Half-term in Dubai: Your ultimate guide to fun-filled family activities

Staying in Dubai this half term? Here’s your ultimate family fun list — from whimsical brunches and bounce parks to safaris and shows

It’s half term and that familiar question echoes through every Dubai household: “What are we going to do with the kids?”

The good news? Dubai is brimming with brand-new attractions, imaginative brunches, and exciting family adventures for every age.

From chocolate fountains and glow-in-the-dark trampolines to safaris, markets, and magical shows, Team Yalla has tried, tested, and rounded up the best ways to make this half term one to remember.

Whether you’ve got toddlers, tweens, or teens, there’s something here to spark joy — and finally wear them out.

The Golden Ticket Brunch: A world of pure imagination

“For who could hate or bear a grudge, against a lovely bit of fudge?” — Roald Dahl

There’s no chocolate river, but there is a chocolate fountain and enough sugary magic to make Augustus Gloop grin from ear to ear.

The new Golden Ticket Brunch returns to Flow Kitchen, Fairmont The Palm, for an all-new season bursting with colour, creativity, and confectionery fun. Expect Oompa Loompas, candy walls, and a dessert spread straight out of Willy Wonka’s Factory.

From cake lollipops and golden macarons to waffle sundaes and chocolate-cranberry brownies, all topped with dollops of cream and colourful sprinkles, this is a sugar-fuelled spectacular (sorry, mums and dads).

But it’s not all sweets, adults are just as spoiled as the kids, with an impressive buffet featuring sushi, dim sum, roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, curries, pasta, and seafood dishes that genuinely impress.

The entertainment adds to the magic: balloon artists, magicians, and chocolate painting keep little ones happily engaged while grown-ups relax, enjoy the food, and take in the ocean views. The service is warm, fast, and fabulously family-friendly — hats off, Mr Wonka!

Top tip: Arrive hungry and with your phone fully charged — you’ll want to capture every golden moment.

Flow Kitchen, Fairmont The Palm. Every Saturday, 1pm-4pm. AED 295 (adults), AED 125 (kids 6–12), AED 50 (kids 3–6). For more info visit here

Loco Bear: Unleash your inner wild child

Welcome to Loco Bear, Dubai’s 70,000-square-foot wonderland where boredom simply doesn’t exist. Hidden in Al Quoz 2, this sprawling indoor hub combines the best bits of a trampoline park, adventure gym, arcade, and immersive playland — all under one massive roof.

Kids can bounce between 12 + attractions from a ninja warrior course and wall-climbing zone to the Slime Universe, where they can get gloriously messy making gooey creations.

For thrill-seekers, there’s a 120-metre roll glider, VR arena, and laser-tag battlefield complete with its own battle bus and top-notch gear imported from the US (“Epic!” says our 12-year-old tester).

Younger children are just as well catered for with a multi-level soft-play area that feels like a mini city of slides, tunnels, and ball pits. And when energy levels finally dip, there’s a café and chill-out zone serving snacks, smoothies, and good coffee for parents.

Why parents love it: the flexible credit-based system lets you pick-and-mix activities to suit attention spans and energy levels. And if you fancy joining in, the new Loco Freestyle Academy trampoline programme (ages 7 +) teaches safe flips, tucks, and balance — a sneaky fitness win for all ages.

Loco Bear, Al Quoz 2.

Air Maniax: The new kingdom of bounce

Just when you think Dubai has every kind of indoor playground imaginable, Air Maniax Nad Al Sheba bounces onto the scene — and it’s huge. Spanning 15,000 square feet inside the new Nad Al Sheba Mall, this flagship park redefines the phrase “energy burn”.

Think giant inflatable obstacle courses, towering slides, trampoline zones, a go-kart circuit, and even glow-in-the-dark laser tag. It’s high-octane, high-volume, and high-fun. Our team of mini Yalla testers (ages 8–13) was happily occupied for hours.

Highlights include:

• Inflatable Arena: a mega maze of tunnels, slides, and climbable towers where kids can race, leap, and tumble safely.

• Rogue Maniax Laser Tag: an action-packed, glow-lit arena where stealth, speed, and strategy take centre stage — perfect for tweens, teens, and grown-ups who love a bit of friendly competition.

• Interactive Trampolines: sensors turn every jump into an on-screen game challenge.

• Zip Zag Zipline: a looping ride that zips across the park with just the right amount of thrill.

• Mini Maniax Toddler Zone: a soft-play haven for under-fives with gentle inflatables, sensory games, and a baby-safe ball pool.

Parents can retreat upstairs to the mezzanine café, which overlooks the action — the perfect perch for caffeine and crowd control.

Everything is spotless, well-staffed, and cleverly zoned, so siblings of different ages can all play happily. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for birthdays, rainy days, or any day they’re climbing the walls (literally).

Top tip: Book online early during holidays and weekends and look out for Friday Frenzy evenings with live entertainment, competitions, and prizes.

Air Maniax, Nad Al Sheba Mall, Nad Al Sheba 3. Visit their website for more info.

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