Top winter camps in the UAE teaching desert survival skills, parkour, theatre and more

With the winter holidays upon us, for those families not jetting off for the break there’s a wide array of camps to entertain little ones. Whatever your children’s interests and hobbies, there is a camp that will entertain and educate while helping them make new friends. Here are eight camps in the UAE this winter for children of all ages Jump into winter Little ones will have a great time running, jumping, bouncing and more at the Air Maniax winter camp in the capital. The camp runs from Monday to Friday, December 11 to 27, 8.30am-2pm and will feature activities such as team games, arts and crafts and the chance to win daily prizes, as well as the usual bouncing fun on the trampolines. The price also includes lunch daily. Dh153 per day, Dh674 per week; Air Maniax, Marina Mall Abu Dhabi; 050 770 2971, airmaniax.com Martial arts (and crafts) Getting active and building physical and mental strength is on the cards at the Wolves Zone MMA Academy winter camp. Open to children aged five to 12, the camp will run from December 12 to 30 and will feature a mix of activities to engage and entertain. There will be Mixed Martial Arts training, which the academy specialises in, along with anti-bullying and self-defence sessions, team-building fun, arts and crafts and bowling. Dh650+ per week; Wolves Zone MMA Academy, Zayed Sport city, Abu Dhabi; 056 622 0492, wolveszoneuae.com Tinkering with technology Design thinking, innovation, problem-solving and experimentation will all be explored and unleashed at the OliOli TinkerMaker’s winter camp. There are two week-long camps that run from December 11 to 15 and 18 to 22, with a morning camp from 9.30am-1.30pm, afternoon camp from 2pm-5pm and all day camp from 9.30am-5pm. Children aged four to 10 will get creative with sessions that explore robotics and circuitry, simple machine-building and tinkering with technology. There will also be a scavenger hunt throughout the museum and the chance to enjoy all the interactive fun OliOli has to offer. From Dh790 per week; OliOli Experiential Play Museum, Al Quoz 1, Dubai; 04 702 7300, olioli.ae For little adventurers Adventure awaits little ones aged five to 12 who sign up for the Aventura Parks winter camp this season, with two different themed camps on offer. The Olympics week runs from December 11 to 15 and will give campers daily challenges designed to test them and their team, culminating in a final ceremony at the end of the week. Jurassic week is from December 18 to 22 and invites children to immerse themselves in this fascinating period in the earth’s history, learning about dinosaurs and volcanoes through a mix of science, arts and crafts, nature works and adventure. Both weeks run from Monday to Friday, from 9am-5pm. Dh265 per day, Dh995 for the week (price includes access to all park activities, including ziplines, two complimentary snacks and unlimited water); Mushrif Park, Dubai; aventuraparks.com Seasonal Stem Inquisitive minds will be in their element at the Stem camps run by Pure Minds Academy during the winter break. There are three camps available catering for different age groups: Little Explorers investigates stem and life skills for four to six year olds; Junior Camp has an additional focus on robotics for seven to nine year olds; and Advanced Camp adds entrepreneurship, sustainability, financial literacy and cybersecurity into the mix for 10 to 14 year olds. There are puzzles and games, the chance to build simple robots, exploring 3D and creating moving Lego structures. Camps run from Monday to Friday, 9.30am-2pm, from December 11 to 15, 18 to 22 and 25 to 29. Dh1,150; Rove Hotel Downtown Dubai, Studio One Hotel, Dubai Studio City and Rove Hotel Trade Centre, Al Jafiliya, Dubai; 04 432 9464, stemforkids.ae Balancing act Get little ones energised by introducing them to parkour at a winter camp this holiday. Run by Parkour DXB, the Wallabies Camp is for children aged three to five and the Parkour Camp for those aged five to 13. Sessions run from Monday to Friday and last for three hours, 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm, during which time children will learn how to jump, vault, balance and hold in a way that strengthens little minds and bodies and builds confidence and ability. Wallabies, which is only available at the Al Quoz branch, includes games and arts and crafts, while older children will be kept engaged with a structured curriculum. From Dh1,571.43 per week for Wallabies and Dh942.86 per week for Parkour; branches in Al Quoz, Port Rashid and Jumeirah Village Circle; 800 727 5687, parkour.ae Winter tales Actors and storytellers-in-training will love the two creative winter camps at The Courtyard Playhouse Dubai. Storyteller’s Winter Camp is for little ones aged four to seven, taking children on a literary journey where they will discover new picture books that will become the basis for activities such as theatre games, role play and arts and crafts. At the end of the week, children will perform a mini showcase in the theatre. The Junior Actor’s Winter Camp is for older children aged eight to 11 and will help them develop their acting and storytelling skills, as well as learn more about being onstage, culminating in a performance for friends and family. Camps run weekly, beginning on December 11, 18 and 25 with two sessions per day – 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm. There is also a Young Performers Winter Camp for older children aged 12 to 14 that explores mythology. Dh1,215 per week; The Courtyard, Al Quoz; 050 986 1760, courtyardplayhouse.com Explore and learn The Bear Grylls Explorers Camp is holding a winter camp this holiday season for children aged 10 and above. The Explorers Camp runs overnight from December 12 to 13 and 19 to 20, allowing children aged 10 to 16 to develop their survival skills, as well as take part in fun outdoor activities including archery, high ropes, rock climbing, abseiling and team-building games. Young Explorers Winter Camp is Dh750 per person, price includes all meals and equipment; Bear Grylls Explorer’s Camp, Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah; 04 815 7333, beargryllscamp.ae

Top winter camps in the UAE teaching desert survival skills, parkour, theatre and more

Whatever your child's hobbies, age or abilities, there's a camp to suit everyone