I got some morning traffic today.

I think it had something to do with the lumbering yellow beasts - aka school buses on the roads. And you know what, it brought a smile to my face. While the mandate to attend school has been issued by the Ministry, many schools are interpreting it according to the circumstances. In my kids' school, the primary classes are online, and the secondary classes start tomorrow.

Anyway, why don't we see what we can do this week? Let’s go.

1. DIFC Art Nights — April 23-26 (Thursday-Sunday), Gate Village, 5-10pm. FREE. The 21st edition just dropped. Gate Village turns into an outdoor gallery for four nights—paintings, sculptures, digital art, murals, live performances, panel talks, workshops. Opera Gallery and Christie's are co-curating this year, so expect some serious pieces alongside the experimental stuff. No tickets, no booking. Just show up and wander. Thursday and Friday nights are quieter if you actually want to see the art. Weekend gets packed. Ages: All ages, but honestly best for 7+. Younger kids will lose interest fast. Park free in DIFC after 6pm.

2. Family Fun Day at The Els Club — Friday April 24, The Els Club Dubai Sports City, 2-10pm. FREE. Water slides, bouncy castles, carnival games, and darts football for the kids. Live music and food stations for the adults. No booking required, just show up. Dog-friendly if you want to bring the whole family. Recommend bringing a change of clothes for the kids using the water slides. Ages: All ages, truly a family thing.

3. Summer Splash at Al Wasl Plaza — Saturday April 25, Expo City Dubai. AED50 entry. The season's closing celebration for Al Wasl Plaza. Water play, live music, games, food trucks. This is the last big family event at the dome before everyone retreats indoors for summer. Ages: 2-12, absolutely perfect for toddlers through tweens who need to burn energy.

City Nature Challenge at Terra — April 25-27 (Saturday-Monday), Expo City Dubai. FREE. A global competition to document urban wildlife. Your kids take photos of plants, animals, bugs with the iNaturalist app, upload them, and scientists actually use the data for research. There's a free guided walk Saturday morning 9-10am if you want someone to show you what to look for. Prizes for the best photos. Ages: 5+. Best for kids who genuinely like bugs, nature, science—not for the squeamish.

ACE Dubai Festival City Summer Fest — April 25-26 (Saturday-Sunday), Festival City. FREE. Two days of family activities at the hardware store. Kids' workshops, games, summer-themed fun. Ages: All ages, family-friendly.

Train With Dubai Police — Wednesday, April 29, Dubai Autodrome, 7-10pm. FREE. Run, cycle, or rollerblade on the actual racing circuit. Bootcamp sessions at 6:30pm and 7:30pm if you want structured torture. Registration is required on their website. Ages: 12+ for bootcamp, all ages for open track time. Parents love this one.

Five Iron Golf — Westin Mina Seyahi, through April 30. Unlimited FREE mini-golf. That's this week—last chance. 9-hole course. Open Mon-Thu 7am-1am, Fri-Sat 7am-2am. Just walk in. Ages: 4+, younger kids can swing but won't keep score :)

Global Village — Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311), Exit 37. The legend, the beauty, the institution reopened April 20 after nearly two months closed. What can I say about it that hasn’t been said. 90+ cultures, rides, food, live shows, and shopping. AED25 weekdays (Monday-Thursday); AED30 anyday tickets. FREE for kids under 3, seniors 65+, people of determination. Tuesdays are Family & Ladies Day. Season ends May 10. Ages: All ages, truly.

Dubai Creek Harbour Promenade — Open daily, FREE. Walk along the waterfront, skyline views, small parks, restaurants. 4 hours free underground parking at the Marina parking. Good for an evening walk when you just need to get out of the house. Ages: All ages, stroller-friendly.

Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park — Open 24/7, FREE. 8km family cycle track, 4km running track, skate park, football/cricket/basketball courts. Bike rentals available if you don't have your own. Ages: All ages. Toddlers on training wheels to teenagers on BMX.

Jones the Grocer Community Markets — Various locations on weekends. Check their Instagram for this week's schedule. Local vendors, food, coffee, and plants. Ages: All ages, good for a Saturday morning outing.

Al Barari Playground — Open daily, FREE. Middle East's largest trampoline park. Rope bridges, cargo nets, pirate ships, and shallow splash area. If your kids need to climb something, this is it. Ages: 2-12, built for serious play.

Central Park at Wasl Gate — Jebel Ali, near Energy Metro Station. FREE. Dubai's own Central Park just opened mid-April. 82,700 sqm of jogging/cycling tracks, sports courts, skate park, amphitheatre lawn, food trucks. Open to everyone, not just residents. Metro accessible. Ages: All ages, genuinely family-friendly.

Abu Dhabi Airport Terminal Tours — Zayed International Airport. The airport opened to non-travelers for 8 weeks (started mid-April). Advance booking required, digital security pass, UAE ID holders only. Shop, dine, explore the terminal. Up to 4 hours free parking with D200 minimum spend inside. No laptops/tablets allowed for security. Ages: All ages if you're curious about airports.

Mleiha National Park Workshops — Sharjah, ongoing programs. Educational workshops for kids 5+. Flora & Fauna workshop (1 hour), Fossil Fun expeditions (1-2 hours), Space Camp (2-3 hours with stargazing), Flint Knapping. Booking required. Just over an hour drive from Dubai. Ages: 5+, science/nature kids.

NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

UAE traffic law got stricter in March. Here.

UAE bans junk food in schools. Ministry of Education released the National Guide for Food and Beverages. No more sugary drinks, processed meats, chips, chocolate bars in school canteens or lunchboxes. Applies to all public and private schools. If your kid's been packing Cheetos, time to pivot.

RTA opened sensory rooms at bus stations. Al Satwa and Oud Metha stations now have quiet spaces for passengers with autism or sensory sensitivities. Soft lighting, sensory toys, noise-cancelling features. FREE to use.

Dubai proposes parents pay fines for kids misusing e-scooters. Not law yet, just a proposal. But if your 12-year-old is riding rented scooters illegally, you might be getting the bill.

Flying Tiger Copenhagen recall. If you bought their 200ml glass cups, stop using them immediately. Ministry of Economy found hazardous lead and cadmium levels. Return them to the store.

Work from a Park initiative starts in May. Dubai Municipality is launching at Al Barsha Pond Park starting next month. Wi-Fi, shaded seating, plug points. Part of their "future of work" push. Worth knowing if you're remote and sick of your home office.

That’s it for this week. Please send this to other parents who’d love this information for free. Also, please, please, please let me know if you think I could improve the newsletter in any way. I think this style helps, but if you have suggestions, I’m all ears!

Write to me, I read and respond to everything. Tell me how you feel 😀

Till next week,

Parves