There aren’t 104 days of summer vacation (only 56 from June 30-August 25, we counted). But Phineas and Ferb were right that the annual problem for every generation is finding a good way to spend it. That’s where our action-packed list of school holiday activities, from augmented reality video games to miniature museums, saves the day. The phrase every parent dreads – ‘I’m bored’ – won’t be uttered even once when tots, tweens, teens and every age group in between are engaged and entertained by these adventures.
1. The Messi Experience
School’s out, but so is the sun, which means outdoor football is out of bounds for Dubai’s young ‘uns. This immersive indoor football experience, part of Dubai Summer Surprises, will guarantee you score points with your brood for a fantastic school holiday outing. Living football legend Lionel Messi’s life and career are displayed through 360-degree projections, installations and football-themed games. Visitors can also snap selfies and chat with the Argentinian icon through AI! Get tickets here.
2. Museum of Candy
That sweet child of yours will come out of this interactive museum sweeter, hopped up on sugar (free macarons, ice cream, cotton candy and more are included in the ticket) as well as the nectar of wisdom. Fun facts about the history of candy and chocolates pepper every corner of the 15 interactive rooms filled with games and photobooths. Bonus? You get some adorable family portraits and inspo for your kids’ next birthday party. Get tickets here
3. Pac-Man Live Experience
Mum and dad, this is your chance to give your kids as realistic as possible an 80s and 90s school holiday throwback: think of this as Jumanji meets retro arcade games. You will enter the beloved vintage video game’s pixelated world, literally run through life-size mazes as augmented reality Pac-Man chomps after you while you dodge digitally projected ghosts and collect power pellets. Isn’t this heaps better than button-mashing it before a screen? And if you need an added incentive, there are free smoothies for all after. Get tickets here.
4. Titanic: A Voyage Through Time
This virtual reality experience does what textbooks probably couldn’t – ignite your child’s interest in history. Once the VR goggles are on, you dive right into the ship’s wreckage in the North Atlantic Ocean without ever leaving the Al Quoz warehouse. The ship’s journey is charted through characters modelled on real crew and passengers. Walk around iconic spaces like the Grand Staircase and almost touch and feel your surroundings because of the heightened realism and immersive nature of the visuals. Your kids will come out awed and armed with the topic for their next assignment. Get tickets here
5. Chaos Karts
So you didn’t book that family vacation to Japan this school holiday to experience Tokyo’s streetside Mario Kart go-karting. Pack the clan off to this augmented reality experience inspired by the iconic video game. Sat in bumper car-style karts, you will zoom around 6 themed virtual tracks collecting points, prizes and completing quests. Even the littlest speed racer in your family can participate as long as their feet reach the pedals. Get tickets here
6. Quiz Room
Are you smarter than your fifth grader or just faking it to help with homework? This gaming experience features all the flashing lights, dramatic buzzers, and nail-biting suspense of popular TV game shows like Family Feud. Test your trivia chops with standard general knowledge or custom questions that draw from family inside jokes. Special kids quizzes centre the game around topics like animals and cartoons for children aged 8-12. That final round will reveal who wears the smarty pants in the family and who’s been using ChatGPT. Get tickets here
7. Ski Dubai: Ski Slope
Instead of watching Frozen on a loop, take your munchkins to build a real snowman in this winter wonderland. Escape the heat by skiing, bobsledding, tobogganing, snowboarding, or just rolling around in the powdery white stuff, making snow angels for a full two hours or a whole day with this special all-access pass. Those discounted prices will make you feel Christmas has come early. All tickets include lockers, ski trousers and jackets, snow boots, helmets, and skis and snowboards. Get tickets here.