Looking for fun things to do with the kids in Dubai this weekend? We’ve rounded up the best family-friendly adventures on offer in the emirate from October 8-9 2022…
Have a Family Play-a-thon at OliOli
When OliOli first opened in Dubai in 2017, we were excited that this wonderful experiential play museum – informed by the best educators and developmental psychologists, and combining elements of Canada’s Children’s Museum, the UK’s Science Museum, and a whimsical, immersive and creative approach all of its own – was setting up shop here in one of our very own emirates. Five years later, and OliOli is celebrating its half-decade milestone with some exciting special initiatives that you will not want to miss. As well as the usual selection of first-class, interactive galleries, OliOli is featuring the Play-a-thon temporary exhibition, where friends and families will test their skills in various specially curated multiplayer games. It is also giving FREE ticket upgrades on all tickets purchased to visit in October.
DETAILS: Tickets from Dh126 for 1 Child + 1 Adult. Advanced booking is mandatory. To find out more details and book visit www.olioli.ae/olioli-turns-5
Make a record-breaking splash at Aquaventure
It’s official: Atlantis Aquaventure on The Palm broke the Guinness World Records title for ‘Most Waterslides in a Waterpark’ this September 29, 2022. Celebrate this milestone achievement by enjoying the record-breaking water park yourself, which has recently been updated to include 28 new water slides and attractions, bringing the total to a whopping 105 slides, attractions, and experiences. There is a plethora of child- and teen-friendly attractions now, including the longest family water coasters of their kind: Splashers Lagoon’ and ‘Splashers Cove,’ along with ‘Splashers Island and Mountain’.
DETAILS: Dh179 person for a ticket, book at Atlantis.com.
Relive the magic of Expo 2020
Expo 2020 closed in a spectacular fashion this Spring, but you can experience the glory days of Expo once again as the site has now reopened for visitors in the form of Expo City, with many of the original features still on display. The iconic Al Wasl dome will once again be illuminated with stunning light-show projections, which will take place five evenings per week from Wednesday to Sunday and will be free of charge to watch. There are still plenty of pavilions to visit with the family: Alif – The Mobility Pavilion, and Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion, as well as The Woman Pavilion and the Vision Pavilion are all open. Tickets for pavilions are Dh50 per person and are free for children under the age of 12, making it a cheap family weekend out!
The kids’ favourite, the ‘Surreal’ water-fountain feature, has also returned from October 1, with its gravity-defying, choreographed water display and fire-spitting centrepiece – just remember to pack a fresh set of dry clothes if your little ones are likely to want to splash about! Popular attraction Garden in the Sky – which boasts panoramic views of Expo City Dubai – is also now open.
From October 5 to October 8 Expo City is also giving away free tickets to teachers and teaching assistants, so this weekend is the time to go for anyone working in education!
DETAILS: Expo City Dubai, open from 10am to 6pm Monday – Sunday, Dh50 per pavilion, free for teachers and Tas (from 5 – 8 October) and always free for children under 12. Book tickets.
Go wild at the newly reopened Dubai Safari Park
Dubai Safari Park has reopened for the cooler season with an influx of exciting new animals, including the Ankole-Watusi cow, the Eland antelope, Arabian oryx, Nile crocodile and water buffalo. Take the family on a tour of the African Village, Arabian Desert Safari, Explorer Village and Valley area, where children can spot sleepy lions, majestic elephants and the fierce-yet-cuddly-looking Moon Bear, and they can even feed, giraffes, rhinos and birds.
The 119-hectare Dubai Safari Park is home to around 3,000 animals, with 78 species of mammals – including 10 different carnivores and 17 primates – 50 types of reptiles, 111 kinds of birds plus amphibians and invertebrates. All of the animals at Dubai Safari Park live in a climate-controlled environment close to their natural habitat.
DETAILS: Dubai Safari is open daily from 9am – 5pm, tickets from Dh50 per adult and Dh20 per child aged 3 years upwards. Book your tickets at the Dubai Safari Park website.
Be amazed by Aquatic Acrobatics at the Fontana Water Circus
The first travelling water circus in the Middle East, Fontana by Cirque Du Liban, is diving into its own Aqua circus tent in Dubai Festival City for one month only. Featuring aquatic dancers, spectacular aerialists, special effects and incredible circus thrills for the whole family, the two-hour show is suitable for spectators from the age of 2 to 102.
Based at the waterfront of Dubai Festival City Mall, performances take place five days a week with two shows (4pm to 6pm, and 7pm to 9pm) on Friday to Sunday and one show at 7pm on Wednesday and Thursday.
DETAILS: Fontana at Dubai Festival City, running from 29 September to 30 October, weekend shows 4pm, 6pm, 7pm and 9pm Friday – Sunday; Wednesday and Thursday one show at 7pm. Seated tickets from Dh90 per person. Book your ticket here.
Drop into the Katie Jane Dubai Nature Nook
Much-loved child-led play experts Katie Jane Dubai have opened up their hugely popular Nature Nook classes to be Drop-In weekend sessions on Saturdays.
The first class kicks off this Saturday October 8 at JLT Park. The Waldorf- and Montessori-inspired ‘Vertical Grouping’ approach means that a mixed-age group of children between 20 months to 5 years old can interact and play together, as they enjoy nature-themed songs, scavenger hunts, mud kitchens, and lots of imaginative open-ended nature play all under the shade of the trees in JLT Park.
DETAILS: Nature Nook Drop In Class, Saturday, October 8, 9am – 10.15am, Dh126 per drop-in class, JLT Park. Email [email protected] for details and to book.
Write a letter to an old friend for Lit Fest
The Emirates Literary Festival is encouraging children to revive the traditional art of letter writing for one of their children’s writing competitions this year. If your child is an aspiring scribe, set some time aside this weekend for a quiet, creative activity, that could end up with them winning an award. The competitions children can enter this year include a Story Writing Competition, a Poetry For All competition, and The Children’s Letter Writing Competition: Letters should be written to an ‘old friend’ telling them about a book that you will always cherish. Read more.
DETAILS: The competition is divided into four categories: Ages 8-10, 11-13, 14-18, and people of determination ages 8-18. Entries must be submitted before 5 December 2022.
Savour a Sunday Roast at Reform
The summer tents are down and al fresco dining is back on the menu at Reform Social & Grill, which this weekend is celebrating its 9th birthday in style with an array of promotions. The top one for families is a delicious Sunday roast, on offer from the gourmet British gastropub for just Dh99. There will also be live music, kids’ activities, arts & crafts and exciting competitions over the while weekend.
DETAILS: Roast at Reform Dh99, Sunday from 12pm, Reform Social and Grill, The Lakes.
Do you have a Fun family activity you’d like us to cover? Email details to [email protected].
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