Malls offer edutainment to trawl more visitors

As the school holiday season is upon us, parents are trying to fill their children’s free time with activities that are not only entertaining but also educational.

“We want our children to spend their holiday doing activities that will educate them,” said Illyana, 38, who had brought her two children to the Blok M Square shopping center in South Jakarta on Friday.

Illyana was accompanied by two friends, each of whom had brought along their children.

Elementary and secondary school students are on school vacation from June 18 to July 15 after completing their end-of-semester examinations.

Even though stores at the shopping center were offering massive discounts in conjunction with the Jakarta Great Sale Festival, Illyana and her friends were not interested in shopping. Instead, they took their children to an exhibition that would offer them some fun learning.

During this holiday season, the shopping center is hosting a small exhibition about ancient Egypt from June 8 until July 17. For an entry fee of Rp 20,000 (US$2.12), visitors can watch a short movie about ancient Egypt and mummy-making, see replicas of ancient Egyptian artifacts, and an authentic mummy.

Illyana and her friends visited the exhibition because they considered it beneficial for their children’s studies. She said the children had learned about world history during their home schooling. According to the mother of two, the short movie interested her the most as it was informative about the mummy-making process. “However, my children seemed more attracted to a labyrinth near the exit gate of the exhibition,” she said.

Besides offering educational content, the exhibition also features a small adventure playground. Visitors are allowed to enter a small labyrinth in a dark room, where a man dressed as a mummy is ready to surprise anyone trying to pass through the room.

Meanwhile, some Jakartans are opting for an underwater experience at the Ciputra Mall in West Jakarta.

Lisa Lestari, 28, visited the mall on Friday, along with her two nieces after accessing a website telling her about the program, which aims to introduce children to forms of life under the sea. The program is organized by the mall in conjunction with the Sea World aquarium.

The program, which goes on through July 15, allows visitors to view various displays of sea biota. Visitors are even allowed to touch some sea creatures, such as starfish and docile sharks.

“My nieces and I are looking forward to touching a shark. Where else can we touch a shark inside a mall?” Lisa said. (JP/riz)