Malls in the city offer numerous, innovative play zones for tiny-tots, but some appear unsafe for the little ones.
One such was the recently set-up snow globe in Al Khawaneej.
One popular spot, the large globe allowed kids to step in and play with “fake snowflakes”. Two fans, positioned on either side of the floor, provided a “snow fall” effect.
Priced at Dh15 per kid, parents watched delightfully as their children played in “snow”.
When Emirates24|7 raised this concern to the mall authorities, they clarified that there was no reason to worry. “We appreciate and understand the concerns raised by the parents to us. Please note, that all such installations are approved by Dubai Municipality and Economic department,” explained a spokesperson for Arabian Center.
“They are checked for hazards to customers and only then given approval. Such kind of installations have taken place at various places in the UAE and are also presently installed across different emirates for entertainment purposes.”
Even the operator, Al Madar Games and Amusement, assured that all safety elements were looked into.
“Our ‘snowflakes’ are made of non-toxic material and free from chemicals and it is safe for children. This ‘snowflakes’ is also hypo-allergenic,” their official added.
They added that they’ve used this snow globe for over a year in many parks in the UAE, and they haven't received any complaints so far.
“It was also used in Europe for five years. Snowglobe passed the standards of UK, which is why we were confident about bringing it to the UAE.”
It’s only when the kids stepped out of the area that parents realised shredded plastic was used as the “fake snow”.
One parent was seen clearing out pieces of plastic that had got caught inside her child’s t-shirt.
Some parents, however, appeared unconcerned. “It’s just a play area and nothing will happen,” stated Abdullah.