Looking for fun things to do with the kids in Dubai? Got kids who love getting creative with arts and crafts? Dubai has some brilliant art classes to help them channel their inner Picasso and make a masterpiece worthy of a prime spot on the fridge door.
And whether your kids are natural mini Monets or just thrive on getting messy with paint, glitter and glue, there are some seriously cool art classes in Dubai where they can unleash their artistic potential.
From pottery and mosaics to drawing classes, free-style painting sessions and more, here are 12 top spots where the kiddos can get their art on. Make some space on those walls mums and dads, masterpieces incoming…
Arts Basis
There are so many classes on offer at this art institute in the Marina. Kids of all ages from beginners to more experienced little artists can learn how to paint with oils, water colours and acrylic paints as well as be taught the skills to create realistic portrait painting. Little ones will get to finger paint and be taught to paint on china. So if your kiddo wants to try a range of different techniques and mediums, sign them up.
Emirates Crown, Al Sufouh Road, Dubai Marina, www.facebook.com/ArtsBasisDubai (056 223 3606).
Art Kala Fine Arts
Got a budding artist at home? Give them a helping hand by signing them up to art classes at the Art Kala Fine Arts Drawing and Painting Institute. With drawing, shading, water colour painting, mural painting, pastel colour painting, calligraphy and cat modelling on offer, there’s plenty of skills to be learned. Plus, the institute offers regular holiday camps so little ones can continue their art education during the holidays too.
Flat 306, Almurjan Building, Qusais, Al Nahda 2, Dubai (04 238 0095).
Café Ceramique
Café Ceramique has been helping children discover art, colour, design and flare through pottery painting, for years… more than a decade in fact. And there with various locations across Dubai (Town Centre Mall, Mall of the Emirates), all open seven days a week offering pottery and art classes for kids, there will be one near enough to not have to worry about taking on the city’s traffic. Kids can choose from a huge range of ready-to-paint ceramics including mugs, tiles and animals while friendly staff are on hand to provide paint and inspo or to help with painting handprints on crockery. That’s the presents for the grandparents sorted out. But really, is there anything cuter than drinking a cup of tea from a mug that’s bee hand-painted by your own child?
Various locations including Town Centre Mall, Jumeirah and Mall of the Emirates, www.cafeceramique.ae.
Dubai International Art Centre
This non-profit runs various painting and drawing classes for kids aged four to seven, and eight to 12. Children will create figures, imaginary characters, animals, architecture, cities, real and imaginary landscapes, still life and plenty more. They will learn hand-led work and techniques with the age-appropriate simplified methods allowing them to expand their artistic abilities at their own pace.
Villa 27, Street 75b, Jumeirah 1, Dubai, www.artdubai.com (04 344 4398).
Kidz Art
At this drawing based, multi-media art school they believe that art can be created by anyone and yes, even the crazy squiggles drawn by the tiniest tots. (yes, even those kiddie squiggles qualify!) Kids two and above can sign up to drawing lessons and arty projects to help nurture their creativity. This is a totally inclusive programme that supports all kids to develop confidence and skills that can carry over into other areas of study. From art classes to camps and workshops, they provide the environment for creativity to flourish. Amazing.
Locations include Al Barsha, JBR, Festival City, TCOM and JLT, www.kidzart.ae (055 222 0129).
Kidz Love Art
Ready to nurture your little ones love of all things art? Kidz Love Art runs various classes, events, courses and workshops throughout the year where kiddos can learn to paint using a variety of techniques and mediums. In addition, you can also pick up an art box containing all the materials and instructions your budding Picassos need to create their own masterpiece, plus if you’ve got a birthday boy or girl they can celebrate their big day with an art experience here.
Couqley, JLT Cluster A, Dubai, www.kidzloveart.com
Lotus Educational Institute
The Lotus Educational Institute focuses on artistic pursuits for therapeutic purposes, hosting after school classes that introduce art lovers between seven and 12 to different techniques in painting and drawing. The kids will then produce their own artwork based on the exercises.
Office G01, Block 13, Dubai Knowledge Village, www.lotus.ae (04 391 1718).
Ocean Kids
The art teachers at Ocean Kids live by the mantra that the canvas is your imagination and given kids are all about imagination, they should be pretty good at this painting lark. Kids can sign up to both painting and drawing classes where they are encouraged to practice, practice, practice. The hour-long classes are aimed at kiddos five and over who will be put into a group class to learn the artistic ropes.
Crystal Business Center, Al Karama, Dubai, www.oceankidsdubai.com (050 220 5391).
Sketch Art Café & sketch Studio
Kids can try their your hands at a spot of drawing, painting, sculpting, printmaking or mosaics at this uber cool café-come-art studio on Al Wasl Road in Jumeriah. The space is sectioned off into a studio and café, where mums and dads can sip lattes while the little ones can illustrate paper coffee cups, the most striking of which will be put on display on the Coffee Cup Wall of Fame.
Sun-Thu 8am-11pm, Fri and Sat 7am-11pm. Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah (04 271 2603).
thejamjar
This spacious and bright communal art space in Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, where little ones can get messy and release their inner Picasso at the same time – plus props are provided. Expect a huge warehouse where little ones can enjoy plenty of painting fun and are encouraged to get messy and creative. There are canvases of all sizes to paint on, easels, paints and a coffee bar and music to provide that essential ambience not to mention caffeine fix for mums and dads. The kids can choose any size canvas then get stuck into decorating it however they like. The painting sessions are perfect for all ages, last two hours and include everything they’ll need to create something perfect for hanging on the wall.
Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai, www.thejamjardubai.com booking@thejamjardubai.com (04 3417303).
The Palette Art Training and Consultancy
There are plenty of structured courses on offer at this art school for kiddos of all levels. Creative professionals teach budding talents the skills they need to master a variety of techniques and mediums from life drawings, oil paintings and watercolour to acrylic painting, mixed media and pen and ink.
Yes Business Centre Building, Office Suite 501, Al Barsha 1, Dubai, www.palettedubai.com (04 553 9477).
Yadawei Ceramics Studio
What kids wouldn’t want to get covered in clay and spin a potter’s wheel? Well, they can at this cool studio in Al Quoz. Ceramics and pottery are what it’s all about with kids’ classes that will allow aspiring creatives to transform clay into functional or decorative objects, or abstract… anything goes, really. They’ll learn how to slab, coil and pinch, plus how to decorate their work and apply non-toxic glazes. To be honest, it’s not just the kids wanting to get stuck in… We’re ready to recreate that scene from Ghost.
Warehouse 30, 8A Street, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, www.yadawei.net (04 379 1312).
