KidZania, Inc., the Mexico-based interactive kid’s city boasting 27 locations worldwide, is poised to introduce a new concept by the end of 2022. Named kinezis (stylized by KidZania with a lowercase k), the new family entertainment center (FEC) will blend entertainment with fitness. More than 20 different fitness training engagements and 30 thrilling entertainment activities are in the plans. The first kinezis location will open in the Mundo E shopping center, just north of Mexico City.
Carla Alcaraz, head of global media and public relations for KidZania, tells Funworld the inspiration behind kinezis is simple: to promote a healthy lifestyle. “Obesity [is] worldwide. In Mexico alone, 70% of its population is overweight and one third is obese. kinezis was created due to interest in creating further awareness about health problems,” Alcaraz says. “There is also a whole trend of new ways of working out: immersive gyms, adventure gyms, boutique fitness, and playground gyms.”
kinezis will feature three sections in each venue: Fitness, which will be a boutique area with immersive activities, running tracks, and specialized classes; Adrenaline, offering extreme activities from climbing walls to ziplines; and Health, an area for relaxation and recovery.
While the fitness area is designed for adults, the adrenaline section is for all ages. It will feature activities like ascend courses that utilize steel tubes, rubber webs, and net tunnels; descend courses featuring poles, drop slides, free falls, and tunnel slides; suspension activities with rope courses, suspended bikes, zip lines, and via ferrata (protected climbing) options; and speed-climbing walls of different heights and difficulty levels.
There will also be an area for children ages 1-5 named Nano kinezis, which will operate as a daycare with bounce areas, and ascend and descend courses designed just for young kids.
KidZania first made a name for itself by creating an attraction targeting children ages 1-14 where they can learn about more than 100 careers through realistic role-play. The company recently opened a new location in Fukuoka, Japan. KidZania says that of Fukuoka’s 5.5 million inhabitants, 12.2% are children, making the city an ideal location for a KidZania City, and the first location to fully implement KidZania’s 5.0 model. The 4,045-square-meter venue puts emphasis on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as a part of its content, while also offering new educational activities. The new location expects 320,000 attendees annually.
