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Playing 'house' gets serious for kids learning about life in adult roles

2010-February-26 08:52:19

It’s not easy being a kid but there's a childhood experiencing center in Hangzhou that helps them understand what they're in for as adults, with "mini" paid jobs and responsibility, Xu Wenwen reports.

Playing 'house' gets serious for kids learning about life in adult roles

Two kid policewomen look for clues from a doctor when tracking a "bad guy" in Dodu City.

There's an ice cream shop, driving school and newspaper office in this "mini" society. And the staff are "built" accordingly, all aged from four to 12 years old. There's also public institutions, like a bank and post office, but they're 30 percent smaller than normal because they're designed for children.

In this smaller community, every child takes four to six hours to act like an adult. They hunt for and take jobs and generally survive and make decisions on their own. Parents can watch their actions but are not encouraged to give guidance.

It all happens at Dodu City in Hangzhou's Citizen Center, Asia's biggest child social experiencing hall. It was founded by the municipal government and opened in October 2008 with the aim of giving children a serious "play house" game. Last year, it attracted 149,000 children.

Playing 'house' gets serious for kids learning about life in adult roles

A child withdraws money from an ATM in Dodu City, where children can play grown-up and take on roles like reporter, doctor, construction worker and policeman.

It boasts 11,000 square meters on two floors and offers more than 100 job positions in 60 pavilions. They cover all walks of life, such as public administration, cultural fields, financial institutions and scientific academies.

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