The child-friendly space – which aims to tackle rising levels of obesity in the UAE – also has a spa.

Around 34 per cent of children in the UAE are considered obese, and it’s a problem that’s been growing in the country for years.

However one new opening in Dubai hopes to tackle this statistic with a fun-filled experience.

Little Gladiators is a child-only gym that launched in the Golden Mile Galleria Mall this month, with a range of facilities designed to get kids moving.

The Palm Jumeirah workout spot, which claims it’s the UAE’s first kids’ gym, is also planning to open two more branches in the city in the next few months.

The gym is the brainchild of Javed and Shanna Gani, a Dubai-based expat couple who were inspired by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision to bring childhood obesity levels down to 12 per cent by 2021.

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“When we moved to Dubai a year ago we were looking for a business idea to launch in the emirate. We looked at many options but it was Sheikh Mohammed’s work to improve the health of the nation that really captured our attention,” said Javed.

“We used this as a springboard to create a place for affordable family fun that is also another first for the emirate of Dubai, while also tackling one of the decade’s most pressing health problems.”

1 on 1 swimming lesson

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So what will you find in the 7,400-square-foot space?

Well there are classes offering everything from gymnastics and kickboxing to yoga and swimming, with a climbing wall, virtual games (that do require kids to actually move) and pool on-site.

Kids Virtual Gaming

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There are also aerobics classes for mums, taught by female instructors, so parents can work out while their kids do too.

However one of our favourite additions is the kid-friendly pampering stations (so little ones get the same R&R at the end of a workout as we do in our swanky hotel gyms).

There’s a kids’ hammam, with tiled walls that create an under-the-water scene, as well as an Aladdin-themed spa that puts on manis, pedis and facials.

Kids Hammam

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Kids between 3 and 14 can sign up, with a yearly membership setting you back Dhs999 a year (that includes unlimited gym visits).

Little Gladiators can also be hired out for private occasions, such as kids’ pool parties, or one-on-one swimming lessons.

Sounds like the place might be a solution to helping little ones burn off some excess energy during a scorching summer…

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Images: Supplied, Little Gladiators/Instagram