Kidzania, should I accompany dd age 9

[KatyS36]

Hello,

Recommendations please. We are going to be in London later this year and dd has asked to go to kidszania. She heard about it from a friend and I'm happy for her to go.

Socially she is a little young for her age, she mostly prefers doing stuff with me and dh on holiday, but sometimes likes to strike out on her own.

According to the website children can go unaccompanied from age 8.

I'm can't work out if it would be better for her if we are there, or if we'd feel a bit silly needlessly following her around and should enjoy the chance for coffee and papers in peace.

Any recommendations?

Thanks Katy

I took my 3 and honestly, it was awful. We went on an inset day so it wasn't even school holidays or a weekend. If I hadn't been there, my kids would not have fitted in many of the activities at all due to the queueing.

Basically I spent the whole day saying right, you want to do x, if you join that queue now, it'll be 50 minutes until you get a turn, why don't we do this one instead where queue is only 20 mins. Oh look that one is about to start, and there is 1 space left, would you like to do that? With 3 kids to watch and keeps tabs on, that was my whole day, I was exhausted!

I think without you, she will wander about very overwhelmed for a good hour before actually committing to join any queue. At least that's what my 9 yr old nearly did and she was with 2 friends.

I would also recommend booking either very early or very late as it will be quieter.

I take it she'll be alone? I doubt it'll be much fun if she's there by herself.

Also, it sounds like hell and I'd just not go there if I were you

It’s designed for them to wander round on their own and it’s more fun for them that way. But it’s more fun with someone else. Can she bring a friend ?

Thanks everyone so far.

She is really keen to go, and I have already said yes!

We'll be away from home on holiday, and we don't have friends there, so unfortunately that won't work. She's an only child.

She is quite independent. I'm just trying to trade off letting her wonder around on her own like backing suggested, re potential for her to be overwealmed and not manage the queues well.

Thanks for replies so far
Kath

I'd go with her just because it wouldn't be much fun for her on her own. I also thought it was awful though, and really rundown (no materials in some stations, lots of stations closed, things broken), so I'd manage her expectations and explain some things may not be open.

When I went there were quite a lot of parents queuing on behalf of their children. She would get more out of it if you go in too to make sure she gets into activities. There's a bar in there for adults.

Good idea about start or end of the day. I had assumed (naively) that for what they were charging it wouldn't be too overcrowded

Everyone, thank you so much.

I've got much more of an idea now and I'm going to go with her. I can easily see her not managing the queueing well.

I was concerned that I might be the only overanxious older mother of one needlessly following her around and taking away a key part of the experience.

Sounds like I'm better being there, and I can wonder off for coffee if she is managing fine.

Thanks again
Katy