By: Em Cruz
It’s only a few weeks into summer and yet, my daughter Rui already has too much time in her hands. She’s tried to keep herself busy with her activity books, toys, and blocks at home, but at the same time, I’ve also tried to schedule as many activities as I can to keep her a bit occupied. So when I told her about Shangri-la’s invitation to try their kids activities for the summer, she was thrilled and even proceeded to count down the days leading up to the event.
Shangri-la Plaza Mall’s theme for this summer is Summer Safari and their colorful animal displays perfectly set the mood for kids and even parents alike. So if you and your kiddos want to go on a summer date without enduring the heat, then might I recommend visiting and doing the following activities, as we have done a couple of days ago:
Snacks at Mr. Frank’s and Joseph’s Craft Ice Cream (Level 4, Main Wing)
Gear up for an afternoon of fun and fill up your tummies first with yummy hotdogs and nachos from Mr. Frank’s — I love their corndogs while Rui loves their nachos. Then top it off with cool treats from Joseph’s Craft Ice Cream. We’ve tried their Vanilla flavor and Rui enjoyed it so much I was only able to get a couple of bites of it.
Ride the Shang Express (Level 4, East Wing)
Rui loves going on rides so hopping aboard the Shang Express was a treat for her, plus it allowed me to rest my feet for a bit. Kids can ride the train for free for a minimum single receipt purchase worth PhP 500.
Build mini cities from Legos at the Build City (Level 4, Main Wing)
Rui loves, loves, loves Legos. She even went as an engineer on her career day at school because she wants to “build houses.” And while she has a few sets at home, she never misses the chance to sit down on those Lego tables and craft her Lego creations, so this stop is definitely a treat for her. If your kids love Legos as much as she does, then a stop at Built City is a must — your kids can play on their Lego table, no purchase necessary!
Create a furry friend at Animaland (Level 4, Main Wing)
Like Legos, stuffed animals are also very appealing to kids, and so the chance to create a furry friend of their own is definitely a treat. Animaland offers kids the chance to do so — they have a number of animal-friend options such as pandas, tigers, elephants, penguins, and even colorful unicorns, which they can then fill with stuffing with the help of the friendly Animaland ates. Animaland makes the experience more magical for kids by providing birth certificates for the furry animals and letting the kids pick their friends’ hearts that would then be stored inside. Other add-ons that are available are outfits for the animals, scents, and even sounds. Rui chose and made a pink unicorn friend, whom she named Rainbow Pink, and who has a lovely pink heart. Your kiddo can get his/her own furry friend for PhP 600+ for the small one, and PhP 800+ for the big one.
Playdate at Kidzoona (Level 4, Main Wing)
For most kids these days, nothing spells a day of fun better than spending a few hours at Kidzoona. Marketed as an educational entertainment center, Kidzoona lets kids play and even learn while doing so, by providing different-themed play areas that stimulate their communication skills, role-playing, and even motor abilities. Rui loves Kidzoona, and while we’ve already visited and played at a number of branches, the one at Shangri-la Plaza might be the biggest we’ve been to. She wasted no time playing in the ball pit, climbing up the rope ladders and slides, role-playing at the different stations, and even trying out the construction-type ball picker (whatever that is 😅). Rates start at PhP 300 for 90 minutes and PhP 400 for 3 hours per child, including one guardian.
If you’re on the lookout for activities to keep your kids cool and occupied this summer, or even just an afternoon of family bonding, then visit Shangri-la Plaza mall and gear up for an afternoon of fun and play.
Em Cruz is MomCenter’s editor and a doting mom to a decisive yet sweet daughter. When she doesn’t have her hands full of motherhood, she moonlights as a geek and bibliophile. Follow her mom-adventures via her Instagram.
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