GOO GOO GANG
Tonight. Look up.
The Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight into Thursday — up to 100 shooting stars an hour, no telescope needed, completely free. Head somewhere dark (I mean away from the city), give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust, and just lie back. If you want the organized version with a 4x4 through the dunes, sandboarding, a BBQ, and a guided telescope session, Arabian Wanderers are running trips to Al Quaa until Saturday, August 15. DM them. One of those events you can't reschedule.
📅 Peaks: Tonight Wed 12 – Thu 13 August. Active until Sat 15.📍 Anywhere dark. Al Marmoom, Hatta, Al Quaa Abu Dhabi.💸 Free.👦 Ages: All. The older the kid, the more it lands.
Everything else below. Some of it is really good.
THIS WEEKEND (AUG 15-16)
🧪Cocomelon, Science, Arts, Concerts
CoComelon: Sing-A-Long LIVE — Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
JJ and Blippi, live on stage. If you have a toddler who considers CoComelon a personality, this is their moment. Interactive singing, dancing, storytelling. Book now — this will sell out.
📅 Saturday 15 + Sunday 16 August📍 Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
💸 From AED 75🧒 Ages 1–5
Thaalam Beats — Coca-Cola Arena
Benny Dayal, Usha Uthup, and Thaikkudam Bridge on one stage. South Indian music spanning Malayalam and Tamil classics, pop, rock, folk and fusion. Kids who are familiar with the music will have a great time (I’m going with mine)
📅 Saturday 15 August, 8pm📍 Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai💸 From AED 75
🧒 Ages 10+. Great for teens and parents.
Cinemini at Cinema Akil — Alserkal Avenue Free
Ponyo on Saturday, August 15. The Tower on Sunday, August 16. Coming up: Smurfs: The Lost Village (Aug 22), Angry Birds (Aug 29). Free every weekend in August — but you must register online before going.
📅 Sat 15 + Sun 16, then every weekend through Aug 29
📍Cinema Akil, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz💸 Free 👦 Ages 4+
Chubby Cheeks — FREE Fizzy Science Playdate Free
Volcanos, fizzy colours, magic potions, cloud experiments. All free, all ages 0–13. For ages 0–4: WhatsApp Ms Chelo on +971 56 549 2514. For ages 4–13: Deira Private School, WhatsApp Ms Alizeh on +971 50 900 2321. Advance booking required.
📅 Saturday 15 August, 11am–3pm📍 All Chubby Cheeks branches + Deira Private School💸 Free — advance booking required 🧒 Ages 0–13
Art Beetles — Free Open Creative Friday Free
A new creative space at Al Shindagha doing stone art, creative challenges, and free weekly activities for kids 5–15. Run in collaboration with Creative Spaces by Dubai Culture. Register via WhatsApp through their Instagram. Seats are limited.
📅 Fri 14 Aug + Fri 21 Aug, 5:30–7pm📍 Art Beetles Creative Space, Al Shindagha, Dubai💸 Free but register via @artbeetlesdubai 👦 Ages 5–15
LAST CHANCE THIS WEEK
La Dolce Vita — Mercato Mall Last Days
Samy Mikla and the Gentleman Jugglers doing Italian-style musical comedy and spectacular juggling. Running until Sunday, August 16 — no shows Monday or Tuesday, so Thursday through Sunday are your last chances. No ticket. Just show up.
📅 Until Sun 16 Aug. Shows at 5pm + 7:20pm (no Mon/Tue)📍 Mercato Mall, Jumeirah, Dubai💸 Free🧒 Ages: All
Pizza making, cake decorating, Japanese fries. Every day from 5pm, 90–120 minutes. One complimentary coffee for the parent — which is thoughtful. Kids take home what they made. AED 120 covers all activities. Booking required, limited seats. This is the last week.
📅 Daily until August 20, from 5pm (90–120 mins)📍 The Luxury Lounge, Mezairah Courtyard, Al Rahmania, Sharjah💸 AED 120/child. Complimentary coffee for the parent.👦 Ages 4–12
The Inflatable Giant — Al Barsha South BOGO Ends Aug 20
A new inflatable play space running a Buy 1 Get 1 FREE deal on 1-hour passes until August 20. Toddler-specific area from AED 60/hour. Guardian pass (for the adult who just wants to sit) is AED 35 + VAT. WhatsApp 055 547 0117.
📅 Mon–Fri 10am–9pm / Sat–Sun 9am–9pm. BOGO ends Aug 20.📍 Al Barsha South, Dubai💸 1hr AED 135 + VAT — Buy 1 Get 1 Free until Aug 20🧒 Ages: All. Toddler zone available.
FOR THE LITTLE ONES (0-5)
Toddlers need a good time too!
Baby Sensory UAE + Toddler Sense
If you have a baby under 13 months and are wondering what to do with them — Baby Sensory is the answer. Toddler Sense picks up from 13 months through 4 years. Themed sessions, sensory play, parent-and-child format. Check babysensory.ae for this week's schedule and locations.
📅 Weekly — check site for schedule📍 Multiple Dubai locations💸 From AED 80–100/session 👦 Ages 0–4
MuMu Family — Dubai Hills Mall
Spend AED 50 on weekdays (AED 85 on weekends) and two kids get 2 hours of free play. You get your coffee. They get the play area. A good deal. Limited time; check terms directly. They also have a lot of free events going on every day.
📅 Open daily📍 Dubai Hills Mall💸 Spend AED 50 weekdays → 2 kids play FREE for 2 hours 🧒 Ages 1–8
Free splash pads this week (if your kids love water): Dubai Creek Harbour Central Splash Park, Dubai South Splash Park, Hewi at Nad Al Sheba 4. All free, all toddler-friendly. Just show up with a towel.
Midweek Deals — Loco Bear Turns 2
Loco Bear is turning two and celebrating all week with a different AED 17 activity each day. First 100 online bookings only — book at the link in their bio each morning. Ages 4+.
Day | Activity | Price |
|---|---|---|
Mon 17 Aug | Trampoline | AED 17 |
Tue 18 Aug | Laser Tag | AED 17 |
Wed 19 Aug | Soft Play | AED 17 |
Thu 20 Aug | Bowling | AED 17 |
Fri 21 Aug | Interactive Darts | AED 17 |
FOR THE 5-12 CROWD
Cooking? Library? Creative Stuff? Oh yeah!
Tashkeel — Creative Printmaking
Cyanotype printing and block printing — kids make their own prints using sunlight and handmade blocks. Significantly better than another generic craft workshop. Check website for timing and booking.📅 Thursday 20 August📍 Tashkeel Makerspace, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 👦 Ages 7–12
Scafa Summer Cooking Camp Last Week
Each day has a different cuisine — French pastry, Middle Eastern, American, Spanish, pasta, Mexican, Japanese. The kids actually cook things rather than decorate cupcakes. Last week to catch this one. Check scafa.ae for the daily menu and pricing.📅 Daily until August 20, 2:30–5:30pm📍 SCAFA Dubai 👦 Ages 7–14
Dubai Public Libraries — School of Life Sessions Free Registration ends Aug 13
A week of free workshops across Dubai branches, August 16–22. Game Coding Basics at Al Twar Library (Sunday Aug 16, 10am–12pm, ages 9–14). String Art at Al Rashidiya Library (Sunday 3–5pm, ages 7+). Sustainable Fashion Design Board at Al Safa Library (Friday Aug 21, 3–5pm). Baybayin calligraphy on coconut shells at Al Mankhool Library (Sunday 5–7pm). Registration ends August 13.📅 Various sessions, August 16–22📍 Multiple Dubai library branches💸 Free 🧒 Ages vary — 7+ for most sessions
Children's City — Creek Park
Space station, nature centre, media city, international village — all hands-on. One of the most consistently underrated things to do with kids in Dubai. Ten dirhams. Sat–Thu.📅 Open Saturday–Thursday📍 Creek Park, Gate 1, Deira💸 AED 10/child, AED 15/adult 🧒 Ages 2–12
Dubai Sports World — Kids World Soft Play
Soft play at DWTC for AED 60 — one of the most affordable options in the city right now. Over-5s can stay with supervised nannies, so parents can use the free gym next door. Under-5s need their own adult. Through August 25.📅 Daily through August 25📍 Dubai World Trade Centre💸 AED 60 for 2 hours
🧒 Ages 5+ (under-5s need own adult)
Pixel Craft — Minecraft Escape RoomA full Minecraft-themed escape room at Cityland Mall. One hour, minimum two players, free parking. If your child's entire personality is currently Minecraft, this one is obvious. Check their Instagram for pricing and booking.📅 Open daily📍 Cityland Mall, Dubai
🧒 Ages 7+
Paw Patrol — The Dino Movie Not explaining this.
FOR THE TEENS
JPEX Entertainment Exhibition 2026 — Dubai World Trade Centre
This is the one. Four days of Japanese culture: anime, gaming, cosplay, TCG tournaments, Pokémon and One Piece, artist alley, Japanese food, live entertainment, collectibles. The UAE anime community has been talking about this for months. Early Bird tickets are available on the website and at Virgin Megastore.
📅 August 20–23, 2026📍 Dubai World Trade Centre, Hall 6 🧒 Ages 10+. Absolutely peak for 13–17.
Frankly Youth — AI Workshop
Part social hangout — table tennis, PlayStation, snacks — then a hands-on AI crash course with an expert. ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini head-to-head. How to spot AI hallucinations. What's safe to share. Your teenager leaves knowing more about AI than most adults. Spots are limited; link in their bio.
📅 Friday 14 August, 2–5pm📍 Dubai Polo Club💸 AED 125🧒 Ages 13–18
One bowling game, 30 minutes arcade, and a burger meal box for AED 75. For teens who want to get out of the house and meet people. No experience needed. Link in their bio.
📅 Wednesday 19 August, 4pm📍 Dubai Bowling Center, Al Quoz 1, Meydan Road💸 AED 75 — includes bowling, arcade + burger🧒 Ages 13–18
Recycled paper, experimental techniques, a proper contemporary art studio. Tashkeel is not a kiddie craft centre — it's where working artists make things. A session here means your teenager gets to be in that world. Check their website for pricing.
📅 Saturday 16 August📍 Tashkeel, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 🧒 Ages 13–16
Number theory, cryptography, RSA, probability, Markov chains. Teens actually build and understand how RSA encryption works — not a "STEM activity," but a real maths workshop. Very niche. If your teenager is that kid, this is their week. Check their Instagram for session prices and booking.
📅 August 17–22, 2–6pm daily📍 HP Gaming Garage, DTEC, Dubai Silicon Oasis💸 Individual sessions available — check Instagram🧒 Ages 13–18. Maths-inclined teens especially.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi — Free 8-Week Woodworking Course
Ages 18–25. Starting September 24, every Thursday 5–7pm at MAKE, Zayed Port, Abu Dhabi. Completely free. Ends with a public showcase. Application deadline August 16.
By the way, this is a long email; in case the email gets clipped, you can always read it online.
QUICK FINDS
🎲 Louvre Abu Dhabi — Board Game Adventure. Summer resident offer: AED 49 (30% off). Kids under 18 free. Running until April 2027. Play board games from 5,000 years of history inside one of the world's most beautiful buildings.
🎨 Glow in the Dark Painting — National Aquarium Abu DhabI. Every Thursday, 4–6pm. AED 240 includes aquarium entry. Painting inside an aquarium, in the dark, with glow paint. That sentence alone should be enough.
🎡 Kids Nation — Madinati Mall, Abu Dhabi. Full day access AED 75 (under 2: AED 55). Bumper cars, slime, canvas painting as add-ons. 10am–10pm. One of the better-value indoor play spaces in Abu Dhabi right now.
🎪 Shamsa Entertainment Park — Al Jada, Sharjah. Until September 5. Free entry, rides paid. Good if you're near Sharjah and need a plan.
🔬 Sharjah Science Museum— Open Sat–Thu. Interactive science exhibits, genuinely engaging for kids 5+. An underrated indoor family space in the UAE.
🐴 Fitness Walk with Horses + Tiramisu (the dessert) — Ras Al Khaimah. Saturday August 15, 5:15pm. AED 150. Five kilometres through RAK with shelter horses, ending with tiramisu. Unusual, lovely, supports a horse rescue charity. WhatsApp 056 481 9410.
In case you missed it previously
🏃 Dubai Sports World: Free gym and indoor jogging track at DWTC, daily 8am–midnight, through August 25. dubaisportsworld.ae
🏀 Abu Dhabi Summer Sports: Free gym access, indoor courts, ADNEC, daily 6am–1am. Closes August 23. Two weeks left. adsummersports.ae
🎠 Modesh World — DWTC: Free entry, indoor entertainment, rides, and games. Running through August 23. visitdubai.com/dss
Last few weeks, gang. After that, it’s back to routine. And, you know what, that’s not a bad thing.
Until next week,
Parves
