Why this interactive cheese-making workshop may intrigue children

The little chefs at the cheese filling station

One of the most intriguing things about childhood is the pressing need to understand ‘how things are made'. As we grow up, somewhere in the chaos of life, we begin to grow less curious. This writer's two children have her ‘googling' most questions that they get asked. That is why on days when an opportunity arises to witness how something is made for real, she feels, it must not be ignored. When we learnt that Kidzania had recently opened The Laughing Cow Cheese factory, where children can engage in role-play to create the brand's creamy cheese triangles, we jumped at the chance to check it out.

Cheese triangles

We took our two wannabe fromagers - one a lover of soft cheese; the other, not so much - to discover this process that has a century-old legacy. Confession: It's our favourite condiment when it comes to smearing on parathas.

The duo put on their aprons and chef caps after which the staff explained how cheese is a source of nutrients, vitamins and protein essential for growth. The space is a miniature cheese factory, with stations for different operations. The children were hoping for a Willy Wonka kind of scenario, with milk flowing and barrels of liquid cheese, but this set-up intrigued them just as much. The first station is where all the apparatus and ingredients are postioned and kids are taught the importance of selecting the raw materials to make nutritious cheese. They are shown how the ingredients are carefully measured and mixed.

The kids examine the apparatus

Moving on to the mixing station where, at the press of a button, the kids saw how the ingredients are mixed in industrial containers and sent down to the heating station. Here, the mix is heated in a controlled set-up; this was similar to witnessing a science experiment. Via see-through pipes, children are able to track the mix as it is transferred to the next station. They also observe how wrappers get readied to be filled with cheese, followed by stickers that are added. Finally, the cheese is sent to the cooling and packaging stations before it is sent off to the market or, in this case, the hands of children.

The heating station

It was a fun interaction, mostly because curiosity was sated. While trips to a farm can help us understand how food reaches our plate, we felt the process of cheese-making was well-summed up in this 20-minute session at the end of which, the kids got their own cheese triangle too. We believe that role-playing gives children a deep insight into the workings of things and triggers their critical thinking capabilities and motor skills. When we asked the newly-certified fromagers if they enjoyed the process - the answer was in the affirmative.

The kids show off the finished cheese. Pics/Sameer Markande

At: Kidzania, R City Mall, Ghatkopar West
Cost: Rs 1,000 for three hours with full access
Log on to: india.kidzania.com