Children role-playing as adults is the speciality of the Mexican-based company KidZania, which has opened parks across the world. The company is planning to spread its UK interests with two new parks.

KidZania

KidZania is regarded as edutainment. Children can choose their occupation from a wide range of jobs, dress up appropriately and act out their professions as doctors, firemen, policemen, van drivers, nurses, hairdressers, journalists and many more.

The first UK KidZania will open in London early in 2015 in a £40m investment covering 75,000sq.ft. Around 60 trades and professions will be available to the children supervised by 200 adult specialists.

A KidZania franchise has been taken out by Longshot Kids, a new company that plans two further KidZanias over the next five years, one of which would be a second London location. It is expected to attract 750,000 visitors in its first year, increasing over a period to over a million.

The other KidZania site will probably be either in Birmingham or Manchester.