kids to run and play outside. They really just don't exist very much.  At all.  We have not found a single one.  However, there is no shortage at all of indoor play rooms. Most often located inside shopping malls, these play rooms are unlike anything I've ever seen before in the States. Many are more akin to an American amusement park than anything else. They have ferris wheels, carousels, swings, bumper cars, sky rides floating along the ceiling, the whole nine yards. Other play areas are like a giant warehouse filled with a jungle gym, ropes, obstacle course (complete with zip-line!), and inflatable play-zone all wrapped into one. And, last but not least, we found one incredible play area called Kidzania on the top floor of one of the most exclusive shopping malls in Jakarta. Here is the company write-up, describing this amazing indoor venue:


KIDZANIA is a unique EDUTAINMENT CENTER for children between 2 to 16 years old and their parents. It is a kid-sized replica of a real city, with streets, buildings, retail and different vehicles going around the City.

Here, children play adult roles and they learn how to be a doctor, a pilot, a construction worker, a private detective, an archeologist, an F1 driver and over 100 other PROFESSIONS and OCCUPATIONS.

There is a replica of the most representative buildings in a city such as Hospital, Supermarket, Beauty Salon, Theatre, Industrial sites, and many more. (See “City Tour”).

In order to allow Kids to take the initiative and do what they want to do, Adults may not enter establishment or participate in activities. However, Adults are encouraged to form part of the audience at the Theater and TV Station, and we welcome Adults to watch their Kid's accomplishments from the viewing areas at each pavilion.


Sounds incredible, huh? Well it is. Logan and Natasha loved it and I've attached a few pictures of Kidzania among the bottom photos. They are the photos showing Logan and Natasha being a firefighter, race car driver, baker, and doing advertising, in addition to learning scientific research, dentistry and other professions.  There's even a photo above showing kids dressed as police officers who found a criminal robbing a bank, and they all escorted him by hand to the Kidzania jail.  It was funny to watch.  At the top of the pile are photos of some of the other play areas, including everything to indoor amusement parks, to indoor obstacle courses and adventure play yards.   So, where Jakarta definitely lacks in public parks and green space, it definitely makes up for it in some of the most amazing indoor adventure, athletic, and creative play areas I've ever seen!