'Dadu on Tour’ initiative launched to reach communities beyond Doha

Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar, has rolled out a learning and outreach initiative - ‘Dadu on Tour’ - to communities across Qatar.
The initiative aims to give back to the community and grow a diverse audience base. Accordingly, it is hosting the ‘Play, Learn, Explore’ activation, one of the ‘Dadu on Tour’ activities, at Al Owaina Family Park, Al Wakra, from January 15 to February 4, in collaboration with Al Wakra Municipality.
As the first-of-its-kind publicly funded national entity in Qatar, Dadu aims to make the local community feel empowered through its collective contributions towards enriching the cultural, environmental and social ecosystems in the country. Inspired by Qatar’s creative and upcoming generation who are full of untapped potential, 'Dadu on Tour' aims to reach out to communities beyond the city of Doha across Qatar, making it easier for the children in these communities and neighbouring areas to make gigantic strides in the field of academics, play and art, Qatar Museums said in a statement.
More than 7,000 visitors enjoyed Dadu’s 'Play, Learn, Explore' at the Dadu Gardens during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and now the 'Dadu on Tour' initiative takes this experience out to new audiences by removing the barriers of geography and transport.
Essa al-Mannai, director of Dadu, said: “We are proud to present 'Dadu on Tour', the first of its kind that will connect with communities beyond Doha with Dadu. Our initiatives aim to support learning and family bonding through play that is rooted in local culture and values. We are grateful for the support of the ministry concerned and Al Wakra Municipality for hosting the first ever 'Play, Learn, Explore' outside of the Dadu Gardens.”
As part of the ‘Play, Learn, Explore’ activation, children can take part in the short following engaging activities, including:
* Zesty Za’atar: Explore the ingredients of Za’atar and blend your own version of this classic Middle Eastern spice mixture.
* Story Picnic: Enjoy picnic baskets with a twist - a feast of books published by Qatar Museums and beautiful props to bring the stories to life.
* Kashta: Qatari Camping: Design and build your own tent to experience the Qatari way of camping.
* Wobble Workout: Practise balancing, stretching and exercising using the balance wobble board during a facilitator-led workout session.
* Early Years Scavenger Bingo: Keep an eye out around the park for certain features of objects and flowers, like colours and shapes and cross them off your Bingo card.
* Blind Contour Drawing: In this drawing session with a difference, draw other people’s wonderful faces with fun and quirky lines. You will be amazed with your drawing outcome!
* Archaeology in the Sand: Dig through the sand to find and collect artefactual pieces. It's fun to get our hands dirty.
The activities are aimed at honing children’s physical and intellectual skills, such as problem-solving, observation and reading skills, while building a deeper understanding of the local culture, history and heritage.
Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar provides innovative spaces and resources for child development, so as to support the efforts of families and teachers in building a sustainable and prosperous future. The museum focuses on each child’s unique needs and development stage, using various forms of games aimed at stimulating learning.
Dadu Garden, home to the first 'Play, Learn, Explore', is currently developing new programmes that will launch soon to the public with the garden’s reopening. For more information, visit https://qm.org.qa/en/about-us/dadu-childrens-museum-qatar/ ​