Welcome, new members of the gang.

Usually we have one big thing—but this week, it’s a lot of small good ones put together. Wrestling, animals, puppets, basketball, a pantomime, a market where every stall is run by a child. Pick a few and enjoy the ride.

Let’s go.

> WrestleFest DXB — The Fridge, Alserkal Avenue

Family-friendly pro wrestling in a warehouse in Alserkal. Doors 6pm, show 7 pm, VIP at 5pm if you want the kids meeting wrestlers beforehand. They've been running a flash sale on kids’ tickets for ages 3–10 with any adult ringside or front-row ticket — try DMing @wrestlefestdxb for the link. Otherwise, tickets at Virgin Megastore — Sat 19 Sept · 7pm · Ages 3+ (I suspect that older kids/parents will enjoy it more)

> Magic Phil in Mother Goose — Theatre by QE2

Two shows on Saturday, 11am and 3pm, 90 minutes with an interval. Mother Goose, a villain called Baron Von HardBoil, a fairy who keeps mixing up her fairytales, and a goose laying golden eggs. Written by Magic Phil himself, so expect the full ‘ all- emotion’ treatment. From AED 79. Ages 3+ need a ticket, under-12s need an adult with them, and strollers can be left outside the theatre. Book on Platinumlist — Sat 19 Sept · 11am & 3pm · from AED 79 · Ages 3+

> Tinipreneurs Market — Times Square Center

Every stall is run by a kid. Handmade things, invented products, and sharp business ideas. Buy something from a nine-year-old and watch pure delight on their face. Sat 19 Sept · 10am–1pm · Free entry · Ages 5+ to browse, 8–14 to be properly inspired

> Petting Zoo — Bawabat Al Sharq Mall, Abu Dhabi

Three days of real animals in a real mall. Meet them, feed them, let the kids get close. Indoors, evenings only, sensible because we’re still in September. — Fri 18 to Sun 20 Sept · 4–9pm · Ages 2+

> EuroLeague Basketball SuperCup — Abu Dhabi

Top European club basketball, two days. Proper live sport, and considerably easier to get into than football — Fri 18 & Sat 19 Sept · Prices from AED 66 · Ages 8+

> Dunkin' On Record — Dunkin' DSO · Three local acts playing live, free entry, and a free donut with a coffee purchase on the day. Low-stakes Friday evening with older kids. — Fri 18 Sept · 8–10pm · Ages 10+ · Dubai Silicon Oasis

> Wixie the Worm — Magrudy's Jumeirah · Author Hershey Gargash reads her book about a worm trying to save the planet. Free but register first. — Sat 19 Sept · 10–11am · Ages 3–7

> Al Serkal Private Classic Car Collection — Deira · Hidden inside a building on Al Maktoum Road: 70+ preserved vintage cars and an actual retro aircraft. No entry fee. Almost nobody knows it's there. — FREE · Ages 6+

> TrainYAS — Yas Marina Circuit · Walk, run or cycle the actual F1 track. Free, five days a week, all fitness levels — evening sessions, morning TrainAM sessions, and a ladies-only night. Register through the Yas Marina Circuit app first. Under-13s need an adult. Free bikes in limited numbers, first come, first served.

> Valley Netball — JVC · Free primary netball every Saturday this month, 7–8am. Leagues don't start until November, so it's a no-commitment look at the club. Registration required. School years 3–6

LEGO Shows: Natural Brickstory at the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi — running until November 8, so no rush, but don't leave it to the last weekend as everyone does. (More)

Beyond Dome at Dubai Festival City — lie on a bean bag inside a 360° dome and get surrounded by the solar system or a dinosaur world. About 50 minutes. If anyone has a birthday within seven days either side, their ticket is free with ID. (More)

Dubai Dolphinarium — 50% off the 11am show every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Online booking only. (More)

There's also a full weekend of puppet shows further down…scroll down if you’re interested.

> Interstellar Under the Stars — SEE Institute, Sustainable City · Screening of Interstellar, then telescope observation and discussion with Dubai Astronomy experts about the science behind it. Four hours, limited seats. Good for a 13-year-old who thinks they're above family outings. Sat 19 Sept · 7–11pm · Sun 20 Sept · 5–9pm · AED 70 kids / AED 80 adults · Ages 10+

> Harry Potter Trivia Night — DNA Board Games Cafe, Abu Dhabi · Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets only. AED 60 including a drink. No Felix Felicis allowed, apparently. — Sat 19 Sept · 8pm · AED 60 · Ages 11+

> Frankly Youth · Dubai's new discovery platform for teens launched this month. Friday 18th: teen social at S2DIO Town Square, 2–5pm. Sunday 20th: sunset walk at Kite Beach, 6pm. Member and non-member pricing differs — check franklydubai.com. — Ages 13–19

> Stories of Our Determination · New UAE short film competition open to students and first-time filmmakers. Fiction, documentary, animation, mobile filmmaking, even AI-assisted. Student prizes up to AED 10,000. Submissions close October 25 — enough time to make something good.

Abu Dhabi International Book Fair ends Friday. The 35th edition is at ADNEC, with publishers from 95 countries. On Stage by Eliane is doing free puppet shows on Friday — Omar and His First Falcon at 4pm in Arabic, The Earth Guardians at 5pm in English.

LEGOLAND Hotel for AED 75 a night with an annual pass. Book by October 6. Not a typo.

Speedy Comics COME PLAY — Sept 26–27, Times Square Center. Tournaments, cosplay, Smash, workshops, BIZ KIDZ. Free entry, full weekend. (More)

Urban Market at Manarat Al Saadiyat — Sept 25–27. Thirty-plus vendors, vintage, eco products, food stations. (More)

Very Hungry Caterpillar Show — Nov 6–7, Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi. 75+ puppets, four Eric Carle stories. A lovely first theatre experience for 2–6s. (Tickets)

Les Marionnettes at Sunset Mall is running an unusually full program this weekend, and the best part— every child ticket includes a free adult ticket. Doors open 30 minutes early for pre-show activities and snacks. Book here.

Fri 18, 9:30–11:30am — My First Puppet Experience: My Feelings. Songs, sensory play, creative activities, then an interactive show. Built for the very small. AED 150.

Fri 18, 4pm — The Lion Inside. A shy mouse looking for his roar, storytelling plus arts and crafts. Ages 2–4. AED 100.

Sat 19, 5pm — Le Voleur de Lapins, in French. Ages 3+. AED 120.

Sun 20, 11am — Puss in Boots, English. Ages 4+. AED 120.

Sun 20, 5pm — Little Red Riding Hood, English. Their best seller. Ages 2+. AED 120.

Abu Dhabi has built the country's first air-conditioned park. King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Park in Al Mushrif has a 700-metre cooled promenade running through 1,100 Ghaf trees, plus elevated trails and cycling paths. (More)

Speaking of Abu Dhabi — there is a slide inside The Mall at World Trade Center that drops you three floors, from the top of the mall to the ground, at three metres a second. It's called Velocity; anyone over 1.1 meters can ride it, and it costs AED 15. Fifteen dirhams. I don't know why more people aren't talking about this. (More)

And Ajman has a big new indoor soft play at Funix. Newly opened (well, a few month ago…)

That's your week. Hope you find something!

— Parves

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