EXPLORING OUTSIDE OKLAHOMA
Family Fun in
Frisco BY LINDSAY CUOMO. PHOTOS PROVIDED.
Like many towns throughout the mid- and southwest, Frisco, Texas, was established thanks to the railroad. The St. Louis-San Francisco Railway followed along what was once the Shawnee Trail, a central hub for cattle drives traveling between Austin and the Red River. Today, Frisco has expanded beyond its agricultural roots to a bustling metropolis on the north end of the Dallas/ Fort Worth metroplex, making it a perfect destination for a quick trip packed with family fun, no long car rides required!
Destination 1
KidZania KidZania is not a typical children’s play space or museum. Instead, this unique attraction puts kids in charge of an immersive pint-size city, amplifying the common question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” into hours of fun. Families arrive at the KidZania “airport” to begin their journey, complete with airport security. Once inside, kids can explore dozens of careers in industries such as aviation, dentistry, podcasting, optometry and more. They can put out fires, care for pets, star in a TV news broadcast, act in plays, design robots and perform surgery. KidZania takes role-play to the extreme. For example, kids can act out all the parts of an emergency situation, working as police officers and fire fighters to secure the scene while news crews report to the community. With the help of Zupervisors, or staff members in this world where everything begins with a Z, kids can ride on mini fire trucks, tour buses and ambulances. Kids (and parents, too!) can even cut their
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own French fries, make their own milkshakes and prep their own pizzas, just like a real chef in a restaurant kitchen. (These food experiences do require an additional purchase.) As they complete each of these experiences, kids earn kidZos that can be spent on additional experiences or in a kidsonly store. They can also make a deposit at the KidZania bank to save for a future visit. KidZania encourages independence with most activities for kids only, which means parents can sit back and watch as kids explore. Parent hangouts are located throughout, including in the city center where you’re likely to spot window washers and delivery couriers hard at work. Because there is so much happening in the 80,000-squarefoot play space, kids are given trackable security bracelets so you always know your child’s location. You’ll want to dedicate several hours at KidZania because each experience takes 20 to 30 minutes. Most kids can complete six activities in a 4-hour visit. Activities are mostly geared for kids ages 4 to 14 but
KIDZANIA IS A PINT-SIZE CITY BUILT FOR KIDS, RUN BY KIDS.
there is a toddler-sized neighborhood with activities specifically for kids under 5. The Frisco location, in the Stonebriar Centre, is the first to open in the United States. There are 27 other locations around the world with three more opening soon in America, in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Creators say the concept was established to help kids develop citizenship, social awareness, financial literacy, problem solving, communication and teamwork skills through play. All-day city passes are $39.95 for kids ages 6 to 14, $14.95 for kids ages 4 to 5 and adults and teens 15 and up are $14.94. To learn more, visit usa.kidzania.com.
