Dubai is a place where anything is possible and it’s no different when it comes to days out with the kids. Whether it’s animal adventures, thrilling water parks or chilled beach days, Dubai is bursting with amazing family-friendly things to do. Save the children from saying those two dreaded words – “I’m bored” – and use our ultimate guide to the 100+ things to do with kids in this amazing city.
Beach Days
To live here in Dubai, you have to channel your inner water baby. Time in the water isn’t just a must for kids here– it’s a way of life! We are spoiled for choice with a vast range of family-friendly beaches, adrenaline rushing water parks or serene sailing.
Black Palace Beach or Al Sufouh Beach is one of Dubai’s hidden gems. And that’s probably why people like to call it ‘Secret Beach’. Despite its name, it has become more and more popular in recent years due to its beautiful sand and crystal blue water, it’s the perfect place to relax and enjoy the sunset. The beach offers THE best views, with the Burj Al Arab on the right, and The Palm Jumeirah in front of you. This is a natural, wild beach, there are no facilities here – but parking is free!
The Beach JBR is nestled in Dubai Marina and is home to a magnificent beach frontage with sun loungers for hire, water sports galore and nearby restaurants and shops. There are several baby changing facilities available and toilets, as well as free WIFI. If you don’t fancy getting your feet wet, you can take a beach camel ride or a chug along on the little train or tuk tuk service (extra charges apply).
Just off shore at The Beach JBR you will find Aqua Fun Water Park which holds the World Record for having the world’s largest inflatable water park. With an obstacle course that rivals Total Wipeout, this place will add a real splash to your next beach trip! This is definitely one for slightly older children as you have to swim 15 metres out to get to it – life jackets are provided. And for when the kids get the munchies, there are plenty of food outlets along the popular strip known as “The Walk”. There’s even a children’s playground and cinema.
Sunset Beach, also referred to as Burj Beach or Umm Suqeim Beach – is the wide sandy stretch that leads up to Burj Al Arab, and perfect to get that iconic photo. You can enjoy a dip here day or night as the beach is blessed with a large light installation which allows you to swim 30 metres out into the ocean before the lights are turned off at midnight. As its name suggests, this is a wonderful spot to soak in the sunset. A lovely touch is the beach’s handy library station for swapping or borrowing books.
Just across the road, Umm Suqeim Park is a wonderful way to escape the beach crowds – there’s a sandpit, play area and cafe which means you can get a coffee while the kids play. (Please note, the park is exclusively for children, women and families).
Named due to its popularity among kite surfers, Kite Beach is also a win with sun-seekers, foodies and sand and water sports-lovers alike. You can enjoy a game of volleyball, football, paddle or try your hand at kitesurfing, wakeboarding and stand-up paddleboarding. For the younger ones, there are trampolines, mini quad bikes and a skateboard park. Kite Beach has an abundance of facilities including toilets, showers, umbrellas, sunbeds and towel hire. And yes, you can fly a kite here!
You’ll also find an abundance of food trucks – we are particularly partial to Japang – a Japanese chicken burger at its very best and Neapolitan coffee shop Kimbo. If you’d rather shop than sunbathe, Kite Beach Market has 19 beautiful stalls which are open from 1st October – 30th June.
If you prefer life on two wheels, the beach has a cycle track which runs for 16 km along the seafront. Bring the kid’s bikes and hire yourself a Careem Bike.
Jumeirah Public Beach has welcoming waters and a laid-back vibe. It isn’t as well equipped as Kite Beach and JBR but still has showers, toilets, water sports and F&B outlets. This makes it a little less busy, but still as beautiful.
Al Mamzar Beach Park is located on the Deira side of Dubai Creek and is just perfect for families. Spread over 106 hectares, this large grassy park includes three swimming pools, play parks, barbeques, water sports rentals, a scenic train, kids play areas – even air-conditioned cabanas to hire! The beaches are located along the coastal coves of the park and lifeguards are on duty (Note Mondays and Wednesdays are women and children only).
The Palm Jumeirah Boardwalk stretches 11 kms around the outer crescent of The Palm, from Rixos Hotel to the east to One & Only Hotel in the west. Good news if you like walking or you have a stroller, as this is a pedestrian only zone! Food trucks and souvenir stands are peppered along the shore so it is the perfect place to socialise!
The public beaches here are just a drop in the ocean, private beaches or beach clubs may be your sort of thing and offer superb facilities dotted along the coastline.
Waterparks
If there’s one thing Dubai has hard-earned a reputation for, it is having some of the most amazing water parks in the world. One of the most recognisable is Aquaventure Waterpark Dubai – which is part of the Atlantis hotel on the Palm. It caters for both adrenaline junkies and younger families too, with more than 100 rides to choose from. Aquaventure also has The Lost Chamberswhich is a giant aquarium PLUS additional experiences including snorkelling and shark dives. You really need to plan a staycation here to get through this lot!
Another of the big-thrills waterparks is Wild Wadi set in the grounds of Jumeirah Beach Hotel. As well as a drop slide, it has ring rides and the country’s largest wave pool. There is a huge section dedicated to smaller kids and toddlers making it our top pick for mixed groups catering to smaller kids and teens (or the young at heart).
Aimed at the younger crowd, Legoland Dubai Water Park is at the more sedate end of the water park scale but still packs in plenty of rides for a reasonable price tag. It is great for your little ones wanting to build up their confidence with water park thrills and spills. The Joker Soaker is a good water fun starting point, then advance to Build a Raft Lazy River and on to the wave pool (tame by most standards) before graduating to the slide rides.
For water action aimed at the junior crowd, we love Splash ‘n’ Party located in Al Safa 2. Unassuming from the outside, it looks like an ordinary villa, but on the inside it’s full of water fun. They’re speciality is combining birthday parties with water-play, but you can visit any day of the week with a restaurant, shop and change facilities available.
Boat Trips
If you’ve never been out on the water in the Arabian Gulf you really must give it a try for a new perspective on this beautiful city. The Yellow Boats and Captain Jack are popular choices, both sail out of Dubai Marina with a variety of different length tours and crafts. Our favourite is the traditional Dhow cruise.
Dubai Water Canal is more than 3 km of man-made waterway connecting the Creek in Old Dubai to Business Bay to the Arabian Gulf. As well as the waterway itself, there are running tracks and cycle paths along with a mechanical waterfall. The best way to view it is, of course, from the water. Hop on board one of the many ferries or abra and while away an afternoon an afternoon on the canal’s calm waters.
Indoor Adventures
Dubai is not short of fun and adventurous indoor activities for babies, toddlers, and children to burn off some energy, get creative and have fun. From trampoline parks to interactive museums, to the best shopping – there really is fun to be had all year round.
At Dubai Mall you’ll find lots to keep the kids entertained. It’s hard to look past one of the biggest shopping malls in the world for entertainment. There’s a multitude of both free and paid activities on offer here from the hourly choreographed fountain shows at Dubai Fountains, to the views At The Top, level 124-125 of Burj Khalifa – the tallest man-made building in the world.
Skating fans will be amazed to find the Olympic-size Dubai Ice Rink sitting right there in the centre of the Mall! There’s also a giant Hamley’s Store as well as a flight simulator of the Emirates A380 experience.
Little ones can be grown-ups for the day at KidZania – a role-play play-centre also in Dubai Mall. It’s about learning and entertainment combined perfectly in a 7,000 m2 scaled replica of a real city, packed with more than 40 activities for children aged 2-16. They can try their hand at being a surgeon, firefighter, chef, police officer, builder, model, actors, artist, radio host and more!
It’s also hard not to be wowed at Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. It has a 48-metre-long aquarium tunnel, glass bottom boat rides and daily feedings of animals, which range from piranhas to rays. For those who are braver than us, you can upgrade your experience and book cage snorkelling or a shark dive. While you’re there, why nor dress up like a mermaid or pirate and enjoy underwaster encounters, with a theme of environmental conservation at Mermaids of Arabia.
If malls are your thing, then you wont want to miss Mall of the Emirates, with cinemas, food court, Ski Dubai and a Harry Potter shop,
At City Walk, Little David Attenborough wannabes can be a zoo keeper for the day at The Green Planet. This amazing indoor rainforest is home to more than 3,000 different fauna, flora and wildlife, and it has its own jungle-like ecosystem. You can get up close and personal with more than 3,000 exotic plants and animals. From witnessing a live feeding frenzy of more than 1,000 piranhas, snapping a picture with the sleepy sloths or holding the creepy crawlies to taking a journey down under at The Australian Walkabout.
For your mini Monets, Infinity Des Lumières is a modern art museum which offers an immersive digital art experience, showcasing different exhibitions. Inside, the impressive 2,700 square metres displays stunning works of art through the use of 130 projectors and 58 speakers on a total surface projection of 3,300 sqm.
At Woo Hoo, it’s all about learning while having fun at this family-friendly venue. Take your pick from ten different rooms filled with 50 interactive exhibitions. Kids can brush up on their science, arts and maths skills, which aim to get all the senses going. The best news: there are drop-off sessions in which children can be taken care of by educators.
Welcome to the jungle at Tr88house – this sprawling 65,000 square foot indoor venue has 12-metre-high treetops. Munchkin Monsters soft play area is for tiny tots; Skyfall’s trampoline park is for tweens, and laser tag is for teens. While the whole family can get stuck in with a round of mini golf, which is located in a glow-in-the-dark tropical rainforest, meaning you can rumble in the jungle.
Fabyland is an indoor entertainment venue with games galore; from arcade machines to redemption games.The old-school rides include teacups, bumper cars and a carousel. Tiny ones will love the soft play areas with ball shooting, ball pools and football.
For those with budding performers in the making, check out a great little theatre in Al Quoz called The Courtyard Playhouse. They do amazing, short performances based around improvisation for kids, as well as acting classes and camps. There is also a theatre schedule for adults.
Souk Madinat Jumeirah takes on a different pace to other shopping areas. Modern, but built in traditional Arabic style the souk is a great spot to take your visitors looking to pick up some souvenirs (especially if it’s too hot for the traditional souks in Deira).
Another little-known but not to be missed attraction is the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project housed in the sea feed lagoon at the hotel Jumeirah Al Naseem.
City Centre Mirdif also packs a powerful family-packed punch where you will find everything for entertainment: indoor skydiving at iFly Dubai, Little Explorers(edutainment for 2 to 7 year olds) and Yalla! Bowling.
Magic Planet also has lots to keep the toddlers, tween and teens entertained with Skytrail (wall climbing and ropes course) and their Immersive Game Box Experience where you’ll find yourself inside an interactive box, playing the likes of Pacmac-esk games or Angry Birds.
There are also loads of trampolining options in Dubai; Bounce in Al Quoz as well as Jump Boxx in Mirdif. For more adrenaline adventures head down to Air Maniax where you’ll find a huge indoor inflatable park and warrior course fun for children (and parents) of all ages. Street Maniax is aimed at older children and adults where fun-seekers can learn parkour and hone their trampolining skills with the on-site trainers.
Hold on tight and get ready to scream on The Storm – a record-breaking roller coaster located inside Dubai Hills Mall. It reaches speeds of up to 77 kmph, with twists, turns, and sharp stomach wrenching drops. (Minimum height of 130 cm required).
IMG Worlds of Adventure is located on the E311 and is entirely indoors, this park is made up of four zones covering Cartoon Network, Marvel, IMG Boulevard and Lost World. More geared to slightly older children and thrill seekers.
The JamJar is THE Place for letting youngsters release their inner creativity! A community art space based in Al Quoz 3, they do everything from workshops, studios, camps and so much more for all age groups.
Creatives will also feel at home at Café Ceramique in Town Centre Mall (Jumeirah Beach Road) where you can enjoy a meal whilst painting a pottery creation – workshops and art classes are available too.
Dig It in The Springs Souk, Dubai’s best play area based on a real-life construction site (as good as any Dubai mega project), means that children are guaranteed the most fun they’ll EVER have in a hard hat with fantastic mini diggers, brick conveyors and many more pieces of equipment to keep their little minds busy, creative and having THE best time!
In case you haven’t heard already, Reel Junior, which is located at Reel Cinemas at The Springs Souk and Dubai Mall. is a cinema dedicated just to kids, with colourful, comfy beanbag sofa style seats and kiddie snacks throughout the film that the kids will LOVE!
And for your little Matilda’s – you can escape the heat in the summer, and screens in the winter with a visit to Mohammed Bin Rashid Library. The building looks like an open book sitting on a rehl (a traditional lectern that holds the Quran) and is said to be the biggest library in the Arab world. The space is packed with books from floor to ceiling. Don’t expect ‘Please Be Quiet’ signs in the Children’s section; with colourful carpets, teepeetents and a play area complete with slides and other fun things.
Visitors are expected to dress modestly. It’s best to wear something that properly covers your shoulders and legs.
Keeping Cool
There is no shortage of places to cool off here. Ski Dubai is the coolest way to spend sizzling summers. It’s a frosty -1 degrees to 2 degrees Celsius inside where you can have skiing and snowboarding lessons plus even meeting the penguins. The Snow Park pass includes unlimited access to the snow park rides, including the Bobsled, Tubing Run, Snow Bumpers, Climbing Wall, Snow Plough Playground, Ice cave and one Zorb Ball (Giant Ball) Ride.
Chillout is the Middle East’s first ice lounge located in Times Square. It will be quite a novel experience for your little desert-dwellers, don your thermal wear and enjoy F&B served at minus 6c!
Outdoor adventures
If you want your kids to explore nature, take them on an outdoor adventure at XPark Jr. Kids are encouraged to get dirty and hug some trees. Experiences include splashing in fountains, cooking in the mud kitchen, climbing wooden forts and meeting barn animals. It’s all going back to basics, like the sort of stuff we did as kids.
For a picture-perfect family morning or afternoon, book tickets to Al Barari Playground. Your kids will enjoy two hours of sand-and-water filled fun, splashing about in the shallows, clambering up cargo nets and across rope bridges, navigating stepping stones and exploring pirate ships.
If you’re young at heart, Dubai Parks and Resorts offers you and your kids an amazing array of mega theme parks including Motiongate, Bollywood Parks and Legoland. Take a break from roller coasters and water slides at Riverland, an entertainment and dining boulevard, with food options to suit every taste. While here, don’t miss the chance to bounce into some lively activities at JumpX, the world’s largest inflatable park.
Those looking for real thrill-seeking will also want to check out Sky Dive Dubai on the Palm. What better way to get a bird’s eye view of the city – get this on the bucket list before you leave the UAE!!
Those wanting to get up close and personal with animals must check on The Camel Farm. Are your children intrigued by animals? They offer a guided tour including feeding the animals plus camel rides. Kids under three are free.
Green Spaces
It comes as a great surprise to many visitors to Dubai just how many wonderful parks and green spaces are spotted all over the city. We reference a few in the beaches section above, but others well worthy of a mention include:
Zabeel Park is one of Dubai’s largest located near the World Trade Centre roundabout. It is home to The Ripe Market on a Friday (in the winter months) as well as adventure playgrounds, mini golf, a skatepark and a BMX track.
Barsha Pond Park located in Al Barsha 1 is also home to The Ripe Market on Saturdays (winter months only). Set around a man-made pond, as well as 50 plus acres of green space you’ll find ball sports and play parks to be enjoyed here. A favourite activity is hiring family go Kart bicycles, or swan shaped paddle boats!
Safa Park is another popular green spot especially on weekends offering play parks, sports facilities, boat rentals, bike hire – even a mini train service!
Creek Park as the name suggests sits alongside Dubai Creek. Enjoy the beautiful views from the wonderful walkways or get up high in a Creek Park Cable Car for a bird’s eye view of the city (evenings only in summer, all day in winter).
Mushrif Park, one of Dubai’s oldest parks, is home to Aventura Nature Adventure Park. With 80 challenges set between five different levels from the ground to the trees – zip lines to climbing – there’s something here for kids and parents alike (suitable for those over 1.15m). There’s also a section dedicated to traditional houses around the world, an equestrian centre and camel riding, playgrounds, barbequing area and sports courts.
The Farm Al Barari is a firm favourite, with its stunning garden setting, amazing meals as well as special programs such as Mini Chefs, it makes for the perfect inner city escape all the family can enjoy. It’s hard to believe you are so close to town! (Located off the E311 near Global Village).
For a touch of wildlife close to the heart of the city, head to Ras al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary to see flamingos and other wildlife. Slightly out of town is Al Qudra Lakes, a series of man-made lakes built across the Al Salam Desert. Make a day of it or even camp overnight! Spot wildlife including desert foxes, oryx and 170 species of birds that now call the lakes home. There’s also 86kms of cycling track here for fitness enthusiasts – suitable for novices through to professionals.
More for animal lovers, Dubai City Stables offers a huge variety of animal encounters from a petting farm to horse riding, or try your hand at horse riding in Jebel Ali, with the horse stables in JA The Resort.
You can’t live in Dubai without a visit to the desert! There are so many different ways to enjoy the sand,from dune bashing to sand boarding, or even camping. Or how about staying overnight at Fossil Rock or Al Faya Desert.
For a more sedate pace where someone else does the driving and commentary, try a morning heritage safari through Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Or for a complete change of scene, why not see the desert from above with a hot air balloon tour from Balloon Adventure Emirates?
Seasonal Experiences
*Please check opening dates for these attractions as many are only winter month openings and subject to change*
Dubai Miracle Garden is the world’s largest flower garden and is a must see (winter months only), along with the neighbouring Dubai Butterfly Garden, with its 9 huge domes home to more than 2,500 butterflies that will happily fly around and perch on your shoulder.
Want to travel the world with your little ones without hopping on a plane? Global Village springs to life in the winter months with more than 90 countries and cultures coming together for this entertainment and shopping extravaganza. It’s slightly bizarre, slightly overwhelming but such an eclectic place, almost worth it for the people watching alone. (Top tip – get in early, opening at 4pm, the car park is enormous and especially weekends it gets manic).
Camel Races at Al Marmoom race track – enjoy the fun and excitement of this traditional Arabic sport during the winter months. Although most races are an early start (between 6am and 9am), it’s well worth your while to pay this unique sport a visit.
Dubai Garden Glow & Dinosaur Park – Combining two parks in one, see childhood favourites from another era brought to life in giant animated models that look and sound like the real thing! Then as the sun sets, watch Zabeel park come to life with glowing neon decorations in all shapes and sizes (winter months only).
Dubai Parks and Resorts in Jebel Ali has three mega theme parks; a Legoland Water Park and a resort and entertainment district. The flagship theme park for little kids is Legoland Dubai – including the world’s first indoor Mini World. For slightly older children and more thrill seekers, try Motiongate (think rides based on your favourite DreamWorks characters – Shrek, Kung Fu Panda Madagascar…) And for some flamboyant fun and entertainment check out Bollywood Parks Dubai.
Don’t miss Riverland entertainment district too. A destination itself with a huge range of restaurants and entertainment. Lapita Resort also offers a weekend Daycation package just perfect for families with a supervised kid’s area and access to the pool and lazy river.
Not sure which is best and for what age group? Check out our detailed theme park comparison guide to help you decide.
Dubai Culture & History
Now for a bit of change of pace, don’t forget to squeeze in some UAE culture and history to your family’s weekend or after school plans.
For a taste of old Dubai, the best place to start is Bur Dubai. Starting with the Dubai Museum in Al FadidiForte (get in early to avoid the hordes of tourists), but also take the time to simply wander streets around Bastakiya – also known as the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
When you’re done here, take an abra across Dubai Creek to Deira for the traditional gold souk and spice souk. Also popular is Naif Souk; one of the city’s oldest souks, previously a camel market is now home to more than 200 shops and stalls. It’s known as one of the best places to pick up a bargain or two from electronics to textiles! Come along and test out your haggling skills!
A fabulous addition to Dubai’s cultural line up is Dubai Opera, where you can catch any type of show at this impressive performance venue – it’s more than just an opera house. It’s known for getting many of London’s West End musicals.
Another fabulous but lesser-known cultural addition is Etihad Museum. Located in Jumeirah 1, it tells the story of the UAE’s birth with exhibits and programmes that visitors through the chronology of events. Newbies and long-term expats alike will find this a great educational experience.
Get the perfect picture at Dubai Frame. At ground level in Zabeel Park, look through thus huge structure to see the contrasting faces of this emirate – ‘Old Dubai’ is framed from one direction and ‘New Dubai’ from the other. Inside, it is essentially a footbridge with a glass floor, 500 feet (150 metres) up in the sky. Once youhave seen the old and the new through the Frame, visit the Future Dubai Gallery on the mezzanine floor to find out what tomorrow looks like for this fast-paced metropolis.
Phew! We think that’s about it. Good luck ticking everyone off your list! If you think we have missed anything, drop us a line at blog@britishmums.com.
Where to Take your Visitors in Dubai
