The future of play is at Robinsons Galleria Cebu

There’s a new playground at Robinsons Galleria Cebu where kids can play, interact, collaborate and make alliances in an air-conditioned, clean, secure and safe environment. The best part? It’s technology-aided!

Welcome to PlayLab, a new breed of play area developed by Robinsons Land primarily for children three to 10 years old.

Located at the The Greens, ground floor, Robinsons Galleria Cebu, PlayLab is a permanent, indoor, interactive, digital game park — the first-of-its-kind in the country — that offers both physical and technology-based playing aids.

Here, the rules are simple. Kids and adults alike are required to enter the play area with their socks on. Kids, let your imagination run free as you get completely lost in the 14 digital attractions. As for adults, you have to see the attractions through the eyes of a three-year-old.

“Most of the attractions are pretty simple. The methodology isn’t something new, but it’s definitely a new experience for the kids,” explained Darwin Renolayan, director for new businesses, Robinsons Malls.

It’s playtime!

Stepping into PlayLab is like entering a virtual-reality game zone — except that you’re not only confined on the couch with your headsets on. Anything and everything in the room comes alive as you pass by any of the 14 attractions sprawled in the 830-square-meter play area.

Here, all your senses come into play. Everything involves physical activity aside from mental coordination.

“PlayLab’s digital attractions encourage kids to move, create and interact with playground peers (parents, other kids and yayas) to increase the fun and learning,” enthused Darwin. “Their shared experiences become their own definition of technology-aided/enhanced playground fun.”

Here’s what you and your kids can do in each of the 14 attractions:

• Tap ‘n’ Glow. This attraction features blue screens with touch-sensitive light modules. It’s like a giant electronic drawing pad where you can trace patterns in a jiffy. If you want to take a souvenir photo of your work, do it quickly as the designs disappear just as fast.

• Light Brite. If you want a more permanent masterpiece, the Light Brite station offers a super-sized version of the popular toy with a similar name. Arrange the pegs into different patterns to light up the world with your new creation.

• Quantum Space. This interactive screen showcases the outer reaches of space. As you move in front of it, you’ll leave a trail of dazzling light. Take as much pictures as you like because the fleeting designs never appear twice.

• Head Rush. Be a marathon runner or an F1 racer for a day at Head Rush. Put on your special 3D glasses, zoom through a track where you got to dodge 3D obstacles that pass by in speedy succession. Compete with your playground peers to the finish line. Robinsons Land Corp. director for corporate public relations Roseann Cosculluela-Villegas and I gave it a try and we were both panting after.

• Growth Chart. It features a state-of-the-art sensor that can accurately measure your height being delivered by a friendly virtual character like a giraffe. Not only can you interact with animations onscreen, you can actually transform into one of them, too!

• World of Zodiacs. It has a wicked augmented-reality mirror that will turn you into one of the zodiac signs. Move and groove in your new (head) form and jump up for a special surprise.

• Butterfly Garden. This attraction features a huge touchscreen art table where you can design butterflies. When your butterfly is ready, tap on the button and watch your own creation flutter and fly around the room.

• Live Forest. Grab one of the animal templates — it could be an owl, a zebra or a giraffe — color it and let your imagination run wild. Scan your masterpiece after, and watch your spirit animal roam the virtual jungle along with your playground peers’ other artworks.

• Save the Reef. Now that you’ve gotten to know some animals, it’s time to do something to help them. Protect sea creatures from toxic trash in the Save the Reef game. Just aim at floating junk by throwing your special Trash Destroyers ball at it. Save the reef! Save the world!

• Music Wall. Tune in to this swish setup of interactive strings, percussions and more.  With just a tap of your hands on any of the instruments, you’ll have insta-sound and will be on your way to making that hit song.

• Tangram. Do you want to build a rocket ship that will blast off into infinity and beyond? Then head over to Tangram. Just piece together basic shapes to form the ship on your workstation to form the ship. Launch it when ready.

• Sand Box. PlayLab has put a technological twist to your fave beach pastime of making sandcastles using a special projector. Depending on the height of the structure your building, the sensors will I.D. it as mountains, land or sea.

• Poppin’ Pond. It’s the most popular game at PlayLab. Poppin’ Pond is a special slide. With projected imagery of colorful stars and bubbles in a background similar to that of Candy Crush, just hop on and immerse in the scenery of projected animations bursting into a rainbow of colors while you’re going down.

• Room Racers. With a controller in hand, race against other “race car drivers” towards the finish line. Sounds simple enough? Here’s the catch: the racetrack and obstacles can be altered by moving around the household objects lying on the floor.

“All these 14 attractions not just create moments but also promote discovery, awareness and confirmation for the kids as they accomplish digital missions or creations,” explained Darwin.

He added that the 14 attractions were sourced from 14 countries like Russia, Canada, New Zealand, while some were sourced locally.

“The technology is already available abroad so it’s just a matter of assembling them here and making it our own,” Darwin noted.

It took Darwin and his team six months to finish everything — from conceptualization to construction. PlayLab contractor also consulted with psychologists in designing the games hand-in-hand with software developers (media artists).

“We spent a lot of time on the roster of attractions so it’s safe to say that all 14 attractions are well-curated,” he said. “Soon, PlayLab will introduce new attractions to entice more kids to go.”

Why did you put up PlayLab here at Robinsons Galleria Cebu? I asked.

“We’re positioning Robinsons Galleria Cebu as a the premiere lifestyle family mall, not just in Cebu, but in the Visayas region. So putting up PlayLab is another compelling reason for families to go here,” he explained.

PlayLab can accommodate a total of 170 kids. In terms of sanitation, Darwin assures parents that the attractions are sanitized daily.

“The screens and touch points are sanitized regularly. The safety of the kids are very important to us,” he said.

PlayLab is very engaging. There are gadgets involved, yes, but it also fosters interaction with other kids and physical movements.

“The future of play is here — at Robinsons Galleria Cebu!” Darwin gushed.

PlayLab is set to open in Robinsons Galleria this year.

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PlayLab is at The Greens, level 1, Robinsons Galleria Cebu. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For the first two hours, it will be P200 per head on weekdays and P250 per head on weekends. Every succeeding hour or fraction of it will be P100.

For inquiries, visit @PlayLabPh on Facebook and Instagram or email PlayLabPH@gmail.com.