Another term has come to an end (sob, they are growing up too soon) and the kids are on a two month long summer break (help and yay), but lucky for you, mama, there’s no chance for anyone to get bored over the hols! From awesome summer camps to water parks, outdoor and indoor fun to indoor birthday parties and even some fabulous holiday and staycation deals for family bonding (some of them don’t even require flights!), check out all the fun things you and your littles could indulge in this summer. There’s literally something for everyone.

Camps:

Whether you’re staying in town this summer or just looking for ways to entertain the kiddos for a week or two then look no further Mamas, as we’ve got the low-down on some of the best summer camps in the city. From getting stuck into arts and crafts to playing football all day on air conditioned pitches, learning to dive to water play with a difference – camps these days are so amazing that we wish we could join!

Things to do to keep sporty and active little people busy:

Got energetic kids, mama? We’ve you covered when the great outdoors is out of bounds. Save your home and your sanity (the sofa won’t handle anymore bouncing about and frankly neither will you) by checking out our list of 12 places to keep sporty and active little people busy when the usual beach/park/pool routine is on hold.

Non Soft-Play fun indoor:

When the sun is too hot and the good old boardgames won’t cut it anymore, you need some full proof entertainment ideas to burn those bottomless energy reserves. These fun Indoor (Non Soft-Play) Fun In The UAE, a Sassy Mama’s Guide require zero screen time and sure to see through those ‘stay indoor’ kind of days.

A Fun Indoor Art Activity To Keep Your Kids Busy & Having Fun:

Many of us don’t have the time to plan these activities or don’t have the expertise, knowledge or imagination for what’s most suited for the kids – and this is where Victoria can help. IDK Little Miracles is a new monthly service set up and you’ll be guided on how to have fun with your little ones and how to create time for the most important part of your life, your family. Four planned activities at just AED 90. Read all about it here.

Fun out of the Sun:

Listen here, mama. There’s absolutely no need to panic – or to suddenly promote hours of screen time every day. Yes schools are out and yes it’s very hot and yes it will continue to be very hot for a good few months now BUT the good news is that there are absolutely loads of fun things for kids to do in Dubai even when parks and beaches and outdoor play is limited. And they don’t all cost a fortune either (honestly!). For full run down on summer fun check out – 21 of Our Favourite Things To Do With Kids in Dubai Over The Summer or A-Z Guide To Surviving Summer With Kids In Dubai – the only alphabet you will need to perfect over school holidays. Missing outdoors? then you might find a thing or three here – Where To Get Your Dose Of Nature in Dubai When Temperatures Soar.

Splash, Slide and Swim:

From splash pads to full on water slides, lazy rivers to in-water lounges and even an indoor water play space for when you really can’t handle the outdoors, here are 4 watery spots to add to your list of must visits this summer. Also check out our guide guide to best places for the fam to get all washed up together whether you’re skidding down a waterslide or catching some waves at a water sports lesson. Even better, a few hours or a day-cation at one of Dubai’s fabulous hotels, mamas? From pools with slides to pools with views, we’ve found 14 of the best for cooling off and having a swimmingly good time, mamas.

Psst… heard of Privilee? This membership not only gives you unlimited access to some of the UAE’s best beach clubs and lush pools but also kids clubs, spa deals and loads more – all for a very reasonable price – and there’s no catch (honestly), just sign up, pay your subscription and start flexing that card! And here are our top 5 family friendly Privilee pools. 

Lets Talk Screen Time:

Whether you’re trying to fill up those hours (in between camps and indoor play fun), you’re facing a mammoth journey and need to keep the kids distracted and entertained or you’ll need to rely on the iPad as an occasional babysitter this summer just to get some peace and quiet – these new apps are not only fun but also a good way to keep the brain cells engaged when school’s out! And here our Singapore Editor explains how she’s achieved near-sainthood in her house with Daniel Tiger. 

psssst… mama, in need of some serious down time with Netflix?! (we hear you), here are some of the ‘Best Binge-Worthy Netflix Shows‘ to watch this summer. Plus, a mandatory mama viewing: ‘The Letdown’ on Netflix (if there is one show you watch this summer, let it be this). And a cheeky little guide for the littles too – top 10 Netflix picks for kids.

Taking the party indoors:

Got a birthday party to plan mamas? Check out our pick of the best places to book up a summer birthday party indoors and you can guarantee your birthday boy or girl the best day ever. And if you want to stay on trend then check out tips by Aisha Leitner, founder of fabulous party concert store Party Camel where she shares with us themes and accessories that are trending for kids birthday party planners this year. Oh, how could we forget the cake – here are the best places to have your cake (and eat it) in Dubai. Lastly if you’re looking to earn maximum mama points from the birthday boy/girl, who can’t stop saying – it was the best party ever, then plan A Game Van Party For Kids. Or if you simply want to host the party from comfort of your home, then here are some simple party food ideas for kids you may want to refer to. Have a good one, mamas!

Summer travel:

Looking at getting away to somewhere cooler and perhaps even somewhere exotic. Well, mamas look no further…here are our recommendations on where to go this summer as a family. Also, check out tips on what and how to pack smart for summer holidays.

Staying back? then you may want to break up the summer months with a staycation (or two) then you may want to check out  some of these fabulous travel offers in the UAE to make the most of, mamas! And a little guide on what to pack for your weekend vaycay, mamas!

Travel is the best time to catch up on reading – Novelist Lisa Beazley’s take on the best beach books to pack in your bag this summer… wherever your travels may take you!

Adventures and Once-in-a-lifetime Experiences:

Whether you’re new to Dubai, you know you won’t be in the desert for much longer, you want to buy someone the ULTIMATE gift or you want to get out there and have some fun, here are some of our favourites to add to your bucket list and ‘must-do’ things in Dubai, mamas!

Thank us later, happy summer hols, mama…Stay Sassy!

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Picture this; Day one of the school hols and your precious little person is already ‘bored’. Whether you’re trying to fill up those hours (in between camps – make sure to read up on some of our faves this year), you’re facing a mammoth journey and need to keep the kids distracted and entertained or you’ll need to rely on the iPad as an occasional babysitter this summer just to get some peace and quiet – these new apps are not only fun but also a good way to keep the brain cells engaged when school’s out! Happy downloading!

Jump to:

For Littles Up To Age 5
For Middles: Ages 5-8
Older kids: age 8 up

For Littles Up To Age 5

Thinkrolls: Kings & Queens

An epic adventure of logic, physics and fun! With 228 physics puzzles, 12 fairytale castles, toothy crocodiles, goofy ghosts and a friendly dragon, your little ones are guaranteed hours of fun-filled play and brain training (in fact this app is loved by older kids too). Unleash the magic and let your young knight or princess embark on an epic quest of twists and turns.

Toca Nature

Experience a little of Mother Nature’s magic. When the outdoors is scorching your little ones can still be planting trees, growing forests, feeding animals and making friends with a fox.

Metamorphabet

A is for Apple, B is for… BORED! Yup, most of the alphabet games don’t get our kiddos super excited but this one’s a little different. Users will be encouraged to poke, prod, drag, and spin each of letters to reveal fun transformations. A giant ‘B’ appears with a bushy beard and a beak – and then starts belching an endless stream of colourful bugs.

My very hungry caterpillar

Eric Carles brilliant little story comes alive in a 3D interactive app which will have kids nurturing the little caterpillar from its egg stage right until it becomes a butterfly, feeding fruits, playing and more – a kind of virtual pet!

Peek-a-zoo

Anything which involves animals is always a huge hit in our household and this new little game is going to be a guaranteed winner! The basic game involves your kiddos identifying the correct cartoon animal based on clues including emotions, actions, sounds and more. Once they pick the right character, a new scene appears.

For Middles: Ages 5-8

Weather by tinybop

Yup, we’re obsessed by the weather – especially when we live in the desert so any variation on hot is super exciting! Through interactive scenes, the kids can do anything from melt ice to help someone fish, cool the temperature for a panting dog or unleash all kinds of craziness through tornados and storms plus learn how to tell what kind of weather it’ll be outside (um…hot?!) .

Toca blocks

A fun world-building app for the pre-minecraft crowd that allows kids to create worlds, play in them and share them with friends too. Perfect for children who are into digging and building stuff.

DNA play

What could be cooler than creating your own monsters while learning about the concept of DNA (see, there’s an element of learning in here too, mamas!). And once they’re made, the kids can get their monsters doing everything from skateboarding to dancing and more.

Foldify

Literally one of the most genius app ideas I’ve seen in ages – and one that’s perfect for kids who love making/crafting. All they gotta do is select a template (human, car etc) then use the app to decorate it either by importing photos, painting, adding stickers etc. The app will then create a 3D model which can be printed out, cut and folded so that it exists in the real world too.

Squigglefish

There’s a room at OliOli (the kids museum we’ve long raved about, check out our review here) which allows kids to watch drawings of their sea creatures come to live on a giant interactive screen. Well now they can do the same at home (or in the car/on a plane etc) by drawing a fish on a white paper, coloring it in then holding the iPad over the drawing and watching as their fishy friend comes to life.

Older kids: age 8 up

Namoo: Wonders Of Plant Life 

A kind of virtual forest school where kids can engage in and explore the life of plants, learning about everything from how they make food to experimenting with underground root systems. Perfect for curious minds.

Earth Primer

How about making volcanoes with your fingers? Or sculpting mountains and controlling the forces of nature?! This beautifully designed app combines aspects of science books, toys, simulations, and games in a new interactive experience that’ll prompt lots of thought and knowledge about our world.

Solar Walk – Planet Explorer

Mini astronomy lovers this one’s for you! Solar Walk is an amazing 3D model of our solar system bringing the universe to the palm of your hand and allowing you to interact with planets, satellites, moons, comets and other space objects. Hitch a ride on a comet, spin Saturn around to take a good look and just zoom around our universe. Super cool.

Operation math

Yes I know, the idea of getting them to do math during the holidays might seem like a crazy one but this app makes this often uninspiring subject quite fun (honestly!). Defeat Dr. Odd and earn the latest spy gear in a game that transforms math drills into a global learning adventure. From the streets of Paris to the pyramids of Egypt, Operation Math includes more than 100 timed missions that help players learn addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Universal zoom

Another for all those curious kids and endless question askers! Universal Zoom provides users with a superpower of seeing the invisible so that you can discover the world from the tiniest subatomic particles to the most prominent space structures plus learn how to measure size and compare objects too.

The post Some Of The Best New Apps for Kids of All Ages appeared first on Sassy Mama.

Here’s some great news, mamas! Yes it might be hot out there but we’ve got you (or rather your energetic kids) covered when the great outdoors is out of bounds. Save your home and your sanity (the sofa won’t handle anymore bouncing about and frankly neither will you) by checking out our list of 12 places to keep sporty and active little people busy when the usual beach/park/pool routine is on hold. You see? There’s no need to panic – summer in Dubai is totally doable.

The post 12 Ways for Sporty Kiddos to be Active Over Summer in Dubai appeared first on Sassy Mama.

Got kids in different age groups and dread having to find different camps to suit their requirements? Or have a little bundle of energy who needs to let off some steam in a super fun way? Then this camp from FitRepublik for kids aged 5-14 will be the perfect place for them to enjoy activities and games beyond the norm. Yup, this is one of those camps that’ll have your kids not wanting to leave at the end of the day!

Whether you’re keen to take a mix-and-match approach with a variety of one-day or one-week camps, or prefer to go for the full camp experience, one thing’s for sure – there’ll be plenty of activities to suit every interest. From music, dance and arty stuff to waterplay in the pool’s ‘Wibit’ obstacle course, trampolining, parkour, graffiti, lip sync battles, shoe customization, jewellery making and SO much more (in case we haven’t said it already, kids these days are soooo lucky!).

And the best bit about this camp is that kids will get to have a go at so many different activities and sports with plenty of encouragement but zero pressure. The FitRepublik team know that giving children options and choices is hugely exciting – while making them feel safe and supported too – so they’ve opened up their entire venue as well as the Dubai Sports City indoor dome to combine aquatics, fitness, sports, music and more to help young campers build their confidence throughout the programme. Perfect!

Running from 8 July to 30 August, there are flexible weekly and daily packages available between 8am and 3.30pm so that you can opt for full days, half days, a full week or a day here and there – anything’s possible. Oh, and as a Sassy Reader you’ll also get 20% off if you book before 30 June. We’re also loving that there’s a discount for siblings – applicable after 30 June (who doesn’t love a discount?); you can receive 15% off the camp fee for your second child who signs up and reduced rates for booking the larger weekly packages too, hooray!

Whether they’re water babies or little disco divas, wannabe Olympians or aspiring artists – at FitRepublik you’ll find the perfect programme for your littles to spend their summer learning new skills. Get them ready for an exciting summer hols, mamas!

Movin & Groovin Summer Camp is run at FitRepublik daily from 8 Jul to 30 Aug.

To book visit FitRepublik or contact us at camps@fitrepublik.com or call 04 556 1800

Price and Package Details as Below

1 week of full-day packages – AED 1,313 per week | AED 1,050 per week after 20% early bird discount
2 weeks of full-day packages – AED 1,260 per week | AED1,008 per week after 20% early bird discount
3 weeks of full-day packages – AED 1,208 per week | AED 966 per week after 20% early bird discount
4 weeks of full-day packages – AED 1,155 per week | AED924 per week after 20% early bird discount
1 week of half-day packages – AED 1,103 per week | AED 882 per week after 20% early bird discount
2 weeks of half-day packages – AED 1,050 per week | AED 840 per week after 20% early bird discount
A single full day – AED 262.50

Early Bird Offer: 20% discount if you book before June 30^th

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Summer Camps add fun to the hols and keep the kids occupied (for a little while, at least) so that you can get on with life, business as usual! And this Holiday Camp by ESM is one that’ll not only guarantee days filled with entertainment and energy but also activities to enhance your child’s education and development. Yup, everything at this camp is planned not only with fun in mind but also the potential for every camper to participate in lots of fab stuff and to realise his or her potential in a pressure-free and super friendly environment. Awesome.

Spread over 16 venues across Dubai & Abu Dhabi, this award winning “Multi-Activity Camp Program” is perfect for mamas with kiddos of different ages too. The Multi Activity Camp (for ages 4-12 years) offers over 16 sports and arts activities and an amazing mix of outdoor and indoor fun to help take their game to the next level, providing expert sports instruction for budding athletes all the while allowing parents to send kids in different age groups to one place. And how about this for cool – they’ll also provide a door-to-door pick up option, making it easy on working parents during the morning rush hour.

Sound good? We think so – this camp is all about getting kids away from the screen and burning some energy while trying lots of new things at the same time. Their carefully selected team of European coaches encourage kiddos to thrive, learn and develop through a balance of sports, games and creative activities perfectly suited to age and ability. Oh and… ESM Holiday Camps (part of East Sports Management) won Gold at the 2017 Sports Industry Awards for Best Youth Organization or Academy so they’ll have your little champs going for gold in no time. Hooray!

All the details:

When: Weekly, 1 July – 30 August
Where: At venues across Dubai
Ages: 4 – 12 years
Times: 8.30am – 1.30pm
Cost: From AED 200 per day or from AED 420 per week (prices are venue specific)
How to Book: Email holidaycamp@esm.ae or call +971 43697817. You can also visit esmacademies.ae/holiday-camps

ESM are offering Sassy readers an additional 5% discount (over and above the current 45% discount) for online registration and payments made before 25 August 2018. Use code SASSY5 at checkout to avail this additional discount.

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Whether you’re staying in town this summer or just looking for ways to entertain the kiddos for a week or two then look no further Mamas, as we’ve got the low-down on some of the best summer camps in the city. From getting stuck into arts and crafts to playing football all day on air conditioned pitches, learning to dive to water play with a difference – camps these days are so amazing that we wish we could join!

The post Some Of Our Favourite Summer Camps in Dubai (Pssst Get Discount Codes Too!) appeared first on Sassy Mama.