Your Stay Cool ABC's

A is for Aquarist

At the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo young marine enthusiasts can go behind the scenes and discover what it's like to be an aquarist. The programme includes shark-feeding, a cage dive in the massive aquarium tank, a tour of the facilities and more. Dh150 for children aged five to seven; Dh250 for eight-year-olds and above. Call 04-4485200.

B is for Budget

Make the most of the discounted prices at Chuck E Cheese play centre in Outlet Mall. On Sundays, throughout summer, all of the games are half-price. Or head down to the centre, which also includes fun rides and an ice rink, any other day of the week and take advantage of their special package: Dh39 gets kids an all-you-can-eat buffet and drinks plus a Dh25 token card for the game machines.  Visit www.chuckecheesedubai.com.

C is for Camp

Keep your children active by enrolling them in one of the many summer camps around town.

• Dubai Holiday Camps: Here children can take part in a full range of activities, including football, netball, tennis, swimming, water polo, martial arts, cricket, golf, music and dance, drama, arts and crafts, jewellery making, and more. The camps are held at two venues, Dubai International Academy and Deira International School. From Dh495 per week. Transport is available. Visit www.dubaiholidaycamps.com.
  
•  KidzArt: If your child likes art, he'll love this camp, where children get to explore different countries and cultures through creative projects. Camps are held at Ductac and Uptown Primary School in Mirdif. From Dh850 per week. Visit www.kidzart.ae.
   
• Fun City: This camp promises to help children burn off excess energy with a full range of activities, including arts and crafts, interactive cooking, children's theatre, fun science experiments, dance and field trips, plus yoga, gymnastics and martial art classes. From Dh350 a week. Transport available. Email nevanya.nadar@cplmg.com.
  
• Peekaboo: This creative play centre's camp is for children aged three-and-a-half years and up, including arts and crafts, cooking, dancing sessions, yoga, animated story time, origami, play dough and more. From Dh450 per week. Email info@peekaboo.ae.
  
• Children's Oasis Play Centre: If you live on the Palm, this centre is a convenient camp for children aged four to nine. The programme includes cooking, fabric art, games and more. There are also care facilities for babies from two months old. For details and costs email Lisa Marie on lisamariebarkley@yahoo.co.uk.
   
• Dar El-Ilm School of Languages: Enrol your children in a summer language camp and improve their English, French or Arabic. From age four and upwards. Dh 660 per week. Call 04-3310221.
   
• Coral Beach Resort, Sharjah: The Aladdin Kids Club camp means fun sports, creative activities and a weekly educational outing. For timings and costs, call 06-5229999.

D is for Dolphins

Treat your children to a day out at the Dubai Dolphinarium at Dubai Creek Park. You can watch a show, swim with the dolphins, have lunch and shop for souvenirs. Visit www.dubaidolphinarium.ae.

E is for Edutainment

Cité des Enfants is an interactive environment for children aged two to seven, with plenty of fun activities and displays where children can learn more about themselves and the world around them. During the summer there are workshops covering the environment and animals. Dh190 for one adult with two children, an extra child costs Dh50.  Visit www.citedesenfantsme.com.

F is for Flying

Leaping into a vertical wind tunnel is akin to skydiving sans the parachute, only safer. For the latest craze to hit Dubai head down to iFly Dubai in Mirdif City Centre and don your bat suit. Adults pay Dh195, children pay Dh145. This includes a training session, flight gear, two flights and one-on-one personal assistance from an instructor. Visit www.playnationme.com.

G is for Gym

At Ibn Battuta Mall, the first UAE outlet of The Little Gym has opened just in time for summer with 4,800 square feet full of big, bright, clean and colourful top-of-the-line equipment. Here, children between the ages of ten months and 12 years can learn gymnastics, sports skills, karate, dancing and cheerleading. Visit www.tlgibnbattuta.com.

H is for Home movies.

For those days when going out of the house is out of the question, why not schedule a movie marathon? Draw the curtains, switch off the lights, rent some family favourites, get the popcorn ready, fill the floor with cushions, and chill out in front of the box. Cheap, easy and a hit with the whole family.

I is for Ice

At Times Square's Chill Out Ice Bar you can don your winter woolies and sit on a chair made from ice at a table made from ice and be surrounded by walls made from ice. Enough ice to make you forget the summer heat outside and enjoy warming your hands on a hot chocolate. The Dh60 entrance fee includes jacket, shoes, gloves and hat plus a complimentary hot drink (hot chocolate or tea). Visit www.timessquarecenter.ae.

J is for Juggling

Add a little magic to your children's summer break and sign them up for Laugh out Loud's Circus and Magic Camp. Here they can pick up a range of fun skills, including stilt walking, magic tricks, acrobatics and juggling. There will be a show for family and friends at the end of the week where the children can show of their new skills. For prices and timings call050-9273621.

K is for KidZania

Train to be anything from a pilot or nurse to an engineer or news reporter. Earn ‘real' money and either save it or spend it in a day at the make-believe city for children in Dubai Mall. There is space for any age group, although adults have to be accompanied by a child. There are enthusiastic supervisors throughout the play area to help children figure out how it all works. Open every day, infants up to two years go free, those from two to three years pay Dh95, those four to 16 years Dh125 and adults Dh90 for an entire day. There are food outlets inside the centre.  Visit www.dubaimall.com.

L is for Learn

The Dubai Herbal and Treatment Centre is running a number of its popular children's educational courses this summer which aim to provide children with valuable life skills. Here children can learn about money matters, attend a happiness workshop or learn to be media savvy. There are two Happiness Workshops (depending on ages) running on July 4, 5, 6 and 7, 8; the Money Matters Programme runs on July 12, 13, 14, and the Media Awareness Programme on July 18, 19, 20. Each course is priced at Dh450 and runs either mornings or afternoons depending on ages. Contact Azeemah on 04-3351200.

M is for Make-Believe

Fill a cardboard box with old clothes, suits, ties, handbags, accessories and shoes, let your children invite friends over, and let their imaginations out to play an afternoon of dress-up. Then let them all wear their favourite outfit for a mid-afternoonsit-down tea.

N is for Nature

The Arabian Wildlife Centre, just over 20kms outside Dubai, allows you to get close to nature without having to step out of the centre's cool air-conditioned interior. Children can spend hours ogling at the exhibits plus learn more about the animals of the region. While you're there, pop across the road to the impressive Natural History Museum and make a full day of it.  Call 06-5311999.

O is for Outing

The Hatta Pools are full of water all year round and surrounded by shady mountains. Follow the road to Hatta, turn right at the Fort roundabout, go through the town and head left toward Hatta Heritage Village. Turn left at the next roundabout, then turn right just before the flags on the rocks. Drive through the second village and take a right onto the gravel road, where the Hatta Pools track starts. It's about one-and-a-half hours' drive and you do not need a 4x4.

P is for Piste

Leave summer behind and head for the slopes at Ski Dubai, where children can learn to ski or snowboard, ride a sledge or simply throw snowballs. Snow Park entry is Dh100 per adult and Dh90 per child; access to the slopes is Dh180 per adult and Dh150 per child. The children's Discovery Lesson, where they'll learn the basics of skiing, costs Dh150. Visit www.skidxb.com.

Q is for Questions

With no school for two months and little mental stimulation, children's brains can sink into a TV-numbed slumped. Kick-start their grey matter with Ian Gilbert's Little Book of Thunks (Crown House Publishing). This inspired book is filled with clever questions - such as, "Does a notebook with lines weigh more than one of the same size that doesn't have lines?" It will get the whole family thinking and talking. Available from www.amazon.com.

R is for Retro

Disco takes to the ice at the Dubai Mall ice rink when the music gets turned up, the strobe lights get turned on and the dedicated skaters show off their skills.  Visit www.dubaiicerink.com.

S is for soccer

During the World Cup, everyone's a soccer expert. At Soccer Circus, Dubai's first indoor interactive soccer attraction, Drogba wannabes can test their skill against interactive and fully automated games. Adults Dh80 and children Dh55 per round.  Visit: www.playnationme.com

T is for Tent

When it's too hot to camp out, why not camp in? Empty some space, set up camp, get the sleeping bags ready, play games by candlelight, organise a BBQ and let your children have some friends over for camping. No sneaking off to the TV room allowed!

U is for Underground

Why not escape the heat of Dubai and go caving in Oman for a weekend? Stay in the much cooler Nizwa and visit the Hoota Cave, a recently opened attraction that not only has great caves, but also the region's only train ride (even if it's only a few minutes long). Visit www.alhootacave.com

V is for Vase

At Café Ceramique children and adults canget their hands dirty paintinga ceramic, while enjoying a healthy meal or snack. Prices start from Dh50, depending on what item of ceramic you choose. There are outlets in Town Centre, Jumeirah, and Mall of the Emirates. Visit www.cafe-ceramique.com.

W is for Water Park

Getting wet is still the best way to beat the heat and with two water parks in Dubai and one in Umm Al Quwain to choose from, it's up to you where you go. Aquaventure (www.atlantis.com) has the Leap of Faith, sharks, and dolphins for extra money; Wild Wadi (www.jumeirah.com) is an institution and has the Jumeira Sceirah; while at Dreamland (www.dreamlanduae.com) you can stay the night and do it all over again the next day.

X is for Xtreme fun

SEGA Republic is an indoor funfair filled with rides, roller coasters and plenty of games of any description and level of interaction. With several zones featuring different games and attractions, pricing is tricky, but an all-day pass to all the rides costs Dh140, then you'll have to add credit for games. Check out the zones at www.segarepublic.com.

Y is for Yesteryear

Most of the exhibits in the Dubai Museum are housed in underground rooms, which means once you've made it across the hot courtyard past the cannons, you're guaranteed air-conditioned cool. Here your children will find out more about the city's history and culture. Entrance is Dh3 for adults andDh1 for children. Call 04-3531862.

Z is for Zoo

Sharjah's Poshpaw's Petting Zoo is open daily from 9am to 6pm. The small ‘zoo' gives shelter to unwanted animals ranging from farm animals such as llamas and goats to pets like guinea pigs and rabbits to a variety of birds. Part of the aim of the sanctuary is to try to find new homes for the unwanted pets. Admission is free and donations by visitors - whether supplies or cash - are welcome. Visit www.poshpawsdubai.com.