'Tis the season to celebrate, yes, but also perhaps to be a bit more mindful about the things we buy and gift. A significant yet confounding chunk of Christmas shopping lists are made up of presents for children – whether your own or others'.
So we ask mothers of the Real Mums UAE Facebook group which toys their youngsters can’t get enough of. Here are some to consider ...
Magna-Tiles
The 3D magnetic building sets are a clear favourite among children – and their parents, who appreciate the hours of screen-free fun afforded by these colourful tiles that can be made into varied shapes.
"They are definitely the best across age groups. We bought them for my daughter when she was 2 and she still plays with them at 9 along with her brother, who is 3," says Jacqueline Curran. "They are great fun and virtually indestructible."
Magnaformers
Another magnetic building toy, these blocks are smaller than Magna-Tiles, so while they can fit little fingers more easily, they also require greater co-ordination. As Valerie Bach puts it, "I bought my daughter Magformers when she was 3. She's 10 now and still plays with them. They are a toy I will keep for my grandchildren. They've kept my kids entertained for hours, they don't take up a lot of space, and they are really easy to clean up."
Ikea kitchen set
The Duktig set in birch and plywood is a realistic miniature of a kitchen that lights up and comes with various cooking paraphernalia and food items. Elisabeth Van de Pol-Rubner says she got the play kitchen for her daughter's first birthday and "almost two years later, it's still a big hit. It's great to keep adding items to as well."
Mini playground
Abu Dhabi mum Geraldine Mailen Jamora resorted to buying a mini slide, swing and ball pit during the pandemic, when her children were unable to visit the park. It's a decision she doesn’t regret even when her son and daughter remain blissfully unaware about their parents’ presence. “At least they get to enjoy our little playground at home.”
Clay
Don’t underestimate the appeal of simple coloured clay, says Lene Pieters, a mixed media artist from Dubai. “It’s fabulous for taking along when travelling and provides hours of fun. It’s also great for fine motor control and stimulating children’s 3D spatial awareness and creativity.”
Dolls and action figures
When it comes to role-playing games, dolls and action figures are a no-brainer, say several members of the Real Mums UAE group. "My three-year-old twins love mixing it up with their Disney Princess Barbies, Blume dolls and Avengers action figures – Captain America, Hulk and Iron Man to be precise – in equal measure," says Tanisha Gupta.
Lol Dolls are another option, where half the fun lies in their unboxing, as these come with a surprise element. Lavita D'Souza says her 10-year-old daughter, Liel, and her friends use Lol Dolls for plays they write themselves. Blume Dolls, too, are fascinating for young minds, says Alison Rego, mum of seven-year-old Kristen; because as the name suggests they bloom and can be created into flower pots and so on upon adding drops of water.
Doll's houses
Pieters is a fan, and advises parents not to discount the value of a simple doll's house. "The plain wooden houses are more fun, as children can imagine all the decorations or even put up temporary versions from cut-outs from interiors magazines. They can cut up old clothes for curtains and other furniture. The variables are endless," she says.
Pooja Ramchandani Mehbubani has got her four-year-old Kiara wooden dolls with magnetic dresses and accessories to change their outfits. "My daughter loves dressing them up and can play for hours," she says.
Duplo and Lego
An oldie but goodie, a traditional building block set is a favourite with children of all ages. Duplo bricks are twice the length, height, and width of Lego pieces, hence are easier to handle and safer for younger children. Both of Evans Den Dekker's sons, one who is 3 years and the other 7 months, adore them, with the older, she says, “able to play with his Duplo for a long time each single day”.
Fellow Dubai mum Alessandra Castiglione agrees: "Lego is the one thing that passed the test of time for my kids. They are 9 and 8 years old and they still play with it daily, even still using the Duplo sets that I bought for them when they were 18 months." Given that they are from the same company, the two sets are compatible.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
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The specs
The specs: 2019 Audi Q8
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 340hp @ 3,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
The specs: 2019 Cadillac XT4
Price, base: Dh145,000
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 237hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
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.
The five pillars of Islam
The Word for Woman is Wilderness
Abi Andrews, Serpent’s Tail
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