children’s museums

Kiddie careers at Hong Kong International Airport

During my day exploring Hong Kong International Airport I kept seeing signs pointing the way to the “Dream Come True Education Park” in the mall-like area attached to Terminal 2.

I headed that way and found what looked at first to be just a big indoor playground for kids, with the shell of an airplane up front. But as I walked around inside the park, it turned out to be something quite different.

At 15 different stations, kids were learning about different kinds of jobs and careers, dressing up in uniforms and getting ‘on-the-job’ training from staff.

In the hospital, children were getting ready to perform surgery. In the fire station, they were suited up and ready to put out the next (scheduled) fire. And at the police station, a new team of recruits was getting trained in how to wear their uniforms – and handle guns.

Over in the aviation stations, kids could learn what it meant to be a flight attendant or a pilot. In the nursery, they could hold and care for real (heavy) “babies.” The Space Station, Astro Station One and the TV studio weren’t open the day I visited, but the modeling school was and a fashion show was underway.

For those that completed their training there was one more ‘real life’ stop. At the bank, newly minted professionals could pick up their pay.