July 3–10, 2026
Gang, the countdown is on. Schools close this Friday. Two days and counting.
And Dubai isn't waiting either. Dubai Summer Surprises opens tomorrow, July 2. Modesh is back at the World Trade Center from Thursday. The Etihad Rail just ran its first-ever passenger train — with free breakfast on board. Summer is here in every sense.
Here's everything worth knowing this week.
🎭 SHOWS & PERFORMANCES
> Modesh World — DWTC. July 3–August 23. FREE. Dubai's summer mascots are back with a full indoor entertainment zone — rides, obstacle courses, food court, Modesh Market, and character appearances citywide. The summer anchor. Ages: All.
> Bluey and Bingo — Festival Park Plaza. July 3 onwards, four weekends. FREE. Bluey and Bingo. Ages: 2–6.
> TODA — Kids and Classics. Goldilocks and the Three Bears on July 5. Classical music meets puppet theatre inside a 360° immersive space at Souk Madinat Jumeirah. 89 AED for kids. 189 for Adults. Ages: 3–8.
> Madagascar Parade — Dubai Festival City Mall. July 3–19, weekends. FREE. Alex the Lion and the gang: the characters meet and parade as part of DSS. Ages: All.
> Sunday Cinema Club — Sharjah Art Foundation. Sundays. FREE. Series 1 of the Summer of Wonder film program: Song of the Sea, then Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Wind, then Mirai. Three of the most beautifully made animated films of this decade, back to back across three Sundays. Ages: 6+.
🎨 ARTS & WORKSHOPS
> Wood Wizards Dubai — Creek Beach, Summer 1 Building. Real woodworking for kids — not craft — actual building and carving with proper tools, properly supervised. Toddler Playground (ages 2+) is AED 75/hour with natural wood construction sets. For ages 5+, a Try Hour trial session is AED 230, group sessions are AED 220 for 90 minutes. Saturday and Sunday clubs running through the summer.
> Beyond the Stars — Beyond Dome Dubai, Dubai Festival City. A 360° live interactive space adventure inside the dome. Fully immersive. AED 65 per ticket. Ages: All.
> Organic Foods and Cafe — Pizza Workshop. Little ones make their own pizza from scratch at one of Dubai's most trusted family-friendly cafe chains. July 4, 5, 7, 10, and more. AED 30 per kid. Ages: 3–8.
> Young Merchants of Dubai Creek — Al Shindagha Museum. This one’s a bit further ahead. Kids experience the merchant life of old Dubai — trading, negotiating, understanding how the Creek built this city. A completely different cultural outing. Ages: 7–14. I’m not entirely sure if this is free, please call and check.
> Wafi City Hidden History Tour — Wafi Mall. FREE. A free guided experience through Wafi's extraordinary Egyptian-themed architecture. Most people who've walked this mall a hundred times have no idea what they've been walking past. Ages: 8+.
🏃 ACTIVE & SPORTS
> Dubai Sports World, Kids Area — AED 60 for 2 hours. Possibly the most affordable soft play in Dubai right now. Over-5s can stay with supervised Maids CC nannies — meaning parents can use the free gym or the running track right next door, then come back. Under-5s need their own adult in the play area. A well-thought-out setup for parents who want the kids active and themselves moving. Ages 5+.
> Minions and Monsters Fun Run — Mall of the Emirates. Sunday, July 5, 7am–10am. FREE. Book a ticket for the movie, and you'll receive a Minions t-shirt, a chance to win prizes, and free entry to the run itself. Ages: All.
> Super Park Dubai — Mirdif City Centre. The indoor entertainment zone is back for summer 2026, set over 62,000 square metres with rides, obstacle courses, and four venue zones under one roof. AED 90 for one hour. Ages: All, but best 5–14.
> Future Heroes Summer Camp — Museum of the Future. A dedicated summer technology program for 6-11 year olds. From their site: “Over three interactive weeks, they’ll discover sustainable ways to protect our planet, unravel the mysteries of outer space, and explore the endless possibilities of AI and technology.”
“🔬 FOR TEENS
> teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi At over 17,000 square metres, it's the world's largest digital art space — living installations that respond to temperature, humidity, airflow, and your own movement, blurring the line between visitor and artwork. FREE for kids under 4. Ages: 8+. Teens especially.
> Assem Sukkar Spacetoon Concert — JAFZA One. July 4. If you grew up in the Middle East watching Spacetoon, this one's for you more than the kids. AED 125. Ages: Nostalgic parents + kids who've discovered the classics.
> 1004 Gourmet and Soul Street Coffee — K-Pop Random Dance. Every Saturday and Sunday, 7–8pm. Free. K-pop, random dance challenges, breakdancing, all ages welcome. A joyful free thing. Ages: All, teens especially.
👶 FOR THE LITTLE ONES
> Savvy Junior's Sports Village — Pet Day. Dubai Sports City. Saturday, July 4. Meet bats, dogs, snakes, lizards, hamsters, bunnies and more in a supervised, kid-friendly setting. Ages: 2–10. FREE
> Mumu Family — Dubai Hills Mall. 2 hours of free soft play for one child per visit. A genuinely good deal. Air-conditioned, reliable, easy, and available till July 31. Ages: Toddlers to young kids.
> Koala Kids — Indoor playground. Ages:1-8
📌 OTHER THINGS
> K-pop Demon Hunters Pop-Up at City Centre Mirdif, running from July 9 to 19.
> AED 10 dishes
> Kids Go Free campaign — Still on at many places including: Museum of the Future, Burj Khalifa, La Perle, Madame Tussauds and more. Please call and check first.
Happy summer, gang. Make them count.
Parves
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