Welcome Gang!

Global Village just extended. Miracle Garden is now free on weekdays. And three iconic outdoor attractions simultaneously running their best deals before they close for summer

So, what’s in this edition? Free world-class art fair. A live orchestra built for children. Puppet shows. Abu Dhabi's best museums open free. Baby sensory sessions for the parent of a 6-week-old wondering what to do. And a ninja warrior circuit for the 15-year-old who is bored of everything.

Let's go.

BIG NEWS:

Global Village — Dubailand. Extended to May 31. AED 25/adult. Under 12 FREE. Family 4-for-1: AED 30.

Everyone thought it closed May 10. It didn't. Season 30 has been officially extended three weeks — now running all the way through Eid Al Adha until May 31. 90+ country pavilions, 250+ dining options, daily kids' shows, Carnaval rides. Extended weekend hours too: open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. Your last window before October. Don't sleep on it. Ages: All ages. Genuinely everyone.

IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE THIS WEEK:

Art Dubai — Madinat Jumeirah. FREE. May 15–17 public. VIP preview May 14.

For the first time in Art Dubai's 20-year history — completely free. No ticket, no invitation. The 20th edition brings gallery presentations from across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, live performances, a Cultural Commons with daily music and local makers, and the 20th Global Art Forum. Public hours: Friday 4–9pm, Saturday 2–9pm, Sunday noon–6pm. If you've ever wanted to bring your curious 10-year-old to a real art fair, this is the moment. Ages: All ages. 10+ will genuinely love it.

International Museum Day — Abu Dhabi FREE — Saadiyat Island. FREE entry May 16–18.

Three days of free access: Zayed National Museum (just named one of TIME's 100 Greatest Places in the world), Louvre Abu Dhabi, Natural History Museum, Qasr Al Hosn, Al Maqta'a Museum, and Al Ain Museum. Each venue runs its own family programme — workshops, storytelling, live performances, guided tours. The Saadiyat Island trio alone is worth the drive. Build a Saturday around it. Ages: All ages. Under-5s love the workshops. Teens will love the Louvre and Zayed National.

Once Upon a Tune: Carnival of the Animals — Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation. Tonight, Thursday May 14, 6:30pm. Ticketed.

If you're reading this in time. The UAE National Orchestra's first-ever family concert series — interactive, storytelling-led, built specifically for children with dancing, clapping, and call-and-response woven through Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals. This is not a sit-quietly event. Children are supposed to move. Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, 6:30pm. Book via Ticketmaster AE. Ages: 3–12. Parents will enjoy it just as much.

Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project — Jumeirah Al Naseem. FREE daily. Wednesday 11am feeding.

This has been hiding in plain sight for years. Walk into the grounds of Jumeirah Al Naseem — no reservation, no ticket, no charge — and you'll find a working sea turtle rehabilitation sanctuary sitting right there beside the beach. Hawksbill turtles, Green turtles, hatchlings being nursed back to health. Every Wednesday at 11am there's a public feeding session where the naturalist team walks you through each turtle's story. 30–45 minutes, costs nothing. Ages: 3+. Wednesday morning. Free. Just go.

WHAT ELSE:

Les Marionnettes — Sunset Mall, Jumeirah 3. Dubai's only puppet theatre — and if you haven't taken the kids yet, this weekend is a good excuse. Friday May 15 is a full two-hour afternoon session (4–6pm) with Guignol, rabbit-themed crafts, and a puppet show about a stolen rabbit that somehow has more plot than most films. Saturday May 16 is a shorter standalone show at 11am — same charm, less commitment. French-inspired, small, warm, and built entirely for young children. Maybe the place you might come to love! Ages: 2–8.

Dubai Flea Market — Two locations this weekend. Both FREE. Saturday May 16: Discovery Gardens Park, outdoor, 4–10pm. Free bouncy castle, free kids' painting station, 120+ sellers. Sunday May 17: Festival Plaza, Jebel Ali, indoors, 10am–7pm. Ages: All ages.

Dubai Public Libraries — All over Dubai. Typically free. Tons of kids and family activities including creating paper family portraits, Montessori sensory learning approaches, family Matryoshka painting, Pizza making, Quilling, doll making and more . Ages: 3+.

Al Serkal Art Month — Al Quoz. FREE. Through May 18. Final weekend. Sixteen exhibitions, open studios, Shilpa Gupta's public installation in The Yard. Last chance. Ages: 8+.

FOR THE TINY ONES (0–2 years):

This one's for the parents who wrote in asking what there is for a 20-month-old. We hear you.

Baby Sensory UAE — Multiple Dubai locations. From AED 80–100/class. If your baby is still figuring out their hands, this is your weekly plan. Themed sessions for newborns right through to 4-year-olds — lights, textures, movement, music. The kind of class where your child does something new and you feel like a brilliant parent for showing up. Multiple locations across Dubai. Trial rates for first-timers. Ages: Newborn to 4.

Mini Explorers — Multiple locations. Weekly themed sessions. New theme every week — Amazon, Arctic, New York. Your 14-month-old doesn't know they're in a structured programme. They just think they're having the best morning of their life. Ages: 0–3 years.

FOR THE BIG KIDS (12–16 years):

For the parent whose teenager responds to everything with "that sounds boring."

TEPfactor — JBR. AED 129/person per hour. 21 physical and mental challenges inside a cave at JBR. Part obstacle course, part escape room, part "why is this so hard." Teenagers take it seriously. That's the point. Ages: 12+. Thursday–Saturday from noon.

BOUNCE X-Park — Multiple locations. From AED 65. The ninja warrior circuit they've seen on YouTube. Warped walls, zip line, bouldering, parkour. It's exactly what it looks like and they will love it. Ages: 10–16. Min. height 110cm.

Cinema Akil — Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz. Prices vary. For the teen who's outgrown Marvel. Dubai's only arthouse cinema — Korean, Iranian, French, Italian films that won't be at any other screen in the city. Karak tea, Al Quoz vibes, under AED 80. A different Friday evening. Ages: 13–16.

LAST CHANCE BEFORE SUMMER — GO NOW OR WAIT UNTIL OCTOBER:

Three of Dubai's best outdoor attractions all closing May 31. All running special final-week deals.

Dubai Miracle Garden — Al Barsha 3. FREE weekdays through May 31 (Gate 3, Emirates ID). AED 30 residents on weekends. Under 12 is always free. 150 million flowers, Emirates A380 in blooms, Umbrella Passage, Floral Castle. Weekdays through Gate 3 with an Emirates ID: completely free. Ages: All ages. Best for 2–10.

Dubai Safari Park — Al Warqa. Buy 2 get 2 free. From AED 50 adults / AED 20 children. 3,000+ animals, six themed zones, safari train, live presentations, Kids' Farm. Best deal of the season right now: 4 tickets for AED 234. Ages: All ages. Best for 4–14.

Dubai Garden Glow — Zabeel Park. From AED 73.50. 500+ glowing installations, dinosaurs made of light, an ice park and art installations. One of the better night-out options for older kids who've grown out of Miracle Garden. Ages: 4+. Especially good for 8–15.

LATER DOWN THE ROAD — SAVE THESE:

Dubai Esports & Games Festival — GameExpo — Dubai World Trade Centre. June 5–7. From AED 10. 300+ games, cosplay championships, AED 50,000 prize pool. For the teenager who thinks everything is boring. Book now. Ages: 10+.

Kalayaan 2026 — Dubai World Trade Centre. June 7. Dubai's biggest Filipino Independence Day celebration. 30,000+ expected. Full-day cultural event. Ages: All ages.

NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Eid Al Adha. Here.

Sharjah museums also free on May 18. International Museum Day: Sharjah Science Museum, Sharjah Aquarium, Sharjah Archaeology Museum, Bait Al Naboodah, Sharjah Fort, Sharjah Heritage Museum, and Sharjah Maritime Museum. All free on Monday May 18.

Dubai Parks and Resorts: still closed.

That's your week. Free art. Free museums. Free flowers on a weekday. Turtles at Jumeirah. Ninja circuits at JBR. And a sensory class for the parent who hasn't left the house since the baby arrived. There is something here for every single person in your family. Now go.

Till next week, Parves

PS: Write to me, I read and respond to everything.

PPS: Share this with other parents if you think it might help them!