Schools across Dubai are ready for back-to-school from the week of Monday 31 August 2026, and the run-up is about more than uniforms and pencil cases this year. A new collectibles corner has landed where you already buy school essentials, and there is a hands-on lunchbox workshop running through August that actually gets kids curious about what they eat.
Here is what is new for back-to-school in Dubai and where to take the kids before term starts.
Uniform Shopping Just Got More Fun: The Little Things at Threads & Scribble Street
If your back-to-school list runs through Threads & Scribble Street, there is now a reason for the kids to look forward to it.
The Little Things (TLT), the UAE-born home of anime figurines, manga, blind boxes and pop-culture collectibles, has opened a shop-in-shop inside Threads & Scribble Street. It sits right alongside the school uniforms, stationery, and arts and crafts, so parents can tick off essentials while kids browse figurines, trading cards, and gaming finds on the same trip.
TLT already runs its flagship in The Dubai Mall and has done pop-ups with Mattel at Gate Avenue and a Hello Kitty tea party at BurJuman. This is the first time the brand has folded itself into an everyday shopping run rather than a destination visit.
- What: The Little Things collectibles shop-in-shop (figurines, blind boxes, trading cards, gaming finds)
- Where: Inside Threads & Scribble Street
- Good for: Combining uniform and stationery shopping with something the kids enjoy
- Also stocked in store: School uniforms, stationery, arts and crafts, school essentials
WOW Emirates Tip: Set a spend limit before you walk in. Blind boxes are designed to make “just one more” feel reasonable. Agree on one pick per child, and keep the trip a treat rather than a negotiation.
A Back-to-School Mission for Little Ones: Organic Foods & Café Lunchbox Workshops
Getting kids excited about a healthy lunchbox usually takes some convincing. Organic Foods & Café has turned it into a game instead.
Running on set dates through August at its Cityland Mall branch, “Raised by Organic: Little Lunchbox Super Heroes” sends children aged three to ten on a scavenger hunt across five stations. Each stop covers a different part of everyday nutrition, from energy and hydration to a “Brain Boost,” and kids collect ingredients to build their own balanced lunchbox as they go. Finish all five, and they graduate as a Little Lunchbox Hero.
At AED 30 per child, it is one of the better-value school-holiday activities going, and it comes with extras depending on the date you book.
- What: Interactive five-station lunchbox scavenger hunt for kids
- Ages: 3 to 10 years
- Cost: AED 30 per child
- Where: Organic Foods & Café, Cityland Mall, Dubai
- Included: A lunchbox (Done by Deer, Skip Hop, or Citron) or an Organic Foods & Café goodie bag, plus healthy snacks and drinks, depending on the date
- Dates:
- Friday 14 August, 10:00 AM
- Tuesday 18 August, 10:00 AM
- Wednesday 19 August, 10:00 AM
- Wednesday 26 August, 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM (Done by Deer)
- Thursday 27 August, 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM (Skip Hop)
- Friday 28 August, 2:00 PM (Citron)
- Booking: Essential; places are limited. Book via the Organic Foods & Café website or Instagram.
WOW Emirates Tip: The lunchbox brand changes by date. If you want a specific one (Done by Deer, Skip Hop, or Citron), book the matching session early, since the later August dates sell out first.
Getting Ready for Term: Quick Wins Before 31 August
- Sort uniforms and shoes first. Kids outgrow everything over summer, and the good sizes go early.
- Book any activities now. School-holiday sessions, like the Organic Foods workshops, have limited places available.
- Save the receipts and check return windows on uniforms, in case sizing is off after the first week.
Planning a full family week before term? See our Family and Kids Activities in Dubai guide. Got a student in the house? Our Student Discounts and Free Perks in Dubai guide covers the savings you can claim.
FAQs
When do schools in Dubai go back in 2026?
Most September-start private schools in Dubai return the week of Monday 31 August 2026. Dates vary by school and curriculum, so confirm with your school’s KHDA fact sheet or parent portal.
Where can I shop for school uniforms and stationery in Dubai?
Threads & Scribble Street stocks school uniforms, stationery, arts and crafts, and school essentials. It now also has a The Little Things collectibles shop-in-shop, so kids have something to browse while you shop.
What is the The Little Things shop-in-shop at Threads & Scribble Street?
It is a collectibles corner from UAE brand The Little Things, selling figurines, blind boxes, trading cards, and gaming-related finds, placed inside Threads & Scribble Street next to the school essentials.
How much do the Organic Foods & Café lunchbox workshops cost, and how do I book?
The “Little Lunchbox Super Heroes” workshops cost AED 30 per child for ages 3 to 10 at Cityland Mall. Places are limited, and booking is essential through the Organic Foods & Café website or Instagram.
Are there back-to-school activities for young children in Dubai?
Yes. Organic Foods & Café runs its Little Lunchbox Super Heroes scavenger-hunt workshops on set dates through August, aimed at kids ages 3 to 10.
Images: Supplied
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