Expo 2020 Dubai: Fun things to do with the family
From mascot shows to a zero-gravity chamber, there's much on offer at the world fair
When Expo 2020 Dubai kicks off this October, it will offer something for everyone. Besides innovative discoveries, it also aims to showcase edutainment opportunities across the board. Here, children will encounter new discoveries, explore the world's ecosystems and learn important lessons about our planet and humanity. Here’s a look at some fun things to do with the family.
MASCOT SHOWS: Mascot siblings Rashid and Latifa will welcome families to join in singalongs, dance-offs and theatrical productions that share a special message of uniting to overcome adversity, and the role that each of us can play in making that possible. Instrumental life lessons will be taught in a uniquely entertaining way – from the Mascot Immersive Show at Al Wasl Plaza that invites children to help Rashid and Latifa battle against their evil arch-nemesis Mr Scrap; to the Mascot Interactive Experience that propels visitors into a new dimension, with interactive booths to create your own avatar to be projected onto Al Wasl’s canvas; and Mister Scrap’s Scrapyard Idol at Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre – a daily music, dance and story show, with Mr Scrap trying to defeat our heroes.
OCEAN-THEMED ADVENTURE: Rashid's Playground in Jubilee Park is an ocean-themed adventure inspired by Rashid’s imagination and underwater exploits. Highlights include sharks on springs, whale slides, ocean liners and an interactive 3D maze modelled on one of our local waters' most surprising inhabitants: the humpback whale.
‘ZERO-GRAVITY’ CHAMBER: For more green space, families can head to Al Forsan Park’s huge lawn. With its interlaced network of paths, the park offers a rich mosaic of opportunities for cultural interaction and recreation, including Latifa’s Adventures in Space City, where kids can bounce over nets in the ‘zero-gravity’ chamber, leap into orbit around swings and hop aboard a replica of the UAE’s Hope Probe.
EXPO EXPLORER: Hop aboard the rain with a difference that takes passengers on a sight-seeing journey while experiencing the sustainable future of transport. The Explorer may look like a classic locomotive, but it runs on compressed air, making it pollution-free.
LUXEMBOURG PAVILION: At this pavilion, visitors can slide down a 21-metre-tall track into into a green, woody space that evokes the country's beautiful forests.
ETHIOPIA PAVILION: Try your hand at traditional board and playground games. For more information on what to see in this pavilion, click here.
GUINEA PAVILION: See folktales brought to life at the Guinea Pavilion. And the sculpture that inspired Picasso.
BULGARIA PAVILION: At this pavilion see a playground that converts kids’ kinetic energy into light, fostering imagination and creative play.
TONGA PAVILION: Here, Lafi and his best friend Kaho the whale chaperone visitors through an incredible enchanted forest.
TERRA – THE SUSTAINABILITY PAVILION: Taking visitors through the wonders of the natural world, Terra is designed to change mindsets and encourage people to break the cycle of consumerism and will live on as a Science Centre after Expo closes its doors, inspiring sustainable choices for generations to come.
FOOD TRUCK PARKS: Families won’t leave hungry, with more than 200 food and beverage outlets across Expo. The Food Truck Parks in every district cater especially well to families, serving up delicious grab-and-go fare – from pizza, hot dogs and Lebanese snacks to ice cream, waffles, mini pancakes and more – in casual outdoor venues.
Check out the Family Package, priced at Dh950 (USD 258), which is valid for unlimited entries for the entire six months of Expo 2020, from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. It includes unlimited access for two parents plus a nanny, (under-18s are free) with additional benefits on food and beverage, a 25 per cent discount on five additional tickets, and an advance purchase photography voucher worth Dh125.