Think Big, Play Bigger: Mission Play! by Mattel Invites Families to Experience the Power of Play

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Mission Play! by Mattel is marking International Playdate Day this January with a vibrant new series of interactive family activities designed to bring children and parents together through hands-on play, creativity, and movement.

Running from January 22 to 25, the four-day celebration introduces three limited-time playdate experiences integrated across Mission Play!’s popular Hot Wheels, Barbie, and MEGA zones. The activities encourage collaborative building, physical exploration, and artistic self-expression, offering families fresh ways to connect while learning through play.

The experiences are inspired by Mattel’s Shape of Play study, which highlights the role of different types of play in supporting children’s emotional, social, and cognitive development. These insights are translated into simple, engaging activities that demonstrate how play can be both fun and meaningful.

In the MEGA Maker – Build the Skyline activity, children work together to create a large-scale collaborative cityscape inspired by the Abu Dhabi skyline. The evolving build promotes teamwork, imagination, and problem-solving as each child contributes unique ideas to a shared creation.

The Hot Wheels – Stunt City zone brings high-energy movement into play, challenging children to race remote-controlled cars, experiment with speed and direction, and drive across a shared painted canvas. The result is a dynamic collective artwork shaped by motion, creativity, and trial-and-error learning.

Meanwhile, the Barbie You Can Be Anything – Artist Studio offers a calmer, guided painting session where parents and children create custom artwork side by side. The experience emphasizes self-expression, confidence, and quality time, encouraging families to slow down and enjoy creating together.

As part of the celebration, the all-day play pass includes additional Playdate Day activities. Visitors can also enjoy a special promotion, with the first 30 guests between 5pm and 8pm each day receiving a complimentary toy with the purchase of a Mission Play! by Mattel card.

Through these initiatives, Mission Play! by Mattel continues to champion play not as a break from learning, but as a powerful tool for discovery, confidence-building, and meaningful family connection.