Playdates

DIY Walkie Talkie

I am a mom of two boys, ages 5 and 2.5. I am surrounded by cars, especially fire engines and police cars, fire stations, car tracks, tow trucks, etc. Recently, we got them their Build-a-Bear teddies and even those had to be dressed as a Firefighter and a Pilot. Next, daddy bought them Firefighter and Police helmets. It was a matter of time before my elder son asked me for a Walkie-Talkie set to complete their “Emergency Emergency” pretend play game.

I told him that I had an idea to make these walkie-talkie sets ourselves, and their cousins (ages 10) decided to join us for an afternoon of crafting fun. Ideally, a juice carton box can be used to make these, but since I did not have any of those, we searched the pantry for similarly sized boxes, like ones from tea bags, Kinder Egg chocolates, etc.

September 29, 2017 5 comments

Dubai Motherhood Play and Learn Playdates

When we met Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam

My son, A, had been to Mattel Playtown in Citywalk, Dubai on a school trip with his friends, and couldn’t stop talking about it for days to come. They went for a short while, and they caught Barney and his team in action, but he missed seeing his current favorites – Bob, the Builder and Fireman Sam. I had promised him we would definitely be making a trip to Playtown with his little brother, P during the summer break.

Mattel Playtown has 5 diferent themed zones, dedicated to different characters, namely, Barney, Bob the builder, Thomas and Friends, Fireman Sam and Angelina Ballerina. Each zone has different activities based on the different characters, mainly helping with developing motor skill and social skills. There is a stage where the different characters come on to sing, dance and interact with their little audience.

So on a Thursday afternoon, my two super excited boys and I, went to Mattel Playtown! To save time, we bought our tickets online. We got our entry wrist bands from the reception and proceeded to the first floor, where we were just in time to catch Bob the Builder live in action, on the centrestage.

August 14, 2017 2 comments

Family Motherhood Play and Learn Playdates

8 fun-learning activities to do with your 3-5 year olds at Home during the Summers

June, in Dubai, sees temperatures going up to 40°C and July and August seem like you’re living on the sun itself! We are fortunate enough to be able to spend most of our time indoors with air conditioning. The summer vacations will soon be here and sadly, we will be spending the entire 70-odd days of our summer vacations here in Dubai.

We are going to need a truckload of entertainment to keep an almost 5-year-old and a 2-year-old busy. Entertainment that is not screen-time and gadget related. Entertainment that can be constructive play, leading to brain development – development and exercise of both the right and left sides, i.e, creative and rational sides of the brain.

June 25, 2017 14 comments

Dubai Family Motherhood Playdates

Our visit to Dubai Garden Glow

Ever since the Dubai Garden Glow had reopened for 2016, my elder son, A wanted to go visit it. Everytime we passed Zabeel park and the display of the Garden Glow on Sheikh Zayed Road, I promised him that I would take him there in the winter break.

January 29, 2017 0 comment

Dubai Family Motherhood Playdates

Play date at Extreme Fun, UAE

I am hesitant to take the boys into unfamiliar play areas all by myself, as the elder one, A, is usually clingy and scared to go wander off by himself. I usually have to spend my entire time exploring the tunnels and crawling over the various obstacles with him. As a result, the younger one, P, has to be left alone, as I can be with only one of them at a time. I usually have my husband or my mother join us on our play trips. Lately, as P is growing up, he is getting curious and wants to come into the tunnels and obstacle areas too. He is more of an explorer and wants to wander off into the difficult zones all by himself.

December 26, 2016 0 comment