What ages does The Confidence Lab teach?

Spark Your Imagination is for ages 3 to 7. Speak with Fire, Express Your Vision and Ignite Your Writing start at age 8, and The Courageous Creative is for ages 14 to 17. Groups are sorted by age and skill.

How much do classes cost?

The course pages list hourly rates: AED 199 per hour for Spark Your Imagination (3 to 7), AED 199 to 299 per hour for Speak with Fire, AED 199 to 369 per hour for Express Your Vision and Ignite Your Writing, and AED 299 to 329 per hour for The Courageous Creative. The site does not say what sets the rate within a range (sessions can be group and/or individual), so ask the team. New learners also pay a one-time AED 175 registration fee, and 5% VAT is added. The terms say this fee structure has applied since January 2025, so check current rates.

How are courses booked?

Courses are sold as packages: Garden (1 month, 8 sessions), Woods (3 months, 24 sessions) and Forest (6 months, 48 sessions), and the registration form also offers a whole-year option of 72 sessions. Fees are paid in advance, by the 23rd of the month before classes start.

Can my child try a class first?

Yes. Each course page has a 'Book a Trial Session' button. The trial is paid and non-refundable, and its price is not published, so ask the team about the price and available slots.

Where is it and when is it open?

G-31, Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Quoz. Google lists the centre as open 10AM to 7PM every day, by appointment. Class times are fixed batches, so ask the team for the timetable for your child's course.

Does it prepare children for exams?

The centre prepares learners for Trinity College London exams and runs its own in-house assessments. External exam fees are paid separately.

The Confidence Lab by The Gaia Centre — photo

The Confidence Lab by The Gaia Centre: public speaking, drama and creative arts in Al Quoz

AcademicsPublic Speaking

Checked Oct 2026Details checked October 2026

Al Quoz

Trial class

Ages3+years and up
PriceAED 199an hour, lowest price
OpenAskNot published yet
WhereAl QuozOpen in Maps

Book online

The Confidence Lab is The Gaia Centre's creative learning space on the ground floor of Times Square Center on Sheikh Zayed Road. The team describe themselves as educators, artists, writers and performers, led by co-founders Ashwin and Jesika, who wrote the centre's own curriculum. Classes mix public speaking, acting, storytelling, drawing and creative or academic writing, taught through games, role-plays, projects and performances. For children there are four main courses: Spark Your Imagination, a storytelling and performance course for ages 3 to 7; Speak with Fire, public speaking, acting and communication from age 8; Express Your Vision, drawing and sketching from age 8; and Ignite Your Writing, English or French writing and comprehension from age 8. Teenagers aged 14 to 17 can join The Courageous Creative, which covers life skills and creative portfolios for university applications. Groups are sorted by age and skill, sessions run once or twice a week, and the centre offers in-house assessments and preparation for Trinity College London exams. It says it is a KHDA-licensed training facility.

gaiaconfidencelab.com Instagram Facebook YouTube

The activity

Public Speaking, explained

Public speaking and drama classes for children are less about lecterns and more about play. Kids warm up their voices and bodies, invent characters, tell stories out loud, role-play everyday situations and then present or perform for the group. Along the way they practise projecting their voice, using gestures and eye contact, organising their ideas and handling the nerves that come with being watched. Children who are shy often find it gives them words and a structure; chatty children learn to shape what they say. Many programmes start with storytelling for the under-sevens and move into speeches, debate-style discussion and acting from around eight.

Who it's for

Children from age 3 (Spark Your Imagination, ages 3 to 7), children and teens from age 8 (Speak with Fire, Express Your Vision, Ignite Your Writing) and teens aged 14 to 17 (The Courageous Creative). There are also adult courses. Groups are organised by age and skill. Ignite Your Writing is aimed partly at learners who are struggling with schoolwork or want more writing practice. On Google, the venue lists wheelchair-accessible entrance, seating, toilet and parking.

What to expect

Each course page has a 'Book a Trial Session' button; the trial is paid and non-refundable, and the price is not published, so ask the team. Regular sessions are 60 minutes of group and/or individual training, once or twice a week, in fixed batches the team picks by age and skill. Classes are built around games, role-play, storytelling, presentations and performances, with project-based learning. Learners should arrive 5 to 10 minutes early, wear comfortable clothes and closed shoes, and bring a dedicated notebook or sketchbook with stationery. There is homework, which the centre calls 'Funjects'. Google lists the centre as appointment only.

Highlights

Courses for ages 3 to 7, 8 and up, and 14 to 17, grouped by age and skill (gaiaconfidencelab.com)
Public speaking, acting, storytelling, drawing and creative or academic writing under one roof (gaiaconfidencelab.com)
Preparation for Trinity College London exams, plus in-house assessments (gaiaconfidencelab.com)
Ignite Your Writing covers English or French writing and comprehension (gaiaconfidencelab.com)
Says it is a KHDA-licensed training facility (gaiaconfidencelab.com)
5.0 on Google from 61 reviews (Google listing)

Why parents rate it

What parents say on Google

The Confidence Lab is rated 5.0 on Google from 61 reviews, and all 61 are five stars. On its own site, the centre quotes a 13-year-old learner saying she feels more confident and does better in social situations, and a parent saying her son reads aloud with more expression and writes in more detail.

The facts

Ages: 3 to 7 (Spark Your Imagination); 8+ (Speak with Fire, Express Your Vision, Ignite Your Writing); 14 to 17 (The Courageous Creative)
Prices: Hourly rates on the course pages: AED 199 per hour (Spark Your Imagination)AED 199-299 per hour (Speak with Fire)AED 199-369 per hour (Express Your Vision, Ignite Your Writing)AED 299-329 per hour (The Courageous Creative)
One-time registration fee: AED 175
5% VAT added
The site does not say what sets the rate within a range; ask the team
Fee structure in place since January 2025; confirm current rates
Schedule: Once or twice a week, 60-minute sessions in fixed batches; timetable not published, ask the provider
Trial: Paid trial sessions can be booked from each course page; non-refundable, price not published
Where: G-31, Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Quoz, Dubai
How to book: gaiaconfidencelab.com/trialsession · gaiaconfidencelab.com/registernowform · +971 56 704 3135 · wa.me/971567043135 · [email protected]
Opening hours: Every day10am–7pm

Questions parents ask

Good to know

Address: G-31, Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Quoz (gaiaconfidencelab.com)
Parking: on-site and paid parking listed; wheelchair-accessible entrance, seating, toilet and car park (Google listing)
Fees are paid monthly in advance, due by the 23rd for the following month; 5% VAT is added; paying by online payment link adds 3% (cash, card, bank transfer and cheque are also accepted); paying after the first class adds an AED 150 late charge (gaiaconfidencelab.com)
No refunds for cancellations, missed sessions or trial sessions; the Woods and Forest packages include 2 and 4 make-up sessions with 48 hours' written notice (gaiaconfidencelab.com)
Bring a notebook or sketchbook, wear comfortable clothes and closed shoes (gaiaconfidencelab.com)
Some subjects are also offered online (gaiaconfidencelab.com)