By Linda Yu (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-06-16 10:10

And, as the play center celebrates its first anniversary, the Kidtown concept gains ever-greater momentum in metropolitan Shanghai.

So much so, even the country's largest listed property developer China Vanke is tapping into the Kidtown market.

Kidtown is currently setting up two new on-site locations in Shanghai's residential Rancho Sante Fe and Stratford villas. And the play center will establish three more on-site locations in the metropolis - at the Blue Mountain, Tiziano and Lakefront villas. Kidtown will also provide these locations with playgrounds and educational services.

Japanese-expatriate mother Nami Yamaoka has been bringing her 3-year-old son to Kidtown for the past nine months. "He needed a place to play and socialize with other kids," says Yamaoka. "After school, he comes here, and intermingles with other kids."

Although there is an 11:8 expatriate/local ratio of kids at Kidtown, the local market is steadily growing. Local families now make up the largest group of one-year season ticket holders at Kidtown, Chiang says.

Kidtown founders are also working hard to get their brand-name known across the country and Asia. Future plans for expansion are already brewing. "We hope to penetrate the local market," says Chiang. "We've gotten serious inquiries from Beijing, Guangzhou, Macao, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei and Malaysia."

But, Kidtown has to move fast. "One of our main problems is that of copycats," says Chiang.

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