Some cultural places to spend the summer heat…
Mamas it’s getting hot and we don’t have to tell you, it’s only going to get hotter. Parks and beaches are rapidly becoming out of bounds, most soft plays remain one of the seven circles of hell and the summer holidays are looming. Yikes. But what if we told you there was a way to keep the kiddos busy and broaden their horizons at the same time? Check out the best of kid-friendly culture the UAE has to keep your little ones happy and entertained all summer long…
Read more: Where To Get Your Dose Of Nature in Dubai When Temperatures Soar
See the best of the old and the new with the latest addition to Dubai’s skyline. Soaring 150 metres into the sky, little ones will love the glass observation deck that’s – gulp – totally see-through and there’s even a museum at the bottom to stimulate those grey cells! Super popular since it opened in January, take advantage of the lack of summer crowds to check it out – but maybe wait until afterwards to have breakfast…
Read more: Our Ultimate Dubai Bucket List
The perfect way to teach your kids about the country they live; the Etihad Museum offers an interactive look into the way the UAE was founded. The building it’s housed in is stunning – shaped to resemble a manuscript – and best of all it’s right opposite the Lime Tree Café so you can slurp down a well-earned cup of joe post culture vulturing. Winning!
Bound to be a hit with any square-eyed offspring, this scene-centric attraction is like a cross between Segaworld and BBC’s Planet Earth. Made up of 12 different zones, kiddos can follow in the footsteps of polar explorers and watch elephants migrating across the Masai Mara. With this at your fingertips, who needs a holiday? (me, me me!)
Read more: A Visit To Orbi, Dubai’s Latest Indoor Nature Attraction
The most-hyped up tourist spot of the decade, The Louvre is jam-packed with things for the kids to do and well worth the drive down to Abu Dhabi. Check out our full review of the Louvre for more info on the best ways to handle the best museum in the Middle East.
Read more: How to do The Louvre Abu Dhabi With Kids
For a bit more hands-on culture, check the kids in at Sassy mama favourite The Jam Jar. They can unleash their dubious talents on canvases that make perfect take-home gifts for adoring grandparents and when they’ve finished getting creative, how about icecreams all round at neighbouring Mirzam chocolate factory? Yummo!
Treat them to a taste of traditional Arabian hospitality at this Insta-friendly teahouse and café deep in the heart of old Dubai. Juices are to die for and their breakfasts are for champions, because after all you are what you eat! Stay cool mamas and hang in there…
Read more: A Magical Food Tour Of Old Dubai With Frying Pan Adventures & Gulf Photo Plus
The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding is a must while you’re living in the Middle East. The centre runs a range of different activities, but by far our favourites are the cultural meals, where you and the kiddos will get a chance to try a delicious traditional Emirati breakfast or lunch and chat with a local host about UAE culture, customs, and religion in a cool majlis style setting.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabiis probably one of the UAE’s most spectacular sights and it’s well worth the trip up the road to see it – particularly if you have kids who are old enough not to want to run and touch and swing on stuff they shouldn’t (um……). Remember to dress conservatively and bring a scarf to cover your head. Open Sunday – Thursday from 9 am – 10 pm and after 4:30 on a Friday, there are also tours conducted in English and plenty of opportunities for gorgeous, gorgeous photos.
