My four year old daughter Charlotte is at the peak age of imaginative play. She adores role playing with her dolls, and she is intrigued by all of the different ways a family can be created. So when I heard that Distroller World, an interactive adoption center and medical clinic for children, is opening a store right here in Houston, I knew Charlotte would be all in.
Visiting Distroller World in the Houston Galleria
is an interactive sensory experience, full of sights, smells, and textures where children are able to adopt and care for their very own “baby” with the help of Nurse Tania. Each Neonate baby has a eye-catching look and smell, and children who adopt one go through a whole series of steps, from choosing and naming their baby, completing adoption paperwork, and seeing their new family member through a health check-up. These Neonate Babies come in different stages of development namely Espongie, Zygotie, and Nerlie, and Charlotte joyfully adopted Nerlie. The entire experience from start to finish was amazing, and it opened up such a great conversation for Charlotte and I on adoption and how different families come to be. Here’s a brief recap of our morning there…
Step 1 :: Choose a baby. The Neonate Babies come in different sizes and textures, with adoption fees ranging from $19.99 – $29.99.
Step 2 :: Nurse Tania {or one of her assistants} calls for the baby, who is sent to her new mommy or daddy in a capsule that travels through a clear tube at the top of the store.
Step 3 :: The child is able to name her baby, and the assistant fills out the adoption paperwork.
Step 4 :: The baby is weighed, measured for head circumference and weight, and has its temperature taken.
Step 5 :: The baby receives shots, but is comforted by her new mommy.
Step 6 :: The assistant swaddles the baby, places her in the incubator, and gives her to her new mommy with instructions on how to care for her at home.
Charlotte had a wonderful experience adopting her new baby, and then she was able to accessorize from a wide selection of pacifiers, clothes, diaper bags, and other products available for purchase. The assistant’s role was perfection – she explained each step of the process carefully and gave Charlotte plenty of hands-on role play as well. Charlotte took the whole process seriously; this wasn’t a trip to the toy store … this was an adoption.
The creative genius behind Distroller World is Mexican artist and designer Amparin Serrano, who founded the company in 2004. While there are over 60 Distroller World stores in Mexico and Latin America, the Houston store will be the second to open in the United States. Along with providing a fun, creative, and interactive experience for children, I love that Distroller World strives to give back to the community by partnering with several local organizations, including the Perriwinkle Foundation and Be An Angel.
Distroller World was a sure hit with my little mommy-in-training, and I know Charlotte has hours of fun and imaginative play ahead caring for her new baby. To get in on the excitement and the opportunity for your children to adopt their very own baby, mark your calendars for Distroller World’s GRAND OPENING at the Galleria on Saturday, July 29th from 12:00 – 4:00 pm. Check out the invite below for more information!
