New kids on the block

2008-06-16 13:31:48 [ Big Normal Small ]    　Comment

    BEIJING, June 16 -- A motorist waits patiently in his blue and white car for pedestrians to clear before heading home after a trip to the local market. Across the street at a beauty parlor, a young woman slips into a pink party dress and adjusts her tiara as she prepares for an afternoon out on the town.

    To all appearances it is a typical day in suburban Shanghai - that is, until high-pitched squeals and children's laughter remind you that you are in Kidtown.     

Expat children play at Shanghai-based Kidtown that features a hospital, market, police station and a beauty salon to encourage creative play.(Photo Source: China Daily)
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    The 400-sq-m community has an impressive array of toys and books used in the educational and social developmental classes it runs for children between the ages of 3 months and 7 years old.

    But, it is the play center's collection of stage sets mimicking real-life locations that sets it apart from other children's centers in China.

    "My favorite is 'Home Sweet Home' because it looks just like my house," says 6-year-old Abie Badanjo, who has been coming to Shanghai-based Kidtown for the past year. "I like playing here."

    Realizing there was a lack of recreational sites for urban children, Lisa Chiang came up with Kidtown after visiting a children's museum in San Diego. Chiang says the backdrops at Kidtown, which include a hospital and police station, help foster creative play.

    "Kids engage in pretend play all the time," says the 34-year-old mother of two. "This is how they practice life skills. Creativity is valued more and more in the work place and that has to be nurtured at a very young age."

    Dr. Nagmeh Rowhani agrees. The pediatrician at Shanghai United Family Hospital says the play center offers children a place to enjoy and explore the world from their own vantage point, which is important for their social development.     

    "As children explore real-life locations, they learn about their world and are able to master new skills and abilities," says Rowhani. "Through acting out real life situations, they gain a better understanding of their own world, develop their confidence and sense of independence, and are therefore empowered to take on greater challenges."

    Through playing, children learn to develop skills and talents, share and cooperate with others, resolve conflict and practice decision-making, according to Rowhani.

    "In today's society, the time for play is greatly reduced for some children due to busy family lifestyles, more households in which both parents work, as well as a general preoccupation with academic activities at the expense of playtime," says Rowhani.

    "Play centers like Kidtown provide a resource for children and families to develop capacities through structured play."

    Playtime is, of course, part of the bigger picture for Chiang and her partners. The group of young Asian-expatriate mothers ultimately hopes that the play center will help change the attitude of the majority of Chinese parents to playtime.

    "Chinese parents see play as a waste of time," says Chinese-American Chiang, who moved to Shanghai about three years ago. "We hope to convince them that play is good for their kids."

    "We want them to understand that kids learn the most from play," says Kidtown partner Emy Machida. "It's a very new concept in Asia."

    And, as the play center celebrates its first anniversary, the Kidtown concept gains ever-greater momentum in metropolitan Shanghai.     

    So much so, even the country's largest listed property developer China Vanke is tapping into the Kidtown market.

    Kidtown is currently setting up two new on-site locations in Shanghai's residential Rancho Sante Fe and Stratford villas. And the play center will establish three more on-site locations in the metropolis - at the Blue Mountain, Tiziano and Lakefront villas. Kidtown will also provide these locations with playgrounds and educational services.

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