As summer gets underway the heat rises in Dubai and parents are on the lookout for activities to keep the whole family entertained.
The Museum of Illusions in Dubai’s Al Seef is a 3D exhibition filled with optical trickery and bizarre sensory experiences from anti-gravity rooms to an infinity tunnel and a clone table where you take a seat and multiply in the mirrors.
ADVERTISEMENTIt is one of the many attractions in the city available to parents to keep their children cool throughout the summer.
Across the city is another popular year-round activity OliOli. This interactive adventure centre has more than 40 exhibits inspired by the work of artists, educators and psychologists.
We went along with The Moussalem's who are a family of seven, with five children aged between eight months and nine years old.
Rosie Moussalem said she enjoyed the different rooms. “I like everything so far. There's a lot of stuff you can do, you can play with water, you can play with air. I like to have fun and I'm having fun right now.”
Her mother, Willeke Moussalem said there is a multitude of soft play areas in Dubai and she also has a few other favourite places for older children.
ADVERTISEMENT“I go to Dubai Mall. You have the ice rink. They love to skate or go to the Dubai Aquarium or Kidzania. It's amazing. And what I really like is there you can just go for a stroll. Just walk a bit around, have lunch and just have some fun.”
The city has thousands of activities throughout the summer, from waterparks to farm trips, indoor play centres and museums.
As the holidays stretch ahead, the challenge for parents is to find activities at an affordable price. Kidzapp is a multi-platform app that helps parents find those activities and enjoy discounts.
CEO and Co-founder of Kidzapp Karim Beidas said it is great there is so much to do but choosing an activity can often feel overwhelming. He told Euronews, “I think a feature that parents love to use in summer is the indoor feature where you see all the indoor activities. It’s something we're very proud of, not just do we help parents find all the right activities for their kids, even little-known places, there are so many great places done by small businesses, very creative ideas that normally they might struggle to reach their consumers. We actually help these small businesses put their ideas out there too.”
One of the more bespoke things on offer includes the Hello Kitty Spa, which offers treatments from nail art to unicorn braids and mini-massages for groups or individuals
But not all activities in the city cost money. The Moussalem family shared that one of their favourite things to do year-round is visit the beach, especially in the early morning or late afternoon when temperatures are cooler.
Willeke Moussalem said: “We love it, it’s quiet, relaxed, easy-going, not really fancy, but they have like restrooms, they have showers, lifeguards. So it's really a good place to go.”
