A Children’s University with eight colleges, linked themed cities and a Future City focused
on technology and robotics form part of the event, which runs until 5 September
SALALAH, 29 July 2026
Dhofar Municipality has launched Kiddy Time at Awqad Children’s Park as part of
Khareef Dhofar 2026. The event combines learning and entertainment in an
interactive environment designed to foster a love of knowledge, develop children’s
skills and open new horizons for the future. It runs until 5 September.
The event comprises integrated educational and recreational cities where children do not merely
watch but become part of the experience. Through practice and simulation, they explore various
professions and fields of study in a format combining play, learning and workplace-style
experiences.
At the heart of the park is the Children’s University, one of the main educational experiences offered
this year. Designed to simulate a real university, it includes admissions and registration, student
affairs, academic colleges and a graduation stage, allowing children to experience university life
from the moment they enter.
The university has eight main colleges: engineering, commerce, agriculture, medicine, an aviation
academy, arts, media and sport. In each, children are introduced to the fundamentals of the
discipline through age-appropriate theory, practical experiments and interactive activities. The
experience ends with children wearing graduation gowns and taking to the stage to celebrate
completing the programme.
The experience extends beyond study. Each college is linked directly to a corresponding educational
city elsewhere in Kiddy Time, where children apply what they have learned as though taking their
first steps into professional life. Engineering graduates move to the Engineering City to explore the
principles of construction, planning, design and innovation. Graduates of the Aviation Academy
enter the Pilots’ City, where they learn about aviation, aircraft and air navigation. The Sports City
introduces graduates of the College of Sport to competition, discipline, teamwork, health, fitness
and sportsmanship. Graduates of arts and media proceed to the Talent City, where they can explore
art, music, acting and media work in an environment that encourages creativity, self-expression and
confidence.
The Future City introduces children to technology and robotics through several science-themed
sections. These include the Future Lens, a virtual world that takes children through space and into
the future, the Little Laboratory and a volcano laboratory explaining the components of volcanoes
and how eruptions occur. The zone also features a range of moving robots, giving children a glimpse
of the future of innovation.
The Military Discipline City seeks to instil responsibility, commitment, respect for order and
teamwork through activities including the Tank Challenge, Power Wheels and the Armoured Vehicle
Challenge. The park also features a suspended cinema, where children watch animated films from
hanging seats.
The Cities Theatre hosts a variety of performances and competitions designed to develop cultural
awareness, imagination and self-confidence. A food hall offers a range of meals for the whole family,
completing the Kiddy Time experience.
The event also features a wide range of visual and recreational attractions, including ultraviolet
colour displays, an illuminated peacock, a moving butterfly walkway, an illuminated flamingo
walkway, a giant unicorn, an illuminated lake and giant balloons. Oversized cartoon characters also
roam the park.
Dhofar Municipality said Kiddy Time goes beyond conventional entertainment by providing an
integrated learning environment that inspires ambition and gives children an early opportunity to
discover their academic and professional interests. The event is designed to build skills, encourage
creativity, reinforce positive values and introduce children to a range of professions and fields of
study through realistic and memorable experiences.
