Little Builders, Big Ideas: LEGO DUPLO Pop-Up Opens at City Centre Mirdif

Every great builder starts with a wobbly tower of big bricks, and a grown-up close by to catch it when it topples. Now the LEGO Group is creating a space just for those first builds. Let’s Start Building, a LEGO DUPLO pop-up play space for children aged 18 months to five, has opened at Explorers, City Centre Mirdif, and runs until 31 October.

Inside, open play areas are filled with DUPLO bricks, waiting to become whatever little imaginations dream up, whether that’s a house, a bus or a tower taller than they are. There are no instructions and no rules, and parents are positively encouraged to get down on the floor and join in.

DUPLO bricks are designed for small hands still learning to grip and stack. Each brick is twice the size of a standard LEGO brick in every dimension, yet they still click together with regular LEGO. So when your child is ready to move up at four or five, their favourite characters and creations come with them.

The pop-up also celebrates the power of playing together. The LEGO Play Well Study 2026, which surveyed 45,000 parents and children across 30 markets, found that 89% of parents say role play brings their family closer and makes playtime more fun.

“When a toddler pours you a cup of pretend tea, a lot is going on,” says Kathryn Kelly, Assistant Head of Early Years and Lower Primary at Swiss International Scientific School Dubai. “They’re taking turns, finding the words for their ideas, and practising how to look after someone else.”

Feeling short on time? The study suggests that families who play together for five or more hours a week report higher happiness and wellbeing. That’s around 45 minutes a day, and it doesn’t have to happen all at once.

The details

Where: Explorers, City Centre Mirdif

When: Until Saturday 31 October

Hours: Monday–Thursday, 10am–10pm; Friday–Sunday, 10am–midnight

Tickets: AED 79 (1 hour), AED 119 (2 hours) or AED 149 (full day), available at explorersmena.com