The summer holidays have just about started and if you are not planning to travel to a cooler climate, you will be looking for ways to entertain the children – at the same time, trying your best to avoid the soaring summer heat.

 How to survive the summer with a toddler.  Expat Echo Dubai has come up with a few ideas…

Throughout the summer months Modesh World is in full swing. From Thursday 9th July until Saturday 29th August  2015 Modesh World will be celebrating it’s 16th year.  It is the largest indoor edutainment venue in the region. Dubai World Trade Centre acts as the venue offering multiple air-conditioned entertainment spaces, divided into different themed zones.  Toddlers, kids, and teenagers will all find plenty to do and discover here – from playgrounds and soft-toy areas, to the latest video games and a 4D cinema, Modhesh World is a child’s dream come true. Click here for more information.

Summer Camps

Many of the nurseries/kindergartens around town are running summer camps. Any toddler can take part in these summer camps, they do not have to be registered at them during the normal term time and many of them accept slightly older children, up to the age of 7 years old. Many of the camps run from mid June, right through to the end of August, starting in the morning and ending at 4pm. Most of the camps feature arts and crafts, music, and physical activities. Please click here to see the growing list of summer camps available in Dubai.

Al Ain Zoo

Al Ain Zoo is a true family destination, providing entertainment and learning experiences in a natural outdoor environment. Packed with fun and adventure, the zoo has a large animal collection of over 4,300 animals and has been a centre for endangered species conservation – most notably the successful breeding of desert antelopes and gazelles, such as the endangered Arabian Oryx.

You maybe thinking it is miles too hot to be wandering around a zoo and you would be right however, during the summer months Al Ain Zoo is open daily from 4 – 10pm offering a wide range of activities where you can interact with their animals.

Ski Dubai

Take advantage of the hot summer months to learn snow skiing….indoors at Ski Dubai.  Lessons are available for all ages but if you think your toddler is too young you could always take them to visit the penguins.

Snow Babies

Keep your toddler on ice at the Dubai Ice Rink with their Snow Babies program. Let your toddler familiarize themselves with the ice rink through various confidence building activities, such as sitting on ice, playing with toys and then taking the first steps on ice. Once they are comfortable moving around in the ice rink, their skating coach will start teaching them the basics of ice skating. Let your child enjoy 30 minutes of fun on ice with this basic course in ice skating. Dubai Ice Rink also offers ‘Skate with Mommy’. The first Public Skating Session of each day will be just 55AED and a skating coach will be at hand too. The height of the child should be below 100cm to be considered a toddler.

Bounce

This spring-loaded urban playground has proved a big hit with all the kids of Dubai since it opened its doors a year ago.  Bounce is a fantasy land for free jumping and all that’s made possible when hard surfaces are replaced with circus-grade sponge and spring.  However, it is not only the older children that can bounce away as they also have Junior Jumper Sessions (kids age 3+) from Monday-Friday: 10am-4pm (10am-12pm on school & public holidays)

Cafe Ceramique

Meet up with your friends and enjoy a bite to eat, while the toddlers produce of piece of art work on pottery. Cafe Ceramique has various locations across town, where children of all ages are encouraged to release their artistic talents on the wide selection of pottery, from tiles to intricate ornaments.

Le Petit Palais

Located in Galeries Lafayette this is a French style children’s town  The toddlers can benefit from various fun, creative and adventurous activities for a good couple of hours while their parents can enjoy their shopping. Le Petit Palais children’s play area, provides a convenient drop-off for their parents. They can be assured that the time spent by their young ones will be exciting and entertaining while they shop around the wide variety of stores at the shopping mall.

Little Explorers

Little Explorers is located at Mirdif City Centre and offers an exciting mix of education and entertainment for children from two to seven years of age, with a focus on learning and acquiring skills in a fun, safe environment. Little Explorers has 97 different exhibits across 5 Zones, designed specifically for children between the ages of two to seven. The staff comes with a minimum of two years KG teaching and with experience and knowledge of early childhood education. Throughout the week they also offer workshops for children aged 2 to 7 years. The theme of these workshops change, so contact Little Explorers for more details.

Peekaboo

Peekaboo has three locations in Dubai – The Village Mall, Mall of the Emirates and Ibn Battuta Mall. Their centres offer creative and entertaining activities for children from 0 to 7 years of age. Children can play, learn, explore and party in a healthy, fun and above all safe environment! Peekaboo offers a combination of climbing frames, exciting toys, play equipment and creative classes. Children under 3 ½ years old must always be accompanied by an adult, however they offer a one-on-one babysitting service for those who would like to leave their very little ones unaccompanied! There is a special soft area dedicated to toddlers below 2 years.

Mini Monsters

Mini Monsters is located on the Sheikh Zayed Road, near the Dubai Garden Centre. Their indoor play area has the largest slide in the UAE, which kids love! They offer different themed play frames, party zones and toddler zones for younger children. As for the parents, they have a café, which is a great place for you to socialize and meet with your friends while your kids play! They offer a variety of classes with titles such as ‘Toddlers Move & Groove’, and ‘Wiggles & Giggles’, you and your child are sure to keep fit over the summer.

Favourite Things

Favourite Things in located in Marina Mall and is a play centre offering a stimulating soft play area, castle themed jungle area, fancy dress area, art/cooking and science room and a sand room. In addition they offer activities, story times, puppet shows and musical activities. There is a beautiful boutique and cafe on site as well.

Kidville

Kidville has many locations over Dubai, including Dubai Motor City, Dubai Marina and Uptown Mirdif. Each location offers a wide range of creative classes for babies, toddlers, and kids up to six years old – classes in music & dance, gym, art, enrichment, and much more! At various times throughout the week, they convert one of their state-of-the-art gyms into a fantastic, supervised, indoor play-space, giving kids a fun and safe space to run, climb, and make new friends. Activities will be in full swing throughout the summer months.

Zebra Crossing

Zebra Crossing is an innovative soft play area which is open to ‘walk-ins’ and priced per hour. In addition, there is a separate arts and crafts activity area (plant potting, ceramic painting, pizza making etc.) which is also open to ‘walk-ins’ and priced per activity. There is also a gourmet café for adults to relax in. The soft play structure, extending well over 2000 sq ft, offers entertainment for kids of all ages. A cordoned off toddler zone, featuring soft structures, tunnels, slides and toys is available for younger players to venture at their own pace. The under fives are also well catered for, with an area full of smaller slides, ball pool, tunnels, climbing structures, a trampoline and a shooting gallery boasting six cannons. For the older adventurers, Zebra Crossing offers long slides; a curvy crazy slide, a basket ball net and a thrilling laser arena, where kids can laser tag their friends in a game of hide and seek. They are open on weekdays from 8am to 8pm and weekends from 9am to 9pm.

Aquariums

Dubai is very fortunate to have two fantastic aquariums that no one is too young or too old to enjoy. The Dubai Aquarium is located within The Dubai Mall and features a 10-million litre Aquarium tank, which is the largest suspended aquarium in the world. After you let your children view the sea world from the outside, continue your journey at the Underwater Zoo and learn more about what amazing creatures inhabit both our rivers and oceans. Visitors can go on a Glass-bottom boat ride (2 years and up), providing unique views of the tank from beneath their feet. Look straight down into the 10-million litre tank on a Glass Floor, hovering above the aquarium! Kids love it! Across town on the Palm is the equally amazing Lost Chambers located in The Atlantis Hotel. Your toddlers will enjoy strolling through the passageways and coming face to face with marine life from around the world, including sharks, giant catfish, giant arapaima and more.

The Beach

There is no disputing the weather is hot in the summer, but as the intensity of the sun dies down, why not head down about 4pm to any of the beautiful beaches with your toddler for a quick paddle – a lovely way to end the day and get them tired before bed time.

The Park

Dubai has a great selection of parks such as Safa Park, Umm Suqueim Ladies Park, Creek Park and Al Barsha Park. Like the beach, the park makes a great place to meet up with a few other parents at the end of the day, when the heat of the day has worn off and let the toddlers run around before bed time.

Remember to keep it varied and sometimes just have a day at home, put a DVD on to amuse your toddler, put your feet up and enjoy not having to dash from one activity to the next!