With the hot summer months lurking just around the corner, your window of outdoorsy opportunities with the kids continues to shrink by the day. But if chasing imaginary friends in the afternoon sun is not your favourite pastime – and we won’t blame you if it isn’t – why not let someone else do it instead? And for free.
Thrice weekly, and up until early June, the folks at the Le Méridien Hotel Abu Dhabi will run an afternoon for kids, where mums can unload their loud angels into the hotel’s sandy central garden – yes, it used to be grassy before – stare lovingly at the rabble and think back on the days when they were single. Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday a team of entertainers, volunteer staff and first-aiders will keep the kids happy, and off your back.
Sporty Mondays are full of competitive activities like racing, tug-of-bar and ball games, as well as group games like Simon Says and Human Knot. The aim is to encourage teamwork and sportsmanship, and give the kids enough exercise to guarantee you a good night’s sleeps. Interactive Wednesdays feature Xbox games on a large projector-screen, where, depending on the headcount, kids will get anything from ten minutes to half an hour to contribute to ongoing Xbox games. Alternatively, the team may play some cartoons, watch films or read books in groups.
The extended program on Creative Saturdays includes outdoor classes in cooking, dancing, music and art. Children might build castles out of straw, play with Lego or model clay. The team tries not to set any schedule into stone, and instead plans on reacting to feedback from parents and kids and adapting the programs to suit. Activities generally run from 3pm till 6pm, just in time for the after-school rush. On Saturdays the kids start an hour early, and it tends to get a bit more crowded. The place will have a few dozen monsters at a time, but can handle a bit over a hundred if packed.
And if you can’t bear to be parted with your pride and joy, even for an afternoon, you can always get right into the fun. Parents can join in multiple competitions like timed face-painting and sports activities, or volunteer to read interactive stories to the whole lot. Both mums and kids have a chance to win multiple prizes including stationery and backpacks (for the kids) and hampers for of cosmetics and personal care products (for afterwards).
Special needs kids are not left out either: with the help of organisations such as the award-winning Future Centre for Special Needs, the hotel plans to schedule two or more afternoons a month dedicated to kids with learning disabilities. They will get a customised schedule, and a great chance for fun and socialising while under a watchful eye.
Entrance is free, activities are free, and restaurants around the garden will be smiling hopefully at your wallets. But make sure you bring your camera to record the day.
Le Méridien Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area (02 666 6444)
