TimeOut Dubai Kids – August 2019

Free things to do

20 August 2019 Time Out UAE Kids

O Dhs3. Sat-Thu 8.30am-8.30pm; Fri 2pm-8.30pm.

Al Fahidi Fort, Bur Dubai (04 353 1862).

Go back to school at Al Ahmadiya

The city’s Àrst school opened in 1912.

Today, you can visit to learn about Al Ahmadiya

School’s establishment, restoration and

the school curriculums of ages past. It’s a

fun way to spend an hour or two. Double up

on knowledge and visit the Heritage House

next door.

O Sat-Thu 8am-7.30pm; Fri 2.30pm-7.30pm.

Al Ras area, Deira, Dubai (04 226 0286).

Head out, out

Bashing dunes in the desert

No, we don’t mean beating up sand with a

bat, we mean cruising over soaring desert

dunes in a 4x4. Dune bashing is a hugely

popular pastime in this part of the world.

You’ll need a hire car or a friend with a

capable motor. Just hit any of the highways

leading out of the city and once you’re out

on the free road, steer into the endless

horizon of sand. Please bash responsibly,

especially with younger passengers.

Bird-watching at Ras Al Khor

Wildlife Sanctuary

The UNESCO-protected site is home to more

than 20,000 migrating pink Áamingos that

stopover during winter months. There are

still scores of birds to spot when visiting the

JBR

620-hectare site in summer, including grey

herons, reef herons, cormorants, sandpipers,

osprey and more. You’ll need a car to enter

and to navigate the salt Áats, mudÁats and

mangroves, small lagoons, pools and islands

• educational and fun for kids of all ages.

O Sat-Thu 9am-4pm; closed Fri. Ras Al Khor Wildlife

Sanctuary, Dubai (04 606 6822).

Cycle, skate or scoot along the

Palm Jumeirah promenade

The man-made Palm Jumeirah is one of the

world’s most astonishing feats of engineering,

giving Dubai a palm tree-shaped island built

into the Arabian Gulf. The 11km boardwalk

stretching from one end of the Palm’s

crescent to the other offers a safe space

where kids can happily zoom along on

bikes, scooters or skates, cooled by a

refreshing sea breeze, while you jog, cycle

or walk alongside and take in the soaring

skyline in every direction.

O On Palm Jumeirah promenade, Dubai.

Escape the city at Al Ain Oasis

Wander through pathways shaded by

hundreds of thousands of date palms at this

serene and shady 3,000 acre escape, 90

minutes drive inland from Abu Dhabi. The

UAE’s Àrst UNESCO World Heritage Site has a

visitor centre housing cultural exhibits along

with a collection of plantations, working farms

and landscaped gardens that are perfect

for picnics with the family. The sun-dappled

palms are inÀnitely Instagrammable, if that’s

your thing.

O Open daily 8am-5pm. Al Mutawaa, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi

(02 599 5438).

Spare change?

Snack on

samosas for Dhs2

at the cafeterias

on Deira side

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