Top 10: Try the water games and activities at Yas Waterworld, attend the opening of the Zayed Sports City Family Festival, and more

Your essential guide to what's happening in the Emirates

Visit Yas Waterworld and enjoy the Jump, Bounce and Splash event that runs until January 6. Yas Waterworld
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Abu Dhabi

Waterpark fun

Visit Yas Waterworld for the Jump, Bounce and Splash event, which offers a variety of fun water games and activities, including two water trampolines, interactive games such as hopscotch and water-balloon toss, a Splash Squad to entertain the crowd daily at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm, as well as a belly-flop contest on January 6.

Daily until January 6, 10am to 6pm, from Dh185 for the Friends and Family Pass, Amwaj Wave Pool, Yas Waterworld, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, www.yaswaterworld.com

Dubai

Kids’ classes

Hayley’s Comet Theatre Company at the James & Alex Studios is gearing up for its January term with a rock-star theme. Classes involve singing, dancing and acting, and children will create characters for a musical performance as part of an annual showcase. The term will feature songs by musical icons such as Queen, David Bowie, The Beatles and more.

Starts January 14 and runs until May, 5.30 to 6.30pm on Sundays for ages 6 to 9; 5pm to 7pm on Mondays for ages 11 to 13; 5pm to 7pm on Tuesdays for ages 9 to 11; 5pm to 7pm on Wednesdays for ages 14 to 17, from Dh1,650, James & Alex Studios, Dubai Marina, Dubai, info@hayleyscomet.com

Hayley's Comet Theatre Company presents a rock-star themed term starting in January. Hayley's Comet Theatre Company
Hayley's Comet Theatre Company presents a rock-star themed term starting in January. Hayley's Comet Theatre Company

Abu Dhabi

Fitness event

Start your week with a walk, jog, run or ride around the 5.55km Yas Marina Circuit at StartYas, a community health initiative presented by Daman ActiveLife. Families and friends can enjoy the cooler weather and stay or get fit this winter. Rent bikes and helmets from Fun Ride Sports or take advantage of the 400 bikes that are available to borrow from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

Sundays, 6pm to 10pm, free with registration, Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, register at www.yasmarinacircuit.com

Abu Dhabi

Family fun

Zayed Sports City Family Festival opens today and includes more than 15 hands-on activities for families to enjoy, as well as stage and street performances all day. The venue is divided into several zones, such as Discovery Adventures, Lego City, ZSC Academy and a heritage village. There will be arts and crafts, fitness activities food trucks, face-painting and an Aladdin stage show.

Daily until Wednesday, 3pm to 10pm, free with registration, between the tennis and football stadiums, Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, registration required at www.zscfamilyfest.ae

Abu Dhabi

Exhibition

Warehouse421 presents Community and Critique: SEAF Cohort 4, an exhibition of works marking the culmination of the year-long Salama bint Hamdan Emerging Artists Fellowship programme featuring works by 15 artists. A fundamental pillar of the programme is critique – reflection, questioning and analysis – and this exhibition welcomes the public into the artists' studios to engage in the process.

Daily until January 14, 10am to 8pm Tuesdays to Sundays (closed Mondays), Warehouse421, Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi, www.warehouse421.ae

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Dubai

New Year’s Eve

Book tickets to attend the New Year's Eve Gala at Dubai Opera. Enjoy a pre-dinner event with drinks, canapés and live entertainment, then a performance of Last Night of the Year Gala Concert. Following the show, enjoy refreshments to ring in the new year and watch the Downtown Dubai fireworks from the promenade with music by a DJ.

December 31, 6pm, from Dh800, Dubai Opera, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, www.dubaiopera.com

Dubai

Kids’ fun

The children’s entertainment centre KidZania now offers activities that teach kids road safety with Emirates Driving Institute and Yokohama Tire Corporation, including how to be safe as a pedestrian, and the correct way to use roads while driving a bike or car. An interactive test with multiple-choice questions is also given to the little ones, who can earn their own pretend driver’s licence.

Open daily, 10am to 10pm, from Dh150, KidZania, Level 2, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, www.kidzania.ae

Dubai

Fitness event

Register your team of 10 runners to take part in the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay, which sees some of Dubai’s biggest businesses competing for the title of “fastest firm in the city”. Each participant will run a one-mile (1.6-kilometre) route around the Gate Building at DIFC before handing over the baton. The team that completes 10 laps the fastest will be crowned champions. Early-bird pricing is available until Thursday.

February 7, from 5.30pm, early-bird price from Dh5,500 per team of 10 runners includes food and beverage, T-shirts and after-party access, DIFC, Dubai, www.squaremilerelay.com

Abu Dhabi

Kids’ camp

Register your children, ages 4 to 12, for the Hiltonia Winter Kids’ Camp, which features activities such as fitness games, cooking classes, magic shows, arts and crafts, face-painting and water sports to keep the kids engaged and entertained during the winter break.

Runs until January 4, 9am to 3pm, Sundays to Thursdays, from Dh900 per week; Dh200 per day, Hiltonia Beach Club, Corniche, Abu Dhabi, 02 692 4324

Dubai

Exhibition

Visit The Dubai Mall and see Museum of the Moon by British artist Luke Jerram. The installation is 7 metres in diameter, with each centimetre representing 5km of the Moon. Using Nasa imagery, this replica of the Moon's surface is internally illuminated, letting visitors experience a new perspective, from closer than ever.

Open daily, free entry, Souk Atrium, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, 800 38224 6255, www.thedubaimall.com

Visit the Museum of the Moon at The Dubai Mall and see a large-scale version of the Moon that uses Nasa imagery. The Dubai Mall
Visit the Museum of the Moon at The Dubai Mall and see a large-scale version of the Moon that uses Nasa imagery. The Dubai Mall