When you arrive in Dubai with a baby or toddler, your to-do list is already enormous, finding a home, sorting visas, figuring out where to shop for nappies. But there’s another challenge that’s just as important for your wellbeing: finding your people.
Back home, you might have had a ready-made support network of friends, family and fellow mums. In a new city, it’s easy to feel isolated, but I promise, there are so many ways to meet other mums here and start building your own community.
Here’s what’s worked for me and for many mums in our Next of Kin community.
1. Join Mum & Baby Classes & Playgroups
Classes are a brilliant way to meet other mums in a relaxed, baby-friendly environment. Mama Hub is a brilliant resource to find out about what classes are on over the coming days. Mama Hub also host their own affordable play groups on a Friday morning. You’ll often find the same faces week after week, which makes conversations flow naturally.
2. Visit Play Cafés and Play Areas
Dubai is filled with child-friendly cafés with varying levels of fun for the kids, from full-on softplay to more grown up cafes which happen to have play areas, meaning that you can sip a coffee while your toddler plays nearby. You’d be surprised how many casual chats over babycinos turn into lasting friendships. For a list of Dubai cafes with indoor play areas check out or other blog post.
3. Join Online Groups & WhatsApp Chats
Social media is a huge part of how mums in Dubai connect. Try:
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Next of Kin’s Instagram & community updates (yes, a shameless plug — but I often run events!)
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Facebook groups like The Mum Folk, ATB Mums, Dubai Mums or British Mums Dubai.
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Local WhatsApp groups for your neighbourhood — many are organised around nurseries, schools, or even specific towers.
4. Sign Up for Antenatal or Postnatal Support Groups
If you’re still expecting, classes like Birth & Beyond (by Lullabies and The Fit Midwife) are a great way to meet parents at the exact same stage of life.
If you’ve already had your baby, look for postnatal exercise groups, baby massage or Mummy Mornings (The Mum Club or The Mum Folk are a great pleace to start).
5. Say Yes to Invitations
Even if you’re tired or nervous, saying yes to that coffee or park date can make all the difference. Every friend starts as a stranger — and you never know which meeting will lead to your new mum bestie.
Final Thought
Finding mum friends in Dubai takes a bit of effort, but it’s absolutely worth it. A supportive circle makes the challenges of parenting in a new city so much easier — and the celebrations so much sweeter.
