Tell us about yourself and what is it you currently do
I’m Jennifer Hogan, scientist turned edutainment strategist specializing in family entertainment and informal learning. Over the past 15 years, I’ve designed and operated programs, experiences and destinations that bring education, play, and community together in meaningful ways for children and families.
I am currently the Director of Family Entertainment at Hattan Group in the UAE, where I lead the development and operation of a portfolio of children & parents focused brands, including Lemonade Play & Discovery Center. My role spans concept creation, strategy, guest experience design, and long-term growth planning, with a focus on building environments where development happens organically through play and exploration.
What have been your greatest career successes?
Some of my most meaningful career successes have been seeing the long-term impact of my work with children and young people. One of the greatest privileges has been watching students who participated in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) outreach interventions at 9 and 10yrs old, go on to study science and engineering at university and build careers as engineers, research scientists, archaeologists and computer scientists. Many were the first in their families to access higher education, and knowing I played a small part in sparking that journey is incredibly rewarding.
More recently, I have successfully launched six family entertainment concepts within three years under Hattan, each built around the belief that entertainment and play should be purposeful, developmentally enriching, and memorable for the whole family. These projects have combined great commercial success with meaningful educational impact, helping to redefine what modern family entertainment can be.
Earlier in my career, I was also proud to pioneer internationally recognised STEM outreach and education initiatives across the UK and Ireland, including Lab_13, an innovative child-led science model that has since expanded across multiple regions and continues to inspire creative approaches to science education.
What brought you to the UAE?
I was drawn to the UAE because of its ambition and commitment to innovation in education and community development. It is a place where ideas can move quickly from concept to reality, and where there is genuine <a href="https://jordangazette.com/jordan-russia-agree-steps-to-boost-trade-and-investment/”>investment in shaping future generations.
What began as a professional opportunity managing the Schools Program of the Abu Dhabi Science Festival quickly became a long-term home. Over the past decade, I’ve been able to contribute to a rapidly evolving sector and help shape how families experience informal learning and entertainment in the region.
Tell us about the Family Entertainment portfolio
I created the Family Entertainment portfolio at Hattan in 2023 to develop meaningful, purpose-led destinations that go beyond traditional entertainment. It includes a range of concepts designed to combine play, learning, creativity, and community engagement.
Across the portfolio, we focus on building environments where children can explore and develop through hands-on experiences, while also ensuring parents feel equally considered in the design of the space. Each concept is built around engagement, emotional connection, and developmental value, rather than passive entertainment. We have an ambitious growth plan across the country and region and are focused on bringing our ethos to play engagement for every community.
What differentiates Lemonade from traditional family entertainment centres?
Lemonade is not a traditional play centre – it is a Play & Discovery Centre built around the philosophy that play has purpose.
While many family entertainment venues focus primarily on physical activity or digitized amusement, Lemonade integrates age-appropriate play, fun, and developmental outcomes into every experience. Each zone is intentionally designed to encourage curiosity, problem-solving, imagination, and collaboration.
What also sets Lemonade apart is its dual focus on both children and parents. We actively design for the parent experience too – creating spaces where they can connect, relax, or engage with their child’s learning journey.
What is your mission at Lemonade?
My mission at Lemonade is to transform the way children and families experience learning, play, and community.
We are reimagining traditional boundaries between education and entertainment by creating environments where children can explore freely, build confidence, and develop real-world skills through play.
At the heart of this is a belief that family experiences should be meaningful for both children and parents. We design spaces where families connect more deeply, and where children’s learning journeys are supported by joyful, shared experiences.
Ultimately, we are building places where play has purpose and where families feel a true sense of belonging.
How do you balance commercial success with educational impact?
For us, they are not separate goals – they are interconnected
When experiences are genuinely engaging, meaningful, and well-designed, they naturally deliver both educational value and commercial performance. Families return to spaces where they feel their time is valuable, enriching, and enjoyable.
We focus on long-term engagement rather than short-term attraction. This means designing experiences that evolve, offer repeat value, and build emotional connection with families over time. Strong educational design drives loyalty, and loyalty drives sustainable business growth.
You’ve developed sustainability programmes aligned with COP28 and the UAE Green Agenda. Why is it important for family entertainment and education to support these initiatives?
Family entertainment and education spaces have a unique opportunity to shape values early in life.
Children form their understanding of the world through experience, not instruction alone. By embedding sustainability into play and learning environments, we can help children develop a natural awareness of environmental responsibility and stewardship.
Aligning with initiatives like COP28 and the UAE Green Agenda ensures that we are not only entertaining children, but also preparing them to be conscious, informed global citizens. It is about making sustainability tangible, accessible, and part of everyday learning experiences.
What does the future of learning through play look like in 2036?
By 2036, I believe learning through play will be far more integrated, personalised, and experience-led.
We will see a shift away from structured, one-size-fits-all environments towards adaptive, exploratory ecosystems where children learn through interaction, curiosity, and real-world problem-solving.
Technology will play a role, but not as the centrepiece rather as a tool that enhances operations and experience. Most importantly, there will be a growing recognition that developing that emotional quotient, social skills, and wellbeing is a priority.
Family spaces will increasingly become community hubs that support both children’s growth and parental wellbeing.
What is your vision for Lemonade?
My vision is to establish Lemonade as the region’s leading children’s discovery brand, redefining what family entertainment can be.
I want Lemonade to be known not just as a place to play, but as a destination where children discover their potential, families strengthen their connections, and communities come together.
Long term, I see Lemonade evolving into a network of purpose-driven spaces that combine learning, creativity, wellbeing, and family engagement setting a new benchmark for what modern family experiences can achieve in the region and beyond.
Where can readers find out more?
Readers can learn more about Lemonade Play & Discovery Center and our upcoming initiatives through our official channels and social platforms.
