Stars of the future

Center lets kids decide their future occupations in a fun way, Li Xinzhu reports.

While adults can have no end of fun visiting Expo 2010 Shanghai, they can also indulge their kids as there are many adventures awaiting youngsters as well - most of which you will find on the Puxi side of the Expo Garden.

As the only pavilion designed for children, the Abilia Experience Center, which is located in Zone D, has successfully caught the attention of young visitors as well as earning praise from parents.

Based on the theme of "Young Expo", the Abilia Experience Center offers more than 20 career experiences for youngsters from 5 to 15 years old, aiming at giving them a general impression of their future working life, as well as helping them unlock potential in their fields of interest.

The 4,200-square-meter pavilion is set up in scale, with facilities built at two-thirds their normal size. Unlike most role-playing games for children, most equipment in the pavilion is the same as it is in real life.

"Children behave more seriously when they were using real equipment, they think they are really been working in certain occupations," said Jin Shuyu, planning director at the Abilia Experience Center.

Except for certain occupations that require the participation of parents, most times mum and dad are not allowed to follow the children into certain areas in the center. However, they can observe their kids through glass partitions.

"It is designed for their own good," Jin said. "Children present themselves better without parents accompanying them."

Jin said the system inside the pavilion involved skills, including language, logic, math, music and body coordination, which have been loaded into various career experiences. This helps children to develop self-awareness.

The Abilia Experience Center has 10 occupation sessions a day, each one lasting 45 minutes. Children can only chose one occupation each visit to mirror society.

Children are free to choose what occupation they like when they enter the pavilion. According to pavilion staff, boys tend to choose careers such as firefighters and police, whereas girls prefer to choose chef, beautician or journalist.

Children need to learn lots of details about their chosen occupations. One tutor, who guides them through their 45-minute lesson, accompanies every three children. This allows them to build a general concept of a certain career.

"My son is always saying that he wants to be a doctor," said Zhao Shaohua, a 36-year-old electronic engineer. "But I can hardly tell him anything related to that career since my job has nothing to do with it."

Zhao said that after his 8-year-old son visited the Abilia Experience Center and role played being a doctor, his interest in the profession has increased, so that he decided to return to the center.

"It is a great practical learning system that helps children to have a better understanding of the adult world." Zhu said.

The Abilia Experience Center also holds regular events to attract more visitors. Recently, it launched a photo competition sponsored by Canon (China) Co Ltd.

"Thanks to these sponsors, we have the advantage of providing high-end equipment for the children to use, which makes our experience more attractive and realistic," Jin said.

Jin said that more children are likely to visit the center at the start of the new school term. She said many schools inquiring about group visits had approached the center.

"We provide an alternative method of education for parents' reference," Jin said. "As it can help them understand their own children better."

(China Daily 09/10/2010)