Goo Goo Gang
Dubai & UAE Family Life
August 5, 2026 · Weekly Family Newsletter
Hi, gang!
August is delivering this week. A meteor shower peaking at 100 shooting stars an hour. A waterfall in Fujairah most people have no idea exists. Free cinema at Alserkal every weekend. And a Korean traditional performance with Tteokbokki and Gimbap on Thursday — if you don’t know what those are, it’s a sign for you to go :)
So, let's get into it.
THE HERO EVENT
➤ The Perseid Meteor Shower
August 12–13. FREE. The whole UAE sky.
Okay so. Up to 100 meteors an hour. The biggest meteor shower of the year, peaking on the night of August 12 into the 13th. No telescope, no equipment, nothing — just your eyes and somewhere dark to stand. New moon this cycle, which means cleaner skies than usual. Best after midnight until dawn.
Head to Al Marmoom, Hatta, or anywhere the city lights stop. Give your eyes 20–30 minutes to adjust when you arrive and then just... look up. And it costs absolutely nothing.
If you want to make a proper night of it, Arabian Wanderers are running organized desert trips on August 8, 12, and 15 from Al Quaa in Abu Dhabi — barbecue, telescopes, 4x4, the full setup. A few spots still available. DM them.
📅 Peaks: night of Wed 12 – Thu 13 August
📍 Anywhere dark. Al Marmoom, Hatta, Al Quaa.
💸 Free. Arabian Wanderers trips — DM for pricing.
🧒 Ages: All.
THIS WEEKEND
Bonjangchwi: A Bird's Story
Traditional Korean performance on the big screen — music, humour, colourful characters — and they're serving actual Korean food alongside it. Tangsuyuk, Tteokbokki, Gimbap. Thursday evening, Abu Dhabi, free. RSVP for sure.
📅 Thursday August 6, 6–9pm
📍 Arirang Hall, Korean Cultural Center, Yas Creative Hub, Abu Dhabi
💸 Free
🧒 Ages: All. Teens and parents especially.
Les Marionnettes
Three shows across two days.
Saturday August 8: The Rabbit Thief at 11am, Little Red Riding Hood at 5pm. Sunday August 9: Who Ate My Jam? at 5pm.
Dubai's only puppet theatre, French-inspired, intimate, built entirely for young kids.
📅 Sat Aug 8 (11am + 5pm) / Sun Aug 9 (5pm)
📍 Sunset Mall, Jumeirah 3
💸 AED 150/child, 1 adult free
🧒 Ages 2–8
MuMu Family Dubai Hills Mall
Bubble Show with a Fairy on Saturday. Keychain Workshop on Sunday — beaded, personalized, something they take home. Good for a Saturday evening when you need a plan but don't want to overthink it. Also running free weekday activities from 4pm all this week if you're looking for a midweek option.
📅 Sat Aug 8 (Bubble Show) / Sun Aug 9 (Keychain Workshop) from 5pm
📍 Dubai Hills Mall
💸 Free
🧒 Ages 4–10
Ready Steady Go — Spider-Man Event
Spider-Man in person, slime making, full face painting, Spidey tricks, bubble show, snow show, and unlimited play. If your little one is in the Spider-Man phase right now, this is their World Cup. Book via their Instagram.
📅 Saturday, August 8, 3-6pm
📍 Ready Steady Go Dubai
💸 AED 249/child
🧒 Ages 3–8
FREE THIS WEEK
Cinemini at Cinema Akil — Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz. Free. Every weekend in August.
Free films every weekend at the best cinema in Dubai. This weekend: Flow on Saturday August 8 at 12pm, and Donia and the Princess of Aleppo on Sunday August 9 at 12pm. Coming up: Ponyo (Aug 15), The Tower (Aug 16), Smurfs (Aug 22), Angry Birds (Aug 29). No booking required, just show up. Honestly one of the best things happening in Dubai this whole month.
📅 Every weekend in August, mostly 12pm
📍 Cinema Akil, Alserkal Avenue
💸 Free
🧒 Ages 4+
Growtopia at Waterfront Market, Deira. FREE. Until August 31.
Kids plant seeds, learn about future farming, play interactive food games, and collect stamps in their Little Explorers Passport. Register at the Customer Service Desk in the Central Atrium when you arrive. Free, indoors, air-conditioned, and the kids don't realise they're learning anything. Which is the best kind of learning.
📅 Daily until August 31, 2–10pm
📍 Waterfront Market, Deira
💸 Free
🧒 Ages 4–12
Eleven 7 Squishy Supermarket — House of Hype, Level 1, Dubai Mall. Free.
Hundreds of squishy toys — food-shaped, UAE-themed, deeply ridiculous — and you can play with all of them for free. If they absolutely must take something home, squishies start from AED 10. The easiest, lowest-effort, highest-joy stop when you're already at Dubai Mall.
📅 Sun–Thu 10am–10pm / Fri–Sat 10am–midnight
📍 House of Hype Entrance, Level 1, Dubai Mall
💸 Free to enter. Squishies from AED 10 to buy.
🧒 Ages: All. Toddlers especially.
HIDDEN GEMS
➤ Jameel Arts Centre
A reader wrote in this week to remind me about Jameel Arts Centre, which is one of the most interesting cultural spaces in Dubai. Three exhibitions are running right now, including Global Positioning System (through October) and an outdoor Playscape installation on the waterfront the kids can actually touch and interact with. The Summer Cinema on August 15 screens The Blazing Sun in the lobby — for the time. Family Sundays also return from September 27 with Games. Paths. Stories. All free.
📅 Exhibitions open now. Summer Cinema: Saturday, August 15.
📍 Jaddaf Waterfront, Dubai
💸 Free
🧒 Ages: All. Teens and curious older kids especially.
➤Wadi Wurayah National Park — Fujairah.
The UAE's only year-round natural waterfall just reopened to visitors through guided public tours after years of conservation. UNESCO-listed, permanent freshwater springs, rare wildlife, mountains. Pair it with seafood in Khor Fakkan on the way back and you've got a proper full family day. Check website for the tour schedule and pricing.
📍 Fujairah
🧒 Ages 6+
ONGOING THIS WEEK
Free every day: LEGO building, Creative Skills Corner at 4pm, Wellbeing Sessions on the 7th floor at 5pm, free film screenings. Paid activities all under AED 30: Woodworks Workshop, Cupcake and Cookie Decorating, RC Car Racing on the 7th floor. Just walk in. Register for specific sessions at mbrl.ae/events.
📅 Until Saturday August 15, daily 3–8pm
📍 Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, Al Jaddaf
💸 Free / Paid from AED 10–30
🧒 Ages 5–12
Last few days. Esports, latest games, VR, family gaming at Yas Mall. If you're near Abu Dhabi this week, it's worth an evening.
📅 Until Sunday August 9
📍 Town Square, Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi
🧒 Ages: All. Teens especially.
QUICK FINDS
Night Swim at Cabana, Palm Jumeirah — Daily 6–10pm. AED 100/adult, fully redeemable on F&B. Kids under 12 swim free with an adult. Call +971 58 634 3976 to reserve.
Marsana Sundowners, Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi — Night swimming, food, DJ, under the stars. Fri–Sun 7–11pm. AED 110 adults / AED 60 children.
Ajman Water Park by Gladiators — Back with new slides, foam dance parties, and very enthusiastic teddy mascots. AED 83/person, 10am–8pm, Ajman Clock Tower. Worth the short drive.
Free Dubai Police bodyweight training at Dubai Sports World — Every Sunday 5–6pm and every Tuesday 7–8pm at Zabeel Hall 6. Free. Show up and be humbled.
Good Morning My Deer — Emirates Park Zoo, Abu Dhabi — This one's not cheap. But I'm not sure you can have breakfast with a deer anywhere else in the UAE. So maybe the price is worth it. And you'll definitely be talking about it at the next family gathering. Maximum six guests, minimum two — intimate by design. Also, you don't want to scare Bambi. The zoo opens at 9am so this happens before the crowds arrive — just you, the deer, and some lovely quiet. Daily at 8am and 8:30am. AED 350/person. Book via WhatsApp or website. Ages 5+.
Cafes where the kids can play and you can actually have a coffee in peace: Unicorn Café (Dubai Marina), Jaii Café (Dubai Creek Harbour), Café Confetti (JLT), Benny Mack's (Town Square), Angel Cakes (Dubai Hills and Bluewaters), Osteria Mario (Dubai Hills Mall and Festival City), Common Grounds (Nakheel Mall, Palm Jumeirah). No entry fees — just order something.
FOR THE BIG KIDS (12-16)
SOCO Dubai — Mirdif City Centre, near the cinema.
Racing bugs. Yes, actual racing bugs. Also hotshots, multi-sport simulation, bowling, and arcade games. I hadn't heard of this place until recently and now I want to go myself. Group sessions from AED 40 for up to 6 players, arcade games around AED 12 each. Check the Share app for MAF My Summer discounts before you go.
📅 Open daily
📍 Mirdif City Centre, near the cinema
💸 Group games from AED 40 / Arcade from AED 12
🧒 Ages 10+
SK Motorsport — Pit Bike Training — Um Al Quwain.
Motorcycle road and track training affiliated with Ride Safe International. Pit bike sessions available for all levels. For the teenager who watches moto content on YouTube for three hours a day and needs somewhere to put that energy. Check link for dates and pricing.
📅 Check their Instagram
📍 Um Al Quwain
🧒 Ages 12+
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Cocomelon Live with JJ and Blippi
Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi. August 15–16.
Two of the biggest names in children's media on one stage. If you have a 2–5-year-old, you already know what you need to do. Ages: 2–6.
Tini-Preneurs Market
Modesh World, DWTC. Saturday August 15, 4–6pm.
Kids selling things they made themselves. Inspiring, charming, and occasionally very aggressive negotiators. Free to attend and browse.
JPEX Entertainment Exhibition 2026
Dubai World Trade Centre, Hall 6. August 20–23.
Anime, gaming, cosplay, TCG tournaments, manga, live entertainment, Japanese food. Four full days. Early Bird tickets via the JPEX website and Virgin Megastore. The biggest anime event in the UAE this year. Don't say I didn't give you enough notice. Ages: 10+.
Abu Dhabi Summer Sports
ADNEC. Closes August 23.
Final reminder. Football, padel, cricket, basketball, yoga, obstacle courses — free gym and jogging track included. You have two weeks. Daily 6am–1am.
Baby & Kids Expo
Dubai Exhibition Centre. October 22–24.
Yes, I know it's October. But Early Bird tickets are live from AED 30, and they do sell out. Just saying.
FOR OUR AL AIN FAMILIES
Got a message this week from a reader asking for more Al Ain content. Noted — and we'll keep it coming. Here's what I have for you this week:
➤ Farm 13
Fluorescent macaws, parrots, rabbits, and turtles. The photos on their Instagram are the kind that make you stop scrolling. A genuinely beautiful animal space in a place most people don't know exists.
➤ Al Reef Park
New and big. Sports courts, cycling tracks, proper family spaces. One of the better free public spaces to open in the emirate this year. Check Al Ain Municipality's socials for the exact location and opening hours.
➤ Bubble Planet Al Ain
Opening soon. Immersive bubble art — light tunnels, interactive rooms, installations built for families. Check website for opening dates and tickets. A good one if you're planning an Al Ain trip later this month.
Last few weeks of summer. Do the meteor shower. Take them to the waterfall. Book the Cinemini on Saturday. There's still time to make this one count.
And if anything, please write to me. I read and reply to all.
See you next Wednesday.
Parves
