Winter Break kids’ activities in Dubai: 9 places to find frosty family fun in the UAE

The sun might be shining, but that doesn’t mean that kids can’t play in the snow in Dubai this Winter Break. Get into the festive spirit and wrap up warm for these snowy, icy, rainy and blustery family fun experiences…

GET MESSY IN SNOW, SLIME AND MUD AT OLIOLI’S MESSFEST

Children’s play museum OliOli is hosting an epic outdoor Messfest for a limited time this December, where kids can get their hands, faces and bodies dirty playing with mud, water, bubbles and watch an incredible snow show. Kids will dive into sensory-rich activities with sand, water, and paint, fostering creativity, curiosity, and fine motor skills. Through unrestrictive exploration, MessFest offers a unique opportunity for children to unleash their imaginations, make personal discoveries, and stimulate their curiosity, all while developing essential knowledge and skills in a delightfully messy environment! These experiences will be discovered in awesome stations such as Paint Palooza, Splash Mania and Mud Madness, each offering the messiest and most exciting activities – plus an unmissable show to end the day, including rainbow fountains and epic snowy science experiments! But that’s not the only weather-related fun to be had at OliOli – inside the museum children can feel what it’s like to stand in blasts of up to 110kph in the Hurricane Booth inside the Air Gallery, or head over to the Water Gallery to dance in the rain shower, and experiment with physics, gravity, aerodynamics and more at the many science-led play stations dotted around this vast, two-floored, edutainment-packed warehouse.

DETAILS: One hour entry to MEssfest only costs Dh95 for one adult and one child, or get an early-bird All-access ticket to both Messfest and OliOli’s experiential play museum itself (which includes the awesome Magical Winterland exhibit over the festive period) for Dh149 until 24 December (Dh169 after this date). The OliOli Messfest is running in the outdoor area outside the museum from 25 – 30 December 2023 only, so get your tickets today! Olioli.ae.

PLAY IN A SNOW FLURRY AT GYMBOREE

Gymboree Play & Music Dubai – a pioneer in early learning and play centres – is offering free entry to its Snow Day this Christmas Eve on Sunday 24th December. The early childhood development centre will be transformed into a winter wonderland, featuring enchanting decorations, twinkling lights, and festive music to set the perfect holiday mood.

The Snow Day event promises a winter wonderland experience for children, complete with real snow and an array of activities to spark the holiday spirit. Children will have the opportunity to play in real snow, creating snowmen, engaging in snowball fights, and enjoying the thrill of a snowy day, plus they can get creative with holiday-themed arts and crafts. Kids can also look forward to surprises and treats, including free giveaways, meet and greets, adding an extra touch of magic to the day.

DETAILS: Free Entry to Snow Day on 24th December 2023 at Gymboree Play & Music Dubai, Springs Souq Dubai, 11am to 2pm, register by contacting 0504646500 or  [email protected], see more at https://gymboreeclasses.ae/

GO WILD IN A JUNGLE BLIZZARD AT THE GREEN PLANET

Indoor rainforest The Green Planet in Citywalk has switched out its usual thunderstorm exhibit for a snowstorm experience this festive period. Happening at noon, 1pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm every day for a period of around 5 minutes, families can feel what it’s like to be inside a jungle blizzard, as eco-friendly snowflakes float down from the biodome’s rooftop. The venue is also hosting a Winter Wonderland in its new outdoor Nature Park, where children can write a letter to Santa (10am – 6pm), take part in festive arts and crafts (Fridays and weekends only), browse goodies at the festive market (Fridays and weekends only), and even meet Santa himself (Fridays and weekends only).

DETAILS: Daily Snowstorms, every day throughout December until January 7 2024 at noon, 1pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm, at The Green Planet Citywalk, Dh175 adults and Dh150 children (under 2s are free), www.thegreenplanet.com.

HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT AT SKI DUBAI

There is of course snow all year round at Ski Dubai – but you don’t have to be a skier to have fun there. The Snow Park is thrilling good fun for the whole family, and features a bobsled track, Tubing Run, Bumper Cars, Climbing Wall, Snow Plough Playground, and Sliding Hill. The ticket price also includes one of Ski Dubai’s velvety and indulgent signature hot chocolates to keep you toasty in the sub-zero temperatures.

DETAILS: Ticket prices for the Snow Park start at Dh220 per person and include admission as well as snow suits and hot chocolate, book at skidxb.com.

SIP COCOA BENEATH ICICLES AT CHILLOUT ICE LOUNGE

Have a chilled café experience like no other at the sub-zero Chillout Lounge in Times Square Center on Sheikh Zayed Road. Warm up frosty fingers and toes with a steaming cup of sweet, hot cocoa as you snuggle into the cosy snowsuits and admire the stunning array of glittering ice sculptures, which are all dramatically lit with coloured lights for added impact.

DETAILS: Chillout is open Saturday to Wednesday from 10 am to 10 pm, and till midnight on weekends. Admission fee is Dh89 for adults (inclusive of hot chocolate and chicken skewers) and Dh49 for children between 5 and 12 (including hot chocolate and cake). Children aged 4 and under enter for free. The lounge advises parents not to bring infants under one year old. www.chilloutindubai.com

GLIDE ACROSS THE ICE AT DUBAI ICE RINK

Feel flurries of snowflakes fall softly on your cheeks, and glide to DJ tunes in Dubai Ice Rink’s magical DJ experience, which includes real snowfall. Little ones who are 100cm and above are welcome to try their hand at learning to ice skate; smaller kids can rent a seal skate support, which functions as a ride for them to sit on while you glide them around the rink. Meanwhile older kids who are just getting use to their ice skates can use a snowman or penguin support to lean on as they find their feet. With regular sessions at set times per day, this is likely to be the first experience of live snowfall that most expat kids will ever have.

DETAILS: Tickets from Dh110 for general access, Dh125 for the DJ sessions, additional supplement for the skating aids, check when you book your session online at www.Dubaiicerink.com

GET DRENCHED AT woo-hoo!

Little ones can grab a rain mac and get soaked under the rain shower installation in the Splash Lab at fab edutainment museum woo-hoo! in Al Quoz Dubai, as they play, experiment and soak up all of the learning on offer at the many ‘STEAM’-inspired (science, technology, engineering, arts, maths) interactive installations dotted around the venue’s 10 galleries.

DETAILS: Prices from Dh110 for a child and adult; Dh30 for every additional adult; Dh40 for every additional hour per child; and Dh30 for a child under the age of one and an adult. Open daily; Sunday to Wednesday, 11am-7pm; Thursday, 11am-9pm; Friday 9am-9pm; Saturday 9am-7pm. For more information, visit www.woo-hoo.ae or call 800-966466.

SING IN A RAIN SHOWER AT THE RAIN ROOM

Kids can sing in the rain without getting wet at this inspiring, immersive art installation in Sharjah, which sees you walking through an atmospherically lit, continuous indoor downpour that switches off as you walk so you don’t get drenched.

DETAILS: Free for five years and under, Dh25 per adult, Dh15 for students under 22. www.Sharjahart.org

FLOAT ON THE WIND AT IFLY DUBAI

What child (or adult, come to think of it) hasn’t dreamt of being able to fly before? You can experience a slice of gravity-defying flight at iFly Dubai, the indoor skydiving experience, which sees you suspended four metres above the ground in a high-powered wind tunnel. Swept up by the powerful, kids can enjoy showing off their skills as they float in the air, before being gently released back down in a controlled way. Children aged 3 years old and above are welcome to try this experience.

DETAILS: From Dh149 for a first-time flyers experience, including training session, two flights, flight gear and flying certificate. www.Iflyme.com.