What happens when children swap their everyday roles for doctor’s coats, step into an emergency unit, explore a nursery or even respond to a medical emergency in an ambulance? At KidZania Mumbai, healthcare is becoming an experience — one that encourages children to learn through curiosity, empathy and play.
Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital has partnered with KidZania India to introduce an immersive healthcare professional role-play experience at KidZania Mumbai, giving young visitors an opportunity to step inside the world of medicine while discovering important lessons around wellness, health and hygiene.
The initiative brings together the pediatric expertise of Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital, a NABH and JCI-accredited tertiary care children’s hospital in Mumbai managed by Narayana Health, with KidZania India’s experiential approach to learning.
More Than Role-Play: Learning How to Be Part of the World
Having watched KidZania evolve through its different experiences, I find the thinking behind some of its newer role-plays particularly interesting.
Earlier, I found myself looking at the Magic Bus initiative through the lens of emotional intelligence and the importance of helping children understand feelings, connection and empathy. This latest healthcare experience has made me look at KidZania from an even broader perspective.
There seems to be a conscious shift towards putting people skills and self-worth, dignity, kindness, empathy and teamwork much more firmly at the centre of what children are learning while they play.
And honestly, isn’t that exactly what so many parents are hoping their children will grow up understanding?nThe world will teach children plenty about competition, achievement and success. But learning how to work with another person, respect different roles, care for someone else, communicate, cooperate and understand that every contribution has value is an entirely different kind of education.
That is where KidZania feels particularly relevant to me. What may look like a fun day of dressing up, taking on a profession and earning KidZos on the surface is also quietly introducing children to the idea of co-existing in the real world — with people, responsibilities, differences and communities.
Perhaps that is the larger beauty of experiential learning. Children don’t have to wait until they become adults, professionals or future citizens to start understanding how a society works. They can begin right here, through play, by stepping into someone else’s shoes.
And with experiences such as the new Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital healthcare role-play bringing care, compassion, hygiene, teamwork and empathy into that world, KidZania seems to be making those lessons part of the experience itself.
Where Healthcare Meets Curiosity and Play
For children, the new experience goes well beyond simply pretending to be a doctor.
The all-new Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital experience at KidZania Mumbai allows children to role-play as medical professionals across different hospital departments, including surgery, nursery and the emergency unit. The experience even includes a battery-operated ambulance, adding another layer of realism to their medical adventure.
Children can experience medical situations and equipment first-hand while learning about health and hygiene. At the same time, the role-play encourages skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, empathy and compassionate care — qualities that extend well beyond the hospital setting.
Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital brings this unique experience to KidZania Mumbai with a larger long-term vision: to educate tomorrow’s healthcare leaders and inspire young minds to build a world where healthcare is accessible to everyone.
The establishment was launched with a ceremonial event at the KidZania theatre, featuring a key handover, ribbon-cutting ceremony and special performances, making the occasion a memorable celebration of the new partnership.
Speaking about the collaboration, Balwinder Walia, Director – Narayana Health (West Cluster), said, “Our collaboration with KidZania Mumbai, offers children an immersive, hands-on introduction to healthcare, from emergency care and surgical procedures to newborn care, while highlighting the importance of teamwork, hygiene and empathy. We hope this experience sparks curiosity and helps young minds appreciate the dedication and skills behind quality healthcare.”
For KidZania, the partnership also reflects the idea that some of the most meaningful lessons for children happen when they get to experience the real world for themselves.
Tarandeep Singh, Chief Business Officer, said: “At KidZania, we believe children learn best when they get to experience the real world for themselves. Healthcare is a part of every child’s life in some way, but very few get an opportunity to step into that world and understand what happens behind the scenes. The new Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital at KidZania Mumbai gives them exactly that a chance to role-play, explore and discover the world of healthcare while having fun.
Building Positive Connections With Healthcare
The thinking behind the experience extends beyond role-play. For Narayana Health, introducing children to healthcare in a positive and engaging environment is also about creating conversations around care, compassion and innovation from an early age.
Elaborating on the brand’s thought process behind bringing this immersive experience to life, Abhishek Misra, Country Head – Brand & Marketing, Narayana Health, said, “At Narayana Health, we believe a strong healthcare brand is built not just through the care we provide, but through the experiences and conversations we create around healthcare. Our partnership with KidZania India allows us to take that belief beyond the hospital environment and engage with young minds in a way that is meaningful, interactive and memorable.”
The new establishment at KidZania Mumbai creates a space where fun meets foundational learning, allowing children to explore the world of medicine through immersive role-play.
By bringing together clinical expertise and creative discovery, Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital, Mumbai and KidZania India are encouraging curiosity and compassion while introducing young visitors to the importance of healthy habits.
And perhaps that is what makes this experience particularly interesting for families.
Instead of simply telling children about healthcare, hygiene, teamwork or empathy, the initiative gives them an opportunity to step into that world, experience it and learn through doing.
For me, that is where KidZania’s evolving experiences become more than just another day out for children. They become little rehearsals for the larger world — opportunities to discover different professions, understand different people and appreciate that every role, every contribution and every act of kindness has its own value.
Because learning how to become a doctor, a firefighter, a chef or any other professional may be part of the fun. But learning how to work with others, care for others and co-exist in the world may just be the more lasting lesson.
And perhaps that is the kind of learning children don’t even realise they are taking home with them.
