Educating the child the fun way at KidzWorld

Once, when businessman Vicente Ponce Jr. was on his way to engaging in his favorite pastime at a golf course in Cavite, his child wanted to tag along.

Ponce tried to explain to his kid that he could not because there was nothing to do out there. He said the child couldn't ride along in the golf cart because he might get hit by the ball and even if he stays in the clubhouse, he will have nothing to do.

The kid counters by saying that he will just stay in the car and wait, but of course, this cannot be the case. He had to leave his house and the kid with a heavy heart and feeling very guilty.

This is one of the reasons why Ponce together with some of his college friends (at the University of the Philippines where he finished BS Architecture) and his architect-wife came up with the idea of project that would have the welfare of the kid on top of the list. It was actually at the turn of the millennium, or two years ago, when Ting wanted to have his ‘millennium project,’ something new and noble.

"It was when the idea of Kidzworld struck me. I had around 10 hectares of prime commercial land in Dasmariñas, Cavite right beside our joint venture subdivision project with Robinsons Land and I didn't want to put up another residential project," he said. Now four years away from completion, Kidzworld, estimated to cost more than a billion pesos, stands proud as the only project of its kind in the country, and probably in the region.

It is not theme park per se but an edu-tainment (education-entertainment) complex, Ponce explains. It is a child-oriented nature, sports, and adventure club complex that will be home to an 18-hold pitch, chip and putt golf course conforming to USGA standards, a learning center, a wave pool, a heated pool, an amusement center, a sports center, health facilities, to name a few.

"Dads and Moms who want to play golf need no longer worry about leaving their kids home. They can leave them to our care while the kids enjoy their stay and learn at the same time. But of course, the parents can stay and have a good time too with their kids," he said.

Ponce says that KidzWorld is committed to total child development. "Our design philosophy was inspired by Dr. Lauren Bradway's theory that a child left to learn through a single style usually has less success than a child who can put all of his senses at work. That's exactly why KidzWorld was conceptualized to be a multi-sensory complex. Exciting hands-on activities beneficial to our children's development were carefully chosen to provide the ultimate in edu-tainment," he explained.

Information about KidzWorld can be obtained at 7235181 to 83, 7225851 to 52 or through e-mail at [email protected].

At KidzWorld, it's all about discovery and learning while having fun. The nurturing environment tickles the five major senses and more importantly, one's sense of imagination. Aside from providing a play-and-learn setting, KidzWorld improves social skills and strenghtens familial bonds as families and friends spend more quality time interacting with one another.

Children will learn world geography the fun way via Magellan's Playworld where one gets to discover the seven continents of the world. Some of its wonders include the Eiffel Tower Water Slide, St. Peter's Dome Wading Pool, the Asia Fishing Village, St. Basil's Cathedral of Russia, the Great Wall of China, and India's Taj Mahal, to name a few. The Africa Safari Maze, meanwhile, thrills guestsw hile the at the Internaiional Interactive Dollhouse Village, one gets to learn a foreign language simply by going through charming replicas.