Winter is here and with it comes the excitement of the school break – a perfect time for children to explore new hobbies, hone their skills and make lifelong memories.
For parents in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the season offers a range of winter camps tailored to every interest, be it for budding tech innovators, athletes or artists. These camps combine fun and education, ensuring children stay active and engaged while gaining valuable knowledge and expertise. Here are some to check out.
Dubai
Millennium Place Barsha Heights
Hospitality Ninjas children's camp will return from December 16 to January 3. Participants, aged five to 10, will be admitted as Santa's little elves and can look forward to activities such as a gingerbread train show, pinecone and snowflake crafts session and festive tunes competition. Snacks will be provided so parents won't have to worry about packing lunch boxes.
Weekdays, 9am to 3pm; from Dh149 per day or Dh499 per week; Barsha Heights; 04 875 0077
OliOli
The children's museum in Al Quoz is ideal for children who are passionate about science and problem-solving. Called the Tinker Makers camp, the drop-off programme will include activities such as building small motorised contraptions, learning the basics of programming and exploring electrical circuits.
The camp is open to children aged four to 10, with two cohorts: one from December 16 to 20, and the other on December 23 and 24. Weekly and daily rates are available.
Half-day morning camp: daily, 9.30am to 1.30pm, Dh350 per day or Dh1,190 per week; afternoon camp: daily, 2pm-5pm, Dh250 per day or Dh890 per week; full day: daily, 9.30am to 5pm; Dh450 per day or Dh1,750 per week; Al Quoz; 04 702 7300
Trampo Extreme
The Dubai Mall attraction will host a camp for children aged five and above who enjoy high-adrenalin activities. Taking place from December 16 to January 3, the camp includes trampoline jumping and wall-climbing sessions, as well as dodgeball and other fun sports. Team-building games are also part of the programme, as well as more laid-back sessions of slime-making and science experiments.
Weekdays, 10am to 2pm; Dh175 per day or Dh660 per week; Dubai Mall
Expo City Dubai
A more holistic winter camp will be hosted at the Terra pavilion of the district, with activities such as robotics, children's yoga, papermaking and playtime at Taqa Island. The highlight of the camp is a photography workshop with the Nikon Kids Club. The camp runs from December 16 to January 3.
Weekdays, 9am-2pm; Dh190 per day, Dh845 per week or Dh1,900 for three weeks; Expo City; 800 39762489
Aventura Park
This camp is centred on nature-based activities, allowing participants to see, hear, touch and explore the world around them. It is open to children aged five to 12, and runs from December 16 to January 3. Themes of nature and sustainability will be explored, with different themes per week, from under the sea to lost in space. Arts and crafts sessions are also part of the programme, as well as team-building activities and sports.
Weekdays, 9am-5pm; Dh250 per day or Dh1,175 per week; Mushrif Park; 052 178 7616
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Children's Library
Storytelling sessions, art workshops, heritage explorations and more await campers at the Qasr Al Hosn venue. The camp will be hosted in three cohorts. Children aged four to six can join from December 11 to December 14, while those aged seven to 10 can join from December 18 to December 21. The camp is also open to participants aged 11 to 15, who can join from December 25 to 28.
Daily, 10am-3pm; Dh80 per day; Qasr Al Hosn; 02 697 6803
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Aspiring astronauts can join the museum's winter space camp from December 16 to December 20 or December 23 to December 27. Open to participants aged seven to 12, it will challenge campers to develop teamwork, leadership and decision-making skills via art, science and technology activities.
Children can engage in robotics challenges, zero-gravity manoeuvres, Mars exploration and space rocket launches among other activities. The camp is connected to the continuing immersive and interactive exhibition at the Children's Museum, Picturing the Cosmos.
Weekdays, 2pm-6pm; Dh150 per day; Saadiyat Island; 600 565566
KidZania
The camp is focused on unleashing creativity. Open to children aged four to 16, the winter programme includes a host of creative workshops, from making snowflakes, snowmen and face masks as well as gooey slime creation and hands-on planting. A grand end-of-camp performance is also on the cards. It runs from December 16 to January 3.
Weekdays, 8.30am-2pm; Dh185 per day or Dh699 per week; Yas Mall; 054 998 6897
