What to do in Dubai with kids this week

OLIOLI’S GRAND GOODBYE TO 2020: Children’s play museum OliOli is bidding adieu to 2020 in style with a range of special extra activities on offer from now until the end of the year. On top of all the usual experiential and immersive edutainment on offer, you’ll also find Mad science experiments, Robot races, Light Painting (pictured), A special sensory play experience, Robo-jousting and much more. DETAILS: Saturday 26-31, The Grand Goodbye 2020 ticket is Free when booked online at www.olioli.ae one day before the date of the visit, along with your regular admission ticket of (Dh126 for 1 child + 1 free adult). Dh30 when purchased at the door. https://OliOli.ae/, 04 702 7300.

PLAY FOR FREE AT NAKHEEL MALL’S ROOFTOP FESTIVE VILLAGE: There’s still time to catch the activities going on at Nakheel Mall, Palm Jumeirah’s rooftop Winter Wonderland this week, offering a variety of festive entertainment including a fun play area for the kids complete with Toy Factory Workshops, a winter-wonderland ice rink, and a 13-metre Festive tree and live music every day at the entrance of Santa’s hideout. It also features food and crafted gift pop ups by Ripe Market. DETAILS: Time: 2pm - 10pm on weekdays and 12pm - 10pm weekends (Thursday Friday Saturday), every day from 10 December 2020 – 2 January 2021, at Nakheel Mall Rooftop, free to enter.

HAVE A MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY AT AL KHAWANEEJ’S ALICE IN WONDERLAND: The Dubai Shopping Festival Market at Al Khawaneej is swapping Winter Wonderland for Alice in Wonderland, staging a series of themed children’s entertainment, with a weekly lineup of activations and attractions. Enjoy a WonderMaze, Enchanted Garden, Venus Fly Jump, Wishing Lake, Arcade games, a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party full of arts and crafts workshops, outdoor cinema and daily theatre shows, game shows, musical performances and storytelling sessions. DETAILS: 17 December to 16 January, Sunday to Wednesday, 6pm to 12am and Thursday to Saturday, 4pm to 2am.

GET HALF PRICE KIDS’S CINEMA TICKETS WITH REEL: From December 27 until January 6, kids under the age of 12 will receive a 50% discount on the price of tickets during the weekdays at all Reel Cinemas locations. Catch one of the many excellent family-friendly films on at the moment – from Disney Pixar’s new fantastical epic Soul to the family-friendly festive flick My Adventures with Santa – for half the normal price. DETAILS: Tickets must be purchased at the Reel Cinemas ticketing counter at the respective locations, Reelcinemas.ae.

POST-CHRISTMAS SALE AT ATLANTIS: Start the new year on a high note by planning a cut-price getaway at The Palm’s famous Atlantis hotel. Bookings for five nights or more made between now and 31st January 2020, for stays from 2nd January to 30th April 2022, will include an array of extraordinary adventures for guests to start ticking off their bucket lists. Starting from Dh695 per night, both bed and breakfast and half board packages are available, with kids under the age of 14 dining for free. You will also enjoy a welcome drink upon arrival, an additional session in the Kids Club, a Sea Lion meet and greet for the whole family, a behind the scenes Fish Tales Tour, daily non-motorised watersports, arcade credit for Wavehouse, as well as daily fitness classes. DETAILS: Visit https://atlantis.com/dubai/special-offers/atlantis-sale.

UPGRADE YOUR TAKEOUT PIZZA: Festive-fy your kids’ takeaway treat with new restaurant Pizzetta’s delicious Christmas Tree-shaped pizzas. Perfect for Christmas movie nights or small children’s Xmas playdates, the Pizzetta Christmas Tree pizza is available in Pepperoni and Margherita styles and can be ordered from 20 to 31 December inclusive. Pizzetta.me.com and IG: @pizzettadubai, or call +971 4 8748 320.

BE A MINI CHOCOLATIER AT AL SEEF CHOCOLATE WEEK: Waterfront destination Al Seef is celebrating Dubai Shopping Festival with a market that is jam-packed with family-friendly activities and entertainment. This week it is Chocolate Week, and kids can join the little chocolatiers workshops, and have a fun time guessing the flavours of different chocolate varieties, in addition to making their own treats, and decorating chocolate bars and lollipops with personalised chocolate wrappers. Plus, adult visitors can stop by the ‘Cocoville’ stand, and sample a range of delectable treats, while French artist chocolatier, Corentin Vignal, creates a spectacular sculpture live at the destination using fine chocolate. DETAILS: Al Seef Waterfront DSF market, Weekdays 4-10pm, weekends 2pm- midnight, Chocolate Week runs for one week from 24 December, the market runs until 23 January.

CATCH SNOW FLAKES IN YOUR HAIR AT BURJUMAN: Keep the festive spirit alive throughout all 12 days of Christmas with Burjuman’s festive setup, which includes shimmering lights, glistening snow, live snowfalls, VR and motion games and Instagrammable photo ups. With snowfall every 30 minutes in the main atrium, scan the QR code and experience a magical Winter Tale as you walk through the snow-clad forest, with live animators on hand to guide your journey. DETAILS: Until 9 January 2021, www.burjuman.com.

PET BUNNIES AND RIDE THE RODEO FOR FREE AT FREEJ VILLAGE: Head to Boxpark this Thursday to enjoy a petting zoo, rodeo rides, face painting and arts and crafts at the Freej Village, an area dedicated to the much-loved characters from the popular Emirati TV series Freej.Spend Dh50 at any Boxpark outlet, the whole family can enter the dedicated Freej Village for free. Visitors will also have the chance to meet Um Saeed, Um Saloom, Um Khammas, Um Allawi and Abood, and capture fun moments as they swap parenting notes with the famous Emirati mothers. DETAILS: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until 23 January, from 4pm to 10pm.

GO GAMING AT A BRAND NEW BATTLE PARK: Town Square Dubai by Nshama has just opened Battle Park, which combines realistic online-style gaming experiences with never-before seen gaming scenarios, for a complete action-packed adventure. Ideal for those looking for an exhilarating outdoor and action-packed adventure, Town Square Dubai is offering the Battle Park ‘IBATTLE’ experience, which is suitable for ids aged 7 upwards, thanks to the Junior Gun which weighs less than 1 kg. With all gaming scenarios designed to encourage teamwork, the IBATTLE technology creates adrenaline-infused battle scenarios and offers real-time feedback for players. DETAILS: Located in the Recreational Park of Town Square Dubai, Battle Park is open daily from 2pm to midnight. One IBATTLE game costs Dh75 for walk-in guests or Dh65 for residents. www.battlepark.ae/nshama.

HAVE ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR AT ZABEEL PARK’S WINTER CARNIVAL: A whimsical wonderland and carnival of kid-friendly fun, games, entertainment, pop-up shops, food stalls and much more, the Dubai Winter Festival will be staged at Zabeel Park until 15 January 2021, from 4pm to 10pm each day. DETAILS: Zabeel Park, 4pm-10pm daily.

JOURNEY TO THE NORTH POLE AT JBR’S WINTER WONDERLAND: There’s still plenty of time to catch the Winter Wonderland at JBR and its impressive digital pavilion, street performances and glice-skating rink. The immersive multimedia show consists of a magical 15-minute walk through a narrated ‘Journey to the North Pole’, complete with twinkling palaces, lollipop trees and snow-capped forests. The festive village also includes a variety of fun activities for the little ones, including a glice-skating rink, bouncy castle and slide, and Build A Bear stations. DETAILS: Entry for a single activity from Dh28, all activities from D123. Family packages for four from Dh463, digital pavilion show can be accessed separately for Dh70pp. Tickets must be purchased online in advance. From 12 Dec until 7 Jan, 12pm to 10pm weekdays, until 12am weekends.

HIRE A PRIVATE SCREENING OF YOUR FAVE FESTIVE FILM: Want something extra special to get you in the holiday mood? Hire the private screening room at Studio One hotel and enjoy a Christmas classic movie forDh699 for up to 12 people (kids or adults), including festive candies and popcorn. DETAILS: Daily throughout December, booking essential.