A park exclusively for under-12s in Dubai

Dubai - It offers free play options with wooden forts, climbing ropes, trees and streams.

A new, natural playscape was launched in Dubai on Wednesday to give children a platform to explore forest life and play in a safe environment, XDubai has announced.
Open to children aged 1-12 years old, XPark Jr, located opposite Kite Beach in Jumeirah, offers free play options with wooden forts, climbing ropes, trees and streams. An Urban Forest School programme also teaches children about small animals and plant life, allows them to build tents, campfires and to connect with nature within a supervised environment. During a med-ia preview, Mohammed Javad, general manager of XDubai, told Khaleej Times that the outdoor park, located just next to XDubai Skate-park, is designed to ignite the spirit of adventure in children, while offe-ring an educational experience.
"What differentiates this park is that it's built around children. In a fast-paced city like Dubai, where activities are limited to the indoors, we wanted to give children the platform to play outside in a natural setting and get messy," said Javad.
Spread over 30,000 square feet, the park connects children with the elements of nature through a mud kitchen, planting garden and fruit trees; streams, waterfalls and fountains; tree houses, wooden bridges, climbing nets and bridges.
Supervised by six staff members, the little ones will have the chance to ride a pony and play with animals in the petting zoo, while learning some skills and designing wooden boats to place in the fountains, at the arts and craft section.
Javad said the park allows kids to take risks and enjoy adventures while learning about the importance of safety.
"We want to give children the platform to express themselves in a supervised setting and teach them why certain stuff - like starting up a fire - is dangerous to do outside," said Javad. Children will also spot the seven dwarves and a series of characters desi-gned to explain the park's surrou-ndings and teach them about nature in an interactive way.
XPark Jr is XDubai's second foray into the development of community spaces - joining the XDubai Kite Beach Skatepark, an action sports park. Javad said a new urban space for teenagers will be launched by the end of this year, to give space for self-expression through activities like graffiti, parkour and beatboxing and create a community feeling.
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai