Guest interview: “I was an air hostess – and lots of other things too!”

This time I talk to Annabelle, 7, who went to KidZania in London, a pretend city where kids can try lots of different jobs – and get paid in Kidzania's own currency! 

So, how would you explain KidZania to someone?

It’s a place where kids can do lots of mini-jobs and get to experience being a grown-up.

Did they treat you like a grown-up?

Well, they called me 'Miss' and 'Madam' ... Actually, sometimes a bit too much, like they expected us to do things fast, like put your hairnet and hat on in two seconds! 

Did KidZania look like you imagined it?

No, because I thought it would be outdoors but it’s inside but they try to make you feel like you’re outside, like the ceiling is painted blue with white fluffy clouds and there are actual streets and pavements and statues and lamp posts.

You have to watch out you don’t get run over by the ice-cream van and the fire crew – or get sprayed with water!

Tell me some of the jobs you can do there.

You can be a dentist ...

Emergency person ...

Work in a radio place ...

Work in the supermarket ...

Do hairdressering ...

Not all the jobs were there that were on the website, like the air conditioning. I was really looking forward to doing that.

What jobs did you try?

I went to a pretend airport and there was a real plane – well, a bit of a real plane – and I was an air hostess. I was the refreshment deliverer. 

I was a post lady, collecting and delivering parcels. I made my own ice-cream, and I made chocolate – but I forgot to bring it home!

What job did you enjoy doing the most?

Being a fashion model because it was really fun and you got paid lots of money (10 Kidzos).

We could dress up in whatever we liked. We walked on the red carpet and posed – twice! – and they took our photo.

What job did you enjoy the least?

The aeroplane because the lady in charge was very strict and she ruined our fun. She told us to follow the rules like say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ but she didn’t do it to us. I would steer clear of the plane!

Were there any jobs there you wanted to try but didn’t get to do?

I couldn’t do the climbing because I wasn’t tall enough – you know, like if you were rescuing someone, like if someone was stuck on a window. I wanted to do the power station where you experimented with electricity, and the hospital thing – when babies are just born and you have to give it a bath because it’s all bloody – but we ran out of time.

How much did you get paid?

Most jobs you earn 8 Kidzos. But I think the surgeon’s should get paid quite a bit more because doctors get paid a lot. You got 1 Kidzo, 5 Kidzos, 10 Kidzos and 20 Kidzos and they were like little notes with characters on like a boy with green hair and a girl with blue hair. 

You can go to the bank and this man says, “Do you want to open an account?” He needed my first name, surname and date of birth and then he put all my money in a machine and a card came out and I went to a cashpoint and you press a button and say how much money you want and it comes out.

What could you buy with your wages?

I bought a toy snail in the shop but it was a lot – it was 60 Kidzos. I made a bracelet which costed 15 Kidzos and I had my face painted like a red fox. That was 15 Kidzos too. 

So what would you give KidZania out of 10?

Eight.

Where does it lose two points?

Lots of the stuff you can make, you don’t actually make it yourself. Like outside the factory it said ‘make your own ice-cream’ but you only poured the milk into the moulds.The chocolate one was okay because you actually made it.

And when they choose the people who work there, I think they should get a group of children and see how nice they are with children. I think the plane lady was sick of her job. Maybe she doesn’t like kids but it’s KIDZania! The nicest staff was the ice-cream man. He was really silly!

Thank you Annabelle ... By the way, what job DO you want to do when you grow up?

I’m going to have a Bubble Tea shop.

Visit the KidZania London website here. You can also visit KidZania in many other countries.