Do you have a budding David Attenborough in your family? With Earth Day on April 22, now’s the time to get kids away from screens and out in nature.
Let your mini eco-champions use their passion to help protect the planet with these amazing nature activities for kids, from adopting bees, to tree-planting and being a Park Ranger for the day.
So whether your kids are nature-lovers, green-fingered enthusiasts or sustainability champions, we’ve got something for them!
Hang out with animals at Sustainable City Farm
Rescued donkeys, chickens, ducks and goats are just a few of the animals that roam around Sustainable City Farm. Kids can walk freely in nature feeding and petting the animals or just enjoying being in their company. There’s also Sustainable City Equestrian Centre, which has 62 horses, for any riding enthusiasts. And MyHive in Sustainable City also offers the opportunity to become ‘adoptive parents’ to help preserve the future of honeybees. Once done, head to Sanderson’s for sliders, pancakes and ice pops.
Free. thesustainablecity.ae
Be a zookeeper for the day
Do your animal-loving kids dream about becoming a zookeeper? Take them to Green Planet, Dubai’s interactive indoor bio-dome, for a hands-on experience where they’ll get to help look after the resident animals. Kids will go behind the scenes and shadow a biologist for the day, whilst getting up close and personal with some of Green Planet’s coolest animals, like Lemon the sloth and Kendrik the Lemur. Plus, they’ll get to watch the thrilling frenzy of a piranha feeding session and explore the region’s only bat cave!
Dhs410. Weekdays, 3pm-6pm. Weekends, 8.30am to 11.30am and 3pm-6pm. City Walk, Thegreenplanetdubai.com (800 7699).
Wildlife on tap
One way to get kids inspired by nature is to let them see it with their own eyes. Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary is perfect for wildlife enthusiasts, as it puts them front and centre to the action. Book a Protected Areas Tour Guide around the bird hides to get expert insight and top tips to spot, identify and photograph beautiful birds, including flamingos, Kingfishers, and Ospreys. Keep your eyes peeled, as you might also spot Arabian Red Fox, Ethiopian hedgehogs, Flower crabs, Desert Monitor lizards. Don’t forget to bring your camera!
Free. Sun-Thu, 7.30am-5.30pm; Fri-Sat closed. Ras Al Khor Road, dm.gov.ae
A nature morning for budding botanists
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If you’ve got some green-fingered gardeners in your family, Dubai Garden Centre has the perfect activity for them. Planting Workshops take place every Saturday morning, where nature-lovers can learn more about the natural world and plant care, connect with nature, and try their hand at creating beautiful plant arrangements and even building their own terrariums, through interactive, hands-on workshops.
8am-10pm. Sheikh Zayed Road. dubaigardencentre.ae (04 590 4333).
Venture out on a sustainable farm visit
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Get out in nature with a trip to Emirates Bio Farm, where kids can run free, feed animals and learn about the farming in a fun and interactive way. You can embark on a self-guided walking tour through the fields, spotting and identifying the vegetables, fruits and herbs being grown, or enjoy a stroll with one of the farm team who will give you the lowdown on sustainable farming methods. There’s also goat feeding, tractor rides, a farm shop and a huge outdoor play area. When you’re ready for lunch, you can feast on organic, low carbon footprint food at The Farmer’s Table restaurant, where zero-waste dishes use ingredients picked freshly from the farm!
Dhs40 for adults, kids under three are free. 9am-5pm. Al Ain, emiratesbiofarm.com (03 783 8422).
An overnight desert safari
To understand who we’re protecting the planet for, take the kids into the Dubai Desert Conversation Reserve (DDCR) for an immersive overnight safari adventure experiencing the world of Arabian nature and wildlife up close. You’ll sleep under the stars in a gorgeous, deluxe tent, and hopefully get to spot plenty of animals from your terrace. The overnight itinerary includes a BBQ, camel trek, wildlife spotting, a walking night safari and a 4×4 dune through the DDCR, all accompanied by a personal guide and driver who’ll engage mini eco-champions’ curious minds with stories about conservation.
From Dhs1,790. Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, Dubai, arabian-adventures.com (800 272 2426)
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There’s so much on offer
