UAE Survey Highlighting Pre-Teen Social Gap // Too Old for Soft Play, Too Young for TikTok?

A new UAE-wide survey by Gen X DXB, one of Dubai’s longest-running youth social brands, reveals a concerning lack of safe, age-appropriate spaces for children aged 9 to 14 an age group many parents say is stuck between soft play and social independence.

The findings point to a social gap affecting pre-teens in the UAE who are increasingly reliant on screens and lack opportunities to develop real-world confidence, friendships, and emotional resilience outside school and home.

Commissioned by Gen X DXB, the Emirate’s first social-led community for youth, the survey forms part of Founder Lorna Bancroft’s broader mission to address these challenges through practical, real-world solutions already operating across Dubai.

“This isn’t just data it reflects what we’ve been seeing on the ground for years,” said Lorna Bancroft, Founder of Gen X DXB. “There’s a huge gap in the UAE for this age group kids who are too old for soft play but not yet ready for full independence. Gen X DXB was created to fill that space, offering fun, structured, screen-free social events where children can connect and grow in confidence.”

Survey Highlights:

• 70% of children in this age group spend most of their free time on screens

• 40% of parents believe there are not enough social spaces for pre-teens

• 88% would welcome structured, supervised events designed for this age group

• Top concerns include real-world isolation, low self-confidence, and exposure to harmful online content

Unlike global research that focuses on education or emotional health, this is the first UAE-based study to explore the real-world social needs of pre-teens a group too old for soft play zones and too young for the independence required for malls or teen events.

One parent noted: “She’s too big for soft play but too young to hang out unsupervised. With the heat, it’s hard to find outdoor activities she actually enjoys.”

Dr. Sobia Nasim, Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Medcare Camali Mental Health Clinic, commented:

“Pre-teens in the UAE are at risk of what we call ‘social developmental drift.’ Without the right spaces to connect, build peer relationships, and grow emotionally, we see increased anxiety, loneliness and over-reliance on digital interaction.”

Gen X DXB offers just that a safe, engaging, and social environment where young people can connect, create and feel seen. Weekly events, including a popular kids-only brunch at UBK Funzone in JLT, bring children together in a fully supervised but informal setting with karaoke, mocktail making, arcade games, and team activities. Gen X DXB also works with families and schools to offer private celebrations and school-linked social programmes.