Entertaining a toddler is no easy feat, especially during a record-high summer. Toddlers tend to fall in an awkward in-between phase when planning child-friendly excursions. They've graduated from breast- or bottle-hooked mellowness, and are now on the brink of or in the midst of their terrible twos, with an almost insatiable amount of energy. They are not yet eligible for summer camps for older children and, if they haven't started nursery, chances are they don't have friend groups to co-ordinate activities with.
For those spending the summer in the UAE with your toddler this year, indoor play areas with interactive, hands-on activities are your best bet for entertaining them while nurturing creative and social skills – in an air-conditioned space.
Whether you’re looking to spend some quality play time together or have ulterior motives to tire out your tot before his or her nap, here are some toddler-friendly destinations you can hit this year.
OliOli
Veteran experiential play centre OliOli is hosting its first Toddler Fest this summer, from Sunday, June 13 to Thursday, June 17 from 9am to 4pm.
Open to children who are 5 years old and below, the event incorporates sensory play, interactive activities, art sessions, nature crafts, brain-training classes and storytelling sessions held in collaboration with small businesses in the UAE – such as The Bright Minds Institute, Music Monkeys, Natura Tribe, Wobbel Yoga and more – to help support the wider local community.
There will also be a much-anticipated puppet show hosted by the popular Magic Phil.
General admission tickets cost Dh126 (for one child and one adult) inclusive of gallery activities, and add-on workshops cost Dh30 each
woo-hoo!
Move, connect, explore, examine and imagine are the five crucial aspects of every child's body and mind that UAE "children's museum" woo-hoo! strives to cultivate through its interactive experiences.
In addition to its toddler-friendly activity rooms and installations, which range from a water-themed hall and soft-play treehouse to a cave where you can dig for dinosaur fossils, woo-hoo is hosting hour-long Toddler Time workshops every Thursday morning in June and every Friday morning in July.
Targeting children who are 3 and below, the workshops encourage little learners to play with different textures, sounds and colours through organised sensory-play activities. Head there on Tuesday, June 15 or over the next two Tuesdays, on June 22 and 29, to partake in a sensory story-time session followed by finger painting.
Each workshop costs Dh70 per child, with the option of adding an hour of play for an extra Dh40.
fiafia
If you’re on the lookout for a new play area to take toddlers to, consider treating them to fiafia, a “colourful indoor playground”, which opened last month in the Dubai International Financial Centre, complete with the activities, installations and much-loved soft play area from its flagship Al Ferdous branch.
On June 19 and June 20, to coincide with Father’s Day, there is a special session with two hours of play with arts and crafts, a children’s meal and a coffee for dad. And, on Monday, June 21, fiafia is celebrating music day with two hours of music, dance and a hand-drum show.
Entry costs Dh55 for the first hour and Dh30 for the second hour; fiafia unlimited soft-play passes cost Dh300 for one month and Dh500 for three months.
Dig It
An interactive venue with an invigorating twist, Dig It transports your young ones to a construction site where they will become productive little workers.
At this Emaar concept located in Dubai’s Spring Souk, children can dress up in yellow hard hats and neon vests and get down to the dirty work – manoeuvring wheelbarrows, riding tractors, building walls and towers, playing with slime and partaking in other tasks that are modelled after real-life construction work.
They can also paint digger trucks on a large interactive drawing tablet and play in the construction-site-themed soft-play area.
Tickets cost Dh80 for a two-hour session, and 30-minute workshops cost an additional Dh30
Caboodle
Abu Dhabi’s indoor play park and children’s salon Caboodle has joined forces with Kindermusik with Silvia, the capital’s only Kindermusik programme, which focuses on music-based education for young children.
Every Wednesday until June 23, you can visit Caboodle to stimulate your toddler’s musical senses through singing and dancing. Three sessions will be held each week: Sing & Play (for children no older than 18 months), Wiggle & Bounce (for children who are 1.5 to 2.5 years old) and Laugh & Learn (for children who are 5 years or younger).
Along with enjoying the musical learning sessions, your toddlers can play with interactive toys and role-play kiosks, try their hand at a climbing wall or explore a soft play area complete with a trampoline and slides.
Each session costs Dh81.90
Cheeky Monkeys
This colourful indoor edutainment destination has branches across the Emirates, and has just launched its 2021 summer camp for children, open to those who are 2 years old and above from June 27 to September 2.
In addition to the soft-play area, toddlers will experience interactive and structured activities, such as creative arts and crafts, mini science projects and more.
The Cheeky Monkeys summer camp runs four hours a day for the duration of one week, with meals and snacks included. Parents can leave their children as long as they are toilet-trained, and can get a 5 per cent discount for a second child.
Camp costs Dh125 per session or Dh525 for the week, with a 10 per cent early-bird discount on bookings placed before June 17
My First Gym
If you thought fitness classes were only available for older children, you'll be happy to learn that My First Gym, located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, is offering dance and gymnastics classes specifically for toddlers who are between 23 months and 3.5 years this summer.
The hour-long sessions incorporate pre-gymnastics, yoga, dancing, swinging, running and even singing, and will help children develop spatial awareness, and hanging, balancing and speech skills. Achieving little wins in these classes will also help toddlers build self-confidence, all while parents cheer them on.
Book through urbancircle.ae for a 10 per cent discount on packages: one session costs Dh150, five sessions cost Dh621 and 12 sessions cost Dh1,080
Orange Wheels
Located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Orange Wheels is a one-stop destination for soft play, role play, song, dance and snacks.
The play area, which is attached to a cafe and coffee shop, contains slides and climbing activities, as well as a mini shopping market, bakery and boutique where young ones can pretend to build hamburgers, bake croissants and more.
Orange Wheels has launched its summer membership offer, which entitles members to one visit per day, for a maximum stay of two hours.
Summer monthly membership costs Dh495 per child
For more ideas on how to keep your toddlers entertained, urbancircle.ae has some great options for sports, musical and creative activities, and Kidzapp.com offers deals and discounts for a variety of hand-picked children’s experiences
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 Southampton 1
Everton: Walcott (15'), Richarlison (31' )
Southampton: Ings (54')
Man of the match: Theo Walcott (Everton)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
First-round leaderbaord
-5 C Conners (Can)
-3 B Koepka (US), K Bradley (US), V Hovland (Nor), A Wise (US), S Horsfield (Eng), C Davis (Aus);
-2 C Morikawa (US), M Laird (Sco), C Tringale (US)
Selected others: -1 P Casey (Eng), R Fowler (US), T Hatton (Eng)
Level B DeChambeau (US), J Rose (Eng)
1 L Westwood (Eng), J Spieth (US)
3 R McIlroy (NI)
4 D Johnson (US)
More coverage from the Future Forum
Results:
6.30pm: Handicap | US$135,000 (Dirt) | 1,400 metres
Winner: Rodaini, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap | $135,000 (Turf) | 1,200m
Winner: Ekhtiyaar, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
7.40pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (T) | 2,000m
Winner: Spotify, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
8.15pm: UAE Oakes | Group 3 | $250,000 (D) | 1,900m
Winner: Divine Image, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile | Group 2 | $250,000 (T) | 1,600m
Winner: Mythical Image, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.20pm: Handicap | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
Winner: Major Partnership, Kevin Stott, Saeed bin Suroor
Engine: 80 kWh four-wheel-drive
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: From Dh280,000
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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The%20specs
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Fight Night
FIGHT NIGHT
Four title fights:
Amir Khan v Billy Dib - WBC International title
Hughie Fury v Samuel Peter - Heavyweight co-main event
Dave Penalosa v Lerato Dlamini - WBC Silver title
Prince Patel v Michell Banquiz - IBO World title
Six undercard bouts:
Michael Hennessy Jr v Abdul Julaidan Fatah
Amandeep Singh v Shakhobidin Zoirov
Zuhayr Al Qahtani v Farhad Hazratzada
Lolito Sonsona v Isack Junior
Rodrigo Caraballo v Sajid Abid
Ali Kiydin v Hemi Ahio
Book%20Details
%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EThree%20Centuries%20of%20Travel%20Writing%20by%20Muslim%20Women%3C%2Fem%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EEditors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiobhan%20Lambert-Hurley%2C%20Daniel%20Majchrowicz%2C%20Sunil%20Sharma%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EIndiana%20University%20Press%3B%20532%20pages%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
THE TWIN BIO
Their favourite city: Dubai
Their favourite food: Khaleeji
Their favourite past-time : walking on the beach
Their favorite quote: ‘we rise by lifting others’ by Robert Ingersoll
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Red Star Belgrade v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight (Thursday), UAE
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
