Sharjah Children's Reading Festival 2025 to feature VR dinosaur thrills, Newton’s elevator

The Sharjah Children's Reading Festival (SCRF 2025) returns with a bold, immersive agenda designed to spark young imagination and ignite a love for learning.

Across 12 days, visitors can look forward to 85 theatrical and roaming performances, along with a rich selection of musical and scientific shows curated to engage and inspire audiences of all ages.

 Nursery

SCRF offers a nursery area for children that takes them on a journey around the world of science through five themed corners: the Dinosaur Corner, Machines Corner, Science Corner, Arcade Corner, and the Stage Shows Corner.

Each space offers hands-on learning and immersive experiences, from VR dinosaur adventures to Newton’s elevator and interactive drum tables. Ticket prices are Dhs100 for two hours and Dhs200 for four hours.

 The festival will also host more than 600 workshops and lively panel discussions featuring leading voices in children’s literature, culture and education.

 Now in its sixteenth edition, the festival is being organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) at Expo Centre Sharjah from April 23 to May 4, under the theme ‘Dive into Books’.

This year’s agenda features a curated selection of standout events that blur the lines between art and education.

Among the highlights are ‘A Musical Evening with the Rouh Al Sharq Choir’ and the ‘Greatest Science Show’, immersive experiences that weave together performance, creativity and discovery in ways that resonate with audiences of all ages.

A musical evening with the Rouh Al Sharq Choir

Visitors are invited to experience a nostalgic musical journey with the Rouh Al Sharq Choir, an ensemble founded by maestro Mahmoud Mohsen in 2020 during his time at Ain Shams University in Cairo.

Comprising 30 gifted young performers, the choir quickly gained widespread recognition, winning over social media audiences with its seamless blend of classical and contemporary Arabic music that continues to resonate across the region.

This one-night performance will be staged in Hall 5 on April 25, 2025, from 7-8pm. The evening promises a stirring repertoire of cherished generational songs, performed live with a renewed spirit and emotional depth. Ticket prices are Dhs300 for diamond, Dhs200 for platinum, Dhs150 for gold, Dhs100 for silver and Dhs75 for bronze.

Tickets are available through Platinumlist: https://sharjah.platinumlist.net/ar/event-tickets/98523/the-golden-generation-a-musical-evening-rouh-al-sharq-choir.

Greatest Science Show

Bringing science to life through spectacle and surprise, the festival will feature the Greatest Science Show, hosted by Abdullah Annan, a celebrated science communicator followed by more than 18 million fans.

This family-friendly experience will showcase dramatic experiments such as exploding hydrogen balloons and vast nitrogen clouds, designed to fascinate audiences of all ages.

The show will take place in Hall 5 on April 26 from 6-7.30pm. Ticket prices are Dhs200 for diamond, Dhs150 for platinum, 100 for gold, 50 for silver and 30 for bronze.

Tickets can be booked through Platinumlist at: https://sharjah.platinumlist.net/ar/event-tickets/98410/greatest-science-show.

To ensure a seamless experience, doors will close ten minutes before the show begins, and late entry will not be permitted.

Visitors are encouraged to arrive early and confirm their booking details.

For further information, please contact Hanan Al Baloushi at 06-5140132 or [email protected]. Full festival details can be found on the official website: https://www.scrf.ae/en/home.

Theatre and roaming performances

The festival will also host four theatrical performances: Magic in the Air, Marty in the Putz, UNKLANDIA, and AIR FOOT WORKS, alongside six roaming shows including Masked Wonderland, Winged Wonders, Dancing with a Robot, Magic in the Air, The Nutkins and the Ducks, and appearances by the festival’s mascots.