alitrist

Guys,

Can anybody assist??

Looking for a list of good, reliable and safe Play Groups for our 2 year old in Dubai. An idea of current fees would be good as well.

Thanks

Hello.Kitty

[raises hand] ME AGAIN!

Playgroups are generally run by mums and are FREE! Yes, FREE, in DUBAI!
We're in the Marina and there are several, JBR Sandpit being the main one with several weekly playdates. There's also Marina Mums and must be others in other areas. There's a really popular one held in a church in Jebel Ali.

Some buildings also have indoor soft play areas for toddlers, which are often basic, but a godsend.

There's a library in Mall of the Emirates that has kids Story Time on a Sunday morning (I think) and most malls have (paying) soft play areas that charge between 25-65AED per hour, which is actually often worth it.

Of course, most places have swimming pools too and playgrounds, although with both of those, you have to contend with the sun. I've had to prise my daughter away from such things at 11h in the morning, flushed and sopping wet with sweat before.

Best thing though, is that there are far more stay-at-home mums in Dubai than there are in the UK, so your wife will have no problems meeting similarly bored people... sorry, did I say that?! lol.

Tell you what, when you come over, give her my details and we can meet up for a coffee and a good chat.

Madam Medusa

do you mean play groups (informal, turn up whenever and where the mum/dad stays) or nurseries (you pay a term's fee and leave them...?)...

MM, xx

alitrist

both really... the free ones sound really cool - a bit like NCT Meets??

but also wanted to know about "proper" playgroups and their fees and "expat extra" fees??

We were a bit worried about dubai's "stepford" wives clique but you all have really put our mind at rest.

Roadking

So true, NOT! More like Gin Wife for many

Hello.Kitty

heheh- yeah, Mother's Bane keeps us all chirpy! Best thing is to spend the afternoon down at a hotel - pop the kids in the playground and watch over them whilst sipping the alcoholic beverage of your choice. THAT'S what I call parenting!

There is the Stepford Wives element, and there's the Desperate Housewives element... there's also the Nanny Brigade and Raving Mad Stay-at-Home Mums. Something to cater for all tastes! As with everything, we're all adults and so can move away (sometimes whilst nodding and smiling) from groups/people we're not happy with.

What's really good is that there are so many different nationalities all mixed up. Some people are complete nut-cases and others are really down-to-earth.

In any case, just as anywhere, you end up having acquaintances that you bump into regularly and a smaller group of proper friends that don't mind if you haven't washed your hair and have snot plastered over your clothes and kid's faces.

Madam Medusa

yeah, there are loads of nct equivalent groups, time out has loads of info, and expat women also organises play date things too...cost just a few dhs usually...

for nurseries, most are only half a day (8ish to 12.30ish) although some open for longer hours...they close for all the school holidays, so not like the ones in the uk...cost around 3k-4k a term and you usually have to sign up for a year...there were waiting lists for the good ones, but this may not be the case now...

MM, xx